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Men's Suits

What's a Suit?

"Ha. That's a silly question. 'What's a suit?' C'mon, it's a suit. A suit, man. Dumb. [pause] So I have these corduroy pants and plaid golf jacket my buddy gave me, if I wore those together--" NO!

  • Suit: Suits  are perfectly matching jacket-and-pants combs, worn in professional and formal situations. Really, I can't stress the "perfectly matching" enough. Navy is not navy is not navy in the menacer universe, so don't be caught with a light shade of blue below and a darker shade above. If you want a suit, buy something the store says is a suit and quit the mixing and matching.
  • Blazers & Sports Jackets: A coat different in color from trousers is commonly called a blazer. Blazers,  as well as its "hipper" cousin, the sports jacket,  are a more casual option. Blazers can be worn with jeans  or khakis.  Suit jackets shouldn't be worn as a blazer,  they should be worn with the suit pants or not at all.
  • The Business/Formal Alternative: Now, certain occasions do allow and even call for a navy blazer with gray pants. This is a good alternative choice for a man interviewing with a company that prescribes to business casual dress.

Style

  • If you are more conservative and don't follow fashion trends, get a classic suit, two or three buttons, single breasted, in grey or navy--the men's version of the "little black dress."
  • Jacket styles can be one,  two,  three  or four  buttons. Double-breasted  or single.  The choice is up to you.
    • A double-breasted suit looks good on an older, heavy-set man.
    • Single-breasted favors the small-chested.
    • A tailor is the only person who will ever judge a man by the size of his chest.
    • If you're looking for something a little trendier, look through men's fashion magazines or Men.Style.com and see what designers recognize as being "in" right now.
    • These days the trendiest style in jackets is the single-button suit. 
  • Lapels come in two options on suits: notch and peak (shawl collars are only for tuxedos and smoking jackets).
    • Notch lapels  are less ostentatious and favored by businessmen.
    • Peak lapels are wider and bolder--not a great choice if you only have one good suit.
  • Vents are tailored into the back of the suit to give men the ability to sit and move around. Never buy a ventless suit.  Otherwise there are two choices:
    • Side Vents : two vents evenly spaced out on the jacket's back--tends to be favored by the Italian designers.
    • Single Vent : placed in the center of the jacket's back, the most traditional placement.

Fabric

  • Cotton and wool are your best bets. Of the wools, worsted  is a solid choice. And, among worsted, look at mid-weight, corded wools and gabardine, which was invented by Thomas Burberry  in the late-19th Century.
  • As long as you're getting a reliable fabric (worsted), there's no need to purchase a higher-priced option, unless it's the only suit you plan to acquire before the next millennium.
  • Seersucker suits  are great for warm climates and summer weddings. Linen suits look great on the hanger but wrinkle in the blink of an eye. Leave these to Tom Wolfe.

Color

  • The "big" suits in your life should be dark: navy  or charcoal  for work and black  for very formal events.
  • After your first couple of suits, look into some pinstripes  or herringbone. 
  • For other color options, consider how often you will wear them, and the settings in which they'll be appropriate. For example, if you're starring in Miami Vice, a white  and/or pastel suit  is a great investment.

Size

  • The key to success is wearing the right size. Most men wear clothing that is too big for them -- either they don't know what size they are, can't figure out international sizes, or the think the baggy look is "in."
  • While pants  can be tailored to fit you, little can be done to jackets.  A jacket should fit you almost perfectly on first fitting.
  • How to measure (it is best go to a professional get accurate measurements):
    • Chest: Measure around chest. Go just under your arms, across your shoulder blades, and keep you arms relaxed and down at your sides.
    • Coat length: Measure from the highest point of the shoulder down.
    • Inseam: Measure from inside crotch seam to the hem of pants that fit you well, not too long or baggy. It is best, though, to measure this on yourself.
    • Waist: Measure around your natural waistline, which is the point your body creases when bending to one side.
    • Neck: Measure around fullest part of neck.
    • Rise: Measure from the crotch to top of waistband.
    • Sleeve: Measure from center back of neck, over point of shoulder, and down outside of arm past elbow to wrist with arm relaxed at side.
  • Take your measurements and then convert it to manufacturers S, M, L and XL. To find out how men's non-suit apparel is sized click size chart.

The Finishing Touches

Shirts and Ties

  • Your tie  should be darker than your shirt. 
  • A properly done tie should fall to the middle of your shirt, gliding down your buttons.
  • Quick rule for matching: If you can't spot the color of your suit somewhere in the tie, it doesn't match.
  • Feeling adventurous: Look into Less Traditional Shirt  & Tie  Combos. 
  • Want to know more, check out the buying guide on shirts and ties.

Belts and Shoes

  • Belts  and shoes  should be shiny leather  or synthetic leather. 
  • Wear black accessories for black and gray suits,  and brown for navy and brown-scale suits.
  • When in doubt, wear black.
  • Your belt and shoes should be the same color.
  • Buy a shoe-shine kit  and use it often. Nothing says "amateur" like scuffed shoes.

Shopping Tips

GQ.com even has an online video titled "How to Buy a Suit."  Here are some of their tips:

  • Start shopping at a department store for the best selection (specialty stores will only carry one or two brands).
  • Know your size.
    • Suit's shoulder should hug your shoulder.
    • Jacket should button easily in front without tugging at your waist.
    • As for overall length, when your arms are hanging straight down, you should be able to cup your fingers under the sides of your suit jacket

Summary/Suggestions

Getting Started (your first suit)

The Advanced Purchases (from lowest to highest price)

External Links