How to choose the perfect suit to go to work or an event
If choosing a suit brings you headlong, and you can’t turn to a tailor to make it tailor-made for you, just follow our advice to get the right ‘look’.
In recent months there are many voices that predict the end of the suit as we know it today. The culprit for this is the job change that is being experienced with the coronavirus crisis that has accelerated the process towards teleworking and that has eliminated visits to the office, face-to-face meetings or business lunches at a stroke. Is the typical executive suit really in danger?
It is very difficult for this formal uniform, so ingrained in society, to disappear overnight. There is still a lot to say about the suit in the men’s wardrobe! For many it is their daily outfit, for others men’s fashion suits in the dressing room that is only used on special occasions. Be that as it may, having a good suit is essential in a man’s wardrobe and knowing how to choose it is much more complicated than buying any other type of clothing.
In the universe of the suit to give you all the details that you have to take into account if you have to do a renovation for the new season or if you have to face the hard task of buying one for the first time. In addition, the suit itself would be nothing if it were not accompanied by some good accessories that we will also include in our article.
How to choose the perfect suit?
The suit is the key piece of the outfit of a businessman or a serious professional that should show a formal image. The image in our first cover letter and can be decisive when it comes to getting a job or closing a business. How many times have we distrusted someone for not looking flawless? Hence, we have to pay all our attention to knowing which one to choose to show our best face.
There is an essential suit in any man’s wardrobe and it is a blue design in any color from its extensive range. The reason for this choice, and not other widely used alternatives such as black or gray, is that it is a trend color that favors all skin tones.
Regarding patterns, the recommendation is to choose a suit that has a narrow lapel and a ‘slim’ pattern (close to the body) with which we will be able to enhance the silhouette. The best fabrics would be polyester or viscose because they are easy to care for and allow us to wash the pants at home and iron them ourselves at the right temperature.
When a man has to choose a new suit, to know if it suits him he has to look at the shoulder area, that the suit fits well and that when fastening it does not pull him back. As for the trousers, we will pay attention to the box, that is, the crotch, to see if it is where it should be. The lengths, both of the sleeves, the suit or the pants should not worry us in that first test because they can be easily modified adapting them to the body and style of each person.
The suits can be found with single or double breasted; both are accepted by the protocol of good dress so we can choose the one that best suits our silhouette. Another option is the openings in the back, we can find two or one, and it is always preferable to opt for blazers with a double opening.
Finally there are the tricks of the experts. The lengths of the garments can be an ally to appear taller or shorter. Tall men, for example, are favored by a blazer that is not very long. The pattern also comes into play, if the garment is tight it will add inches to your height. You also have to look at the fabric; a pinstripe is another secret to looking taller.
Is it worth investing in a good suit or can we turn to fast fashion? Undoubtedly the first is the appropriate option and that is that a quality suit can be amortized for years.
The shirt that should accompany the suit
As we have said, a suit, no matter how good it may be, does not guarantee us a perfect look if it is not accompanied by other well-chosen garments and accessories. Without a doubt, the shirt is one of those pieces to which we have to pay the attention it deserves and which we often do not dedicate to it.
To wear a suit we must choose a dress shirt. There are many varieties within this style of shirts so we can have many alternatives. At first the color, the designs are usually plain colors or with striped prints. We also have different patterns, the classic or regular, or a more fitted one called tailored fit.
They can also be chosen with a single or double cuff that will be closed with cufflinks. The latter are usually more recommended for special moments such as events, celebrations or formal meetings. We have a very effective solution: shirts with mixed cuffs. It is a simple cuff with a double eyelet, which allows us to hide the cuff button inside and to be able to wear the shirt with or without cufflinks. It is very practical, comfortable and functional.
These dress shirts dispense with the chest pocket and the buttons on the collars as they are designed to be worn with ties. If you want to go a step further, you should know that the most elegant and formal are those with white cuffs and collars that contrast with the blue or striped pattern of the rest of the shirt.
As for fabrics, cotton is the most recommended material. There are different types of cottons and, of course, the higher the quality of the fabric, the longer the shirt will last and the easier it will be to wash and iron it. We also have cottons mixed with other fibers, such as polyester, which help the durability of the garment and can facilitate breathability and make the shirt more resistant to wrinkles.
The wildcard colors will be white, the tone par excellence, or blue in its lightest shades. If you like to give a more daring look, recommends shirts with discreet stripes or squares always correctly combined with ties that contrast and take into account the color or pattern of the suit.
A touch of color in the socks
If you think that the suit is a very formal outfit for the style you like to wear, accessories are the perfect time to give a different touch of originality and color. In recent years, socks have taken the lead and have become the absolute protagonists of looks. Bold color designs, fun drawings and even custom prints have taken the sock from being a boring garment to that touch that makes a difference.
Should the socks be seen with the suit? The rule says that the pants must be diagonal, longer at the back than at the front. It should lightly touch the shoe and make a minimum wrinkle. In this way, it is when sitting down that the sock should be seen and not before. One rule that must be applied is that socks must be long to be worn with a suit.
In the past, the sock had to be the same tone as the shoe, but right now people like to combine colors and take a little more risk. Within the discretion there is a series of more serious colors that easily combine with almost any color of shoe. These tones would be burgundy, navy blue or dark gray.
The fashion of ‘Casual Friday’
Another of the fashions that are hitting the executive wardrobe the most is the fever for ‘Casual Friday’ which allows the executive to dress in a more relaxed way, within limits, when Friday arrives. It is that special day when the man can free himself from the ties of the conventions and dispense with the tie, be able to use Chinese-style pants with blazers of different fabrics and include other garments such as sweaters or polo shirts in their outfit.