Wellcultured - Well Cultured is a men’s online magazine with advice and reviews on fashion, dating, finances, health, music, movies and many other topics, as well as a robust message board and the Well Cultured Guide, a freely editable community wiki.

My suit is really uncomfortable. How do you make suits more comfortable or wearable?

I hear this a lot, and my answer will sound odd, but it is very important: get your suit tailored, and if possible, get a better suit.

In my opinion, the most common reason guys feel uncomfortable wearing suits is that the suits feel horrible. Cheap, poorly tailored suits feel baggy, childish, flimsy, and utterly nasty. Cheap excessively padded suits (like wannabe sack suit slash Italian cuts) can have huge shoulders and can be far too long both in the length of the body and in the sleeves to be anything close to comfortable. Suit pants, usually pleated excessively, can also feel uncomfortable, if not outright old-man-ish.

First off, hunt down a better suit. Don’t go for the typical cheap-y baggy stuff at your typical department store unless you must — invest in a real suit. If you want to buy one off the rack, go for a decent and reasonably affordable brand such as J.Crew. If you live near an outlet mall, Brooks Brothers’ outlet mall offerings (their 365 line) is incredibly good, and ridiculously cheap compared to their main line. If you want something Made to Measure, look for a modern but educated company, such as Thick as Thieves LA.

Whatever you do find, make sure it fits you. The sleeves should never feel excessively long or baggy — if the sleeves are too thick/bulky/large, an adept tailor can fix that problem. If the pants are too long, hem them, but aim for a subtle break (or none at all, if you feel like channeling Tom Ford). While you’ll obviously feel like you are wearing a suit in some respects, a well fitted, comfortable suit will feel more like a second skin than a wool prison.

Also, make sure your shirt and tie fit you well. If the shirt feels too tight on your neck, size up. Get the shirt tailored, never accept a baggy shirt. Tie the tie properly and keep it at your neckline, but never choke yourself.

If you haven’t noticed from the incessant use of the phrases “now more than ever” and “affordable” in commercials and on the news, we here in the US (and, along with us, many Western companies) are in a recession that some might call an outright depression. This has, of course, hit the fashion industry pretty hard- and it’s also made affording any sort of fashion incredibly hard. In a world like this, it’s very hard to really find a way to find and afford good fashion- so, I’m going to explain how to do it.

Finding Affordable Clothing

Surprisingly, very few companies have had SERIOUS issues with the recession we’re currently in- that is to say, no-one’s really “gone under”, for lack of a better term. What has happened, however, is that many brands are beginning to scale back their more experimental clothing to rather rely on the tried and true- something that, while somewhat depressing in one sense, is also a boon in the other. Clothiers like J.Crew are now beginning to increasingly focus on key pieces like good quality denim, and even the infamously ridiculous Armani Exchange appears to be noticeably becoming more conservative with their new Fall clothing. It’s a fun world, but in some ways, a difficult one.

The first issue is merely finding affordable clothing. Resist the urge to go to Wal*Mart and buy all of your clothing there- while it seems tempting to go to the cheapest place imaginable to buy clothing, it rarely works out well for you in the long run. Rather, the ideal goal is to simply try to find clothing that costs exactly what it is worth- what we might consider our ideal 1:1 ratio- or clothing you can get on a discount.

The key to finding clothing with that “ideal 1:1 ratio” of cost/worth is to simply investigate brands. While designer does not equal quality, the inverse does not apply- non-designer does not instantly mean cheap quality bargain. Rather, look for labels that do what they do well and sell the stuff for reasonable prices. For example, the brand True Religion (a very very high end jeans brand) may seem like they do their jeans well, but with a staggering $300 price tag, they do not become worth their weight. However, despite the rather hefty ~$90 price tag on a pair of J.Crew jeans, these become much more reasonable, pending you get a nice pair- for example, a nice pair of slim fitting dark wash J.Crew jeans will last for years. Though it may seem a little hard to put down $50-$75 on a polo from Ralph Lauren or Lacoste, both companies make clothing that lasts for years- making the price tag much more acceptable.

Still, there is nothing wrong with buying cheaper brands if you can verify the quality. Despite my hatred for the brand as a whole, Old Navy and the Gap are good places to find the absolute basics like t-shirts and undershirts- they may not be name brand, but they function (and hold up) largely the same. Similarly, there is no major sin in going to Target and purchasing some cheap Converse shoes- given their decent construction and rather cheap price, there’s nothing wrong with “going cheap” with them. The key here is to check quality, regardless of the price.

