28/03/2023
The right choices
When you want to buy a suit, you want lots of things, and then comes the fateful moment when you have to choose. We wonder which pieces we already own, which ones are missing or which ones simply make us dream? We often fantasize a little about wearing a financial double-breasted suit like a Kingsman (because plain grey or plain blue every day can get boring), in short we want a suit with character that really stands out from the crowd!
Then, finally, you give up, because you assume it’s unwearable in the office, and that you’d be exposing yourself to the stares and mockery of others. And then, all in all, you’d be completely uncomfortable in it, you say to yourself. Don’t worry, it’s not that we lack courage, it’s just that we need to take things one step at a time.
A wardrobe has to be built up intelligently and progressively to refine and affirm your taste, and one day be able to wear a financial cross-dresser with the confidence of Colin Firth. The idea is that, inevitably, any man who wears plain gray and blue suits to the office all week ends up wanting to change his attire, but fears (and rightly so) falling into bad taste or eccentricity. So we’ve put together a few recommendations for you to follow. It’s a path strewn with tips that will help you buy (and, above all, wear) the patterned suit you want, with complete peace of mind.
ESSENTIAL BASICS
The gray suit
This is the classic business suit that fits easily into most professional environments. Ideally, look for a suit between charcoal gray and medium gray that can be worn all year round. Look for a lightweight fabric like 110s or 120s for starters.
The navy blue suit
Your best ally and your go-to suit that you’ll wear very often. If you can, look for a strong, all-season fabric (again, 110s) with little texture. You can then easily wear it as a mismatch with jeans or a raw or grey chino, for example.
MEN’S FORMAL SUITS
Striped suits
Stripes that are well proportioned to your body size (the thinner you are, the finer the stripes) make this suit your business choice par excellence. Choose neutral gray or navy stripes that will blend in with the suit
because you’re not Don Corleone (or maybe you are, in which case we’ve got nothing more to teach you).
Checked suits
In absolute terms, a Prince of Wales suit is one you’ll wear when you feel confident in the previous three, and want to go deeper into your subject. At this point, your wardrobe is starting to take shape, and you already own several patterned ties and handkerchiefs that will complement it perfectly.
HE DOUBLE-BREASTED SUIT
This is THE sophisticated piece that will gradually take the place of your first gray or navy blue suits. It’s also the most logical way to mark your professional ascension, with an even more business touch (we all dream of sporting Harvey Specter style with a double-breasted suit with oversized lapels). What’s more, a plain navy double-breasted suit jacket can easily be worn with plain grey suit pants or a beige or khaki chino (allowing you to create stylish outfits that are sure to stand out from the crowd). Start with a plain navy blue or grey suit, before moving on to patterned double-breasted suits (which are truly the last step in a gentleman’s dressing room).
THE DRESS SUIT
Black: You now have a great formal wardrobe. Now it’s time to think about the more festive, and therefore even dressier, occasions. You can rarely go wrong with a black suit for galas, weddings, possibly a few outings and, unfortunately, funerals. Choose a classic black made-to-measure suit with no satin lapels (that would be just the thing for a funeral).
CONCLUSION
Once you’ve bought and worn the two plain suits in navy blue and gray, the order of the formal suits is completely interchangeable, depending on your tastes (if you prefer the financier to the Prince of Wales, take it first and vice versa).
If there’s one thing to remember from this article, it’s that you should start with discreet patterns that blend in with the color of the suit. If you’re still not quite ready to move on to patterned suits, there’s a great intermediate: the caviar pattern! In fact, it’s the micro pattern par excellence that will enable a softer transition to more assertive patterned suits.
In conclusion, we’d like to reassure you. It’s perfectly possible to wear suits with a strong character! You just need to be confident when you wear them, and to do that, you’ll need to work your way up to wiser suits.
Once you’ve bought and worn the two plain suits in navy blue and gray, the order of the formal suits is completely interchangeable, depending on your tastes (if you prefer the financier to the Prince of Wales, take it first and vice versa).
If there’s one thing to remember from this article, it’s that you should start with discreet patterns that blend in with the color of the suit. If you’re still not quite ready to move on to patterned suits, there’s a great intermediate: the caviar pattern! In fact, it’s the micro pattern par excellence that will enable a softer transition to more assertive patterned suits.
In conclusion, we’d like to reassure you. It’s perfectly possible to wear suits with a strong character! You just need to be confident when you wear them, and to do that, you’ll need to work your way up to wiser suits.
