Our next question comes from Abby (another Abby)….
Q. I was hoping you could help me out! I don’t know what color shirt to have my Fiance and his groomsmen wear to the wedding with their black suits. I am wearing a deep ivory cotton mermaid/trumpet gown from Melissa Sweet that has vintage lace.
The dress is not shiny and there is no beading, just the cotton and lace. The boys are wearing black suits instead of tuxes. I am not sure if they should wear regular white or ivory shirts? I’ve heard conflicting views from two different stores.
What do you guys thing…white or ivory?
A. I for one would rather pass this one over to one of our favorite new vendors, the team at 9Tailors. Samantha was sweet enough to offer her insider tips on choosing the perfect hue for your man’s shirt. From 9Tailors…
The great debate: should my groom and groomsmen wear white or ivory dress shirts if my wedding gown is ivory? You’ve probably heard from the salesmen at your rental tux shop that the dress shirts should match. However, I think it really depends.
Here are some points to consider. First, know your shade. There are so many shades of white, ivory and off-white. Some are more yellow. Some are more peach. Bringing a fabric swatch of your gown, will help you figure out which shade of “ivory” will look the best with your outfit. Second, know your accessories. If your groom and groomsmen will be wearing vests and ties where the shirts will mostly be covered up, the question of whether or not the dress shirt should be white or ivory will not matter as much. Third, know your grooms and groomsmen’s skin tone. As we know, white tends to make those with fair-skin look washed out. So, if your groom and groomsmen are on the paler side, I would consider outfitting them in ivory or off-white.
The rules on matching dress shirts with the gown have relaxed a bit. So, it is not always necessary to match. I think the bigger issue is to keep the style of the gown and the dress shirts the same. Subtle differences in the collar, cuff and fabric weave can make the dress shirt more or less formal. It really depends on what you’re going for. For more information about how to dress your groom or groomsmen, ask a 9tailors Stylist at 9tailors.com or at boutsandbowties.blogspot.com
Thank you Samantha…you are as genius as ever!!