Best Beach Wedding Attire for Men, According to GQ

Before enjoying the beauty of watching someone else get married against the backdrop of an azure ocean, you first have to nail down your beach wedding attire. What to wear to a wedding is already fraught; now you have to contend with the intricacies of a formal ceremony taking place where anyone not on the invite list is shirtless and half-drunk on margaritas.

Assuming you haven’t been given explicit directions on a dress code, you’ll want to start the same as with every other wedding: with a suit. (Doubly so if you’re the one getting married.) But when sand is present, your three-season wool standby isn’t invited. You want a beach-wedding-worthy suit that combines coastal swagger with a lightweight fabric and a cut that will flatter, without suffocating.

You’ll also need shoes (sorry, flip flop aficionados) that won’t sink into the sand or make you look like a finance bro lost in Cabo. You’ll want a shirt, too—though when it comes to a beach wedding, this is where you can get a little more creative and comfortable, as you’ll see. From there, you can add on some extras—jewelry, a watch, shades—for bonus points.

Below, we’ve pulled together what to wear to a beach wedding, in a mix-n-match format that’ll make you the best dressed guy on the dunes.

And all of it should fit in your carry-on luggage, along with some swim trunks (in case the afterparty hits the waves) and sunscreen. Because the only thing worse than being badly dressed for a beach wedding is being a badly dressed lobster in all the photos.

The Best Beach Wedding Attire, According to GQ:

• The Easy, Breezy Jacket: Buck Mason Tropic Twill Jacket, $198
• The Suave Seersucker Suit: Todd Snyder Italian Seersuck Double Breasted Suit, $996
• The Retro Cool Shirt: Percival Calabria Cuban Shirt, $195
• The Loose-and-Light Button-Up: Madewell Jacquard Knit Short-Sleeve Shirt, $98
• The Better Boat Shoe: Sperry Gold Cup Original 2-Eye Woven Boat Shoe, $195
• The Sandal Stand-In: Chamula Cancun Huaraches, $187
• The High-Style, Low-Cost Watch: Orient Bambino Version 4 Watch, $175
• The Showoff Shades: Ray-Ban Erik Sunglasses, $200

Unless the invite explicitly says “casual,” wear a suit. Hell, even if it does, we’d suggest wearing one, because a laid-back suit looks better when it’s not mandatory. Linen, seersucker, and tropical wool are your best, breeziest bets. Cotton’s not bad, either, but it’ll feel a little heavier in the sun. Whatever you go with, ideally the jacket is unlined or half-lined.

Color-wise, we like soft grays and browns, light blues, or a subtle seersucker stripe. Anything dark feels both too formal and, in the sun, too damn hot.

Buck Mason

Tropic Twill Carry-On Jacket

$198

Buck Mason

Buck Mason

Tropic Twill Carry-On Ford Standard Pant

$148

Buck Mason

Buck Mason’s take on the classic carry-on blazer is built for travel, but now it comes in a breezy summer-weight blend that mixes lightweight, cool-feeling Tencel with cotton. It’s the kind of fabric that can handle anything, including an impromptu ocean dip once the afterparty gets going.

Banana Republic

Cotton-Linen Suit Jacket

$400 $280

Banana Republic

Banana Republic

Cotton-Linen Suit Pant

$200 $140

Banana Republic

Banana Republic has been cooking with fire for the last couple years, particularly on the affordable suit front. Made from a cotton-linen blend sourced from Italy, this suit is designed with warmer climates and sweat-prone guys in mind. The cut leans slim, with an Italian-style soft shoulder for that relaxed elegance.

Todd Snyder

Italian Seersucker Double-Breasted Suit

$698

Todd Snyder

Todd Snyder

Italian Seersucker Side-Tab Trouser

$298

Todd Snyder

We’d trust Todd Snyder to suit us up for any occasion, even the sandiest. The American designer once again works in a very right-now-but-retro style with this double-breasted two-piece in a handsome cream-colored seersucker. He left behind the old-timey stripes, knowing the subtle puckered texture stands out nicely—and let’s a breeze in, too.

