It’s hard to think of anything that can be as confusing and misleading as a wedding dress code. The question is, however, can you ever wear a blue blazer and jeans to a wedding?
A blue blazer and jeans outfit should generally never be worn to a wedding due to how casual it looks. It’ll make a guest stand out and potentially even ruin wedding photographs. A blue blazer and dress pants combination or a 2-piece suit would always be better options.
There’s more to it.
After going through the main reasons why it’s generally never a good idea, we’ll run through a couple of rare exceptions where it might be OK.
At the end, you’ll see three much better alternatives you can wear instead.
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Wear A Blue Blazer And Jeans To A Wedding
By the end of this, there’s very little chance you’ll want to go ahead with it.
You’ll Stand Out
Wearing a blue blazer and jeans at a wedding will lead you to stand out in the worst way.
Standing out at a wedding for any reason is always a bad idea. You don’t want to be the one drawing attention away from the wedding couple on their special day.
It’s considered a faux pas and for good reason.
Common reasons for standing out as a wedding guest would be overdressing or underdressing.
Wearing a blue blazer and jeans combo would land you firmly within the second category.
What you should be doing is blending into the crowd, dressed sharply but not too sharply.
A blazer and jeans outfit wouldn’t cut it, no matter how dressy those jeans may be.
Jeans are the epitome of casualwear and shouldn’t ever be worn in settings where there’s even a slight risk of underdressing.
It’ll Look Like You Didn’t Make An Effort
There’s no easier way to let a couple know you didn’t make an effort than by dressing lazily or inappropriately on their special day.
It can be disrespectful and also distracting. While it’s unlikely to be the focus of their attention, it may still be an unnecessary annoyance.
While they might not say anything there and then, it’s offensive enough to linger in the mind.
It’s true that a blue blazer is often perfectly appropriate for the more casual of weddings where a 2-piece suit isn’t entirely necessary.
But pairing them with jeans of any sort is a step too far at a wedding.
Even if the couple themselves aren’t too bothered by it, the combination will most likely seem awkward and out of place to other guests.
You’ll Ruin The Photographs
Wedding photographs are stressful and expensive but generally considered important by pretty much everyone.
At a wedding, it’s easy to notice just how perfect people want their wedding photographs.
They’re items the couple will most likely look at for decades to come.
They’ll show their kids and even their grandkids at some point.
Being the one person in the crowd wearing an outfit that’s way too casual would be unfortunate.
You don’t want to be that guy.
Dress to impress. It’ll all be documented.
2 Exceptions Where A Blue Blazer And Jeans Might Be OK At A Wedding
Don’t get me wrong – these exceptions are vanishingly rare, but worth mentioning if you’re especially intent on wearing the combo.
The Couple Explicitly Say So
If a wedding couple explicitly goes out of the way to state that you can wear whatever you want to their wedding, a blue blazer and jeans combination probably wouldn’t be considered that bad.
This is a scenario where a couple really wants a casual and laid-back event to commemorate their big day.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should have to ask the couple whether it’s OK or not.
A good principle to follow would be this:
If you have to ask, it’s probably not OK.
Dress up for the occasion instead.
It’s A Casual Wedding Reception
Wedding receptions can sometimes be pretty casual – more so than the wedding ceremony itself.
While most receptions do still request formal attire (i.e a 2-piece suit), there are those which are especially relaxed.
If this is the case, a blue blazer and jeans outfit wouldn’t be catastrophic.
But don’t get too casual with it, especially with the jeans.
Ideally, choose a dark wash pair of jeans in a dark shade of blue or black, with minimal distressing (i.e no rips or frays) and no acid washing.
In addition, make sure the jeans are tapered and slim-fit – not too skinny and not too baggy.
3 Alternatives To Wearing A Blue Blazer And Jeans For A Wedding
There are definitely better alternatives to a blue blazer and jeans pairing when attending a wedding.
Any of the following three options would be infinitely better for the vast majority of ceremonies you may have to attend going forward.
Blue Blazer And Chinos
A blue blazer and chinos pairing would be appropriate for the majority of wedding ceremonies that claim to be “smart-casual”.
While this dress code can be frustratingly non-specific and confusing, a blazer and chinos combination would usually work a treat.
Chinos have the benefit of versatility. They aren’t formal, but can easily be worn in casual, smart-casual, and business-casual settings.
They also tend to look great with blazers.
Neutral chino colors such as tan, khaki, beige, grey, and navy would usually be the best options when wearing a blue blazer to a wedding.
Avoid bold and vivid chino colors. Again, you don’t want to stand out at a wedding.
Blue Blazer And Dress Pants
A blue blazer and dress pants combination would be ideal when attending a wedding that’s truly “smart-casual”.
Dress pants are a notch more formal than chinos.
When wearing a pair, it would be tough for anyone to make the claim that you didn’t make the effort.
It wouldn’t be as formal as a 2-piece suit, but it’s no secret that there are plenty of weddings where a 2-piece suit might not be necessary or even considered too much.
Much like you would with the chinos combination in the previous example, go for neutral-colored dress pants.
You’ll get the benefit of a subtle yet eye-catching contrast between the two items (eg. a blue blazer worn with tan chinos), but it wouldn’t usually ever be considered over-the-top for a wedding guest.
A Blue 2-Piece Suit
A blue 2-piece suit would be the best alternative to a blue blazer and jeans combination when the wedding ceremony is clearly traditional or formal.
If you didn’t have a blue 2-piece suit, a black or grey suit would be perfectly appropriate too.
While some may argue that a black suit is inappropriate to wear to weddings, this opinion is generally considered outdated.
At the end of the day, it would still be an infinitely better choice than a blue blazer and jeans combination.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it should generally be avoided at all costs. It just isn’t worth it.
Even if there’s a slight chance of underdressing and standing out (in a bad way), it just isn’t worth the risk.
Go for a blazer + chinos or dress pants combo for a smart-casual wedding, or a 2-piece suit for a formal wedding instead.
Enjoy.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
