It is that time of year when men sharpen up and bring out their inner dapper style to celebrate the end of exams! Prom night is one of the most memorable events of your school life. You want to look your best and impress. But what should you wear? How do you choose the right suit style, colour and accessories? Do you go formal or smart casual? How do you match your ties with your accessories? And what are this season’s colours? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on what to wear for UK prom for guys, based on the latest trends and advice from the experts.
Suit, Tux or Blazer?
Unless your prom has a strict dress code, you should be able to choose between a suit, a tuxedo or a more smart casual blazer and trousers. Here’s what you should be looking at:
Prom Suits
A prom suit is ideal if you want a smart and modern look on the big night. Choose either a 2- or 3-piece suit (a waistcoat being the third piece), and what colour and cut you want: either skinny, slim or tailored. You can go for colour, texture or even a classic black prom suit, depending on your taste.
A popular style this season for the proms is a slim fit navy blue suit, tan or black shoes, crisp white shirt and a bow tie or skinny tie either in a matching navy blue tone or contrasting pattern or tone. We’ve seen some great styling with either our navy Arthur tie or black floral Vesper bowtie. A pocket square adds a great finishing touch – perhaps in the same colour as your dates’ outfit or matching with your friends? And when prom is nothing but a great memory, this suit can be dusted down and worn again for a big interview or your next special occasion.
Pictured: Arthur textured wool tweed navy blue tie; waistcoat option with dusty rose pink Tallulah tie and pocket square; checked navy blue suit option paired with soft pink tweed Tallulah tie and pocket square.
Tuxedo
Defined by sleek satin lapels, a wing-collar shirt and bow tie, the tuxedo channels old-school style and elegance. Like a suit, tailored, slim and skinny fit variations of the tux mean that men of all sizes and tastes can pull it off, while a pair of black patent shoes, silver cufflinks and a smart dress watch often get paired with this to complete the polished look.
Pictured: Next black checked tuxedo is a great option for stylish modern tux styling; Bertie black velvet bowtie, matching pocket square and cufflinks.
Blazer
The blazer (basically a suit-style jacket) can instantly transform a shirt and smart trouser combo into a prom outfit. Typically, available in a bolder range of colours than a standard suit jacket, they also tend to be cut more casually. This is a great way to stick to any dress code your event might have but put your own spin on it, especially if you are not particularly comfortable with all-out formalwear.
Pictured: Beige smart casual jacket, this would pair well with smart trousers for a more casual prom look.
How to Accessorise Your Prom Outfit
Ties and bow ties, cufflinks, pocket squares and socks are some of the accessories that can make or break your prom outfit. Here’s how to choose them wisely:
Ties and Bow Ties
A tux needs a bow tie. For colour, you can’t go wrong with classic black. This pre-tied version is easily slipped on and off. A prom suit can go with either a long tie or a bow tie, depending on your preference. You can match it with your pocket square or contrast it with your shirt. For example, this burgundy textured tie would look great with a white shirt and a navy suit.
If you decide to wear a bow tie then look no further, our bow ties are all pre-tied and adjustable. This really will save you time to so something much more fun than trying to tie the knot.
Pictured: Vesper black floral bow tie; sage green Harrison textured bow tie; red burgundy wool tweed men's bow tie
Cufflinks
Cufflinks are essential for double cuffed shirts, which are more formal than single cuffed ones. They add some shine and sophistication to your outfit. You can go for simple silver ones or something more quirky and personal.
See our range of accessories for ideas on different styles.
Pocket Squares
Pocket squares add a touch of flair and personality to your outfit. They can match your tie & suit or your date’s outfit, or they can stand out on their own. For example, our sage green Harrison pocket square would look amazing paired with a navy blue suit.
Socks
Don’t undo all your hard work by flashing any old pair of socks when you hit the dance floor. Socks should be dark and plain, unless you want to make a statement with some funky patterns or colours. You could even matching your socks to your tie and pocket square with our sock range of our bestselling colours.
I hope this helps you decide what to wear for your prom. Congratulations on the end of exams, now off to enjoy the party!
Dickie Bow x