There are certain universal truths that apply to choosing the right business suit, whether for a man or woman. There are criteria that must be met, styles to be avoided and pitfalls along the way, so let’s take a look at some invaluable advice when shopping for your working wardrobe.
Colours
It is a commonly held opinion in the fashion world that no business wardrobe should be commenced without first endowing it with two key pieces. One suit of solid navy colour and one of charcoal grey. Of these two, key industry figures such as Franco Salhi, who founded Vesture and has dressed the likes of Alec Baldwin, often cite charcoal grey as the absolute must have. The great thing about a charcoal grey suit is that it is incredibly versatile and are a great colour choice for big mens suits. During office hours it looks great with a blue shirt and a fine pair of mid-brown Oxfords. Come the evening and a wind-down drink, it can be switched up to be paired with a crisp white shirt, unencumbered by a tie and a pair of black shoes. When opting for these two essential mens suits it is important to ensure that you go for the right fabrics to cover multiple weather conditions (especially in the UK!) and situations. You cannot go far wrong with a wool-silk blend as it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. In terms of detailing a good tip is to choose a notched lapel rather than a peaked lapel, as it offers a classic, timeless look that will not date so quickly. Once you’ve settled on these two options, then it is very wise to opt for a black number. This will serve you perfectly for cocktail parties, charity functions and other dressy occasions as well as funerals (see our mens funeral suits here).
Fit
While there has been a little give (pardon the pun) in the relentless shift towards slim suits, it still pays to go a little slimmer than you might imagine. By slimming down your suit you will do your body a favour in terms of accentuating its lines but also in terms of not over-eating at those client lunches! We’re not talking ultra slim here, just properly tailored and fit to size after purchase. When it comes to fit, and this applies to both ladies business suits and men’s business suits the key is the shoulder fit. As a great general mantra, the idea that shoulder seams should never extend beyond your actual shoulders works well.
Give your suits a personal touch
One of the more unique and interesting ways to add a touch of your own style to your suits, other than cufflinks on the shirt is to customize your suit jacket buttons. When purchasing a suit you can either ask for options for the buttons, such as mother of pearl or you can set about tracking down your own buttons online. This article, albeit aimed at shoppers across the pond offers some great ideas to this end.