Fashion & Ethics

Groomsmen’s Hats: Pros And Cons

If you’re having a theme wedding, or if your groomsmen are just going bald and feeling self-conscious, you may have considered having the groomsmen wear hats. A spiffy set Persuasive of chapeaus can add an extra something special to the wedding party. They can be whimsical, dignified, practical, or just ill-advised. To help you decide what sartorial choices might suit your wedding party, here’s a guide to the wide world of groomsmen’s hats.

Top Hat

For the most formal of formal wear, a top hat is the ultimate choice. Its refined style is unmatched for the tux-and-tails set. A top hat can evoke everything from old Hollywood glamour to the stateliness of the Victorian era.

  • Pros: Classic, very formal, lends an air of sophistication.
  • Cons: You don’t really see many top hats in the wild outside of magicians’ acts these days. Unless your wedding has a really strong theme, a top hat is bound to look costume-y.
  • This hat is best for Victorian themed weddings or magic themed weddings.

Fedora

Forget the sorry excuse for a fedora the kids are wearing these days–those shrunken-brim hybrids are “trilbys”, not true fedoras. A classic fedora is equal parts Humphrey Bogart and

Indiana Jones by design. It’s both rugged and masculine while still being stylish.

  • Pros: Great for 1920’s style, good excuse to play Indiana Jones, looks great with a suit.
  • Cons: Sadly, the folks who wear fedoras instead of developing a personality have pretty much ruined this noble hat for the rest of us. The neckbeard association is just too strong.
  • This hat is best for nerdy weddings or 1920’s weddings.

Cowboy Hat

For a rustic wedding, cowboy hats aren’t just acceptable; they’re practically required. For a western wedding, go for the felt Stetson variety. For a plain rustic wedding, go for the straw variant. Under no circumstances should you wear a giant floppy sombrero.

  • Pros: Manly, looks great on almost anyone, practical for outdoor weddings.
  • Cons: Can look costume-y, fairly informal.
  • This hat is best for rustic or western weddings.

Ushanka

An ushanka is a traditional Russian hat, made of fur (or faux fur, these days), with earflaps that tie on top of the cap. It’s a little unorthodox-looking, but definitely practical. You won’t find a warmer hat for a cold winter wedding which makes them an ideal choice while you’re standing outside waiting for your sparklers for wedding reception guests to finish burning during your grand exit.

  • Pros: Warm, cozy, kind of adorable.
  • Cons: A little goofy, maybe a little too warm for indoors.
  • This hat is best for outdoor photo shoots at winter weddings.

Baseball Cap

Ah, the humble baseball cap; the first refuge of early-balding men everywhere. It may not have the class or charm of more sophisticated headgear, but it’s as American as apple pie. If your wedding needs a dash of cheeky informality, you could do worse.

  • Pros: covers heads, can be customized with wedding details/sports team logos.
  • Cons: informal, shabby-looking, emphasizes ear size.
  • This hat is best for informal, outdoor weddings.

Whether you’re into ball caps or fur hats, there’s a hat for every wedding season. We don’t recommend wearing the hats throughout an indoor ceremony, of course–there are some rules of etiquette we won’t broach. But once the ceremony’s done and you’re ready for pictures, whip out those chapeaus and make some memories.