Still, things can be too expensive, which is why this next idea is especially pertinent nowadays: Hit thrift stores and eBay. While it seems silly to buy secondhand clothing, a surprising number of fashionable people do it. As the economy continues to suffer, spoiled women and man-children begin to have to sell off their overpriced clothing- and you can take advantage of their stupidity. On eBay especially, brand names are plentiful- and so long as the seller is legitimate, you can get some absolutely stellar buys for very cheap. So long as you know the brand well enough to know the fit, or get to try your purchase on, there’s no shame in purchasing used.

Knowing when and how to Buy

Another key skill in this economy is merely knowing when and how to buy.

First off, know when sales and discounts apply, and take advantage of them. At the end of any given season, stores try to get rid of their old stock to add new stock- obviously, this is a good time to swoop in and buy these relatively new fashions for very cheap. Similarly, some stores heavily discount their clothing based on random days, holidays, or just general preferences- try to learn what you can about the sales around you. For example, the back-to-school season is often slightly more expensive than immediately after, as a lot of retailers heavily stock up for the (presumed) impending rush of mothers buying their children clothing. Once this rush ends, even adult sizes are sometimes lowered.

Second off, don’t be afraid to use coupons. I’m quite serious here- remember, fashion is about the clothing itself, not paying full price. Check various websites and, if you have the time, use a trashy e-mail and sign up for a bunch of mailing lists. Join Gilt Groupe and similar discounting websites and have them send sale information to you- some sites will send coupons, others sales, but it all works out well.

Knowing What to Buy

This is a bit more theoretical, but quite honestly, arguably the most important: buy long lasting, versatile items.

It may seem tempting to buy into the latest fly-by-night fad- but it doesn’t do well for your wallet. Articles of clothing like skinny jeans and strange colored cardigans may be in at the moment in some circles, but their popularity will eventually fade into obscurity- but basic bluejeans, a good suit, and a nice crisp white shirt will not. Frankly, even if you have a limitless wallet, there’s no point in buying silly trends at this point. A good rule of thumb is to buy things that you genuinely know you’d be able to wear 10 years down the road- while that’s a big number, it keeps you focused on buying only things that really will work now and in the future.

This rule, in its fullest extent, can even affect the way you buy colors: don’t buy a neon green when a black will be much more versatile in the long run. This may seem “boring”, but this really enables you to optimize your wardrobe in a way many people are unable to do: instead of having 300 items of limited use, you can constrain yourself to 30 items of versatility- and you can spend more on them.

In Closing…

In closing, in somewhat of an ironic sense despite the topic of this article, don’t be paranoid of the economy.

There have been a lot of television commercials, news articles, and other media sources making many people in the US (and, again, other countries) very arbitrarily nervous about money for largely no reason. This isn’t entirely terrible (it helps people re-evaluate their financial choices), but it has bad consequences: it leads many people to pointlessly buy clothes that are cheap and of poor quality, really not looking into the true economy of fashion.

By all means, feel free to shop. Feel free to find clothing you like. Still, as you do so, keep worth in your head, and really, avoid being cheap with your money or extravagant with your choices- there’s a happy middle ground.

As a 23 year old entering a new professional job I intend to take advantage of the cheap Shenzhen tailors on my way through Hong Kong, what basics should I get made, colours, fits etc.? (I was thinking three suits, 5-8 shirts, a blazer and 2 overcoats)

You’re on the right track, to be certain.

Like I’ve mentioned before on here (incessantly), always have something conservative as a backup. You can almost never go wrong with having a simple black suit tailored to fit you perfectly- a black suit can be work for business, for formal occasions, and even casually, pending you do so correctly. Similarly, dark blue suits and darker gray suits are almost always usable in both the business and private world.

So far as fits and general cuts are concerned, avoid anything too modern (like thin lapel suits). While they are in style now, I’m getting the creeping suspicion they will fall out of fashion very soon. For the suit itself, you should probably stick to suits with notch lapels and a single vent, which is pretty standard with most suits. So far as the pants are concerned, make damn sure they aren’t too baggy- keep them well fitted to your leg, and obviously, make sure there are no pleats.

If I were you, so far as suits are concerned, I’d go for two conservative suits and one more ostentatious suit, which would cover your bases pretty damn well. For example, for the first two, I’d go for one in black and one in charcoal or navy, notch lapel, single or double vent, very simple with flat front trousers. For the more ostentatious, I’d go for a color you don’t have (let’s say a charcoal) with pinstriping or some other style to it- maybe a peak lapel, just something to differentiate it. Of course, regardless of the way they look, get them tailored to perfection.