J. Mueser

Waverly Slim-Fit Linen Suit Jacket

$1,495

Mr Porter

J. Mueser

Wavery Slim-Fit Straight-Leg Lin Suit Trousers

$400

Mr Porter

Jake Mueser, founder of J. Mueser, has been helping guys look dangerously handsome in bespoke suits since 2008. His secret sauce? A blend of traditional Neapolitan tailoring and a New York sensibility that makes his pieces as everyday wearable as they are sharp. Recently Mueser blessed men who couldn't make it to NYC by offering off-the-rack suiting online. This particular suit, cut from 100 percent linen and finished with a butterfly lining for easy movement, works just as well on a Saturday night as it will on a sandy beach. (Though there's a cream option if you're worried about the noonday heat of Saint Lucia.)

When it comes to a beach wedding, shirts are where the fun starts. (Okay, the open bar is where the fun starts, but you get the gist.) Nothing against a white dress shirt, but we’d swap it for a polo, camp shirt, or Cuban, particularly in short sleeves. If you wear a long-sleeve shirt, stick with linen, and tuck it in.

Whether the dress code reads “beach formal” or “tropical chic,” these six shirts will bring your A-game—underneath the suit and straight through to the dance floor.

Percival

Calabria Cuban Shirt

$195

Percival

What says “beach cool” better than a shirt that stirs together Italian sprezzatura and Cuban flair? Open-weave cotton lets the air in, while a little bit of stretch ensures the shirt moves as smoothly as you do when the wedding band fires up.

Drake's

Washed Pique Cotton Polo Shirt

$225

Huckberry

Drake’s knows how to look smart even when you’re keeping it simple, and its polo is proof. Portuguese cotton piqué gets a little extra jewelry courtesy of mother-of-pearl buttons. It may be the only polo you’ll ever need.

Madewell

Jacquard-Knit Short-Sleeve Button-Up Shirt

$98

Madewell

Madewell’s open-stitch jacquard button-down would look great layered under a chocolate-hued suit with a tank top underneath. It’ll also look great with a pair of shorts. And swim trunks. And some summer pants.

Frizmworks

OG Dobby Weave Seersucker Long Sleeve Shirt

$125

Huckberry

Korean-based label Frizmworks made one of our favorite Harrington jackets—and now we’ve got something to wear underneath. Its dobby weave has a seersucker-style pucker to keep things light and breezy, and the curved hem should stay tucked right up until it’s time to let loose for the late-night shenanigans.

Uniqlo

Premium Linen Shirt

$40

Uniqlo

We’ll admit, it’s not the softest linen out of the bag, but for less than a round of piña coladas—plus a few pre-trip washes—you’ll get a staple shirt for summer that pulls your entire wedding look together. Plenty of color options mean you can dial in your beach wedding look (or just buy a few and sort it out once you get there).

Mr P

Grandad-Collar Organic Cotton and Linen-Blend Seersuck Shirt

$210

Mr Porter

Mr Porter’s in-house label whipped up this shirt with every summer shirting keyword possible: cotton, linen, and seersucker. What came out is an elegant, easy-breathing top that you can wear tomorrow, to the wedding, and to their 20th anniversary party.

Listen, we know sandals are tempting, but here’s the thing: you can always kick off your kicks if the party goes in that direction. In the meantime, we’d begin and end our search for beach wedding footwear in the slip-on aisle. Loafers are a solid option, but make sure they’re woven or unlined. (A pair of Venetians hit that sweet spot between casual and classy.) Boat shoes were literally made for this moment, while huaraches let the air out while keeping your toe hair in. Our only exception: canvas sneakers. Lightweight, low-key, and a way to avoid packing two pairs of vacation shoes.

Jacques Soloviere

Lex Loafer in Raffia

$375

Huckberry

There are no palm trees in Belgium, to our knowledge, but this Belgian loafer was built for balmy shores. Jacque Solovière’s raffia loafers radiate an earthy, artisanal charm with a European chill. Slip them on with a linen suit, and maybe a pair of no-shows if the leather lining makes your feet sweat.

