The suit is the sartorial choice of men with the edge in fashion sense. Whether you dress in sleek black tuxedos or rock grey-flannel jackets, your suit is like a blank canvas through which you can express yourself. The modern suits and its components have come a long way, and today more than ever, you have plenty of creative freedom when it comes to accessorizing and creating a bold outfit. Through carefully selected items, you can use the same jacket to appear as ‘the executive’ while easily wearing it to a first date – it’s all about how you dress it up. The following guide will give you some useful tips on how to experiment with different styles and give you the platform to express your personality and style nous.
Fit
Before going into specifics, we want to address the essential issue of fitting. This is the first step to looking good – you can have a range of fancy accessories and still look sloppy if you’re suit is ill-fitting. The days of boxy-three-button suits are slowly ebbing away. Today, be bolder and experiment with modern or slim fit jackets. With modern fits, you get a jacket that is slightly shorter in length and a relaxed fit at the chest and shoulders. If you’ve got a slender physique, opt for the slim fit – they’ll hug your shoulders to give you a masculine silhouette.
Lapels
If you’re looking to experiment with lapel widths in a contemporary fashion, you should be familiar with peak, notch and shawl lapels.
The notch lapel is the most versatile and is often found in single-breasted jackets. If you’ve got a slimmer body type with clavicles and shoulders that tend on the narrow side, rock the slim notch lapels (smaller lapel width of 2.25 inches) with your blazers, single-breasted suits and sports coats.
Peak lapels are in fashion now but few know that they’ve been around for a hundred years. They’re a little bit more formal and are ideal at weddings, functions or dinners. However, if you want to dress your suit up with a contemporary edge, opt for slim peak lapels. These will have an elongating effect and draw visual interest towards your shoulders.
Shawl lapels are characterized by their rounded edge. You will rarely see them on anything but a smoking jacket or tuxedo. These will work with most body types and should be reserved for more formal occasions.
Khaki Suits for Spring and Summer
When the weather warms up, you’ll be glad to have a lighter choice of fabric in your arsenal and few are bolder and more striking than khaki. You get crispness, elegance, simplicity and a modern touch all in a subtle way. There are many shades of khaki, so be selective when deciding which patterns and textures you want to don. Tip: with a color like Khaki, you’ll want to keep your outfit monochromatic most of the time. A white shirt is your best bet and black. If you want to bring more character to your look, go for a sky blue or lavender solid shirt. You can also create a stunning contrast by dressing up your khaki suit with a club tie in brown paired with a solid white shirt.
Turtleneck Sweaters
Want to up your style game during the cooler months? Layering a thin turtleneck underneath a blazer is a sure-fire way to rock a look that oozes elegance. It’ll double up as a scarf by keeping the draft out and will draw visual interest to both your suit and overall outfit. Turtleneck sweaters are becoming more and more popular companions with jackets. The turtleneck can easily take the place of a tie and create that business look with a whole new level of class and sophistication.
The Grey Two-Button Suit
Right off the bat, grey is the trendiest color in men’s suiting and has been for the past few years. Starting with a grey-two button suit is a great foundation for experimenting simply because of its versatility. Dress it up with a white shirt, black tie and black oxfords and you’ve perfected the 9-5 look albeit with a creative edge. Why a two-button? Three buttons tend to give figures a boxy look and are a little old fashioned. Go for two-buttons with slimmer cuts for a truly modern style. The beautiful thing about grey is that you have a wide range of choices when it comes to the patterns and textures available. You should also experiment with the lapel: dress-down the suit with a slim-notch lapel and pair your jacket with a printed shirt with no tie for a look that is perfect for dinner parties and social events.
Casual Basics with Tailored Pieces
Few things embody modern suiting like combining casual wear with tailored jackets, vest and coats. Put together denim with a light patterned shirt and a tie of a slightly bolder shade. Pair it with a wool coat in navy blue and dress it up with brown wingtips. Want to go for the same casual/formal look in a different shade? Go for black trousers with an athletic pullover with a grey-two button jacket on top – this is perfect for dates, casual dinners or evening strolls during the cooler months.
Start with the basic experimental techniques to kick off your career in suiting up like the modern man. From your choice of fittings to dressing up your jacket for every occasion, stand out from the crowd by implementing these style tips and show off your creative freedom through your dress sense.