Here Comes the Groom
Thursday, July 29th, 2010A sense of fashion is not just for the bride, according to our resident Style Guru Josh Hedrington. Here’s what he has to say about looking good on your wedding day, gentlemen …
The Style Guru
It goes without saying that the focus of the big wedding day is on the bride. Too often, the groom’s ensemble doesn’t receive the magnitude of attention as his blushing bride. For this reason, I am dedicating this article to dressing the guys from head to toe. Get ready ladies, “Here Comes the Groom!”
Let’s start with the wedding haircut. No more than two days prior to the wedding, the man of the day needs to visit a barbershop or even a hair salon. Choose a haircut that is clean and neat. A short haircut is always the way to go. You can still rock that spiky look but keep the sides short and hair tapered to frame the face.
Globs of gel are not recommended, but use just enough to keep hair in place in a natural way. If you wear your hair long, now is the time to trim your ends and make sure hair is even and not flying all over. I suggest pulling your hair back for your moment at the alter.
Now for skin care! The groom does not have the luxury of using makeup to create flawless skin, although there are makeup lines for him - but we won’t get into that. In order to ensure a flawless complexion on your wedding day, I advise drinking 8 glasses of water every day for two months prior to the wedding.
I also suggest taking extra care when shaving, and to shave the face from north to south. This will train hair to grow in one direction and not create ingrown hair bumps. Start this regiment six months before your wedding. For those stubborn pimples, grab a tube of Mint Julep and apply to blemishes every night.
No groom is complete without the proper suiting attire. Unless your wedding is on the beach, stick to the traditional dark suit or black tuxedo please. Let’s face it - there isn’t a whole lot of difference when it comes to the man’s wedding suit. For this reason, the groom must have an excellent tailor and he needs to know a little about how designers “cut” their suit and tux lines.
If you prefer a slim suit/tuxedo, then try Hugo Boss Red Label or Ralph Lauren (Purple Label if you are splurging). If you want a designer that’s a little edgy yet sophisticated, then John Varvatos is your guy. For traditional cuts, go with Canali, Giorgio Armani, or Burberry. I can’t stress enough the importance of good tailoring. You would be surprised how easy it is to spot a badly tailored suit. Some of my top choices for tailors in the area are Georges de Paris (he’s usually the go-to person for the White House’s Chief Resident) and Ms. Lee in Georgetown (she sews and stitches for many celebrities when they are in town).
Complete your ensemble with a crisp, white French cuffed shirt. Wear a slim fitting shirt with a slim fitting suit. I like shirts with a little texture as this adds some eye catching appeal. Last, but not least, don’t forget the shoes. You must wear black shoes, no questions. The perfect formal shoe is either a cap-toe Oxford, wingtip, or black patent leather pump. Shoes should be professionally shined before you head to the chapel.
Congratulations, you’re dressed - but check back here on the Bridal News Blog for my advice regarding accessories and ties. In the meanwhile, all eyes will always be on the bride, but those darting glances I am sure will go out to our B&W Groom as he takes his place in the spotlight too.
Want to look like a star on your wedding day? Let Josh Hedrington be your personal stylist. For more information on the Style Guru’s services, call 202.445.7114.
I hope you will have the opportunity to join me and some of my favorite clients at the Tyson’s Corner Bloomingdale’s “Pre-Wedding” Wedding Party, 6-8:30pm, on Wednesday, November 4th. Jorge Perez of Waterford will be on hand to give us great ideas on table settings and how to entertain with style.
