What Color Shirt Is Suitable to Wear to a Wedding?
In the United States, more than 2 million marriages occur each year, according to the National Vital Statistics Reports. The Association for Wedding Professionals International says July is the most popular month for weddings. Summer weddings call for vibrant color in clothing, while winter weddings allow for darker, more-neutral colors. The key to choosing a colored shirt is balancing the wedding style with the time of year. Does this Spark an idea?
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Time of Year
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Weather is a factor in choosing the type of clothing you will wear to a wedding. Winter weddings are not necessarily cold. For example, a December wedding in Australia is actually the middle of summertime. Color choices for different seasons vary depending on style and taste, but in general, light and pastel colors are suitable for the spring and summer, while the fall and winter have richer colors.
Formal or Casual?
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For men, choosing a shirt color might come down to whether the event is formal or casual. An extremely formal wedding, or white-tie wedding, asks for men to wear tuxedos, and the only appropriate color is a white button-down dress shirt. Semi-formal and business casual weddings allow for dress pants and a choice of shirt colors, while beach weddings lend themselves to tan, off-white and neutral colors. If the invitation does not specifically state whether the wedding is formal, semi-formal or casual, read the clues provided including where the reception is, the style of invitation and time of the wedding.
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Theme
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Creative themes are becoming more acceptable for weddings and influence the color and style of shirts. Wedding themes range from all white, cowboy and carnival themes. Theme wedding invitations will list specific color requests; otherwise, assume you are free to wear any color shirt. Choose colors that will work well with the theme, such as vibrant greens, reds or purples for a carnival theme or solid white for a white theme wedding.
Time of Day
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An afternoon wedding lends to a more casual feel and softer colors; wear a light green, white or blue shirt. Evening weddings tend to be more formal, so a white shirt and suit jacket are suitable. If yearning for more color in the evening, wear a red shirt. Red is the traditional color of romance and looks vibrant paired with a black or blue suit for a semi-formal evening wedding.
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References
- National Vital Statistics Reports; Births, Marriages, Divorces, and Deaths: Provisional Data for 2009; August 2010.
- Association for Wedding Professionals International: Statistics for the Wedding Industry
- Today on MSNBC: Wedding Guest? Great! Now, What to Wear?
- Men's Flair: Wedding Guests' Attire Guide
- Family Education: What to Wear to a Wedding
- Career Intelligence: What to Wear as a Wedding Guest
Resources
- Photo Credit Bec Parsons/Digital Vision/Getty Images
