How to Choose a Wedding Suit You Can Wear Again
Written by Kenji Tanaka
There are different ways to think about a wedding suit.
For some people, a wedding is the perfect occasion to create a truly special suit—something with fabrics, details, or finishes they might not normally choose. A suit made specifically for that day, and perhaps only for that day, can be a meaningful choice.
For others, the idea is different: if you are investing in a made-to-measure wedding suit, why not choose one you can wear again after the wedding?
If that is what you are looking for, it is worth thinking about how you will wear the suit after the wedding before deciding on the details.
For example, choose a color and fabric that can work not only for your wedding, but also for work, dinners, parties, or another wedding you may be invited to in the future.
But choosing a wedding suit you can wear again does not mean giving up the special feeling of the wedding day.
In fact, one approach is to keep the suit itself versatile and create the ceremony-specific character through details that can be removed or changed later.
Consider a 3-Piece Wedding Suit
One of the simplest ways to make a suit feel more formal for a wedding is to add a waistcoat.
A 3-piece suit immediately has a different presence from a standard 2-piece suit. Wearing the waistcoat on your wedding day adds formality and creates a distinct look from the suits you might normally wear.
After the wedding, simply remove the waistcoat and wear the jacket and trousers as a 2-piece suit.
This allows the same suit to have two different roles: a more formal look for the wedding day and a more versatile suit for the occasions that follow.
Use Details to Create a Special Wedding Look
Another way to create a special wedding look is to make certain details unique to the occasion, without making the entire suit specific to the ceremony.
At uniontailors, for example, we sometimes use covered buttons for wedding suits, made with satin or the same fabric as the suit. They add a distinctive and formal character that works particularly well for a wedding ceremony. After the wedding, the buttons can be replaced with standard buttons, allowing the same suit to take on a more everyday character without changing the suit itself.
There are also details that are personal rather than visible. Initials or a wedding date embroidered inside the jacket, a message written on the care label, or hand embroidery on the shirt can make the suit feel uniquely yours while remaining discreet. See Hidden Details That Make a Wedding Suit Truly Personal for more ideas.
This is one of the advantages of having a suit made to measure: the design can be considered not only for the wedding itself, but also for how you want to wear and enjoy the suit afterwards.
The Silhouette Does Not Have to Change
A wedding suit you can wear again does not necessarily need a different silhouette from your regular suits.
If you already know the silhouette you like, there is no reason to change it simply because the suit is for a wedding.
Instead, you can keep the silhouette that feels right for you and create the formality of the occasion through the waistcoat, buttons, shirt, tie, or other details.
The goal is not to make the wedding suit less special.
It is to decide which elements need to be special for the wedding day, and which ones you would like to remain versatile afterwards.
A Wedding Suit Does Not Have to Be Reusable
Of course, not everyone wants to wear their wedding suit again.
Some people want a suit made specifically for their wedding—a garment that marks the occasion and is unlike anything they would normally wear. There is nothing wrong with that approach either.
The important question is simply what you want from the suit.
Do you want a suit made only for your wedding, or would you like to wear it again afterwards?
If you want to wear it again, think about the occasions where you might wear it in the future before choosing the fabric, color, and details.
With the right approach, a made-to-measure wedding suit can be both special enough for the wedding day and versatile enough to become part of your wardrobe afterwards.