Short answer: follow the invitation. Black tie means a tuxedo. Cocktail or semi-formal means a dark suit, white shirt and tie. Dressy casual means a blazer with trousers, tie optional. Beach or garden weddings mean lighter colors and breathable fabric. If no dress code is given, a navy or charcoal suit with a white or light blue shirt is correct at almost every wedding in America.

And two rules that override everything else: don't wear white, and don't outdress the groom.

Decode the invitation first

The full ladder, including what each term means outside weddings, is in Dress Codes for Men, Explained.

Fall and winter weddings

Autumn and winter are now the busiest wedding months in much of the country, and they change the palette more than the formality.

Suit colors that work: charcoal, navy, deep green, burgundy, brown. Fall is the one season where a brown or olive suit reads as considered rather than odd, and deeper colors photograph beautifully against autumn light.

Shirts: white and light blue always. Fall also opens up cream, soft pink and pale sage, which look better against a darker suit than they do in July.

Layering: a waistcoat or a fine-gauge knit under the jacket handles a cold church and a warm reception without needing a heavier suit. An overcoat for anything outdoors — being visibly cold in the photographs is its own kind of underdressed.

Ties: autumn is the season for texture and deeper color — burgundy, forest, rust, navy with a small pattern.

Spring and summer weddings

Suit colors: lighter greys and blues, tan and stone for daytime. Save the darkest suits for evening ceremonies.

The real problem is heat. Most summer weddings involve standing outside for a ceremony, then sitting through a reception, in a jacket, for six hours. The fabric matters more than the color: something breathable that doesn't show sweat is doing more for you than any styling choice.

Beach weddings: lighter trousers with a collared shirt, often no jacket and sometimes no tie. Check with the couple. Whatever you wear, the shoes need to work on sand or grass — leather soles and lawns don't get along.

The rules that don't bend

• No white suits, and no all-white outfits. A white dress shirt under a suit is expected and fine. A white jacket or a head-to-toe white look is not.
• Don't outdress the groom. If he's in a suit, you're not in a tuxedo.
• Avoid ivory, cream and champagne as the dominant color, for the same reason as white.
• Don't wear the wedding party's color if you know it — you'll look like you're in the wrong photo.
• Match your leathers. Belt to shoes. Details here.

If you're in the wedding party

You'll be told what to wear, but two things are usually left to you: the shirt and the socks. Order the shirt early enough to exchange it if the fit is wrong — groomsmen's shirts are frequently bought in a rush and frequently don't fit. And if a group is ordering together, order at the same time so the whites match; white fabric varies more between production runs than people expect.

Common questions

What should a man wear to a wedding if there's no dress code?

A navy or charcoal suit with a white or light blue dress shirt and a tie. That combination is correct at nearly every American wedding and is never conspicuous.

Can you wear a white shirt to a wedding?

Yes. A white dress shirt under a suit is standard and expected. The rule against white applies to white suits, white jackets and all-white outfits, not to a white dress shirt.

Can you wear black to a wedding?

Yes. A black suit is fine for an evening wedding and standard for black tie optional. For a daytime wedding, navy or charcoal usually looks better in photographs.

Do you have to wear a tie to a wedding?

For black tie, formal, cocktail and semi-formal, yes. For dressy casual, beach and destination weddings, a tie is often optional — follow the invitation and the couple's lead.

What color suit for a fall wedding?

Charcoal, navy, deep green, burgundy and brown all work well in autumn and photograph better against fall light than lighter summer colors.

Can you wear a suit you already own to a wedding?

Yes, provided it fits and matches the formality. A well-fitting navy suit you own beats a rented tuxedo that doesn't fit, at every dress code short of true black tie.

What we make

&Collar makes performance suits, the Range Suit Jacket in Pitch Black, Midnight Blue and Stone Grey, white dress shirts, dress pants, stain-resistant ties, belts and dress socks.

Everything is machine washable with four-way stretch, wrinkle-resistant and stain-repellent — which matters most at the exact moment a wedding is hardest on clothing. Shirts are $49.99 or any three for $99. The Range Suit Jacket is $124.99. Ties are $19.99.

If you're outfitting a group, our wedding concierge can help coordinate sizes and colors.