Styling for Success, Part 2: The Suit

This article continues from Part 1 in our “Styling for Success” series, which covered the basics of men’s fashion.

In this installment, we’ll at the most expensive component of most men’s wardrobes – the suit. Depending on your firm and your location, you may be required to wear a suit daily – or you might only need it when you’re meeting with clients. But since it covers over 80% of your body, it’s worth the effort to ‘suit up’ well.

Our focus will be work suits for Analysts and Associates in the financial services / investment banking industry, and that means classic business suits that will help you look the part at work. We’ll focus on how to choose the appropriate cut, detail, fabric, and fit, as well as how to care for your clothes to ensure that your new suit lasts past your second all-nighter.

Shopping Notes

Men’s suits are available anywhere these days, from mall / high street stores to designer boutiques to online. To get a feel for what you like, consider starting at one of the larger department stores – they cater to a variety of tastes, so you can see directly which brands and styles ‘suit’ you best.

Keep in mind that department store sales staff are generally not fashion experts and frequently work on commission, so know what you want and how it should fit, and stick to your guns.

How to Describe Your Desired Suit – Key Factors

We’ll start with the details you need to describe your ideal suit to the sales staff. At most banks you should aim for a classic look to err on the side of caution. That doesn’t have to be boring – by understanding a few concepts about men’s suits, you can wear something that is appropriate and stylish.

American vs. European Cuts

This distinction is an oversimplification, but for now we’ll just say that European (Italian & British) cuts are generally more fitted and youthful than American. To get an idea of what you prefer, look at brands like Zegna (Italian), Aquascutum, and Burberry (both British), or Brooks Brothers and JoS. A. Bank (both American).

Cut is a personal choice, but take a moment to consider the environment you are working in. Some global or London City firms are populated by European cuts, while US-based banks may tend to the fuller American cut.

Breasts and Buttons

With very few exceptions your go-to has to be a single breasted suit with either 2 or 3 buttons. Traditional menswear theory tells shorter men to opt for a two-button, and taller men to go for a three-button. While this advice works for most, we say try on both styles and see what you like best.

One-buttons are fashionable right now, but fashion-forward is not appreciated in most banks. Four-buttons or more is a bad idea unless you are over 6’3”, and even then tread carefully. Avoid double breasted for the time being, as it’s a whole different ball game.

And remember to never, ever button the bottom button.

Lapels

The lapel is the part of the suit jacket that folds over on the chest. A standard lapel style is referred to as a ‘notch lapel’ (see image to the left), and this is the only way to go for your interview and work suits.

Steer clear of overly wide or narrow lapels. The former will make you look like you bought your suit in the 70s, while the latter is fashionable right now but may change in the future. The height of the notch on the lapel is referred to as the ‘gorge’ – low gorges look dated, so opt for something on the higher side.

Some designers have been introducing variations such as peak or very skinny lapels into single breasted suits, but in this industry stick with a medium width higher gorge notch lapel, as pictured on the left.

Vents

Vents are the slits you see at the bottom back of the suit jacket. They were originally introduced for horse riders, but in the modern day they allow the suit to lay cleanly over your tail end. Two vents is more European / British, one vent is more American, and no vent will make you look like a stuffed sausage.

Trouser Pleats

Pleats are the small folds of fabric you sometimes see on the front of trousers just below the beltline. Flat front trousers (without pleats) have been popular the past few years, but you may also consider single pleats for a bit more room. Leave two or more pleats to your parents’ generation.

Trouser Cuffs

Cuffs can add weight to a trouser hem, helping them to hang better. Traditional menswear experts advocate cuffs with pleated trousers and no cuffs with flat front. We like the slimmer British / European look and therefore don’t do cuffs. If you do go for cuffs ask your alterations tailor about the optimal cuff size for your height.

Other Details

Lately, suit manufacturers have been including details such as working sleeve buttons (surgeon’s cuffs), ticket pockets, and bright jacket linings on off-the-rack suits.

While these can add some fun to what otherwise might be considered a dull purchase, keep in mind that fashion changes quickly and that management doesn’t always appreciate ostentatious detail. The strange stitching on your suits should not be a topic of water cooler conversation.

Fabric

Repeat after me: “My suit should be made of wool and only wool. No polyester, microfiber, teflon, or viscose. No cotton, cashmere, linen or silk.”

We’re no longer in the 70s and man-made fabrics just look bad, so steer clear of them. They wrinkle, develop shiny patches, retain dirt, and don’t breathe – making you look and possibly smell funny.

You might ask, “Why no silks or cashmeres for a young successful banker?” These can be beautiful fabrics, but they are generally much more delicate and not suited to the long hours you will be working. Plus, if your Managing Director sees you in cashmere he might question how much they’re paying you.

Stick with wool – a nice all-weather 100% wool will be comfortable all-day and year-round. It won’t wrinkle easily, doesn’t look cheap, and if you take care of it, it will last you for years. Salespeople may try to up-sell you with terms like ‘high-twist’ or ‘super 180s’, but there are no standards or benchmarks so don’t put much stock in them.

Touch the fabric – does it feel nice and smooth, or is it rough and scratchy? How does it look beside more and less expensive suits? After comparing a number of suits in a quality store you’ll be able to tell for yourself which fabrics are better than others.

100% wool isn’t expensive, either – most big department stores carry a house brand which will set you back only marginally more than the polyester variety.

Color & Patterns

Keep it simple. If you are interviewing, a solid navy blue or a medium / charcoal grey paired with a tailored white shirt is the way to go.

Once you have the job you may need to add a few more suits to your wardrobe, in which case consider a herringbone pattern or a subtle blue or grey pinstripe. Browns, greens, and windowpanes are not classic banking colors, and are better left to the new media and advertising types.

