|
The
Best Men’s Suit
|
For
some people, suits are back. For some people--particularly in the
boardrooms and comer offices of the biggest companies - they never
went away.
The
old saying "clothes maketh the man" is as much of a
truism as ever. Today, as always, a well-made suit is not just a
crucial business accessory; it also sends a subtle message that
distinguishes wearer as a person of discretion, taste and, in many
cases, as someone with many zeroes in his annual bonus package.
|
|
 |
What
suits don't do to the same extent they once did is reveal the wearer's
background. In our sartorially egalitarian age, one doesn't need to be a
blue blood or an Ivy grad to occupy the corner office or know the name
of the best tailors. The result is that suits have become less a uniform
than an expression of individual style. If you're conservative in
outlook, the odds are you will dress that
way too. Like to be a bit more flashy? Most likely, so are your clothes
.
What
has also changed is the way men buy suits and the occasions to which
they wear them. Around the turn of the last century , men of all
backgrounds and careers wore ties and a suit pretty much everywhere.
These days men are more selecti ve about when and where to dress up or
dress down. A board meeting? Wear a suit. A business lunch ? Ditto. A
corporate retreat in Tahoe? Not if you don't want to look like the hotel
manager .
|
|
Suits
are also becoming hip. Design houses like Gucci, Prada, Yves
Saint-Laurent4 and others are coming out with suits that are
definitely more appropriate for nightclubs than the boardroom. The
idea is to appeal to younger customers who rebel at the thought of
wearing a necktie, let alone a day job, but still have the money
to spend on a $1,500 suit.
Which
Suit Is right For You?
There
are three key elements that go into choosing the Best Men's Suits:
price, style and quality. Choosing the right suit presents a
closet-full of challenges and opportunities to those faced with
building a wardrobe. From suit silhouettes, pricing and
fashionable obsolescence to pant fronts, button counts and lapel
widths, there's much to consider.
Suits
can be broken down into three basic styles: European (i.e.,
Italian), British and American. Many designers cross cultural
lines, such as Bronx native Ralph Lauren.
For
tailoring options, the bespoke suit is the finest. Bespoke suits
are created by highly skilled tailors and artisans to fit your
every inch. They may take up to five fittings and six weeks of
work to complete, and starting prices run upwards of $3,000.
|
|
Off-the-rack
suits are the least costly and the most convenient option,
provided you're happy wfththe fabric and fit. But these days many
suit makers also offer a "made-to-measure" alternative
that allows customers to choose the fabric, sty ling options and
details before allowing a tailor to take measurements and forward
the order to the factory. A semi - finished suit is then returned
to the store for fitting and finishing.
Style
Vs. Fashion
Once
you get into stratospheric8 price levels, it makes sense to ask
yourself whether you're making an investment or buying a fashion
item. Both have their pluses and minuses. While an immaculately
rendered and classically tailored suit may last 10 or 20 years and
never go out of style, it'll hardly get you noticed in a crowd.
Meanwhile, slick fashion suits will have you looking like a rock
star, but only for a couple of years.
"
The choice between fashion and longevity is a
|
|
|
very
personal one, " says Michael Bastian, men's fashion director
in N ew York. " The best strategy is to play with them.
"
Indeed, playfulness is one of the defining characteristics of the
latest generation of suit buyers. " Suits are definitely
back, but in a more personal way ," says Bastian. "The
younger guys are treating suits more as an integrated part of
their wardrobe - pairing j ackets or pants with less traditional
elements for distinctly personal looks. If they wear a tie now
it's because they want to, not because their suit needs one.
"
That
same philosophy is gradually making its way into corporate
culture. When it comes to a wardrobe, there's no longer the same
emphasis on distinguishing between going to work and socializing.
Your business wardrobe shouldn’t be just navy and gray suits
anymore, and your social wardrobe shouldn’t be just
corduroys.Wherever you’re going hese days, you’re doing
business,and you need to feel good about what you’re wearing at
any given moment.
Building
a wardrobe
Then
there’s the matter of how many suits to own.If your company had
a one-day-a-week casual policy, you’ll need least four suits to
rotate,plus a fifth in case someone calls a meeting on Friday.
Joseph
Rosenfeld, an image consultant, recommends that men get started
with a three-suit foundation: one dark blue, one dark gray and one
black or, if you can't get away with that, dark brown. From there
you can branch out into a blue with a Glen plaid, a gray with
pinstripes and perhaps some individualistic lighter tones. Men are
fickle, and eventually they get bored or tired. Adding a new suit
or two now and then makes them feel powerful and good about
themselves.
In
the end, looking sharp in any suit is primarily a matter of color,
proportion and individual style, and the best way to get the right
suit for you is to find a good salesman and stick with him.
|
|
|
