Groomsmen Outfits: 27 Ideas Beyond the Rented Black Suit

I have watched too many couples settle for the same rented black suit because nobody showed them there was another way. Your groomsmen can wear brown, sage, olive or linen and still look like a team. Here is how to choose it, with what to buy for each look.

This post contains affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Chocolate Brown Suit With a Cream Shirt

Brown is the quickest way out of the black-suit rut, and it flatters almost every skin tone and hair color.

Cream beats stark white here because it softens the contrast and keeps the whole look warm. Look for a wool blend so the suit holds its shape through a long ceremony and a longer reception.

Pair it with a chocolate brown suit and tan or dark brown shoes with a belt to match.

Sage Suit With Tan Shoes

Sage is the groomsman color couples ask about most, and it works because it is muted enough to look grown-up.

Tan shoes keep it earthy and spring-appropriate. If the bridesmaids wear a similar green, choose a shade slightly deeper or lighter so you match the mood without matching exactly.

A sage green suit with a white shirt keeps it fresh.

Cream Linen for a Beach Wedding

Linen breathes, which matters more than anything else when the ceremony is on sand in July.

Embrace the wrinkles instead of fighting them; they are part of the look. Skip the tie, leave the collar open, and go barefoot or in suede loafers with no socks.

Search for a cream linen suit in a linen-cotton blend, which wrinkles less.

Olive Suit With a Rust Tie

Olive reads dark enough to feel formal but different enough that nobody mistakes it for the usual navy.

A rust or burnt-orange tie gives it the warm accent that fall weddings are made for. Keep the shirt plain light so the two colors carry the outfit.

Try an olive green suit with a knit or silk tie in rust.

Navy Blazer With Gray Pants

This is the answer for the groomsman who will actually wear the clothes again.

A navy blazer over gray trousers works at the wedding and then at the office on Monday. Make sure the shoulder seam sits at the edge of his shoulder and that about half an inch of shirt cuff shows.

Start with a navy blazer and light gray wool-blend pants.

Forest Green Suit With a Matching Tie

Dark green is rich without being loud, and it photographs beautifully against greenery and candlelight alike.

A tie in the same family, a shade lighter, makes the group look intentional. Add cream shirts and dark brown shoes and you are done.

Shop a dark green suit in wool for the richest color.

The Classic Black Tuxedo, Done Right

For an evening or black-tie wedding, black still wins, but only when it fits properly.

The difference between a rented tux and a good one is mostly the cut: jacket shoulders that end where his do, trousers with a clean break, and a real bow tie. Satin lapels belong here and nowhere else.

A black tuxedo with a bow tie and patent or polished oxfords.

Burgundy Suit for a Fall Wedding

Burgundy is the color that tells everyone it is October without saying so.

Balance it with a cream or light gray shirt and a dark tie so the suit remains the star. Velvet is tempting but save it for evening; wool keeps it daytime-appropriate.

Look for a burgundy suit with dark brown shoes.

Light Gray Suit With Sage Ties

This pairing is for the couple who wants soft and polished at once.

Light gray stays neutral, so the sage tie does all the talking and ties the party to the bridesmaids. A white shirt keeps it crisp, and brown shoes warm it up.

Start with a light gray suit and a sage tie.

Vest and Suspenders, No Jacket

For a hot day or a relaxed barn reception, drop the jacket and keep the polish.

A fitted vest over a rolled-sleeve shirt gives the groomsman something to look dressed in while he moves. Suspenders are optional but add character; choose them in a tone of the vest.

Try a suit vest with a matching tie and rolled sleeves.

Mismatched Earthy Tones

Instead of five identical suits, let each groomsman wear a different shade from the same palette.

Rust, olive and brown look like a family when they share a fabric and a cut. The trick is keeping the shirt and tie the same across the group so it reads as a plan, not a coincidence.

Pick a rust suit and ask the others for olive and brown.

Navy Suit and a Knit Tie

Navy is the safe choice, but a knit tie makes it feel considered.

The texture adds interest without color, and it pairs with every shirt from white to pale blue. Choose a tie in brown or forest green rather than another blue.

Buy a navy suit and a brown knit tie.

A Double-Breasted Suit in Charcoal

A double-breasted jacket instantly looks more expensive than it is, because the overlapping front and wide peak lapels give the chest a structured, confident line that single-breasted cuts rarely match.

Charcoal is easier to wear than black and works for day and evening. Keep it buttoned when standing and make sure the lapels sit flat across the chest. Shorter men should check the jacket length, since a boxy hem swallows the legs.

Look for a charcoal double-breasted suit with a slim tie, and check that the lining is breathable. It suits a formal church ceremony or an evening reception.

Taupe Suit for a Spring Wedding

Taupe is a quiet, sophisticated shade that never fights with a bride’s palette, which is why it’s such a safe pick when the color scheme isn’t final yet.

Wear it with a pale blue shirt and brown shoes for a spring ceremony. The soft color keeps the photos light and airy. It flatters fair and medium skin tones best, while very pale guys can look washed out.

Search a taupe suit in a lightweight wool blend so it stays comfortable in a garden or patio setting.

How to Choose Without Overthinking It

Start with fabric: wool or a wool blend holds its shape at a ceremony, linen and cotton blends breathe in heat, and velvet or satin belongs to evening. Then check the fit: the shoulder seam sits at the edge of his shoulder, about half an inch of cuff shows, and the pants end with a slight break at the shoe. For color, pair with the bridesmaids’ shade without matching it exactly.

Brown Suit With an Olive Tie

This one comes from a color rule worth remembering: olive and brown are cousins, both earthy and low in contrast, so the pairing looks deliberate rather than matched.

Together they look rich and natural, perfect for a rustic or fall wedding. A light blue or white shirt keeps it from getting heavy. Pick a mid-tone brown, because very dark brown flattens the olive.

Try a brown suit and an olive tie in matte silk or knit, which looks better against textured fabric than a shiny one.

Ice Blue Suit for a Daytime Ceremony

A pale blue suit feels fresh and modern, and it is a gift for summer photos.

Keep the shirt white and the shoes light brown so the color stays soft rather than costume-like. It works best in cotton or a linen blend.

Look at a light blue suit with tan shoes.

Tweed Jacket for a Winter Wedding

For a cold-weather wedding, tweed is warm, textured and unmistakably seasonal, and it reads as dressed up without the stiffness of a standard suit.

A brown or gray herringbone jacket works over a knit vest and wool pants. Pay attention to the fabric content, which should be mostly wool, so it actually keeps him warm. Heavier builds should skip chunky weaves and choose a finer tweed.

Shop a tweed blazer with wool pants, and check for a full lining. It suits a lodge, barn or any indoor winter venue.

Black Suit, But Make It Casual

If the couple wants black, an open collar and no tie make it feel modern rather than funereal.

Wear it with a white or black shirt and polished black loafers. It reads relaxed but sharp, ideal for an evening reception.

Pair a black suit with a black knit polo or an open white shirt.

A Pinstripe Navy Suit

A fine pinstripe adds quiet authority without any extra color, and the vertical lines lengthen the body, which helps shorter or broader men.

Keep the stripe subtle so it photographs well and keep the rest simple: white shirt, solid tie, plain shoes. It suits a more formal ceremony. Wide chalk stripes look costume-like, so stay with thin, close lines.

Look for a navy pinstripe suit with a burgundy tie, and make sure the stripes line up across the jacket seams.

Olive Linen for a Destination Wedding

Olive linen suits a destination wedding in warm weather without feeling beachy, since the muted green looks polished beside sand, water or greenery.

A relaxed fit is deliberate here, but make sure the shoulder still sits right so it never looks borrowed. Open collar, leather sandals or suede loafers. Linen wrinkles by design, so steam it before the ceremony and don’t fight the creases.

Try an olive linen suit in a linen-cotton blend, which wrinkles less and costs less than pure linen.

Dark Green Velvet Dinner Jacket

For an evening wedding, a velvet dinner jacket is the groomsman look people remember.

Dark green or deep burgundy velvet over black pants and a white shirt feels festive and formal. Velvet is for evening only, and a bow tie finishes it.

Shop a green velvet blazer with black pants.

Light Gray Linen With a Pocket Square

A pocket square is the cheapest upgrade in menswear, and it pulls a look together.

On a light gray linen suit it can pick up the color of the bridesmaids or the flowers. Fold it simply; a clean rectangle looks more current than a puffed one.

Add a pocket square to a light gray linen suit.

Two Groomsmen in Coordinated Browns

When two groomsmen stand together, a tonal pairing looks effortless on camera, and it’s an easy way to give a small party some variety without clashing.

One wears chocolate brown, the other a lighter tan, both in cream shirts. They share a palette without being identical, which photographs well from every angle. Warm tones flatter most skin tones and sit naturally in a barn setting.

Mix a tan suit with a brown one, and keep the shoes the same shade so the two stay in step.

Two Groomsmen in Sage and Navy

Two colors can share a group if they sit in the same temperature, and cool, muted shades are the easiest to combine without a stylist’s eye.

Sage and navy work because both are cool and muted. Keep the shirts and shoes the same and the pair looks planned, not mixed up. Against vineyard greenery, the sage almost blends in, which keeps the photos calm.

Combine a sage suit with a navy one, and have both tailored in the same cut for a clean line-up.

Three-Piece in Warm Gray

A three-piece suit gives the groomsman options: jacket on for the ceremony, off for the dancing, and the vest still keeps him pulled together.

Warm gray with a matching vest feels refined and ages well in photographs. A solid tie and a pocket square finish it without fuss. The vest should skim the waistband, since a short one flashes the shirt below it.

Look for a gray three-piece suit in wool, which breathes better through a long day of photos and dancing.

Burgundy Vest With Rolled Sleeves

A burgundy vest over a white shirt is the groomsman look for the guy who hates jackets.

Roll the sleeves to the forearm, tuck the shirt cleanly, and add a dark tie. It feels formal enough for a ceremony and loose enough for a dance floor.

Try a burgundy vest with charcoal pants.

Navy Suit With Brown Shoes and a Boutonniere

This is the look that proves a simple navy suit can feel special when the details are right.

Brown shoes and a matching belt warm it up, and a small boutonniere in cream or sage ties him to the wedding. Keep the tie plain and the shirt crisp.

Pair a navy suit with a small boutonniere and brown shoes.

The Verdict

Pick one palette, then let fit and fabric do the rest. A suit that fits well in the right color always beats a rented black one.

FAQ

What color should groomsmen wear?

Choose a color that suits the season and the bridesmaids’ palette. Navy, sage, brown and gray are safe and flattering. Match the mood of the wedding rather than the exact shade.

Should groomsmen match the groom?

They should coordinate with the groom without matching him. A slightly different shade or tie lets the groom stand out. Keep the shirt and shoes consistent across the group.

Is it better to rent or buy groomsmen suits?

Buying gives a better fit and a suit he can wear again. Renting is cheaper for a single day. If the budget allows, buy a navy or gray suit that works afterward.

What should groomsmen wear to a beach wedding?

Cream or light linen suits in a linen-cotton blend keep him cool. Skip the tie and wear suede loafers or go barefoot. Embrace the wrinkles as part of the look.

Do groomsmen need to wear ties?

Not always. An open collar works for beach and barn weddings, while ties and bow ties suit formal ceremonies. Ask the couple what level of dressiness they want.