[LookinSharp24]

so my groomsmen are spread across the country and have various means so i don't think buying a suit is the best option. in a perfect world i'd have them all go to SuitSupply or similar for a well-priced, decently-made suit.

that just seems like it might be a hassle (again, they're spread across country).

so what are my options? i shudder at the though of using a Joseph A Bank or a Men's Warehouse but that seems to be the typical approach these days.

and yes, i know, the whole each groomsman looking the same is very "costumey" to some, but that is literally all most people in the Northeast USA know and what my fiancee and her family would prefer so there it is.

thanks!

 

[LookinSharp24]

Talk to your wife to be. Explain to her that besides schlepping across the country to attend your wedding, you don't want to burden them further with the expense of buying new clothing.

Discuss it with her, the way married couples discuss things. Her family doesn't matter. What matters is what the two of you want. Time to grow up and make decisions together without the input of your families.

lol, dude really?

not to mention it's what she wants as well since, again, that is what is the "norm" in the NE USA.

i have never seen mismatched groomsman in real life and to be quite honest i think it looks fairly terrible in the photos i've seen. that's not to say it isn't the right approach, more convenient (for some) and can't be done well.

 

[LookinSharp24]

these threads always seem to bring entertainment.

the funny thing is, and i think it might be lost on a few here, is that i don't mind my groomsman all looking the same. even moreso if it's what makes everyone happy. truth be told, i've never heard or seen groomsman wearing anything but the exact same thing and it wasn't until i came here that i learned that it might not be the "best" and certainly not the only approach.

in regards to the wedding, to be quite frank, i'd be happy with a backyard BBQ, but, again, since my future FIL is footing the entirety of the bill i really feel like i don't have all that much say. i am along for the ride - and am happy to see my fiancee putting together a day her and i will remember forever.

bringing this thing full circle, i have decided on suits, not tuxedos. it will be in the dead of summer in Vermont - who knows that that means - but i am planning on heat and humidity.

thus, i think i have decided i will either do a a) tropical-weight wool or b) linen suit in a shade of blue that slightly differs from those in my bridal party.

as for the groomsman, i think a solid navy suit would work best. i think it makes the most fiscal and overall sense for them to rent from a common B&M; in this case MW or JAB.

i perused the MW and JAB sites. JAB no longer sells Joseph Abboud - only MW - and neither seem to have any information on the renting of suits (only tuxes).

i need to see if MW will allow the groomsman to rent a Joseph Abboud suit - some of them don't look half bad.

and as for my outfit, i've had this one saved on ebay for months:

 

[LookinSharp24]

Suits sound solid for the wedding and style, and a navy suit wouldn't be a bad investment for the guys.

JAB still sells Abboud, but they've renamed it the "Reserve Collection" - any time either brand starts talking about Italian fabrics/Super 1xx/Made in the US, it's from Abboud. (Presumably, they found having two different "Joseph" named imprints somewhat confusing, since Banks has never really carried any labels beyond their own outside of shoes/accessories.)

Rentals are not the same items as are available for purchase. Rentals will be mostly tuxedos. Both brands rent a tan suit and a light grey suit, which are visible on the website. They also have an Abboud navy tuxedo (though it's worth noting that the Abboud rentals are not of the same construction/origin as the retail suits). Neither rents a navy suit (yet).

In general suit rentals are becoming more widely available, but you probably won't find many in brick and mortar shops, since renting navy or charcoal suits cannibalizes their retails business - people would rent for job interviews, funerals, and the like, otherwise.

Online rental options (e.g., TheBlackTux, Menguin, etc.) will rent navy suits, so take a gander at those - however you lose the convenience factor of easily available alterations, and by the time the gents arrive at the wedding town, it'll be too late to change any fit issues.

You can probably find a navy suit deal at one of the aforementioned retail chains, and your guys could buy navy suits for around 200-250 bucks, plus alterations. Rentals will be a little cheaper, on average.

do you think their shoes should match exactly or should i just pick a color?

i'm worried if i ask them to wear brown dress shoes some will wear loafers, etc.