How To Wear Your White Dinner Jacket After The Wedding

Styling Guide

The tailored white dinner jacket is an amazing statement piece. It is classic and formal, yet has character. The white dinner jacket looks amazing when worn formally. However, your favourite white dinner jacket may be more versatile than you may think.

Learn more below.

IN THIS ARTICLE

1. Designing Your White Dinner Jacket

2. The Classic Tuxedo

3. The White Tuxedo

4. The Date Night Look

5. The Beach Wedding Look

6. The Chic casual Look

7. FAQ’s

Design Your White Dinner Jacket For After The Wedding

By adding versatility to your white dinner jacket, you can significantly increase its value.

It’s best to design your white dinner jacket with no silk satin coverings. Silk satin is common in evening wear on jacket lapels and buttons. By not adding silk satin and choosing minimalist details such as fabric covered buttons and pockets instead, you create a much more versatile piece. Satin is difficult to wear casually.

A shawl lapel jacket works better casually than a peak lapel one. A double-breasted front closure can make a jacket feel extra formal, so go for single-breasted instead. Ensure your jacket has canvas, and a soft, natural shoulder, so that it doesn’t feel too structured for social occasions.

The Classic Tuxedo

You can always wear your white dinner jacket again as part of atuxedo. Even if you wore a very similar outfit on your wedding day, you can easily separate the looks in subtle ways.

Pair your white dinner jacket with black tuxedo trousers and awhite tuxedo shirt. What makes tuxedo trousers different from standard tailored trousers are formal details. Formal details could include a silk satin covered waistband, or a satin stripe running down the side. Combine your look with a white tuxedo shirt. A tuxedo shirt usually features a covered or studded button front and french cuffs, as well as other formal details.

Your outfit should featureblack formal shoes. Formal shoes can be a lace-up or a loafer style. Ensure they are black to continue the line of colour down from your trousers. A pocket square with some colour can help balance the top half of your outfit. As mentioned, a bow tie is essential. Your bowtie should be made of black silk satin and self-tied, not clip on.

The White Tuxedo

This outfit would suit a contemporary formal event such as a creative industry award ceremony or a gallery opening. This style allows you to wear your jacket in it’s natural way, but in a very different formation to what you may have done on your wedding day.

It’s best if you match the white jacket to your trousers exactly. This match is best achieved by having your jacket tailor made, and then having the same tailor make your trousers. If the pieces can not be matched exactly, that’s ok as well. The all-white outfit will still have the same effect. 

A white tuxedo shirt will work well with this look. Being a slightly more contemporary take on black-tie, a bow tie is not essential. A band collar tuxedo shirt would be a good choice. In terms of footwear, loafers would be better than lace-ups. Loafers will enhance the fashion-forward appeal of the look. Keep them black to balance the white-heavy outfit. Add a pocket square in a darker tone to balance the tones even further.

The Date Night Look

A special evening calls for a special outfit. Your white dinner jacket can be a great tool in creating this. An evening at the theatre or at a fancy restaurant may not call for a full tuxedo, but a slightly more relaxed take on formal attire instead.

To achieve this look, pair your white tuxedo jacket with a dark shirt and some dark trousers. Dark navy would be a good choice of colour for both these items. The navy will help make the outfit feel more casual. A dark navy button-up shirt in a matte finish fabric and with dark buttons would be ideal. Your shirt should have button cuffs and be worn open, without a tie.

Your trousers could be tailored wool trousers or an elevated chino. Choose clean, simple design details such as side tabs on the waistband. Your footwear could be a black loafer or possibly some new black sneakers. Sneakers would help take the formality down a notch and add a sense of casual intention to your outfit.

The Beach Wedding Look

Beach weddings are synonymous with light colours and fresh tones. For this reason you can easily wear your white dinner jacket to a beach wedding. Simply combine it with light-coloured casual trousers and a casual shirt.

A light blue shirt, especially if made in a textured fabric such as linen, will immediately make your look more casual. You could also wear a light pink shirt. Look for a shirt with a soft collar, as a stiff collar may appear formal. A cutaway style collar is ideal for this look and should be worn open and without a tie.

Your trousers could match your jacket fabric, or not. A white trouser in a casual fabric such as cotton would work well. You could also look for a very light tan or bone. Contrast between your trousers and jacket will help your look appear more casual. Trouser design details such as a turnback cuff or belt loops would help soften off the general formality even further.

Add casual accessories to this look. Prioritise sneakers and sandals. These footwear styles will work well with the location. Add a pocket square in absence of a tie. A light blue or pink pastel tone pocket square will be best for the occasion. 

The Chic Casual Look

Whether it be for a celebratory dinner with mates, a low-key family occasion or simply a day that you feel like wearing something different, the white dinner jacket can work with even the most casual of other garments. 

If you keep the rest of your garments dark, and create a strong contrast, then a white dinner jacket will almost always work. Experiment with a dark navy T-Shirt and dark blue jeans. Or, try a black polo shirt and black jeans. These types of outfits should both be combined with casual footwear. Think some clean white sneakers or black loafers.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What's the difference between a tuxedo and a dinner jacket?

Generally, the term dinner jacket applies specifically to a jacket, whereas the term tuxedo applies to a two piece set of matching trousers and jacket. A tuxedo may still be referred to as a dinner jacket or ‘dinner suit’, and vice versa. A separate formal jacket in a white fabric as described in this article would most commonly be referred to as a dinner jacket.

Can you wear a dinner jacket with jeans?

You certainly can wear a white dinner jacket with jeans. Dark navy or black jeans will work best. Pair your jeans with a black or navy blue T-shirt and add your white dinner jacket as the statement piece. Finish the look off with some clean white sneakers and a white pocket square. This look is an amazing choice for a special date or an evening at the theatre.

Can you wear a white dinner jacket in the winter?

It is definitely possible to wear a white dinner jacket in winter. Try pairing your white dinner jacket with a black roll-neck sweater and black trousers. This look feels formal yet casual at the same time. To make the look even more formal, add some black leather loafers. For a more casual occasion, add some clean white sneakers.

Can you wear a dinner jacket to a wedding?

A white dinner jacket is an amazing choice for a groom. For guests however, it can be misconstrued as an attempt to upstage the groom. White attire should generally be reserved for the guests of honour. Consider alternative tones if you are attending a wedding as a guest.

Do you wear a pocket square with a white dinner jacket?

A pocket square can be a great way of adding some colour to your outfit. A pocket square can also help make your white dinner jacket outfit feel more casual. If you are wearing a white dinner jacket as part of a tuxedo, then a simple white pocket square would be ideal. If you are wearing the piece casually, then adding some colour can be a nice touch.