"A Man is defined by what he wears"
Whether you are heading in for a job interview, to church, or to a banquet a man should always be well dressed. Knowing what to wear is very important, and knowing how to wear it is just as vital. They key to a good suit is knowing your size and colors. Here are some key tips to wearing a suit properly.
1. Know your size: It is very important that you know your measurements when buying a suit.
The most important of those measurements is your chest. Those measurements typically range from 34-62 and most average sized males fall in the 40 range. You also need to know what length you need. Off the rack, the lengths will read short, regular, long, and extra long. You need to know this because you don’t want your jacket to be too short on your arms, or too long either. Typically these sizes are correlated to your height; shorter men will wear a short suit and taller guys will wear long or extra long suits. If your suit is custom made your tailor will be able to take those measurements and cut the perfect size.
The next most important measurement is your waist. This gives you the fitted look and reduces the bulk in your pants. Your inseam, which is measured from the top of your inner thigh to your ankle, is crucial as well. Pants should fall at the top of your ankles; you do not want a lot of extra material around your ankles as it looks too bulky and sometimes can get caught under your shoe causing your pants to get dirtier faster than normal or even rip.
2. Color: Stick to the basics. Grays, navy blues, blacks, olive greens, dark browns, tans/khakis, and off whites are acceptable, though the lighter colors should be saved for the warmer seasons, mainly spring and summer. Pinstripes are a good choice especially in the darker shades like charcoal gray and navy blue. The brighter colors like reds, purples, royal blues, are a no-no. They tend to make you look like a pimp, and you can definitely lose some credibility walking into anyone’s office or meeting wearing the brightest suit you can find.
3. Materials: Most suits are made of wool or khaki. When buying off-the-rack stick to that, 100% wool or khaki. Denim and silks are a DON’T. Period. You can also do linens but reserve those for the warmer seasons as well.
4. Styles: Right now two buttons are in. Three buttons are still acceptable but if you are trying to make a fashion statement, two buttons are the way to go.
Vent’s are in as well, you can go with either the side vent, which is two slits at the bottom of your jacket on the outside edge of your back, or you can go with the center vent which is self explanatory.
A new trend, or renaissance if you may, is the re-emergence of the double breasted suit which was popular during the days of the Harlem Renaissance. If you are looking to make a bold statement this is the way to go.
There is also the good old three piece suit which includes the jacket, pants, and vest. When wearing a three piece keep the jacket buttons to a minimum; two are adequate.
As far as pants are concerned you want to stick to the basics, nothing fancy. Go with a plain front, no cuffs. Pleats, which are those folds you see on the front of pants at the belt line, are passé. They were popular in the early 90’s and chances are our dad’s still love them. Cuffs were popular in the late 90’s and early 2000’s but are fading away.
5. Shirts: Knowing your size here is very important.
The two most important measurements here are you neck size and arm length. Your neck size is the distance around your neck, they start at 14 and are measured in halves all the way up to 22. Arm length is measured from the top of your shoulder to a point just ½ an inch below your wrist. These measurements range from 32 to 39.
When picking a color go with the simpler colors, usually white and pastels. Bolder colors like red, royal blue, and black, should be reserved for evening events. Also know what kind of collar you like. There are many different styles. You have the traditional, tab, button down, pin collar, and spread. The spread collar varies in size they are wider depending on what you are more comfortable with.
6. Tie: You can choose pretty much any kind of tie you like. Stay away from very flashy designs, they tend to make you look like an aspiring pimp just like those bright suits mentioned before. Solid colors, stripes, and paisley are good choices. However, when wearing a striped shirt, stick to a non striped tie you don’t want lines going in different directions it can make you look too busy.
Knowing how to tie a tie is very important. There are several different types of knots; Windsor, half Windsor, four-in-hand, Prince Albert and small knots. Wider knots work better with spread collars. If you are really looking to make a splash you can do a bow-tie.
To learn how to tie any of these visit
Brooks Brothers website; there you can find step by step directions on each knot.
7. Shoes: If you can find a good pair of wingtips you’re headed in the right direction. You can never go wrong with a good pair of wing tips. They were out of style for a while but they are certainly back. If you can’t find a pair of wing tips just a simple pointed dress shoe will do just fine. Square toes are not as fashionable as they were in the early 2000’s, so if you have a pair it is time for an upgrade. Wooden soles are also a preferred; it’s nice for people to hear you coming. As for colors stick to black and brown it is that simple.
8. Accessories: As far as accessories go you can add a pocket square, also known as a handkerchief to your suit. Also wear cufflinks, a tie clip or tie pin, suspenders (if need be), and of course a belt.
Your belt should always match your shoes. If you have no choice wear what you have but if you can match them up, it is a great asset.
Pocket squares are a nice addition. You can never go wrong with a plain white pocket square but to add a little more flare to your outfit you can match your pocket square to your tie. There are times when your pocket square and tie do not have to match but make sure you know what you’re doing, don’t do a tie and pocket square with two different colors and two different patterns.
Cuff links are strictly worn with French cuff shirts. Tie clips or tie pins are worn to keep your tie in place so if you take your jacket off and lean forward your tie does not fall in your food or drink. For cuff links, tie clips and tie pins, less is more. You do not want too many designs it can be distracting. So when in doubt, “KISS”, Keep it simple stupid.
So let’s recap
- Know your size
- Simple colors
- Know which style you prefer and which suits suit you best
- Wool, kaki and linen are the materials to stick with
- Two button double breasted and three pieces suits are in style
- Know your shirt size – neck and arms and which kind of collar you prefer
- Know how to tie a tie
- Pointed toe shoes in brown or black
- If you accessorize you have several options but keep it simple on each one
The most important thing is to be confident in what you are wearing; don’t slouch it doesn’t make the suit look good; and remember you wouldn’t have worn it if you didn’t think it suited you well, pun intended.
Examples:
