How to Wear a Tan Suit: The Complete Men's Style Guide

If you're looking for a stylish alternative to a dark suit, a tan suit is a great option. Versatile and sophisticated, a tan suit is perfect for occasions like beach weddings, business meetings, or urban events. It also works well with a wide range of skin tones, adding a warm, flattering touch to any look.

To pull off a relaxed yet refined style, it's important to know how to wear a tan suit properly. Our guide below will walk you through the details!

Understanding the Tan Suit: Colors & Fabrics

Tan suits are available in a variety of shades, and understanding the different tones is key to wearing one that elevates your look. Fabric also plays a significant role in tan suit styling for a specific season and event.

Here are two popular tan suit colors:

• Beige: A very light, pale, and grayish form of tan, almost creamy brown.
• British Tan: A warm and rich form of tan. It has an almost light orange-brown hue.

Tan suits can be crafted from a variety of fabrics, each offering unique benefits for different occasions and seasons. One popular choice is:

• Merino Wool: A soft, fine fabric known for its excellent temperature regulation, moisture-wicking properties, and odor resistance. For a high-quality tan suit, look for one made from 100% Merino wool.

Additional fabrics often used for tan suits include linen, cotton, and blends, each providing different textures and levels of breathability, ideal for warmer weather or more relaxed events.

Perfect Occasions for Tan Suits

Wearing a tan suit isn’t appropriate for a black-tie gala. However, when you know how to wear a tan suit properly, it’s a look that adapts effortlessly.

Summer & Destination Weddings

The light tone of a tan suit is perfect for summer or destination weddings. Its color not only adds a fresh, stylish touch but also helps keep you cool in the sun.

Garden & Daytime Events

A tan suit is a great option for garden or daytime events, offering a polished yet relaxed look. Paired with the right shirt, you can skip the tie for a more casual, elegant vibe.

Business Casual Settings

For a business casual setting, a tan suit effortlessly transitions from casual office wear to a professional look for client meetings.

Semi-Formal Occasions

Tan suits are versatile enough to dress up or down, making them perfect for semi-formal occasions when you want to achieve a sharp, modern look.

Shirt Combinations: What to Wear with a Tan Suit

With the right dress shirt color, you can elevate your tan suit, making it suitable for both relaxed events and more formal occasions like weddings or semi-formal gatherings. Here are a few tan and beige suit combinations to try:

Safe and Classic:

• White: You can never go wrong in a crisp white shirt. It provides the base for a variety of tan suit styling options.
• Light blue: Create a cool contrast by wearing a light blue shirt with a tan suit.

Colorful and Stylish:

• Pastel colors: Add a pop of modern color with a light pink, mint green, or lavender dress shirt.
• Patterns: Blue and white stripes, polka dots, and a dress shirt with subtle checks pair well with a tan suit.

Casual:

• Darker colors: Wearing shirts like deep burgundy, dark brown, or hunter green can create a modern, down-to-earth look.

Tie & Bow Tie Pairings for Tan Suits

A tie or bow tie can add the finishing touch to your look. Here are some tie and bow tie suggestions for tan and light brown suit styling:

Tie and bow tie colors: Tan suits pair well with many colors, including navy, forest green, and burgundy. Patterned or paisley and polka dot ties and bow ties pair well, too.

Shoe Selection: Best Footwear for Tan Suits

When it comes to footwear, you can choose from a wide range of styles depending on the formality of the event:

Oxfords: A classic style show for formal and semi-formal occasions. Oxblood, burgundy, or dark brown oxfords are sophisticated colors that pair well with a tan suit.

Loafers: Create a relaxed yet stylish and chic vibe with a pair of white or light tan loafers, great for a summer beach wedding or a smart-casual dress code.

Sneakers: If you want to wear white or brightly colored sneakers, make sure they are in excellent condition.

Belt & Accessories Coordination

Accessories add a touch of style and personality to your tan outfit. Here are some tan suit styling suggestions:

Belts: Match brown shades, such as dark brown, with brown dress shoes. Create contrasts by pairing a tan suit with a black belt.

Pocket squares: Try pastel, navy, or patterned pocket squares.

Metals: Keep cufflinks, watches, etc., consistent (ex., silver and gold).

Seasonal Styling Strategies

Learning how to wear a tan suit for specific seasons comes down to wearing appropriate colors that anchor the season.

Spring/Summer: Wear lighter colors to create a sophisticated, yet light and airy look

Fall/Winter: Wear darker-colored shirts and dress shoes to create a stunning fall/winter look.

Common Tan Suit Mistakes to Avoid

While a tan suit is a versatile option for a variety of events, learning how to wear a tan suit properly means avoiding these common mistakes:

• Poor fit suit
• Wrinkled fabric (merino wool is wrinkle-resistant)
• Clashing shirts
• Wearing tan-on-tan
• Black dress shoes (may look too harsh)
• Wearing overly busy ties and pocket squares
• Mismatched socks or an overly bright pair
• Failing to wear a suit that matches the formality of the occasion.

Building Your Complete Tan Suit Outfit

We hope this tan suit guide provides you with the information you need to build a complete tan suit that turns heads. Explore the suit selection at Generation Tux and easily create a sharp, stylish look!