Last night, I decided to get serious about what I’m going to wear on my wedding day. I know that it’s 14 months away but it’s never too early to nail down your outfit. Plus, it was the second day of the Barney Warehouse Sale and I wanted to get some on sale. Suits for 50% off? I’m there.
I’ve decided that I’m going to wear a suit at my wedding rather than a tux. For one, I hate having to return it after I’m married and not because I love tuxedos so much – I just hate having to go back to the store without a car. Also I love to shop so any excuse to buy new clothes is something I’m down with. A brand new, high end suit, that I’ll be able to wear for a long long time? YES!
However, I’m a weird size – a size that is popular in Europe and Japan but is not so popular in the US. I’m built with a thin build and I’m bottom heavy which means I’ve got some thick thighs, small shoulders, a flat stomach, and little bulk in my torso. I’m not weak, I have a gym membership (that I haven’t used in four months eep!), but I’m just not a big guy. Shirts only fit me if they’re extra-smalls with a narrow cut. It makes clothes shopping hard but I’m just doing my part to keep the average US BMI low.
So I hit up the sale to fine a large selection of suits in 36 S. Burberry, Michael Kors, John Varvatos, and more. My fiancee was with me and I tried a few on. My problem with suits (and I have 3 of them) is that the jacket tends to be a little long and the shoulders a little big. I’m cut like a european, not an American and my experience suit shopping reflects that. Even the Italian suits I bought are originally designed for big men. A salesmen took a look at what I was wearing, tried to help me find a European designer in the bunch (alas, they didn’t have one) and told me that I was probably out of luck. However, Barneys does make tailor made suits and he told me that I could stop by the 6th floor any time and I could easily get a Burberry suit for $895. And considering any suit I buy off the rack would require close to 100 dollars in alterations, that price is not that bad at all. But is it okay to wear a suit that costs more than my bride’s dress on our wedding day? You’ll be amazed but that’s never covered in the bridal/groom guides is it? It’s like the possibility that the groom would want to look spectacular and wear something designer never crossed their minds. So here I am, bucking the trends. It’s what an Engaged Groom is suppose to do.