Hello, friends.

Today, we will be discussing perhaps the most essential item that should be present in every well-dressed man’s wardrobe - the suit.

Yes, I know that talking about suits is (for some people, at least) supremely boring, but the reason for this is likely that most of you have worn a black suit your entire life, which doesn’t really allow for any self-expression. You might also think of suits as “stuffy” or “old-fashioned,” but I will show that the opposite is indeed true.

First, let us discuss what a suit is and what a suit isn’t.

When we speak of suits, we are referring to a formal outfit, which consists of a jacket and trousers (also known as dress pants) which are both cut from the same cloth. Therefore, it stands to reason that anything else is not a suit, such as a jacket and odd trouser combination, where the jacket and trousers are in a different color. The jacket and trousers in a suit should always be cut from the same cloth. It’s not enough to say, “Well, I have a gray jacket in my closet, so let me run to Macy’s and grab the first pair of gray pants I see, and then, I’ll have a suit.” Every fabric will interact with the light differently and have subtle differences in the weave, so going with something similar isn’t enough.

In fact, it would look worse if you tried to find a close match between the jacket and trousers, as opposed to going with something that is clearly different, because it will look like you got dressed in the dark and picked the wrong clothes.

Now, I would like to add an interjecting and opposing viewpoint. With universal dress codes continuing to lean to more casual wear, and given the current global climate, many people have been questioning their need to own a suit. However, I am hopeful that the global climate will eventually improve, and therefore, I still believe that everyone should own at least one suit.

Consider the following scenario: you have an important client-facing meeting tomorrow, and you need to wear a suit to make a good impression. What do you do if you don’t own a suit? Most likely, you panic, run to the nearest department store, and you purchase a cheap polyester suit that is in desperate need of alterations, but you simply don’t have the time. Or, a loved one passes away suddenly, and you have nothing to wear to the funeral. Both of the aforementioned situations are ones where owning a proper fitting and appropriate suit would save you a lot of stress and headache.

Now that we know what a suit is and why you should own one, we can proceed to discussing what suit should be the first in your wardrobe.

As I mentioned briefly before, your first thought might be to purchase a black suit. After all, it’s what the majority of people you interact with likely wear. However, black shouldn’t be your first choice for a suit. In addition to the reason I discussed before (being that black suits don’t really allow for much self-expression), black suits also have numerous, additional drawbacks, which include the following:

• It is quite hard to pair well with many of the colors that are predominant in menswear, such as blue tones.

• Much of the visual interest that you could create with the texture and pattern of the fabric is lost with a black suit.

• It ages and shows dirt and dust quickly.

• It was a color that was traditionally reserved for evening wear.

(The one situation where a black suit is appropriate is during a formal evening event - commonly known as black tie - although in that case, the garment you wear would be a tuxedo. We will discuss the black tie dress code at a different time.)

Instead, I suggest that you choose either a navy or charcoal gray color for your first suit.

There are many reasons why I suggest one of these colors. When you only have one suit, you want to ensure that your suit is appropriate for as many occasions as possible. A navy or charcoal suit is dark enough that it can be worn to either a wedding, funeral, or job interview, but it also has the added benefit of not being black and strictly associated with evening wear. They are classic menswear staples and are much easier to pair with other accessories that you have in your wardrobe, and they look great with many shoe colors, like black, browns, burgundy, and more. In the event that you want to dress them down a bit, you can use the suit separates and combine them with either a contrasting jacket or trousers.

Generally, you want to choose a solid suit, without a bold pattern, made from worsted wool, which is a fine wool and the most common material used in suits. We will discuss the different fibers that we make into suits, like wool, linen, cashmere, as well as the various fabrics, such as flannels, worsteds, and tweeds, at a different time. Since you only have one suit at this point, you want to choose a fabric that is neither too heavy nor too light, so you can wear it in all seasons. Choose a jacket that has two buttons, is single breasted - which means there is no fabric overlap in the front, and has notch lapels, as seen in the pictures above and below. This creates one of the most classic silhouettes, and it is a look that will look fantastic for years to come. If you want, you can add a matching vest or waistcoat (in the same fabric as the suit, of course!) which makes the ensemble more formal. Personally, I love three-piece suits, but a two-piece suit is perfectly acceptable as well.

