Shopping for a suit seems simple enough at first — I mean, you’ve seen them your whole life on your father, on the TV screen, on guys walking down the block to work. But now it’s your turn as you’re headed for a job interview or the first day in a profession that actually requires dressing up for the office place. Faced with so many options, the selection process can be daunting. How do you know what’s in style and what’s going to look good on you?
There are a few key things to know when buying a new suit, including the fabric, cut, tailoring and how to accessorize it, says TSBmen.com. Follow this guide to finding the perfect men’s business suit. Now you’re stylin’!
1. The cut. There are a few things to know about the cut when trying on a new suit. For starters, don’t go too snug or too large. If you’re a bigger guy, you might think you’ll look best in a roomy suit. Au contraire — while your suit shouldn’t be tight or uncomfortable, it should be fitted to you and not have extra space that can make you look larger than you are. The same goes for slim guys. Just because you have a slender frame doesn’t mean you should go overboard with a snug suit (save it for your hipster parties, not the workplace). To achieve a professional appearance, the jacket should hug your shoulders without any pulling across the back; you should be able to button the suit comfortably; and it should cover your butt (a longer jacket can make you look slimmer while a shorter one makes you look taller). The sleeves should be tailored to show about a ½ inch of your shirt cuff while the pants should not have excess material bunching over your shoes. Go for a light break, meaning slightly shorter on the front and the back hits about halfway down the back of your shoe, not including the heel of the shoe. And single-breasted (one line of buttons) jackets are the way to go — the double-breasted (two lines of buttons) look is no longer in style.
2. The tailoring. This is one of the most important lessons of suit buying, so listen up! You must have your new suit tailored. Even if you think it fits fine off the rack, to ensure a successful look, have a tailor look at it. Oftentimes department stores or menswear stores will have a tailor onsite to help you with a fitting. A great cut can make even a budget-friendly suit look 10 times more expensive. An ill-fitting suit looks sloppy, cheap and unprofessional — certainly not the impression you’re going for, right?
3. The color and fabric. It may be tempting to purchase a black suit since, well, black goes with everything, right? Wrong. Black suits are great for formal occasions and funerals, but not for the office. There are tons of other options, but you can’t go wrong with a solid navy or gray suit. These are extremely versatile, and you can get away with wearing them a few days per week with different shirt colors and ties. As for fabric, select 100% wool, for any season. Wool fabric can vary greatly in durability, so aim for somewhere in the Super 110s-130s range, if possible, for a more durable cloth. Save linen for your business cards.
4. The accessories. For navy and gray suits, choose black or brown shoes. When in doubt, go for a dark-brown color to start your new suit-shoe collection. From there, you can add in a lighter brown and a black for variety. For socks, pick a color one shade darker than your pants. If you bought a solid suit, consider a shirt and/or tie with a pattern. Don’t wear more than two patterns at once, though, and if you do wear a patterned tie and shirt, make sure they are contrasting designs, like the tie is stripes and the shirt has checks or dots.
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Photo Source: www.freedigitalphotos.net Business Man in Suit by imagerymajestic and Ties by marin.
Solomon suggests job seekers use their eye color to guide them toward a suit color. If your eyes are blue, try a navy suit; if they’ve got a grayish rim, try a gray. Solids are better than patterns she says, as they are the easiest to match to shirts and accessories.
Dannie – Thanks for the insight! What a great tip – matching your eye color with your suit – that is so subtle yet so powerful. Any idea what Solomon suggests for brown or green eyes?