As for the shirts, go for at least two in white, the remainder in simple colors that match the suits. Try out some french cuff shirts- french cuffs, in my opinion, are wonderfully stylish, pending you are willing to wear cufflinks (and get the suits tailored to work with the french cuffs- the sleeves are usually made a teensy bit shorter to show the cuff). Depending on your body shape and size, experiment with point collars and spread collars. Undoubtedly, you should keep the color/style of tie you plan to wear with the shirt in mind.

As for the overcoats and blazers, that’s really where you can have fun. If you do get a blazer, you can’t go wrong with a nice navy Polo Ralph Lauren-style preppy blazer, or maybe a casual black or brown blazer to wear around. For the overcoats, topcoats are always advantageous (stick to black, gray, or brown- white is hard to deal with/to clean).

In any case, have a ball. If you shop in the right locations, you’ll be able to get plenty of help. Find photos you like and carry them with you. Try on everything. By the time you’re done, you’ll have one hell of a wardrobe.

I occasionally wish I was a super-rich magazine writer that had a business account. That way, I could excuse virtually anything I did on “writing topics”- watching movies, going to shows, drinking exorbitant amounts at fancy bars, going to random foreign countries “just because”- the works. That isn’t happening (owning the place you write for negates the fun of handling the money), but recently I took the time to go see the new Bond film everyone is talking about- Quantum of Solace- and try to see what all of the self-proclaimed fashionistas on the internet are raving about.

The Movie

Quantum of Solace, as you more than likely already know, is the sequel to Casino Royale, the first in the new line of Bond films starring Daniel Craig, the guy most people know for starring opposite of Angelina Jolie in the absolutely horrible Lara Croft: Tomb Raider flick. The movie is essentially about Bond going somewhat (if not all the way) solo as he rages over the death of Vesper Lind (Eva Green) and fights to stop the wannabe environmentalist Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) from taking over the water supply of Bolivia. If this sounds like one of the most boring James Bond plots yet, you are entirely correct.

The first thing noticeable about the new Bond movies is that Daniel Craig has been outfitted in oldschool British tailoring, as opposed to his predecessor, Pierce Brosnan, who wore Italian cut suits (which were sometimes a bit ridiculous, admittedly). The big name in this new movie is Tom Ford, who did the design for Craig’s suits, glasses, and pretty much everything but his underwear- so you know it’s going to be stylish.

The “main uniform” of James Bond- the black suit- is back and better than ever. Well tailored and with a clear English cut (three pockets, two buttons, very tight tailoring)- it’s all essentially perfect. The lapels are relatively narrow (As are the shoulders, or as narrow as they can  get), but the waist is taken in very tightly, which gives the “skirt” part of the jacket a little bit of move. There are no belts whatsoever. The suit is apparently also made with old school mohair tonic fabric- an old 60s fabric that apparently was used to give a more “classic” look, reminiscing back to the Sean Connery days of James Bond.

Craig’s suit is not accented with much other than what you might expect- a pocket square and a nice crisp french cuff shirt with cufflinks. Nothing ostentatious at all- hell, even the ties are rather demure. The key theme of the new James Bond via Tom Ford seems to be keeping it low-key- and thus classy. This isn’t surprising, considering this seems to be a recurring theme nowadays- but it’s interesting to see James Bond, formerly known for heavy italian suits and big watches (and even bigger cell phones) now keeping it minimal.

Bond does change out of the standard black suit, which begins to show the real versatility of the costume designer, Louise Frogley. Bond is also seen in a nice full length double breasted topcoat with the lapels popped (or some form of long black coat, I was barely able to make out what it was), a rather large padded bomber of some sort, and even a dark blue polo with jeans.

One of the most notable changes to Bond’s wardrobe are the sunglasses, newly designed by Tom Ford. With a strange bridge bar running from both lenses and slightly turned eye drop style lenses, the silver aviators are anything but traditional. By all means, I personally liked the design, but even on Craig they seemed ever so slightly stupid looking. Too bad.

Overall, Quantum of Solace costume designer Louise Frogley did an incredible job doing what she did- and while the Tom Ford glasses were a bit strange, I felt that the movie all together did a very good job getting the “James Bond Feeling”- something the movie itself, outside of the fashion, kinda failed at doing. I’m still somewhat angry that not only did Bond not use a single useful gadget, but he also seemed to forget to visit Q, or do anything else useful other than go Peter-Parker-in-Spiderman 3 emo. But whatever.

