A New Wedding Dress Code

Until recently, weddings – whether they were in the middle of summer or the dead of winter – meant a traditionally formal dress code for men: at the very least a suit with a collared shirt, tie and hard-bottomed dress shoes. In the last few years, however, men’s fashion has shifted in a way that makes more casual outfits appropriate for weddings and other formerly formal occasions. Suits are still still welcome, but so, too, are sport coats with trousers, sharp-looking knit polos and shirts without ties. When it comes to footwear, there are all sorts of new possibilities to consider this wedding season, chief among them being the iconic and timeless boat shoe.

Loafers & Oxfords Boat Shoes

While a handsome boat shoe might be an obvious choice for a wedding at your local yacht club or a seaside destination wedding, the versatile silhouette lends itself to all sorts of outfits and settings, bringing a cool confidence and effortless elegance that’s sure to turn heads. Whether you’re the best man aiming to be best dressed or someone’s plus-one looking to make a good impression without overstepping, a boat shoe strikes the perfect balance between dressed up and down to earth.

When paired with a light suit, the boat shoe adds a casual air to suiting, while still nodding to classic preppy codes. It also opens the door to wearing your suits in a less formal manner, say with a polo or an Oxford cloth shirt, without a tie. Alternatively, leather boat shoes bring a refined touch to more laid back ensembles, whether you’re sporting them with light-colored slacks and a dark sport coat – a staple of coastal menswear – or doing away with the jacket and opting for a long-sleeved shirt or knit.