Almost every man in a society with any level of civilization would have worn or will wear a suit at least once in his lifetime. With the origins of the current styles of suits in the Victorian era, suits were initially tailor-made to meet the specific client’s preferences, offering the perfect fit as it is measured specifically for the customer. Tailor-made suits, also known as bespoke suits, allows the customer to make decisions about the choice of fabric as well as the style and other details. However, the 20th century ushered different other types such as the made to measure suit which is already pre-made and only adjusted to meet the customer’s measurements, and ready-to-wear which can be bought off the stores and worn with little or no adjustment made. There are also the two-piece and three-piece suit options, although the three-piece is the more formal suit of the two. Today, it is the norm to sometimes buy the suit jacket and the trousers separately, since the rules that determine the same fabric and color of jackets and trousers have become more flexible.
Fashion is a highly dynamic part of life, and the rules for clothing and style are continually evolving. However, by reading online fashion companies’ reviews, one can keep abreast of the changes in fashion to dress compliant with the times.
In the case of the suit, here are some key elements to pay attention to when shopping for men’s suit:
Suit Lapels
There are three types of jacket lapels ranging from casual to formal, and you should choose your suit based on the function you want it to serve. The notch lapel is creative, attention-grabbing, and might tend towards a casual look. The peak lapel can pass for both the formal and the casual look, and gives a versatile look to the suit. The shawl lapel, however, is strictly formal and is even considered the timeless look as the trend does not age. Be sure to purchase your suits from stores that specialize in the supply of such to have these options available for you, as buying from the mall might mean only one type of different sizes available. Companies such as suit direct and many others might offer the diversity you require.
Jacket Vent
The vent is the slit at the back of the jacket, placed to allow for ease of movement. The options include a no-vent jacket, which is mostly found in custom-made and Italian suits. The single vent jacket will show your backside every time you try to bend or put your hand in your pocket, while the double vent jacket gives a more streamlined look while also allowing easy movement.
Jacket Pockets
For the casual look, you should choose the patch pocket design, that is when the pocket is sewn on top of your jacket. For a more formal (and versatile) suit option, however, the jackets with the pockets sewn in, and having a flap, is your best bet.
Jacket buttons
The buttons on your jacket can be one through five, but to achieve the timeless look, we advise you stick with two-button jackets (for average height individuals) and three-button jackets (for taller guys).
Shirts
The shirt is not part of the suit, but the suit cannot be worn without a shirt. So, ensure that the shirt you choose has a perfect neck fit since you’ll have to button up to knot your tie or wear your bow-tie. You can also stick with the medium turn-down collar, although that choice is determined by the fashion statement you intend to make. The shirt cuffs can be single or double buttons, but note that the double button cuffs give a more formal look. While the classic white dress shirt is always a hit, you can try out other colors like light pink, lavender, light blue, and even light yellow. Just be sure that the colors do not clash with your skin tone or the suit you are to put on.
When shopping for a suit, also bear in mind that shoes, ties, belts, cufflinks, and other accessories might be needed for you to ace the look. Check what you have in your wardrobe, and work your suit option around that, but if not, you could just buy new shoes and accessories if you can afford it.