Men have been wearing what can be referred to as a "suit" for hundreds of years. The evolution of the modern suit comes from a number or sources, many of them European, and many military. While the formality of a men's suit can change from situation to situation, the statement that a suit makes still remains. It is a uniform, of sorts, that can be personalized, and if you know the basics, you can start getting creative with your own wardrobe of men's suits.
Instructions
1. Decide what the suit is for before you buy it. Because "men's suit" can now mean so many different things, buying one isn't just as simple as walking into a department store and asking for a suit. A suit that one might purchase and wear for work is quite different than something that one might wear to a club or bar. It has even become acceptable to wear a suit jacket with jeans and a t-shirt in certain situations. The cut of the suit, number of buttons and what you wear underneath the suit all add to the formality and appropriateness of the men's suit in reference to which situation it may be worn in.
2. The tuxedo. The tuxedo is as formal as men's suit can get. It is a suit that was born out of the men's military uniform. Pieces of the military regalia remain, with the traditional black satin stripe that runs down the outside of each leg. This is a suit that is made for the most traditional and formal of occasions, and will look out of place otherwise. Even within the world of the tuxedo, there are strata of formality. On the bottom is a cocktail style tuxedo, with a two or three button jacket, a cummerbund and tie, all black. Going more formal from there are the tuxedo jackets with tails, the less formal being the cut-away style. This is usually paired with a vest and tie, instead of cummerbund. White vest and tie are more formal than black. Finally, the morning style tuxedo jacket is the most formal. Often, this jacket is paired with a gray vest and cravat, instead of a bow tie.
3. The double-breasted suit. This suit was made popular in the 1920's and 1930's, and remained in high popularity until the late 1940's. It is a suit that conjures instant images of a time gone by, and is regarded by some as a bit of a costume piece. The double-breasted suit had a bit of resurgence in the late 1980's and early 1990's, but some men still prefer them to the traditional single-breasted style. If you are a portly man, this suit may not work well for you. The double-breasted design can make the torso of a man look wider than it actually is. These suits work best on tall, lean men.
4. The single button suit. This suit first became popular in the 1950's, but regained massive popularity in the 1980's. During this decade, the fashionable men's suit silhouette was a wide shouldered look, with a synched waist at the single buttonhole, and pants that flare at the hips and taper at the ankle. The modern one button suit has become a much less extreme look and is the staple of the "laid back" suit look. These are suits that work great with a shirt and tie, but also look good with an untucked shirt, or even a nice t-shirt.
5. Suit collars and lapels. There are as many different types of collars and lapels for suits as there are suit designers. Many types of lapels and collars are ubiquitous with the types of suits that they come with. For instance, a peak collar lapel is very often identified with a double-breasted suit. A shawl style lapel is a subtler and more formal lapel, which is often seen on tuxedo jackets, especially those with tails. A notch collar is the most common lapel, and is seen in most two and three button suits. The mandarin collar is a design that actually features no lapel, and a collar that is short and does not fold over. This is also known as a Nehru jacket, and is seen mostly in the food service and hotel industry.
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