Suiting Up: Picking the Perfect Elopement Suit (Style Guide)
PART 2 OF OUR ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT STYLE GUIDE:
Suiting up!
What’s in store:
+ Style & Season Considerations
+ Our Favorite Looks (for men, women, & non-binary folx!)
+ Where to Shop
+ Layers & Accessories
+ Shoes & Socks
Adventure elopements are often more casual and unconventional than traditional weddings, which opens the door for some really unique attire and styling—but not every suit is up for the task. Here are some things to consider when looking for the perfect suit that’s ready for your big adventure!
STYLE: fit, fabric, color, comfort, & mobility
First up, you’ll want something that’s comfortable for you to wear all day, suitable for the weather and environment, and something you can move around in with ease, especially if you’ll be hiking or doing any other adventurous activities.
FIT: You’ll want to be able to move around and bend, so make sure to look for a suit made to your measurements, or get something tailored. Give yourself a little room to wiggle. Avoid super tight fits and skinny legs, and make sure you have room around the calf.
FABRIC: If you’re going to be hiking in your suit, look for lighter weight, breathable fabrics, especially for your shirt/undershirt. I recommend looking for fabrics that are lightweight, comfortable, and don’t easily wrinkle. Look for fabrics that give a little and have a bit of stretch.
COLOR: When it comes to suits, there are no rules for color! Black is classic, but consider a little color too. I generally recommend sticking with darker colors that don’t show dirt or stains as easily.
COMFORT: Comfort is key. You’ll be wearing this suit all day, and depending on how adventurous you are, you’ll want to consider how much hiking and moving around you’ll be doing. Make sure your suit is comfortable first and foremost, and appropriate for the weather and season!
MOBILITY: You’ll want a suit you can really move in. When trying on any potential suits, make sure to practice leaning over, walking, sitting, squatting, lunging, reaching, and so on. I highly recommend taking your suit to a tailor for the perfect fit that still allows you to move around without looking baggy or large.
What to avoid:
Tuxedos: consider something a bit more casual that you can get a little dirty in and won’t mind ruining!
Super slim/tight fits: might be flattering for some occasions, but maybe not when you’re hiking!
Stiff fabrics or ones that wrinkle easily: avoid fabrics like linen, cotton, polyester
Loud patterns: I generally discourage bright, loud patterns like stripes, plaid, or other busy patterns, finding that they often clash with the natural environment. I’m a fan of simple, solid colors for blazers and pants, or subtle patterns. If you want a little “loud”, consider adding a pop of floral or other patterning, perhaps your dress shirt, vest, tie, or pocket square.
What to look for:
Breathable fabrics that don’t wrinkle as easily: opt for flexible, breathable fabrics like tweed, flannel, wool, cashmere, velvet, mohair, fresco
Solid matte colors & tones: simple goes a long way, and in fact, can make you stand out even more against your scenery.
Minimal texture & subtle patterns: some texture can be a nice touch, along with subtle patterns—the kind that is admired up close.
Consider the season: when are you eloping?
SUMMER: Opt for lighter fabrics like cotton, and especially a breathable shirt and undershirt. In the hot months of July or August especially, you could consider ditching the jacket for a simple shirt and suspenders or a vest. Whatever you choose, blazer or not, I do recommend having an extra layer for those cooler summer nights or inclement weather.
FALL OR SPRING: Opt for mid-weight fabrics like flannel, wool, velvet, or cashmere.
WINTER: Look for thick heavier fabrics like thick wool or tweed. Layer up! Consider adding a sweater as a layer over a button-up, and maybe some base layers underneath if you’re going out in extreme cold temps.
Consider the location: where are you eloping?
There’s no rule about what to wear where, but while you’re shopping for suits you could think about what might look best with your location and pair your attire choices accordingly.
If you’re eloping in the mountains, consider earthy tones like browns, blues, greens, or tans for a neutral your base, or consider solid bold earth tones like deep greens, navy blues, or rust oranges. Maybe add a bold pop of accent jewel color like ochre, emerald, burgundy, or purple.
If you’re eloping with forest, lake, or river scenery, consider solid blue or green tones to complement the scenery, or a warm brown or deep burgundy red. Make it shine with a patterned tie/bowtie, or a boutonniere that includes some ferns and florals.
If you’re eloping at the beach, consider lighter and warmer tones like tans, beiges, and browns. Or, if you’re eloping during the moody weather season and want some dusky blue hour photos, consider some dark bold colors like navy blue, cool grey, or a classic black. Maybe forgo a jacket for a more casual look, with suspenders or a vest. Make your look pop with a patterned shirt, a floral tie or lapel, or a bold tone like red, navy blue, or purple!
A few other things to consider
A few other things to take into consideration when shopping for your suit:
LAYERS: It might seem a little counterintuitive, but the more you layer, the more options you have for regulating your temperature. Whether your elopement is in winter or in the dead of summer, layers are your friend! Consider adding a vest that you can wear if your jacket becomes too hot. If you don’t want to wear a formal blazer, that’s okay too—consider another light jacket suitable for the outdoors. If it’s winter, I recommend bringing an additional winter coat on top of your suit jacket or blazer.