A pure black suit is not an option. Next time you are out take a look at guys wearing black suits – they look washed out, pallid, wrinkly undertakers. The 80-hour weeks you’ll be working will do enough to make you look like this, so don’t encourage it by wearing a black suit.

Black suits are more appropriate for funerals than for finance jobs – and no matter how bad the economy gets, you want to avoid evoking such images when you arrive at work.

Fit

If you remember only one point from this article, make sure it’s “fit.” A well-fitting suit covers a multitude of sins you may make in fabric, color and style.

But an ill-fitting suit is obvious from the first moment – not only in how it looks, but also in how uncomfortable it is. When suit shopping wear a properly tailored dress shirt and shoes instead of a t-shirt and tennis shoes. This will give you an idea of how the suit will actually fit when being worn.

Men’s suits are sized by chest (generally between 36-50 in the US & UK) and length (short / regular / long). For some unknown reason salespeople often try and sell men one size bigger than they actually are. Try the suit size you (or the salesperson) think you are, and then try one size down. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Keep in mind that 99% of men will need some alterations to their suit. This may just be hemming the cuffs, or it may require more intense surgery. If you make sure the big stuff like shoulders, chest and length fit well, the rest is fairly simple.

So what are the big things you should be concerned with? Let’s go through the major points, using the diagram above:

• Shoulders (1) – Jacket width should not extend beyond the natural width of your shoulders. Considering that the rest of the jacket hangs off your shoulders, get this right and you are more than halfway to a good fit. Get it wrong and it’s a major re-cutting job, if that’s even possible.
• Chest (2) – You should be able to easily button the jacket without it straining, but make sure there isn’t more than a fist’s worth of space between the button and your torso. Too big or too small in the chest and you look like you borrowed your older brother’s suit.
• Jacket Length (3) – The basic rule is that your jacket length should just cover your backside, or that with your arms resting at your sides you should be able to curl your fingers under the hem of the jacket. Current fashion is trending toward shorter jackets, but don’t go so short that it looks like you shop in the boys section. Don’t go longer either.
• Trouser Waist – Suit trouser size is commonly referred to as a drop 6 or 7, meaning that the trouser waist size is a 6 or 7 inch drop from the chest size. So a size 40 chest suit with a drop 6 will have trousers with a 34 inch waist. If this seems confusing, don’t worry about it – just try the pants on and make sure you can move around and sit down in them comfortably. Your alterations tailor can generally take in or let out the waist by about an inch. Also take note now of how slim or baggy the trousers are. Current styles tend toward a slimmer cut, but this is a matter of preference. Just make sure they look balanced with the jacket.

Now that you’ve chosen the right suit, it’s time to pay a visit to the alterations tailor. Some shops provide this service in-house; if yours does not, take the time to look for a good shop – your local dry cleaner doesn’t have the expertise to do your suit justice and won’t take responsibility for irreversible mistakes.

Again, make sure that you wear a tailored dress shirt and dress shoes to ensure that all alterations are done relative to items that you’ll actually be wearing with your suit.

• Sleeve Length (4) – Traditional menswear dictates that with your arms resting at your sides, approximately ¼ to ½ inch of your shirt cuff should be visibly sticking out of your jacket sleeve.
• Trouser Length (5) – Most suit trousers are sold with unfinished hems, so you’ll have to have them tailored. Also known as the ‘break’, the hem of your trousers should rest lightly on the top of your dress shoes. Your trousers should not puddle at your feet, nor should the hem drag on the floor. Too short is also a common mistake – when standing up, your socks should never show.

While you’re at it, take the advice of your alterations tailor. He may recommend taking in the waist, removing a small bump under the collar, or other minor alterations. This is where a good tailor – one who can offer expert advice on your particular suit and your individual body shape – is invaluable.

How to Make Sure Your Suit Lasts Longer Than a Week: Proper Care

A good suit will be dry-clean only, but since the chemicals used are very harsh, suits should be cleaned as infrequently as possible while ensuring that they are not stained or soiled. To keep your suits fresh, briefly brush them (clothes brushes are available at most department stores) after removing them and hanging them out to air before putting them in your closet.

When you do need to dry-clean, consider the cleaner you use. Look for a cleaner who does their cleaning on-site as opposed to those who outsource it. Not only will they take better care of your new suit, but they’ll be able to clean stains and make small repairs such as loose buttons or threads.

Hopefully, you’ve learned that buying suits doesn’t have to be a painful experience and that by following a few simple guidelines on cut, design, fabric, and fit, you can walk away in something that is not only appropriate for the office, but also for the bar (if you make it out of the office before 4 AM).

To sum it up, we recommend a solid navy or dark grey single breasted 2-3 button suit to start with. You do have some options such as vents or pleats, but make sure the major areas (shoulders, chest and length) fit and take it to an alterations tailor to finish off your sleeves and cuffs. You’ll end up with a classically stylish suit which will last you well into your finance career.

Up Next

In future articles we’ll be discussing tailored shirts, ties, and shoes to round out your business wardrobe.

About Brass Bones

Steeped in the age-old English tradition of custom-tailoring, London-based Brass Bones gives you the luxury of distinctive 2-fold high weave cottons, handmade by tailors who have been dressing businessmen for over 20 years. Cut to your design and your measurements in a slim Jermyn Street style and finished with real mother of pearl buttons, Brass Bones provides you with the custom tailored dress shirt that is right for you.

Copyright 2009 Brass Bones. This article is copyright Brass Bones Fine Tailored Shirts and is licensed for use to Mergers & Inquisitions. Any unauthorized use / reproduction / duplication will constitute an infringement of copyright. For similar copy please contact Brass Bones.

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