When entering a professional atmosphere, a good suit can leave a good impression on your employees and colleagues. Business suits are best worn with dark colors, such as gray and navy blue. These colors indicate seriousness and a good work ethic. Designs should always remain conservative; stripes and solids are the most appropriate designs for business environments. Regardless of the style, your business suit must always be in good condition, free of creases, wrinkles or stains. If you cannot keep your suit presentable in the workplace, it will be difficult for your colleagues and employers to take you seriously.
The Benefits of Tailoring Your Suit
When a suit is tailored to the individual, the quality is noticeably higher than a regular store-bought suit. A bespoke suit will give your employers the impression that you have an eye for detail are to be taken seriously.
Why Your Suit Is Important for Your Career
When your employer sees that your put effort into consistently looking presentable and professional, they will undoubtedly notice. Studies also show that wearing a suit every day boosts your confidence significantly.
When Should You Wear a Suit to Work?
Different workplaces have different protocols regarding business suits; most companies nowadays are more relaxed on professional wear. However, some businesses require suits to be worn consistently, such as law and bank firms. The majority of businesses will require you to wear a business suit during important meetings with company members or clients.
What Are the Differences in Suit Styles?
There are a variety of ways in which suits can be designed. What sets the suits apart from each other are the elements of their design. These elements include the suit’s fabric, the style in which it is cut, and plenty of other features that add to the overall quality and aesthetic of the suit. Here is an outline of the key elements of suit designs and what features work best when choosing for formality:
Fit
The suit’s fit is how it is tailored to a particular body type.
Classic – The waist and chest of the suit are cut loose to free the movement of the body.
This fit is tailored with comfort and freedom of movement in mind, making it the the best choice for a corporate or professional setting.
Modern – This style of tailoring also supports freedom of movement. However, with higher armholes, it provides a sharper and more refined appearance. Slim – The suit is cut narrowly to fit tightly around the body and has less excess fabric than the alternative fits.
Style
These two styles regard the number of buttons a suit has as well as where they are placed.
Single-Breasted – The suit is made with one column of buttons containing one to three buttons. (Two buttons are the most common.) Double-Breasted – The suit is made with two columns of buttons containing at least two buttons on each side. This style generally has four to eight buttons and contains an extended flap that is used to reach the buttons on the other side of the jacket when closed. This is also the more formal style out of the two.
Cut
There are three main types of cuts, each with its benefits and drawbacks.
American
The American cut is similar to the classic fit as it is designed for comfort and freedom of movement. Out of the three, the American cut is the best choice for a formal workplace. Its bold features and mobility make it the most suitable for looking presentable while working all day. The main features include:
Single-vented pocket flaps Low armholes Three buttons on the cuff of the sleeve Minimal padding Straight silhouette Shoulder padding
British
The British cut is an excellent alternative to the American cut in terms of workplace wear since it is also designed for comfort, durability and aesthetics. The main features include:
Slim-fitting to accentuate the body Hacking pockets Heavy fabric Natural silhouette Structured shoulders
Italian
The Italian cut is the most sophisticated style out of the three cuts and, consequently, the most costly. Unlike the other two styles, the Italian cut was designed with aesthetics as its defining feature. While it may not provide the same comfort, its utility lies in the expression of high quality and professionalism. The main features include:
Extra slim fit Pockets without flaps Lightweight fabric Low padding Buttons placed higher on the suit
Details
Getting the most out of a suit tailored specifically to you means understanding all of the details that will be a part of your suit. When you choose specific features, not only is the uniqueness of your attire instantly recognizable, it also immediately indicates your eye for detail.
Lapels
Lapels are the collars of your suit: the long flaps that start below your shirt collar. There are three types of lapels:
Peak lapels – The tip of the lapels point outwards. They are generally found on double-breasted suits and tuxedos and are the most formal of the three Notch lapels – The lapel is sewn onto the collar of the suit at a slight angle. It is the most common of the three Shawl Lapels – The lapel is rounded from the top to the waist. It is a feature most popular for tuxedos
Pockets
The pockets are generally found on the bottom sides of the suit jacket, just above the waist. They are also featured on the left side of the breast area.
