clothes for bros: wedding wear

i received this question on twitter today from @myPBC (follow me @pretaporterpb) and thought i would take to the blog to answer:

"question: wedding invitation says dressy/casual ? what is that? blazer with shorts no tie? thx"

short answer...i'm usually against shorts, unless it's a beach wedding, then we can potentially re-consider! and though i love love love caddy shack, i must also steer him away from going to rodney dangerfield's character for fashion advice. great idea for a themed party, but definitely do not wear this to a wedding!

long answer..."dressy/casual" and any attire ultimately depends on the location, time of year, time of day, and the couple getting married. if the couple has a wedding web site - on theknot.com, for instance - you may want to check it out to get a feel for their theme.

it's hard for men to go wrong with j.crew...

all that being said, i think for a dressy-casual wedding it's safe to go with a pair of khakis, a collared button-down shirt and tie. a good idea is to bring a blazer with you (navy is a good, casual color that goes well with khaki), which you can opt to wear or leave in the car once you get there if it looks like it's not necessary. if it's a beach wedding like many in palm beach county, go with sandals, but if it's anywhere else, go with a pair of casual dress shoes....and guys, remember, match your shoes and belt...no black with brown!

want more ideas? check out the knot's wedding dress code cheat sheet.