So, what lessons can we learn from Quantum of Solace?

First, go without the belt. I know I’ve advised against it before, but it seems that it’s finally picking up in pop culture enough to go with it safely. Sure, it’s been the “correct” way to wear suits for quite some time, but I think it’s finally time for a miniature belt-less revolution.

Second off, keep it simple, stupid. Bond is dressed simply for a reason- minimalism is the new maximalism. Go understated, clean, and stylish, and you will always win.

Third off, ties that match your eyes are always good. Craig dons a gray-blue tie that matches his eyes, and you could do very well matching that. For brown eyes, a brown tie may be a bit silly, but a black tie could never hurt.

Finally, no-one can stress the importance of arm candy. Get one or two hot women and have them walk around you periodically. You will always look better.

How to Get the Look

The “Bond Suit”

• A Black Suit with a slight sheen (be it legitimate mohair tonic fabric or not)
• A crisp white french cuff (not barrel cuff) shirt
• A white handkerchief for a pocket square
• A gray-blue, gray, or light tan tie
• Black Oxfords(?)
• Simple metal cufflinks

Yep, that’s it. No belt, no tie clip, no expensive jewelry- nothing. The key here is all in the tailoring. Daniel Craig’s suit is so damned amazing because it is tailored incredibly well- tight in the stomach, slightly (but not too) loose in the coat skirt, and so well tailored in the pants that it needs neither belt nor pleats. If you want this kind of suit, it doesn’t matter too much what you buy so much as where you get it tailored- so start hunting for a good tailor.

The Tuxedo

• Peak Lapel Black Tuxedo
• Crisp white Tuxedo shirt (Or a standard white french cuff shirt, I can’t tell which he wears)
• Black bowtie
• Black Oxfords(?)
• Simple metal cufflinks

Again, very damned simple. The tailoring is the same as the “Bond Suit” above- it’s all about making it fit perfectly, so no matter where you get a tuxedo, you’re essentially forced to rely on the skill of your tailor to make this look right. Unfortunate, but true.

The Polo

• Dark blue fitted polo
• Dark wash jeans (Straight leg?)
• Tan leather (suede?)
• Aviator Sunglasses

Chances are, you probably have one or two of the above in your own wardrobe. This isn’t a very “James Bond” outfit, but it still can be rocked fairly easily.

Does a grey cobnservative thin pinstripe italien cut suit, cut the mustard as a staple dress suit. I have a black stripe waistcoat for underneath and traditional English style shirt and cufflinks in both white andd a lilac matching the lining.

Yep. So long as it actually fits you (i.e. is it properly tailored), you are in good shape for most things I can think of offhand. Having a waistcoat is nice as well, and the English style shirt is also a nice flourish. It’s always difficult to tell you a definite yes or no (obviously because we have no idea what it looks like other than your description), but so long as you have a few different shirts/ties you can wear with it, you are in good shape.

The staple of Men’s fashion has always been the suit. Despite the fact that modern society has since frowned on suits (for some stupid reason I will never really understand), the suit is something that, in virtually every country, carries class and sophistication. No matter how old, every man should have a suit or two: they come in handy much more than one would think.

If you are a guy right now, you should have at least one good suit- a suit that fits you, that works well with your skin tone and stature, and one you can use for interviews, jobs, and everything else you might possibly need to be formal for. With this suit, you’ll need a good shirt or two, a good tie, a good belt, dress shoes… you name it. It gets a lot more complex than you may think, and certainly more than one article’s worth of talk.

So, in this guide, I’m going to describe the wonders of the suit- why you’re wearing one right now- and, subsequently, how to buy one and get one fitted for you. In later articles, I will go into the details (such as dress shoes, dress shirts, and the like)- but for now, we’re going to talk about one thing: the suit.

The History of the Suit

The suit as we know it today is really the evolution of British court apparel- more simplified, the suit is simply the product of a long evolution of formal wear for Men. The original concept originated in Europe (predominantly Britain), where the idea was for something that was to be formal, though the fine clothing obviously was expensive and only affordable by high castes. This wear slowly became more affordable and in vogue, and made a variety of changes, and eventually came out as the typical suit we know today in the many variations we have it in.