TAILORING & ALTERATIONS: You might have to get your suit altered to best fit you, especially if you’re buying something off the rack, or if your body doesn’t usually fit standard men’s sizes. We also have some recommendations for custom-made suits tailored to your measurements—see below under “Where to shop!”
SHOES: When shopping for your suit or getting your suit fitted or altered, make sure to bring the shoes that you’re going to wear! If you don’t have your shoes picked out yet, bring whatever you have that’s closest to what you want to wear: sneakers, hiking boots, or dressy shoes that have a sturdy sole.
CONSIDER YOUR PARTNER’S ATTIRE: Your partner might not want you to see their attire choices before the big day, but even so, pairing is important! They might be able to help steer you in certain directions to pair your choices together, especially if they aren’t wearing a white dress, or are going for a unique non-traditional look. Consider going suit shopping together, or asking them to create a moodboard or color palette for you.
Elopement suit shopping guide
Where to shop
Suits for men & masculine folks
Indochino — one of our favorite shops to recommend! A lot of our couples have loved their Indochino suits. (est. range $400-700)
XSuit — toted as the “World’s Most Comfortable Suit”, designed for travel, flexibility, and mobility, great for the adventure elopement! (est. range $500-800)
StudioSuits — custom-made suits, tailored to your exact measurements (est. range $250-400)
ASOS — affordable suit & formalwear options (est range. $100-250)
Mango Outlet — affordable suit options (est. range $150-400 for pants & blazer separates)
Suits & Formal ATtire for women, AFAB, & gender non-conforming folks
Bindle and Keep — a custom suit supply and designer company in New York, designed with the trans & LGBTQ community in mind; also featured in HBO Documentary "Suited" (est. range $1200-1600)
Kirrin Finch — androgynous suits for women, AFAB, and gender non-conforming folx (est. range $400-600 combining separates)
Wildfang — more androgynous suits & clothing, cool styles & modern fits (est. range $300-500 combining separates)
Indochino — Women’s Suits — great options for women as well! (est. range $500-700)
Little Black Tux — tuxes made for women & non-binary folks (est. range $300-500)
ASOS Women’s Suits — est. range $200-400
Reformation Jumpsuits — jumpsuits from $250
Express — Women’s Suits — ensembles from $200
Accessories
Don’t forget the accessories! These little details can elevate your fit to the next level and make you look and feel your best for your adventurous wedding.
Suspenders
Suspenders are a great option to make even a casual fit a little more refined. I’m a big fan of leather suspenders for a natural look on an outdoor elopement day.
Vests
If it’s gonna be a hot summer day, consider a vest instead of a blazer or jacket! Or at least something to wear if your jacket gets too hot.
Ties & tie alternatives
If you aren’t a tie person, consider a bowtie, ascot, or bolo. This is one of the easiest and best ways to personalize and really make your fit your own. Tie clips make great accessories as well!
Boutonnieres & Florals
I strongly recommend having a boutonniere for your wedding! It’s a simple way to tie in the natural elements of the landscape around you. If you don’t want to buy a separate boutonniere, consider taking a few cuttings from your bouquet and DIYing your own. I’ve also seen a lot of fun, unique boutonnieres with other elements like ferns, leave, mushrooms, small pinecones, or feathers.
Or… consider a floral lapel like these splendid creations by Holly Yee in Woodinville, WA!
Pocket squares, Cufflinks, Watches, Jewelry
Don’t forget these classic ways to add elegance to your suit!
Shoes & socks
ANKLE SUPPORT & GOOD TREAD: If you’re going on a longer or more difficult hike (think 3+ miles round trip), I recommend looking for a good hiking boot with ankle support and good tread. Preferably an actual hiking boot, designed for the trail.
BREAK THEM IN: There’s nothing like a blister to really piss you off and make your day just that much worse. Before the big day, please remember to break in your shoes! Take them out on a couple hikes or walk, if you can’t get out on in time, wear them around for a few days, even if that’s just around the house or running errands.
CLOSED-TOED SHOES: I generally recommend avoiding open-toed shoes like sandals or Teva’s, unless you’re at the beach and/or plan on getting in the water. If you do bring a pair of sandals, I’d also strongly suggest bringing a secondary pair of closed-toed shoes and socks to be able to swap in and out of.
DON’T FORGET THE SOCKS: Especially if you’re hiking, you’re gonna want a good sturdy sock. I usually look for merino wool hiking socks like these Darn Tough socks—they’re all I wear on elopement days! I’d recommend packing a spare set too in case it rains or you do anything around the water.
GO BAREFOOT: Like the idea of a barefoot ceremony/photos? Totally an option! But even if you want to go barefoot, definitely bring a pair of sturdy shoes to get around in. The beaches in the Pacific Northwest are not very barefoot-friendly, mostly covered in pebbles and logs that aren’t particularly nice to bare feet, so even if you ditch the shoes to dip your toes, I definitely recommend bring shoes for the walk out there.
Our favorite elopement shoes & boots
Where to shop
Blundstones — my personal elopement day boots of choice! Solid boots to hike in, while still looking good.
TAFT — stunning boots and dress shoes, including some with really beautiful patterns — wouldn’t take these out for a long hike, I’d recommend for a non-hiking elopement!
Pulling it all together: A Few of Our Favorite Looks
IF YOU MISSED IT… There’s more!
ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT STYLE GUIDE
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