In the life of a young Jewish boy or girl, there is no bigger event than the Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah ceremony. When a young member of the Jewish community becomes a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, they have officially come of age; they are now obligated to observe the principles, commandments, and promises of Judaism. It’s an incredibly special event that celebrates all the hard work they put into preparing and that welcomes them into adulthood.
The Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah event involves two different components: the religious ceremony and the party that follows after. The service is held in a synagogue, while the party may take place in the synagogue’s reception hall or in a totally separate location (like a restaurant, home, banquet hall, hotel, sports venue, or another unique place). In order to pay respect to the family, members of the congregation, and other guests, you’ll need to dress appropriately to suit (pun intended) both parts of this event.
Typically, these events should be seen as formal. While some Jewish teens will encourage their young guests to change for the celebration that follows the religious service, you should aim to be more dressy for this event in general. Men and even boys will often wear designer suits with ties. If you do not wish to wear a tailored suit, you should opt for one of your high end dress shirts, dress pants, a tie, and an optional blazer or suit jacket to bring the look together. While you don’t need to go the black tie route, it’s recommended that you should opt for custom tailored clothing that fits properly. (Need a way to quickly check if you need to visit your local tailor? The cuffs of your shirt should be a bit looser than a watch and fall two centimeters from your wrist bone!)
Parents may be a little wary about purchasing designer suits for their growing sons. But if they’ll be attending a lot of Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah services this year, they’ll probably get a lot of wear out of these garments. If you don’t want to buy a full suit, you’ll at least want to purchase a blazer with coordinating slacks, a belt, a few button-down formal shirts, and a couple of ties. Keep in mind that buying off-the-rack will likely result in a poor fit — and if alterations are required, you’ll add more to your cost and to your timeline. Since most invitees have advance notice of the upcoming celebration, it’s a good idea to get a head start on having tailored pieces taken care of ahead of time.
Whether you opt for designer suits or mens slacks and a nice shirt, you should probably opt for neutrals and other classic colors. A patterned tie isn’t necessarily out of the question, as long as it is respectful and formal. You will also want to wear formal footwear; swap out your boat shoes or flip flops for dress shoes, please. This is probably not the time for anything showy, as a general rule. Not only do you not want to show disrespect, but you’ll also not want to detract from the attention the soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah deserves.
When you or your son arrives to the services, they may want to wear yarmulke — also known as a kippah or skullcap — for temple, which are often provided by the congregation or by the family. You may not need to wear this head covering, but it is considered to be a sign of respect. It’s also an excellent way to immerse oneself in new religious traditions.
Although there is not one correct way to dress for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah celebration, you simply can’t go wrong with designer suits. These versatile and formal garments may come in handy for a variety of other occasions and will allow boys and men of all ages to look both sharp and well-mannered during these festivities. To find out more about our formal tailored suits for boys and men, please contact us today.
Being suitable attired and looking good play an essential role in developing the confidence and good taste needed throughout our lives.
