Mens Fashion History – Understanding the Suit
Suits are an essential part of every guy’s wardrobe, regardless of preferences or fashion sense. It’s one of the very few things in your wardrobe that you can buy today and be sure to wear ten years from now. Unfortunately, very few guys understand the suit, where it came from, what its for and how it should be worn. So for every dude out there whos about to buy his first coat and pants, here’s a quick guide to the quintessential suit.
Wearing History
Contemporary suits are relics of a bygone era. The suits hanging in Saks Fifth Avenue are all just shortened versions of the morning coat, a fashion staple in the Edwardian early 20th century. The idea of wearing pants to match the suit jacket came even earlier, first observed sometime in the Victorian 1800’s. And while it has gone through phases ranging from the Zoot suit to the Nehru jacket, the classic suit style persists to this day.
Meet the Team
Wearing a suit ,at least in the formally traditional sense, takes more than just donning a jacket and a pair of pants. Several items go into wearing a suit, and you need all of them to satisfy the traditional rules of men’s fashion regarding suits.
Jacket and pants are the first components, obviously, as no suit is complete without either one. Both have to match and be made of exactly the same fabric in exactly the same color and texture. Don’t settle for ’small’ deviations, because they’ll make the suit look cheap and awkward. Buy your suit or have it made as a set.
A shirt and necktie are the next ingredients in the suit recipe. While wearing a tee or omitting the tie have become common, these adaptations are by no means formal. Pairing a shirt and a tie is an art in itself, but the safest is still to wear a black tie with white shirts.
Shoes are an oft forgotten but no less important part of the team, especially since wearing the wrong pair can destroy the most well-made of suits. Always go for simple lace-up Oxfords or wingtips; anything else will look inappropriate or silly. Black shoes work with dark suits and brown shoes are for beige or tan, though other combinations are common.
Rules to Suit
Wearing and maintaining a suit is by no means easy. Keeping ties clean alone is already quite a complicated task. One thing you should always remember, though, is that the jacket and the pants should always match in color, texture and fit. That means always sending them to the dry cleaners simultaneously, and wearing them out in tandem. If one gets permanently ruined, repairs are futile; just have Salvation Army pick up the other.
Colors are another twisty matter of men’s fashion when it comes to suits. In general, though, suits are more casual as their colors approach the lighter end of the spectrum. Black suits, therefore, are the most formal, while white ones are to be worn only when specified or for creative black tie events.
Suiting Up Stylishly
Pocket squares are often overlooked, yet can add a whole lot of character to a suit. A simple square of cloth, neatly folded and placed into the right pocket, will upgrade your suit to James Bond heights.
Take the time to learn proper coordination of shirts to ties. It takes a bit of practice with all the colors and patterns, but the effect is well worth the effort. You’ll stand out as debonair and artistic in a room where everyone’s wearing virtually the same thing.
Give attention to the details. One thing that fashion insiders often notice is the color of your socks. Is the color right for your suit? As a rule of thumb, keep your socks at least a shade darker than your trousers but never darker than your shoes.
Studying this much fashion might seem like too much trouble, but understanding the suit is crucial for any guy who wants to look good in it. Besides, this is all knowledge that every guy between 18 and 81 can really use.
About the author
Hendrik enjoys writing on fashion and style. For some great deals on neckties that are stylish and high quality he suggests you look at these Cheap Ties - Besides ties the site offers Cheap Cufflinks and dress code tips.Tags: cheap ties, Cufflinks, men's suits, mens dress suit, suit history