Andrew asks for help with wedding attire
Hi Andrew
Thank you for sending us your fashion question via ask the monkey.
Your question was:
“I’m from Scotland going to a wedding in Ireland next month, so i have to fly and i dont want to carry the extra baggage of a kilt and everything else, so i need to wear a suit.
I’m thinking a black suit, but not sure what tie/shirt combo i should go for, my girlfriend is bridesmaid at the wedding and she is going to be wearing a chocolate brown dress on the day, should i attempt to coordinate colours?
I like the idea of a black shirt and a dark red tie, or a dark red shirt/burgundy and a black tie. I dont really want to go with white shirt and black tie as its a bit too funeral for my liking.
I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction, i’d hate to look stupid.”
Brown is a tricky colour to co-ordinate with due to the many different shades it can consist of, or even clash with! With a black suit, wear plummy tones such as mauves or deep purples to compliment the brown of your girlfriends dress. If you’re feeling daring, why not wear a dark purple shirt with a skinny black tie for a modern look that is fun yet complimentary to your girlfriends outfit.
A burgundy shirt would work well as long as it is a dark yet rich shade, again a black tie would look good with this. However, beware that in photographs a burgundy/black combo would not be as flattering as a purple/black combo if you have a pale complexion because you may appear washed out.
If you’re not a purple man, why not opt for something that co-ordinates in essence but does not match. Wearing brown accessories such as brown leather shoes and belt with a navy blue suit, a crisp white shirt and a navy tie (plain or with white polka dots) may sound a little plain, but can be high impact in it’s simplicity.
Please let us know how you get on!
Fashion Monkey
