Suit Styles : A guide for men

Types and Styles of Men Suits:

I guess that you’ve probably seen different types of suit styles, but what is the thing that defines them?

There can be no doubt that a man’s suit is the most versatile and universally accepted item of clothing in his wardrobe. There are not many occasions where a quality suit will look out of place.

 The first and most important rule of men’s style is you should feel comfortable and confident in your clothes. You will need both these attributes to pull off just about any outfit successfully.

Differences in Suits: 

1. Single Breasted: Among types of men’s suits, the single breasted suit is the most ubiquitous. The easiest way to spot one is to look for the inclusion of either one, two or three buttons along the seam, or just observe what about 99% of professional men wear to work to every day. By virtue of the single row of buttons, a single breasted suit usually exudes a narrower and tighter appearance. These suits are most frequently paired with notch lapels.

2. Double Breasted: In contrast to the single breasted type of men’s suit, the double breasted suit includes additional buttons on either side of the jacket for aesthetic purposes. The total number of buttons ranges from four to eight and typically lands at six. As a result of the extra buttons, the focal point drifts from the seam toward the sides to create the illusion of a wider frame. Whether such optical trickery is beneficial usually boils down to body type, whereas stockier men are probably better off sticking with a single breasted suit.

single vs double breasted

3. Suit Jacket Buttons: Men’s suits are all about details. And there’s no better component to illustrate this fact than the buttons.

What your buttons are made of is relatively important, but it’s also a budget consideration. More relevant to this article is how many buttons you have on your suit. Most men will have a one, two, or three-button suit in their wardrobe. Ideally, one of each.

Buttons may be small, but they can make a world of difference to your look. How you fasten them counts, too. Leaving the bottom button open is one of them. Most suits are cut to be worn with the last button undone. A fastened bottom button will spoil the silhouette and could make you look like a fashion-failure.

   

4. Types of Lapel: The word lapel refers to the flaps on each side of the jacket right below the collar. The two flaps are folded back on either side of the front opening.

A lot of men can be ambivalent about lapels, but the kind of lapel you choose can say a lot about your style and confidence. In my honest opinion, you simply can’t purchase a suit before you’ve decided on a lapel.

Notch, peak, and shawl are the three main lapel types. Each of them come in different widths, ranging from the massive 5″ down to super slim. Usually, though, the lapel will be somewhere between 3 to 3.5 inches.

5. Waist Coat: The classic nature of the waistcoat has inspired many designers for centuries. Therefore there are many different styles, cuts and designs of waistcoats designed for different occasions and situations with the sole aim of leaving an unforgettable impression.

Types of Suits:

1. The Basic Suit: A basic suit can be two or three-piece and, more often than not, is made from blended or pure wool. Basic also means casual, so you won’t be wearing this kind of suit to formal events.

It will usually have notched lapels, sometimes peaked, and comes in double- and single-breasted styles. Flap pockets, a small ticket pocket, and plain sleeve cuffs finish off the look.

2. The Formal Suit: The word ‘formal’ to describe a suit is not to be confused with the same word when it applies to a dress code.

Formal dress code is what determines when you should wear tails, morning suits, white or black ties, etc.. That is a whole different chapter.

Here, we’re talking about that elegant, well-defined look that is a step above the basic suit. Formal suits can be worn to any occasion where smart-casual doesn’t quite cut it, or for those semi-casual events where you deliberately want to out-style your peers.

3. The Tuxedo: Also known as a dinner suit, the tuxedo is one of the most recognizable looks out there. Tuxedos are always either black or navy, with grosgrain or satin shawl lapels. Pockets are jetted, and if the tuxedo has flaps, they should be tucked in.

The buttons on a good tuxedo will be covered in the same fabric as the lapel. Avoid low-quality tuxedos with a metal, horn, or plastic buttons.

4. The Business Suit: Your go-to suit for office should be dark or navy blue. Charcoal also works well for the more conservative corporate environments. Go with wool or wool blend for the fabric, and notched lapels rather than peaked, for the ultimate classic effect.

Blue shirts and brown shoes enhance the no-nonsense business look. A lot of middle-aged men think a wild tie compliments their otherwise serious business suit. It doesn’t.

5. The Casual Suit: The casual, sports jacket combo is for men who are more concerned with the breathability and comfort of their outfit than the look. Sports jackets are half-lined and come in soft cotton, wool, or linen fabrics.

The lack of shoulder padding gives the sports jacket a relaxed look, and they are a great way to inject color into your wardrobe. The outfit also encourages you to play around with different types of pockets and elbow patches.

6. The Blazer: A descendant of naval uniforms, blazers invariably look best in a dark or navy blue. Think of school uniforms here, in a more mature style, and more structured than a sport’s jacket.

Blazers come with wide, square shoulder pads, patched-on pockets, and notched lapels. The fabric is usually dense, like worsted wool, and touches of gold, such as buttons, epaulets, and stripes are not uncommon.

Suit Accessories:

1. Tie: This men’s suit accessory may seem like a no-brainer. We don’t need to sell you on the necessity of a good tie collection. Between choosing the color, the fabric, the width, the knot, and the shirt pairing, your tie offers a plethora of opportunities to customize your look alongside a dress shirt and suit. Plus, considering you’re already expected to wear a tie in so many settings, this may be the single easiest way to flex your accessorizing chops.

2. Pocket Square: For refined flair, you can’t go wrong with a pop of color in your breast pocket. A pocket square is a wonderfully versatile suit accessory for men who love to add a touch of personality to their suits and blazers. In fact, at Black Lapel, we consider the pocket square to be an essential part of your look whether you’re suiting up or sporting a blazer. A jacket is simply naked without at least a simple white pocket square.

A pocket square should add interest via color and/or pattern, as well as the style of the fold. It can either coordinate or contrast with the rest of your look, but the overall impression should always be harmonious. Strive for balance here. A strongly patterned suit calls for a toned down pocket square, while a solid neutral suit is an opportunity to go bold with the pocket square. For black tie events (pocket squares are a must with your tuxedo), it should always be white and made of silk.

3. Lapel Pin: A lapel pin brings a dash of old-world suave to a modern suit, but beware of straying into the territory of “novelty” suit accessories. Your lapel pin should be a subtle enhancement that expresses your personal style without distracting or detracting from the overall ensemble (in other words, that squirting clown flower is out of the question).

Long-stem lapel pins are a popular modern variation that are fastened with a stick pin attachment and fashioned into all manner of decorative metallic designs: geometric shapes, arrows, instruments, you name it.

4. The Tie Pin: Despite being one of the smallest and simplest pieces in your suit accessories collection, a tie bar can add volumes of classic style to your look and serve a functional purpose as well.

There are several considerations to juggle when adding this suit accessory to your outfit:

1. Tie clips are a functional item, meant to secure your tie to your dress shirt. Don’t wear a tie clip if you have a vest or sweater on as it’s no longer needed.
2. There are several variations of style, size, and colors to choose from. Make the right decision based on the rest of your look.
3. Tie clips should never be wider than your tie.
4. Tie clips should generally be placed between the third and fourth buttons of your dress shirt.

5. The Suspenders: Looking for a reason to skip that belt? Suspenders are a great option that is making a serious come back amongst men — for good reason too.  Steve Urkel may have made suspenders a symbol of 90s nerdiness, but in the pantheon of suit accessories for men, they are a classic and classy choice provided you know what you’re doing. 

Coordinate the color of the straps with the colors of your shirt and tie, since they’ll be viewed together as one pastiche if you remove your jacket. Meaning, don’t wear the same suspender color as your shirt as they’ll blend together instead of creating contrast.