With more than 185 years of tailoring experience, Pritchards Menswear has worked through the decades supporting groomsmen in looking and feeling their best on their wedding day. With each passing year - and each passing wedding season - the team have had the pleasure and excitement of navigating both the nuanced and bold changes in fashion, as well as the shifts in wedding tradition that have made space for further expressionism and creativity in the age-old art of tailoring.
Edward Pritchard, owner of Pritchards Menswear says, "While shifts in fashion and societal trends naturally occur over time, the last two years have dramatically challenged many of the traditional aspects of weddings, be it the size, the location, or the level of formality involved. With many cancelling, rescheduling, or downsizing their wedding celebrations, society has seemingly embraced the smaller, the hyper-personal, and the bespoke in a new and exciting way.
"As groomsmen (and brides) continue to challenge the traditional notions of weddings, we've observed new and exciting trends emerging in the world of tailoring. Above all else, these trends highlight the significance and power of an expertly tailored suit, not only in honouring the momentous occasion of marriage, but in providing grooms with an outlet to express themselves while boosting their confidence as well."
A rise in less formal suits With the rise of smaller, more personalised weddings, more and more groomsmen are seeking the form-fit of a tailored suit without looking overly formal. Classic black and white tuxedos are being challenged by lighter colours and earthy tones, along with light and dark blues, custom buttons, and boldly-printed linings and pocket squares.
Suits to reflect personal style As many weddings have scaled down to smaller, more intimate affairs, many couples have abandoned the extravagance that often comes with weddings to embrace a more relaxed, personal aesthetic across the board. With this in mind, more and more grooms are choosing to express themselves through their suits, be it with non-traditional colours, prints, fabrics, and footwear.
Tailoring is as important as ever While many grooms are choosing to abandon traditional and ultra-formal aesthetics, a well-fitting suit remains as important as ever, if not more so.
Rather than wearing a suit straight off the hanger, groomsmen are opting for slim-fitting, tailored suits that look sharp and stylish, regardless of the suit they choose. For many grooms, tailoring can make or break a suit, as the overall fit and feel can dramatically impact a groom's comfort and confidence on the day.
Warmer / natural colours and tones Following a comeback of the nature-based design principles of the 60s and 70s, many couples are embracing a retro aesthetic when it comes to their weddings. As a result, warmer colour palettes incorporating burgundy, gold, orange and beige have made their way into groomswear, be it through the suit colour and lining or smaller elements such as ties, bowties, vests and pocket squares.
Layering and heavier fabrics With the number of weddings being moved and rescheduled over the last two years, many weddings have taken place outside of the normal May-October wedding season. As a result, many grooms have embraced the opportunity to choose heavier fabrics like wool and tweed, while layering up with double-breasted jackets and three-piece suits that may otherwise prove too warm in peak wedding season.
"As we continue to serve the grooms of Hereford and across the UK - and as wedding trends continue to evolve and change - the Pritchards team look forward to embracing the innovations and changes in the world of tailoring." - Edward Pritchard
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