Wedding Suit With White Sneakers: Fashionable or Faux Pas?

Can you wear white sneakers with a suit to a wedding? The answer is complicated.

Wearing a wedding suit with white sneakers — you might see this look in stock photos, but does it actually work?

Well, if we’re talking about the above photo, then the answer is a hard no. (Although you have to admit that wearing Velcro-strap sneakers to your wedding takes courage).

But what if the wedding is only semi-formal and you show up with a tailored suit and Common Projects? This is where things get significantly more complex.

We’re living in a time where most people want to break from tradition. But on the other hand, many traditions are traditions for good reasons. And when you’re talking about a big event like a wedding, that argument holds a lot of water.

Let’s unpack the question of whether you can — or should — wear a wedding suit with white sneakers.

A Primer on Wearing Sneakers With Suits

Historically, formal wear and casual wear each existed in their own worlds. It was rare to see anyone mixing the two since that was considered to be in bad taste.

It wasn’t really until the 2010s that it was more common to see people subverting dress codes. That was partially due to the Internet becoming more widespread, but it also reflected the time period overall. (Hipster style and shirt-so-tight-the-buttons-are-popping-off-European-bro fashion were very much in vogue).

The 2010s were the first time where you’d regularly see guys wearing sneakers with suits. Check out this “vintage” example from all the way back in 2012:

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It was an eye-popping combination for one reason: It mixed an extremely formal element with an extremely casual one. When it comes to menswear, it’s harder to find opposites more extreme than sneakers and suits.

Many guys enjoyed breaking a long-held rule of menswear. Tons of variations emerged, including the suit with T-shirt look, and this dynamic became part of the menswear zeitgeist.

Since then, the suit with sneakers look has been normalized by all kinds of celebrities, and it’s continued to appear on social media.

Can You Wear Sneakers With a Suit?

The consensus seems to be that you can wear sneakers with a suit, but you have to do it right.

However, it’s important to note the context in which most guys wear sneakers with a suit. This outfit is almost exclusively worn in casual settings. It might fly in some laid-back workplaces, but for the most part, this outfit is relegated to social outings.

While wearing a suit with sneakers works on the red carpet or on social media, it’s different in real life. There aren’t many occasions where you could pull off this outfit — you can probably count them on one hand.

In the real world, you’re typically expected to follow dress codes, and that’s especially true for any formal occasion.

The casual style has a lot of wiggle room. If you want to go to a coffee shop in a suit and sneakers, few people will even notice.

However, formal dress codes still require you to obey their rules. Going rogue might give the impression that you don’t want to make the effort to look nice. Even worse, it could lead people to assume that you’re flaunting the rules to be edgy.

Still, this seems pretty simple — wearing a suit with sneakers is appropriate for casual settings and inappropriate for formal ones. But when you throw weddings into the mix, things get much more complicated.

Can You Wear a Wedding Suit With White Sneakers?

Whether you can wear white sneakers with a suit to a wedding depends on a lot of factors. The short answer is that you can wear a wedding suit with white sneakers to a few types of weddings.

To understand this more clearly, you need to understand wedding dress codes.

Broadly, wedding dress codes can be broken into two major categories: formal and casual. Within each of these larger categories, there are subcategories that specifically define what you should and shouldn’t wear.

Formal wedding dress codes include black tie, black tie optional/formal, and cocktail. Casual dress codes include semi-formal/dressy casual, casual, tropical/beach/destination, and concept/theme.

Can You Wear Sneakers With a Suit for Formal Weddings?

You should never wear sneakers to a formal wedding.

As I mentioned previously, formal dress codes are to be adhered to. Simply put, a formal setting isn’t the place to wear sneakers. If the dress code is black tie optional, formal, or cocktail, you’ll want to wear a nice suit and shoes. And if it’s a black tie, wear a tux, period.

Can You Wear a Wedding Suit With Sneakers to a Casual Wedding?

Sometimes you can — but not always.

Casual wedding dress codes are tricky in their own right. You might assume you can wear a suit and sneakers if the invitation says “casual,” but it’s not that simple.

With casual weddings, you still have to consider the occasion and overall vibe. You also do want to avoid being overdressed (at least to an extent). This is where the real trouble is.

For example, if everyone, including the groom, is wearing button-downs, you don’t want to turn up in a suit. And if it’s a themed wedding, a suit and sneakers probably won’t match that theme.

So what does this all mean?

You can wear a wedding suit with white sneakers to semi-formal/dressy casual weddings and certain tropical or destination weddings. Outside of these two dress codes, I recommend avoiding this look unless you’re 100% sure it will work.

In fact, I recommend checking with someone at the wedding party first to make sure. Semi-formal and dressy casual aren’t the most specific of dress codes, so it never hurts to double-check.

How to Style a Casual Wedding Suit With Sneakers

Now that you know when you can and can’t wear a wedding suit with sneakers, you can explore styling options.

Choosing a Casual Suit

First, make sure that you pick a casual suit. No matter how nice your sneakers are, they just won’t match a formal suit.

Casual suits are less structured than formal suits, and they often consist of just a textured jacket and trousers. As a result, casual suits are more relaxed, and some are even a little slouchy (but they shouldn’t be oversized).

For best results, go for an unstructured blazer or suit jacket in a softer fabric like cotton or linen. Your pants should have no break, and they should also match your top. Finally, wear a laid-back button-down or even a T-shirt in lieu of a dress shirt. (It’s often hard to go wrong with a white shirt).

Now, let’s move on and talk about sneakers.

Choosing Sneakers To Wear With a Suit

There are a few ways to style sneakers with a casual suit. By far, the most common one is to pair minimal sneakers with a tailored suit.

In most cases, you’ll want to opt for a pair of clean, low-profile white sneakers. Low-top sneakers are more versatile here, so any Common Projects-type shoe will work excellently.

Pay attention to the color combination, too. You don’t have to choose sneakers with a bright and pure white color, but solid white sneakers are best. For example, a solid off-white sneaker will often look better with a suit than, say, GATs with grey stripes.

This is also a perfect opportunity to break out a pair of dress sneakers.

Ultimately, as long as you choose a pair of clean white sneakers with a slim silhouette, you’ll be good.

Wedding Suit With White Sneakers FAQ

Short on time? Maybe you just scrolled down here to get the short version? Either way, here are a few quick answers to questions about wearing a casual wedding suit with sneakers.

Can You Wear White Sneakers With a Suit to a Wedding?

If the wedding is semi-formal/dressy casual — or if it’s a beach or destination wedding — then yes. It depends on the exact type of wedding, so make sure to double-check if you’re unsure.

Can You Wear White Sneakers to a Formal Event?

No. You should never wear any kind of sneakers to any kind of formal event. While casual dress codes give you some leeway, formal dress codes are strict.

Can a Man Wear Sneakers to a Wedding?

Sometimes — it depends on the specific type of wedding. Scroll up to learn more about wearing sneakers to a wedding!

Should You Wear White Sneakers With a Wedding Suit?

We’ve established that you can wear white sneakers with a suit to some weddings — but does that mean you should?

Of course, this answer depends entirely on the wedding in question.

Still, the fact is that wearing a suit with sneakers is a bit of a statement. And if you end up being the only person wearing a suit and sneakers, you might stick out. (I don’t mean that in a good way).

It also depends on personal taste. For instance, I don’t often mix formality levels, so I would pair a casual suit with a loafer or derby. I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing sneakers with a traditionally styled suit (even a casual one).

But if you regularly blend high style with low style, then wearing a suit with sneakers makes a lot of sense for you.

What’s your take on the suit and sneaker combination? Let me know in the comments!