A man should wear a suit, but he should never be in a suit. The goal of these two articles is precisely to make your suit work for you , not the other way around.
A suit tailored to the man
A beautiful suit has the power to enhance your figure, provided that it is chosen in the right size. And that it is the right length too.
One brand = one costume standard
In ready-to-wear, you will find different styles of suits, which are characterized by different cuts.
The most common cut, which you will find in particular on more accessible brands (but not only) is the fitted cut: fitted jacket side, pants that follow the line of the leg. It is a modern vision of the suit.
Other visions exist, with slightly more generous suits, whether in the volume of the jacket or the pants. This is a more classic vision of the suit. In this vision, the pants are also often a little higher waisted, and the jacket a little longer.
The shoulder is the keystone of your costume.
In any case, when choosing a suit, the build is the fundamental element. The shoulder of the garment must fall well on your shoulder - this criterion is explained in detail a little further on.
Well-defined suit shoulders. Bonnegueule suit
A jacket that is too long makes its wearer look smaller.
To preserve your figure, make sure that the sides do not fall lower than the buttocks .
Longer jackets exist and are more suitable for taller people, or for those who are looking for a more classic or even retro style.
This Bonnegueule suit jacket perfectly respects the two previous rules.
In terms of sleeves, the ideal is that the sleeve of the shirt protrudes slightly from the jacket (when the arm is relaxed along the body).
This provides a welcome color reminder.
The evolution of human costume
The modern costume
Originally, the modern suit was not the outfit of the professional in activity. On the contrary, it was an informal dress outfit, for entertaining or traveling. In short, it was the indoor outfit of the gentleman at rest.
Above, men wear tailcoats, before the modern suit became widespread.
By the end of the 1920s, the suit had become the universal attire of the urban man. He wore it to work and kept it on in the evening, unless he had the opportunity to wear a tuxedo, the height of elegance.
At that time, the first element that allowed one costume to be distinguished from another was the color:
- Black : for religious ceremonies
- Anthracite gray : for all occasions, especially the most formal ones
- Navy blue : same, but a little less dressy
- Slate gray : for work and going out, more casual
- Olive green : for bold temperaments
- Brown : for the countryside
The colors of contemporary costume
Today, even if there are circles where these codes survive, they have largely crumbled, and are no longer respected except by a few very conservative people .
In the professional world, charcoal gray or navy blue suits are still the most common, at least if you avoid black! On the other hand, these days, it is not uncommon to see brown, light gray, or even olive green suits.
A brown Bonnegueule suit in a more casual spirit.
But other colors are making a comeback. White, beige, or cream are perfect colors for a summer suit. Bright or very flashy colors are also possible, but be careful, they are more difficult to wear. We can quickly fall into caricature. To avoid any misunderstanding, here is our advice on how to match your suit color to your event.
- Black : for religious ceremonies. Relevant in a more "fashionable" approach
- Anthracite gray : for all occasions, especially the most formal ones,
- Navy blue : same
- Beige : summery, to try,
- Light blue : same,
- Olive green : today perceived as quite austere, to be reserved for the most experienced,
- Brown : which can be very pretty if chosen in a warm or bright shade
- And many other shades for the more daring ones who appear most regularly in summer
Speaking of summer, precisely. When the good weather arrives, we see the flowering of light suits, in colorful shades. But which suit to choose? We give you the answer in this article.
Hint: choose light and natural materials, like the beige Toso suit pictured below.
What are the recommended patterns for a suit?
Originally, colourful tartan prints, tweed, Prince of Wales and large checks were suitable for certain social classes, instead of sports or country suits.
Similarly, it was the gangsters of the 1920s who wore striped suits; hence the nickname "mackerel", because this fish also has nice stripes.
As for the stripes, take the finest possible ones.
Today, the boundaries are blurred : any pattern can be worn in almost any professional circle, as long as it is within reasonable dimensions (read our tips on how to match suit patterns ).
As for outfits based on more daring patterns (like paisley), they are generally found in more creative circles.
A paisley blazer from Beams+. Original, quite pretty even, but not necessarily easy to wear.
What material should you choose for a suit?
Over the years, the nature of suit fabrics has evolved based on comfort levels. With the rise of heating and air conditioning, people are exposed to the same temperature all year round, whether in buildings or in vehicles.
Wool, the ultimate costume material
It is impossible not to talk about wool when presenting men's suits.