Patch pockets – This is the earliest version of pockets for dress suits. The fabric is a separate piece of the same material stitched onto the suit Flap pockets – This is the most common style of suit pockets. A rectangular flap covers the horizontal opening of the pocket Jetted pockets – This is the most formal style of pockets. There is no flap covering the suit pockets and is sometimes accentuated by stitched fabric over the opening
Vents
Vents are the vertical slits at the bottom of the back of the suit jacket. This feature prevents creasing when you are sitting down.
Single vent – There is a vertical slit from the middle. This is the most common of the vent styles Double vent – There are two vertical slits at the sides of the suit, creating a long flap. This is the most formal vent style Ventless – There are no slits in the suit jacket. This vent style is exclusive to tuxedos
It is appropriate in most professional situations to have the lining of your suit designed in non-solid or stripped patterns. However, subtlety is often preferred.
Fabric
The most noticeable aspect of your suit indicating its quality is the type of fabric used. Although different materials are more suitable for certain situations, the suit’s fabric is the defining aspect of high quality:
Wool – This is the most common type of fabric for suits and the one we encourage you to use for a professional setting. Because of wool’s durability, odor resistance, and wrinkle resistance, it is the best fabric to use when designing suits for work and all other settings. Cotton – This is the second most common fabric. It is used for its soft feeling, breathability and the freedom of movement it allows when wearing it. Unlike wool, it does crease easily and does not give the same high-quality appearance as wool. Linen – This is a lightweight fabric that is ideal for hot weather. The fabric allows the suits to keep the wearer cool in hot weather more than other fabrics. However, the suit does wrinkle and stain very easily. It is also a more casual fabric to use in comparison to wool Tweed – This fabric is a popular fabric for cold weather due to its thickness and ability to keep its wearer warm. You should not use this outside of cold weather as it can cause excessive sweating. Synthetic – This is also known as polyester. It is effective for making suits to avoid creasing as it maintains shape easily. However, it is noticeably rigid with very little breathability and is known to cause sweating. The light, generally low-quality fabric is easily worn down; this becomes obvious due to white spots over the shoulders that appear over time.
How to Measure Your Suit
There are 12 critical measurements for your body to consider when you are being measured for your suit.
Chest Neck Arm Bicep Wrist Stomach Back Waistline Hip Inward leg Thigh (outward leg)
When considering the length of your jacket, remember the following: The length of the jacket is always half the distance between the base of your neck and the ground.
6 Best Men’s Business Suits for Work 2023
We have researched and compiled a list of what we consider the best suits for a professional workplace in 2023. Reading from this list will give you a good idea of the ideal suit for working in a professional setting.
Best for Everyday Wear
This luxury gray suit by Brooks Brothers is the perfect balance between practicality and luxury. The grey tone is ideal for everyday work, while the wool fabric provides a high-quality appearance. The wool also provides superior comfort, so there is no loss in useability while looking remarkably professional. The suit jacket features a single breast with two buttons, a single vent, hand-woven internal canvas and hand-tailored armholes. Our pick for the best luxury business suit is provided by the luxury Italian brand Giorgio Armani, widely considered the best brand for luxury suits. The suite comes in a midnight blue checked design with a slim fit. Its features include notched lapels, double vents and a single vest with two buttons. The Asos budget range contains over 1000 types of high-quality suits at a remarkably reasonable price. The range comprises various fabrics, including wool, cotton, linen and occasionally a combination of more than one. The suit cut styles range from slim to extra slim and come in various tones and colors. This indigo suit is consists of textured fabric, creating a sharp and elegant look. The suit is cut with authentic linen, a breathable fabric that mitigates the risk of sweating in warm weather. It features a double-breasted silhouette with six-button fastening and double sleeve cuffs. This three-piece suit comes in stunning mid-gray, which assists the slim fit in defining the body. It features a mixture of wool, silk and linen fabrics for a luxurious and lightweight texture. It also features a notch lapel, flap pockets, single-breast and double vents. Make sure to spend a reasonable amount of time deciding which suit is best for you and what will help you make a good impression. Knowing for yourself that you are to be taken seriously can make all the difference when working in a professional environment or attending an interview.
