Chatterberries

Courtesy MEN'S WEARHOUSE

Which duds best suit the guys in your wedding party? Timing and location are the big determining factors when it comes to outfitting the groom and his gang. To make selecting simpler, here's good news: traditional rules need no longer apply. Whether you elect casual or formal wear, today's trend is to choose what works best for the bride and groom's taste and budget. Here, fashionable guidelines for suiting up your wedding party.

Casual beach wedding:

Slacks or suits, jeans or shorts, barefoot or flip flops ... anything goes for a casual wedding, depending on your preferences. For a relaxed yet pulled together ambiance, consider a summer weight khaki suit with a colorful tie for the groom and khakis with white linen open collared shirts for the groomsmen.
(Tan Poplin 2-Buttonsuit by Tom James,$399, tomjames.com)

Outdoor garden-party:

A classic seersucker suit, worn with a bow tie, is a dapper look for a garden wedding. A navy blazer with white or khaki slacks is another timeless look, which looks fabulous when updated with a different solid color pastel tie worn by each groomsmen, coordinated to the bride's bouquet.
(Jos. A. Bank Stays Cool Double Breasted Seersucker Suit, $395 (now on sale for $159), josbank.com.)

Day, semi-formal:

Traditionalists say nay to wearing a tux before 6pm, but these days, few formalities rule. A white or black suit or a charcoal pin-striped tuxedo for the groom makes a sophisticated statement. For the groomsmen, a charcoal or navy suit with tone-on-tone pastel shirts and deeper hued neck ties that harmonize with the bride's color scheme looks dashing.
(J. Crew 3-button suit jacket, $355, jcrew.com)

Semi-formal, evening:

When the invite calls for black tie optional, a double-breasted tuxedo makes a sharp and less stuffy look than a single breasted style (the jacket doesn't require a vest or cummerbund.) A fashion forward option is a tuxedo with a 3-button diamond lapel or Nehru collar. Another very luxurious look is a white tuxedo for the groom and white dinner jackets/black pants for the groomsmen, or vice versa.
(Brooks Brothers White Dinner Jacket, $798, brooksbrothers.com.)

Formal:

Going formal for day or evening means your goal is to adhere to tradition. For daylight weddings, the groom might wear a cutaway coat (a tux jacket that tapers to a tail in back) with striped or matching trousers and an ascot, with the groomsmen in dark suits or stroller coats (a daytime version of the tuxedo) with dark neckties. For evening, it's tuxedos with wing-collared shirts for all. The groom stands out if he wears a fancier tuxedo and a black or white vest and bow tie, with the groomsmen garbed in accessories that match the bridesmaid's hue (think Stubbs & Wootton velvet slippers for an hint of whimsy.)

(Joseph & Feiss Gray Cutaway and Calvin Klein Two Button Black Tuxedo, both available for rental at Men's Wearhouse, menswearhouse.com.)

Wendy Korn Heppt