Modern society has had a love-hate relationship with suits. In the early 20th Century, suits were considered essential to a Man’s wardrobe (if not absolutely essential). However, more recent events (namely the popularization of “Casual Friday”s and most of the 60s/70s) has since diminished the popularity of the suit. Most “desk” jobs require suits or formalwear of some kind, though the traditional suit is not as required as it once was. Nowadays, most theorize that the suit will become more popular in workplaces and modern society, however, there is no real hard evidence to that fat.

Types of Suits

Note: There are a LOT more styles of suit than this, however, this is covering the select examples you will generally run across in stores. Don’t bitch at me for not mentioning Zoot Suits or whatever.

The Single Breasted Suit

The Single Breasted suit is by far the most recognizable suit, and by far the most popular in society today, with a single row of buttons on one side.

Fabric is a big player, both in quality and color. Most modern suits come in “business” colors- gray, navy, charcoal, etc.- though green and brown are coming into vogue again. Typically, a well dressed man will have one conservative color (such as charcoal) and then branch out from there. Many suits have a recognizable texture or pattern (such as pinstripes), which are generally acceptable when they are traditional. Most suits available nowadays are made out of wool, though there are strange variations on the market.

Three Button suits are by far the most popular of these- meaning that there are three buttons (and, thanks to tradition, only the top two of those buttons should be buttoned). Two Button suits, in comparison, have only two buttons (and it’s generally acceptable to button both of these buttons).

Vented suits are suits with a “vent” (or cut) on the back of the suit. These typically come in three variations- single vented suits, double-vented suits, and no-vent style suits. Most American styles tend to be Single-Vented, though there is no real problem with going double-vented (or no-vented).

There are a variety of other factors in a suit. Sleeve Button Style is a player as always, with a varying number of buttons on the sleeve (generally one to four, though it doesn’t matter). Additionally, Pocket Style is a player occasionally, most formal suits having some variation of the flap pocket, though “patch pockets” are also in vogue for more informal suits (mostly just blazers).

Pant Style is also a large part of the suit style. More modern suits have flat-front pants, which give a clear cut, modern look. Pleated pants feature a fabric fold (typically in the front of the pants) that allow for greater movement, but also often carry the connotation of being made for larger (fatter) frames.

Because few run across the opportunity to have a suit cut specifically for them (virtually everyone reading this, including myself, do not have the luck), the suit cut is a very large player. While tailoring fixes many minor flaws (as I will explain below), suits still have cut characteristics (referred to as the silhouette) which make the suit “hang” in various ways, so find something that you like. Most off-the-rack suits are made fairly shapeless, though many suits are now carried with “athletic” fits (bigger shoulders, smaller waists) and big fits (big waist, small shoulders). While you will inevitably always need to tailor a suit to get it “just right”, getting something that generally fits you well will save your tailor much heartache.

Variations: Double Breasted Suits, etc.

There are some strange variations on the market of suits- many of them are entirely acceptable (and can be worn in many situations), but they do not comprise the “traditional” suit. A few examples:

Three Piece Suits are suits with a waistcoat, which you traditionally wear under the jacket. These are considered a bit more formal, but they are coming into more popularity as of recent. These are often excellent buys, as they allow you to go jacketless (within reason) and still look fully dressed, with more variations thereof.

Double Breasted Suits are suits with two rows of buttons, resembling more of a pea coat than a suit coat. These are fairly acceptable in many situations, though they often create a unique silhouette that either flatters or harms the image of the wearer.

Tuxedoes are suits in the very loosest sense, but they occupy an entirely different world, much like tailcoats do. Tuxedoes have unique “rules” for wear and often are much more formal (and much more expensive) than a suit.

There are plenty of other variations upon traditional suits throughout history, including but not limited to “Mao Suits”, Zoot Suits, Mod Suits, Beatle Suits… the list goes on. The long story short on these cuts is simple: don’t wear them.

Shirts, Ties, and accessories

Suits do not go alone- to have a good suit, you must have at least two shirts to go with it (obviously because buying a suit to only go with one outfit is a little stupid). Accessories quickly turn boring conservative suits into much more than that- and here’s how you do that.

Dress Shirts are a large part of wearing a suit. Dress shirts should fit your body well, and are second only to your suit in importance of being tailored. Dress shirts vary wildly in color, cut, and fit. Typically, you will see four kinds of collars- point, wide, wing, semi-spread, and button-down. All except the very last are appropriate for most formal suits- the last, the button-down, is appropriate only very casually.