Sperry

Gold Cup Authentic Original 2-Eye Woven Boat Shoe

$195

Sperry

The brand that invented the boat shoe is a staple at every beach wed ding, and for good reason. The woven suede on Sperry’s O.G. boater style classes things up, even if you’ll spend the night shouting along to a calypso cover of Chappell Roan.

Chamula

Cancun Huaraches

$187

Huckberry

The thing about a beach wedding is that you’ll be on your feet a lot. Chamula’s handmade, vegetable-tanned huaraches are crafted in Mexico—but unlike the originals, they come equipped with a blessedly cush EVA insole.

Converse

Jack Purcell Low Top Sneaker

$70

Nordstrom

Much as we appreciate the soft-punk stylings of a Converse All-Star with a suit, that sneaker feels as awkward on sand as watching the bride’s mom dance to Lil John’s “Get Low”. The sleeker, more understated Jack Purcell, named after a Canadian world badminton champion, fits the moment, and feels right at home with whatever else you’ll wear the next day.

While we call some of these accessories, a few are more like necessities. Lightweight sunglasses for when the backlit ceremony has you staring at the sun. A tie in silk or linen for the more formal wedding. As for putting something on your wrist, we’d opt for a watch or jewelry that isn’t trying too hard.

Hamilton

Khaki Field Automatic Bracelet Watch

$995

Nordstrom

Hamilton’s legendary Khaki Field Watch on a bracelet hits all the right notes. At 38mm, it isn't comically large. The reliable H-10 movement brings an extended power reserve to save you from winding. And 100-meter water resistance means you can wear it straight from snorkeling to the ceremony.

Orient

Bambino Version 4 Watch

$175

Amazon

The Bambino is a cultishly beloved timepiece among Watch People who appreciate the sky-high dollar-to-design ratio it brings. Automatic movement, handsome style, 30-meter watch resistance, and a price tag under $200 means you’ll get your money’s worth from Day 1. You can find most of the styles on Amazon, but our favorite might be this green-dialled number with a tan suede band. Probably not right for daytime swims, but you can always just swap on a NATO strap (or get a second Bambino with a bracelet).

Mr. Leight

Men's Marmont II Acetate Round Sunglasses

$590

Bergdorf Goodman

Father-and-son eyewear duo Larry Leight (founder of Oliver Peoples) and Garrett Leight (of GLCO) have been crafting frames together since 2016. Between the two of them, they’ve got roughly 50 years in the shades game—and it shows. Their Marmont sunnies nail the “my next vacation is on Lake Como” vibe.

Ray-Ban

Erik Sunglasses

$200

SSENSE

The catalog is stocked with All-Stars (and you’ll find our favorite Ray-Ban frames here), but we very much support switching things up for vacation. The Erik is a little chunkier, a little funkier, and a lot less likely to look like what everyone else is wearing.

Rototo

Linen Cotton Ribbed Ankle Socks

$35

Todd Snyder

You won’t need socks with most of the footwear we’ve suggested, but in case that’s not an option for you, Japanese label Rototo is a blessing. Made from linen, cotton, and nylon knit in a unique method, they’re fuzz-resistant and breathable.

Sid Mashburn

6cm Silk-Grenadine Tie

$135

Mr Porter

Atlanta menswear legend Sid Mashburn always has the right answer, and his navy silk grenadine tie is no exception. Not too skinny, not too wide, not too showy. It pairs handsomely every dress shirt in your arsenal.

John Hardy

Heishi Beaded Bracelet

$695

John Hardy

Nothing against beads, but this simple bracelet made from reclaimed sterling silver (or 14-karat yellow gold if you’re feeling splashy) is the elegantly adult way to put something on your wrist.

Quaker Marine

Swordfish Hat

$68

Quaker Marine

You can absolutely pull off (or pull on) a ballcap-style hat for a beach wedding so long as the rest of you looks properly put together and the hat isn’t trying too hard. No goofball graphics or ironic logos here; just a rich navy in linen for a little extra texture and a lot more air on your dome.