A crucial detail that you shouldn’t overlook is the width of the lapels. Although the trend in recent years has been leaning towards super skinny lapels, I think they look quite goofy, they don’t flatter most people, and they will be out of style and look dated in a few years. A classic width for your lapels is between three and three and a half inches. This will ensure that your suit looks neither hyper modern nor antiquated.

For the trousers, you can go with either a flat front or a pleated front, which comes down mostly to aesthetic and preference. Although flat fronts are predominant in menswear today, pleated pants used to be the norm, and they can be used to visually distinguish yourself if you choose to wear them. You can also either choose a straight leg or you can add cuffs - cuffs are more casual than a straight leg hem, but the added weight of the cuffs will help the trousers to drape better, especially if it’s a more lightweight fabric. You can choose from belt loops or side adjusters, but if you do choose belt loops, make sure to always wear a belt, as the look can seem unfinished if you don’t.

Now, there are many suit makers out there, and the company that you buy from will largely depend on your budget. Some of the gold standards for entry-level suits (starting at around $350) are those from Suitsupply and Spier & Mackay. (Rest assured that neither of these companies are paying me for saying these nice things about them - they’re just that good.) These companies have a broad range of different colors, styles, and fits, and they offer a fantastic value for the money you spend. While you may be tempted to go to your local Macy’s and pick out a suit there, I highly advise against doing this. Not only will your fabric selection be limited, but you will also be hard pressed to find the kind of fit your looking for. Additionally, many of the suits you find will be comprised primarily of polyester, which is definitely something that you want to avoid.

Another major pitfall, which we will discuss in-depth in a different post, is that suits you find in these large departments stores usually have a fused or glued interlining, which, quite simply, is the most inexpensive construction method available. Even with their entry-level suits, Suitsupply and Spier & Mackay use a half-canvas construction, which lasts longer and also makes for a better looking suit, as it adds dimensionality to the garment that can’t be achieved with a fused interlining.

Another type of suit to avoid is the “designer” suit, such as those from Hugo Boss and other, relatively low-end fashion brands. They often have have poorer materials and construction methods than the two aforementioned brands, but cost a lot more, since they’re “brand name” items.

The benefit of buying from a place like Suitsupply, beyond their incredible fabric selection, is that they have many different types of fits, from classic options to more modern ones. While I don’t suggest going hyper modern (don’t go super skinny with the lapels, or have a super short jacket - they will look dated very quickly), you can easily find a fit that is quite young and suits you well. I would argue that fit is perhaps the most important thing for an outfit. When you see someone in a suit and think to yourself, “Damn, they look fantastic,” but you can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that makes them look so good, it is often the fit. No matter how expensive the garment you’re wearing is, it will look bad if it’s ill-fitting. Make sure you know your measurements before buying, and also know what a tailor can and can’t alter, in the event that you need alterations. For example, if the shoulders don’t fit well, then don’t buy it, because drawing in the shoulders is not only very expensive, but it can also ruin the overall look of the garment.

Well, there you have it. With a well-fitting suit in either of these colors, you will already be more visually interesting and distinguishable from the 90% of men in their sea of black, and you will be on your way to building a wardrobe of high-quality staples that will last you for many years to come. As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for other topics I should cover, please ask in the comments below! There’s a lot of information here to take in, and if you have questions about different companies, colors, or how to combine accessories like shoes or ties with your suits, that’s what I’m here for. I appreciate all your feedback!

In the next post, I will speak about the first pair of dress shoes you should buy - which, not coincidentally, work extremely well with either of these suits.

Farewell for now!