Properly Wearing a Suit

            Men who wear suits are a dying breed. While wearing a suit on a daily basis can be seen as pretentious, knowing how to wear a suit is important.

            Most people think suits symbolize formality. The truth is most people are wrong. 100 years ago suits were worn for workers in factories. Moreover, It is called a power suit for a reason. A good suit holds your posture in place, slims your appearance, and adds presence. However, a suit is an outfit that either makes a man look really good, or like he knows not what he is doing.

            Many people gravitate away from the suit as they feel it constraining to self expression. However, I would argue that they are just as expressive, only said expressions is exercized in a nuanced way. one has necessary components, but once those are met he choses color patterns of the shirt tie and suit, number of pieces, if they match or mismatch, type of cuff and type of link if necessary, shoe style, sock style, types of fabric, and that is a very abbreviated list. If that still hasn’t convinced you that suits are for you, then so be it. feel free to move onto the next topic, but if you like the idea, or just realize you should own at least a suit in your life, then general rules are as follows:

            For starters, the tailoring is essential. To make you look your best, a suit should fit you well. The best way to do this is obviously to take a trip to London, walk down Saville Row, find a company with a royal warrant above the door, and pay them several thousand pounds to work their magic. However, for those of us who have to live in reality, there are suits off the rack that look just fine, or there are easily a dozen online retailers who will make a suit to measure at a relatively low price. Also remember the most telling part about a suit’s cut is the length. Traditionally, when around your waist, pant legs will just touch the floor behind your heel. In proper posture: your jacket hem will hang to be parallel with your knuckles, and a coat sleeve will just show the tip of your shirt sleeve as it touches the base of your palm.  All of this will still look good. However, there has been a trend in shortening things. Making things a little bit shorter is fine, but your coat should not come above your nether regions, your sleeve should not expose your wrist, and for the love of all that is holy, don’t be that guy whose ankles are exposed because he let god knows who convince him capris pants with no socks looked good with a suit, or at all. (Also, you should always have socks under pants. Any kind of color or pattern is fine, just so long as they exist.[1])

            When it comes to ties and lapels you should remember that pencil ties and skinny lapels are fine, but they usually are associated with young men of charm, whereas thicker ties and peeked lapels are more often associated with power. Bow ties (except with tuxedos) are associated with nerdyness, frat boys, young men and old men all at once… somehow. Finally remember with a straight tie that a well-shaped double Windsor with a properly placed dimple will never fail you. Unbuttoning the top button with a tie on looks sloppy; buttoning the top button no tie on the other hand, will make you look like a device for post coital female hygene…

            Finally, there is the matter of the vest. Three-piece suits are often seen as an earned right. I tend to disagree with this. However, I will say they should not be worn to a meeting upon which a lot is riding, as they make a strong impression, and that impression may not be what you want. If you do choose to wear one, there are a few things you should know. A vest does not have to match the rest of the suit (though remember if it is not exactly the same it should be noticeably different). You do not wear a belt with a vest as it becomes too busy. Instead you should wear suspenders underneath, or side adjusters on your pants[2]. I also recommend that a pocket watch be worn with a vest; while not a requirement at all, the watch chain is a nice little touch.[3] Finally: NEVER button the bottom button while wearing a suit (on a coat or a vest). Nothing gives away a man faster than having buttoned his bottom buttons. If you do it as a statement, that is fine, just know the statement you’re making is: “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

[1] There are socks that look awful. I will not be held responsible because you thought anything goes and decided to wear SpongeBob socks to a job interview.

[2] Side adjusters and belts both allow the pants to fall more so stick with suspenders unless you want a shirt ring between your vest and your pants.

[3] Remember. Jewelry on men should be functional, even if superfluous, holding your cuffs together, telling you time, marking a woman’s claim to your body.