Read the invitation first, because it sets how casual you can go, and the 3 ideas below cover the span from a button-down with slacks already in your closet to a linen suit with no tie.
Dress code words like "formal" or "black tie" rule out jeans and boots; a country or outdoor venue is what makes them work.
Shoes and weather come next: loafers or boat shoes suit a daytime ceremony, jeans with boots suit a cooler evening, and a layer or 2 covers whatever the forecast does.
1. Casual Wedding Attire for Men
A button-down and slacks is the safest answer to a casual wedding, and I would pick it before anything cleverer. Both pieces are probably already in your closet, so nothing needs buying.
Keep the shirt pressed and the trousers a shade darker than it.
Cream over dark brown reads as dressed up without a jacket, and a belt that matches your shoes finishes it. If the invitation hints at something dressier, add a blazer.
2. Loafers, Boat Shoes
Slip-on loafers let a casual wedding outfit look finished without laces or a tie. Tassel loafers in white pebbled leather are the livelier choice, and I like them with light trousers for a daytime or outdoor ceremony.
White shoes show scuffs fast, so wipe them clean before you leave.
Boat shoes are the more relaxed pick; save them for the loosest invitations. Wear either one with thin socks or none.
3. Jeans with Boots
Jeans and boots work at a wedding when everything above the waist is dressed. White shirts, ties and vests or jackets do that job, and I would copy the formula: the denim becomes the one relaxed piece.
Choose dark jeans with no rips or fading, and boots that are clean and polished.
Skip it for any invitation that says formal or black tie. A country or outdoor setting is where this look fits best.
Respecting the Occasion
Casual on an invitation relaxes the rules, but it doesn’t cancel them, and a wedding still asks for effort.
Think of what you’d put on for a nice dinner at a friend’s house or a weekend lunch, and leave out anything wrinkled or built for the gym.
Flip-flops, graphic tees and athleisure are out. Blue denim is the exception only when the venue supports it.
A casual wedding also exists so guests can shop their own closets instead of buying something new. Pick the best-fitting, best-pressed things you already own and stop there.
Business casual on a wedding invitation is rare, but if you see it, dress the way you would for the office: khakis, a polo or button-down, and good loafers.
“Casual wedding attire, or ‘come as you are,’ is the host’s permission to skip formalities—but it’s not an invitation to arrive unpolished,” advises creative director and stylist Carrie Goldberg of CLG Creative.
— Vogue
Mixing and Matching
Separates are the backbone of a casual wedding outfit, and the easiest way to get them right is to keep the trousers dark.
A navy or gray trouser under a jacket in a different shade looks clean and takes no effort to get right.
Earth tones suit jackets well, and I rarely see a classic blue, navy or gray go wrong. Chinos, dress pants or dark denim all work below the jacket.
Keep pattern simple with a windowpane check or a herringbone weave. Bold checks pull attention away from the couple.
A full suit also works at a cocktail-style wedding if you drop the tie. For color, try a mid-green linen suit with an off-white shirt worn loosely buttoned.
Layering for Weather
Dress for the season and the weather first, then for the dress code. Outdoor weddings punish men who ignore either.
Fabric does most of the work. Linen and silk-linen blends keep a warm-weather outfit breathable while still looking considered.
For a beach or garden setting, smart tailored shorts are a legitimate choice. Pair them with a polo or a linen button-up, or add an unconstructed jacket in a silk-linen blend for more structure.
Pack the jacket even if the forecast looks fine. Wear it when the sun drops or the ceremony is indoors, and take it off when the party moves outside.
