Groom Wears Charro Suit at Aubrey Texas Springs Wedding

Juan and Caroline were married at The Springs Event Center in Aubrey, TX in January fo 2020.  Juan opted for a traditional Mexican Charro instead of a traditional wedding tuxedo.  His groomsmen also looked sharp in the traditional Mexican Charro wedding style.  The Mexican Charro suit dates back to the seventeenth century.  Juan is from the Dallas area, but his parents and grandparents live in Mexico.  His suit was a way for him to honor his Mexican heritage.

Distinctive Features of Charro Suit Tailoring and Textiles

Thank you to https://hauteculturefashion.com/charro-mexican-cowboy-costume/ for the insight on the Charro.

Tight tapered trousers and a cropped fitted jacket, waistcoat, and a formal shirt is worn with cufflinks form the basis of the traditional Charro aesthetic. Suits are made from suede or leather and then embroidered with either pitea fibre or metallic gold or silver thread. The embroidery normally depicts flowers, horses, shoes, vines or Aztec style motifs. It is extremely hard wearing and also very expensive. Today, much of the embroidery is now completed using polyester thread for non-competing occasions.

Charo Suit Options

There are a variety of different suit options for the Charros and they are worn for different occasions. The Feana Suit is the most casual and costs around 8000 pesos. It is a mix and match of different styles. The Media Gala is a formal suit with three silver botonodura on the side seam of the trouser and cuffs of the jacket. Gala suits cost around 15000 pesos and feature silver decorations from the waist band to the hem of the trousers. The Grand Gala suit is the same as a Gala suit but in all black with silver ornamentation. Chaquetilla is the name given to the short-cropped jacket, sometimes part of the suit or sometimes worn over the top. These can be mixed with different outfits. Suits and chaquetilla are decorated with grecca, a fret work textile technique appliquéd directly onto the garments.

Sombrero on Top

Sombreros are traditionally made from horse and rabbit hair. They start at 6000 pesos but are not just for decoration. They are as hard a crash helmet so they can protect the head in a collision or fall. The toquilla is the decoration on the sombrero and the pedura is the dimple in the hat.

Any self-respecting Charro needs a pitea belt, and these costs 6000 pesos and can take up to four months to make. The silk bow tie, which completes the classic look, is called a mono.