Dress shirts also feature two kinds of cuffs- barrel (or “button”) cuffs and french cuffs. Barrel Cuffs are typically seen on shirts, with a single button in a “barrel” around the waist. French Cuffs are much more flamboyant and stylish, and have thicker cuffs coming together, requiring cufflinks.

Ties are just as varied as shirts, but vary little except in color and pattern. Traditional width ties are always appropriate. Skinny (or narrow) ties or Wide Ties are sometimes sold (the skinny ties especially, for some reason), but they are rarely (if ever) appropriate. Bow Ties are generally not stylish for anything except extreme formal wear, such as tuxedos.

Buying a Suit

Another note: I’m not going to be arrogant and presume you have thousands of dollars- this is for your “average joe” looking for a suit. Fashionistas beware, I actually advise buying off the rack.

When buying a suit, the best place to look is an actual physical store- internet be damned. As much as many of us love suits, there is nothing quite like being able to try on a suit for yourself and to see and feel the quality of the item- and with that being said, when you buy a suit, you should go to an actual physical location. There are many stores that carry quality menswear, so this simply requires you to drive out and find one- be it a specialty outlet (S&K Menswear, Men’s Wearhouse, etc) or even just a department store.

When you go hunting for a suit, don’t feel embarrassed to trust the people working there. Most stores (ESPECIALLY specialty stores such as S&K and Men’s Wearhouse) have knowledgeable staff who generally can help you with the basics of picking out a suit that fits you. Take advantage of their knowledge.

Suits are not cheap. That doesn’t mean you can’t get good discounts on them- a good off-the-rack suit can be as cheap as $150 if you get lucky- but expect to spend much more than that. When you buy a suit, at a minimum, expect to purchase two shirts and at least one tie (if you don’t have one already). You will also need a pair of appropriate dress shoes, socks, a belt, and, if necessary, a handkerchief in your pocket or cufflinks for french cuffs. There is no requirement any of this has to be designer label or anything- if you treat things well, they will last long no matter the brand- but there is a minimum you will need to pay. That being said, expect to pay at least $300-$500 or more for a nice off-the-rack suit, and one shirt and tie, not accounting for good dress shoes. If you get something cheaper, that’s great.

When you buy a suit, avoid in-house tailoring services unless you’ve heard good news about them. In-house tailors can be a mixed bunch- and sometimes it’s better to find a more experienced tailor than to rely on the in-house option.

Wearing a Suit

Now here’s the fun part. Now that you (presumably) have a suit, how do you wear it?

First off, the rule of thumb is, keep everything you wear clean and pressed. Learn to iron shirts- and then iron your shirt before you wear it- and keep the collar stays (the little plastic tabs under the ends of the collar) intact by not washing them with the shirt and repacing them when necessary. Suits you buy off the rack (which I semi-affectionately call “glue suits”) should be kept in the best form they can- do NOT dry clean them often. If you have to clean them once a week, ask your laundromat what they can do to minimalize damage. Just like anything else, keep care of your suit and it will last a long time. When hanging the suit in your closet, do not smash it in the back, and use an unstained wood hangar- the stain may rub off, but the thick wood will keep the shoulders intact.

When you wear your suit, angry fashionistas be damned- you must wear a belt, dress socks, dress shoes, a dress shirt, and MAYBE a a tie. There are rare circumstances when this can be ignored (I’m still personally warming up to the idea of sneakers with suits), but for most standard dress wear, nothing beats the tried-and-true formula.

Button the suit appropriately. This is more etiquette than anything else. When standing, button the top two buttons of the suit. When seated, unbutton the suit before you sit down. NEVER sit down with it buttoned, EVER. Not only is this ugly, it can stress the buttons.

Ties are optional in modern society. Going tieless can be bold and unique. There are still circumstances that require a tie (such as interviews), but going without (with the top button undone) is bold and enjoyable (and less constricting).

Avoid loading down the pockets. Never put excess junk in the pockets of your suit- even in the pants. If you can avoid carrying it, do so.

In Closing

It seems a bit ridiculous in this day and age to do an article on what few think about- but I assure you that, despite what many nonconformists may allude, suits are growing in popularity today. Suits are becoming much more than businesswear- they are becoming uniforms for a modern generation. Learning how to wear a suit is just as important as knowing how to have a successful interview or how to balance a checkbook- it’s the kind of thing you should know.

As usual, this article may be revised as people point out small errors (or, more commonly, things we forgot to add). Check back often!