Buying the Perfect Suit

A suit is generally worn with the intention of making a statement about oneself, create a certain image or simply as an expression of respect. In the corporate world a business suit can convey the individual’s place within the organization’s hierarchy, establish power and position and express one’s proficiency and mastery in his profession. A suit is usually the garment of choice to show respect in special circumstances whether at a wedding, funeral, graduation or other life cycle event. Following are some tips on purchasing a suit.

Firstly, consider the purpose of your suit. Are you a business executive that wears a suit several times a week? If so, examine your current suit inventory. Discount those that you seldom wear and establish the colors, designs and styles that you are lacking. Remember that dark suits exude power and authority that are amplified by a pin stripe. These are great suits for presentations, differentiating oneself in the boardroom and demonstrating that you are the authority and leader within the group. Next time you are at a meeting, try wearing a dark blue, black or charcoal suit with a pin stripe, place yourself prominently at the head of the table, stand with authority when you speak and monitor the attitude of your colleagues towards you.

Need a business suit that says you are one of the guys? Consider a mid grey suit as first choice followed by taupe and green shades. Beiges are great in the spring and summer months. Consider patterns with soft stripes, checks and various fabric textures. In all circumstances be sure to buy a suit that will fit into to your environment and not single you out as a tasteless dresser.

Need an interview suit? The most important advice that we can give you is do not let your clothing make the lasting impression on your prospective employer. That impression should be transmitted by your skills and attributes. An interview suit should be well tailored, enhance your appearance but not make a statement on its own. A suit that is memorable to the interviewer is usually so because it is inappropriate for one of many reasons; poorly tailored, inappropriate color or design, bad fit, poorly coordinated etc. For entry to mid level positions consider wearing a suit in mid to dark grey or navy shades. For senior management positions wear a dark grey or navy suit – stripes are an excellent choice. Remember the accessories are an important part of the clothing package.

Those of us who wear suits infrequently and need an all purpose suit should consider navy, grey or black. These suits can be worn very comfortably to most life cycle events (weddings, funerals, confirmations, graduations…) as well as interviews, parties etc. The advantage of solid navy or black is that the jacket can generally be worn as a blazer with a matching pant in grey or taupe. If you have one or two suits in your wardrobe choose timeless classics that will always be fashionable and won’t be remembered as the suit you wore the last time and the time before that and...

Need a wedding suit? If you are part of the wedding party you should make your choice based on the guidelines provided by the groom. Otherwise choose a nice dressy dark suit for an evening affair. An afternoon gala calls for a mid range color and in summer even a nice beige is appropriate. If the wedding suit will be your only suit follow the advice we provided above and get yourself a good all purpose suit.

Men on the go often need a good travel suit to get from the plane directly to an important meeting. Look for a suit that is made of a wrinkle resistant fabric, preferably wool as it breathes well, has lots of pockets with secure closures and is treated with Teflon for stain repellency. Consider a navy blue or black suit so the jacket can double as a blazer.

Choosing the right fabric is important. Despite all the advances in textile design and engineering the fabric of choice for a fine suit is still good quality wool. This natural fiber is robust, drapes well, bounces back into shape after repeated use, breathes well and looks good. Fine woolens are manufactured in various finishes and weights. Other fabrics that are commonly used for suits are microfibre, polyester and wool blends, silk and silk blends and linen. Microfibre fabrics are generally a great choice for a more casual men’s suit and wear nicely but generally do not breath as well as good wool. Silk and wool blends are usually lighter weight fabrics and generally fit into the specialty suit and elegant suit categories. Men’s suits made of wool and polyester blends are usually stiffer, do not breath as well and should be less expensive. Linen suits are intended for a casual look, are wonderful in the heat and wrinkle when you look at them.

There are many good reasons to purchase on the web. The convenience of shopping when you want to, shopping from the comfort of your own home or office, selection, the ability to find items not available close to home and of course price. How do you buy an item as individual as a suit? If the product is not generic and you are not sure of the fit etc… Choose a merchant that is experienced and knows his product. Email or call and ask enough questions to give you confidence. Describe your body type, the purpose of your suit, your price range and what you already have in your closet. Expect a professional, timely response. Ascertain that they have an acceptable return policy. Be sure they have been in business for at least a few years. Read customer testimonials on their site and ensure transactions are in a secure environment.