Above, merino wool in its raw state.
First of all, it is an elegant material due to its feel and its drape.
A noble natural material, wool is also an insulating, breathable, crease-resistant material.
This natural fiber also has multiple properties : it is insulating, breathable and crease-resistant.
It is for all these reasons that it is the queen material of costumes. It is found everywhere, it is worn all the time , whatever the seasons. It must be said that wool fabrics are twice as light as they were fifty years ago, given the increase in temperature.
Here is a photo of the Cerruti spinning mill, brought back by Geoffrey during his trip to Italy (see the article on the wool cycle).
That said, while you can wear the same outfit all year round (from a thermal comfort perspective), try to reserve your suits for specific seasons : thick flannel in winter, lighter wool for mid-season, etc.
What about other costume materials?
Cotton is nice in summer but creases quickly. For linen, it's even worse, but you gain in lightness. However, a wool-cotton or wool-linen blend allows you to keep the best of both worlds: a hold of the material with good breathability and comfort in summer. This is what we recommend!
The case of the suit vest
The waistcoat, which has always been part of the costume, has also suffered from the development of central heating.
In the 80s, they were almost completely gone. However, since fashion abhors a vacuum, vests have fortunately ended up making a comeback.
It is a good idea to wear a waistcoat that matches your suit.
Regarding this third piece of the costume, the rule is to choose a vest that is fairly close to the body . Generally, there is a cinching tab that allows you to adjust the fabric at the back.
Once you find a jacket that fits, it's possible that the pants that go with it won't fit (bad drop). Fortunately, it's an easy piece to alter.
The size of the suit pants
A good way to check that the pants are not too small for you is to observe the opening of their pockets: whether in the front or the back, the pockets should not gape, but remain perfectly flat .
Regarding the length of the pants, it is the position of the hem that is decisive: the leg must fall straight, and form a single fold (called a break fold) at the bottom of the pants.
Failure to follow this rule puts you at risk of compressing your leg by accumulating creases on your shoes (trousers too long), or of showing off your socks in a suspicious manner (trousers too short).
A pair of Bonnegueule suit pants that fit well.
By the way, if you want to improve your sewing skills, you can learn how to make your invisible hem by rereading the article I wrote on the subject. Otherwise, you can just run to your local retoucher.
The crotch and bottom of the pants
Pay attention to this when purchasing, you will notice that the pants sometimes tend to be a little loose in the crotch and under the buttocks.
In such a case, it is necessary to carry out a retouch in order to avoid the parachute effect - an unfortunate effect, since it does not even allow to slow down an accidental fall.
Be careful not to shorten the length too much, or the crotch of your pants will wear out and crack prematurely.
It's all a question of measurement for the narrowness of the pants: if you tend to wear out the crotch of your pants quickly, then opt for a little more material at this level.
Are you curious to learn more about alterations to pants? Here is an article that details all the possible alterations.
The fuselage of the legs
There are several schools of thought when it comes to the cut and especially the tapering of the pants.
A modern way to look at the subject is to choose tapered pants , which tighten at the ankle. The result is therefore a little more fitted. In this case, be careful with your shoes: if you choose them that are too pointed or elongated, this could create an unharmonious "big feet" effect. Instead, opt for shoes with a more rounded shape in this case.
A more classic vision is to choose straight pants, which do not tighten especially at the ankle. The result is therefore a little wider.
It's up to you to decide which school is yours. Of course, take your body shape into account too. If you have fairly strong calves or large feet, it will probably be wiser to go for a wider leg opening to have a balanced silhouette and proportions.
A Bonnegueule suit with trousers that have a slightly tapered cut.
In the second part of this article on how to choose a men's suit , we will present the jacket in its smallest details, as well as a selection of brands sorted according to budget.
How to choose your suit pants?
Let's come to the famous pants. If we often think of the jacket when we think of the suit, the pants are not to be neglected. Far from it in fact.
A nice pair of suit pants, with a nice cut and nice details, can really boost a silhouette. On the contrary, pants that are too ordinary or with an unsuitable cut can seriously degrade an outfit.
The costume drop
The drop is an element that characterizes the size difference between the pants and the jacket . For example, some brands offer a drop of 6 (pants in 36 and jacket in 42), where others offer a drop of 8.
Note that nowadays, more and more brands offer the pants and the jacket separately for purchase. This way, you can take the size that suits you best for each item.