As far as suit colors go, it all depends on the time of the event you’re attending; if you’re going to a daytime event, you can wear a suit in a lighter color, like grey or khaki, and you won’t look out of place. If you’re attending a nighttime semi-formal event, stick with darker colors, like navy, black, or oxblood. 

Sometimes you can get away with not wearing a suit to a semi-formal event; in this case, you can put together a sophisticated dress pants and blazer combo and play around with the colors and patterns a little bit, however, if you don’t know if you’ll be underdressed by putting together an outfit like that, it’s best to stick with a classic suit and tie combo.

See more about – Style Guide: What To Wear To A Wedding

Semi-Formal Bottoms

As previously mentioned, most semi-formal attire requires a two-piece suit, which means your suit pants should be made out of the same material as your suit coat. If you’re opting for a dress pants and blazer combo, be sure that your dress pants are well-tailored and fit properly; if they’re too big or too small, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb, look sloppy, and look like you didn’t put any thought into your outfit.

Check out the Bonobos Stretch Weekday Warrior Dress Pants, which come in a whopping 21 colors and offers a slim, tailored fit that’ll flatter any body type. 

Semi-Formal Shoes

As previously mentioned, you should never wear casual footwear, like sneakers (even designer ones), boat shoes, slides, or tuxedo shoes to a semi-formal event. Oxfords, brogues, or even dressy loafers are suitable options for semi-formal footwear.

For a classic dress shoe that you can wear year-round and will go with anything in your closet, check out Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue Cap-Toe Oxford in Walnut, which will look great with suits of all colors. If you want to switch it up and go the loafer route, try the Versace Collection Men’s Brown Polished Leather Loafers Shoes, which add a sophisticated and classy element to any semi-formal suit.