Mr Festive

Shirt by Harrods
Tie by The Tie Bar

Are you more Cindy Lou Who than Ebenezer Scrooge? Now is the ideal time to start wearing those classic Christmas colours. A must-have for smart-casual events or those looking to enliven their formalwear, this plaid tie from The Tie Bar will partner perfectly with a crisp white shirt. If pattern isn’t your thing, a solid red, green or gold tie would work just as well.

Mr Classic

Shirt by Turnbull and Asser
Tie by Drakes

Whether you’ve been invited to a formal dinner or just prefer to keep things low-key, a pale blue shirt with a burgundy tie is a timeless combination that is sure to impress your work colleagues and friends alike. To complete the look, pop on a tailored navy blazer, grey trousers and your favourite pair of brown shoes; adding a patterned pocket square for a dash of personality.

Mr Adventurous

Shirt and Tie by The Savile Row Company

Finding silk ties to pair with a striped shirt may seem like a tricky task, however it’s really not that difficult. Simply opt for two designs that complement each other rather than clash. Perhaps the easiest way of doing this is to stick with a block colour tie. However, for those wanting to be a little more adventurous, make sure the pattern on your tie is larger – or at least bolder – than the stripes on your shirt. As for stripes on stripes, they can work perfectly well as long as they aren’t the same width.

For those wanting to be a little more adventurous, make sure the pattern on your tie is larger – or at least bolder – than the stripes on your shirt.

Mr Corporate

Shirt and Tie by Mr Porter

If you insist on heading straight from the office to your Christmas party, at least make sure you’re wearing something suitable for both work and play. Our choice would be a pale pink shirt teamed with a patterned tie – an arrangement that will give your ensemble a playful edge without feeling too informal.

Mr Black Tie

Shirt by Harvie and Hudson
Bow Tie by Jaeger

For those attending a black tie event or any other fancy occasion, your go-to combination is a white shirt and black bow tie – complete with a black dinner suit and patent black shoes. When choosing your shirt, ensure it’s double-cuffed and secured by cufflinks, whilst your bow tie will look best if it’s made from silk.

Although we’ve covered the festive season classics, there are many more combos you could create yourself. But before putting together your own combinations, we recommend taking a look at the colour wheel. As a rule of thumb, colours either opposite or adjacent – like blue and orange – pair happily. Whereas anything else should be approached with caution. Have fun, and don’t be afraid to experiment!

The post Five Shirt and Tie Combinations to See You Through the Festive Season appeared first on Be Stylish!.

1.The Fit

Number 1 reason why every man should own a fitted suit is obviously because it is a much better fit than a rack suit. By tailoring the suit to fit exactly your measurements allows for a perfect fit which not only looks better, it also fits better. Every man is different and therefore the arms could be baggy, the neck shoulders too wide, inside leg too tight, all of which makes an off-the-rack suit not do you justice. You deserve a suit that looks as good as you want to feel.

Studies have also shown that a man in a fitted suit is looked upon more positive than a standard unfitted suit. People were shown photos of several men in both fitted and off the rack suits and asked to rate the appearance. The results were overwhelmingly positive for the men in fitted and tailored suits. For a slightly bigger investment you can look, feel and appear more positive.

2. Better Investment

Sure, we can all find standard fitting suits at low prices but there are certain things when an investment is required, that is a fitted suit. The quality of a fitted suit will be better than those in the local department store and over time this will become noticeable. Invest in a fitted suit and it will last you much longer and be much better overall. Remember with a good suit you can wear it over and over again.

Invest in a fitted suit and it will last you much longer and be much better overall.

3. More Stylish and Fashionable

Do you really want to go to a major function only to be dressed the same as everyone else. Department stores stock standard suits which are basic as possible to have more sales, with this they don’t look as fashionable and stylish as those made by websites such as Edit Suits. With a bespoke and fitted suit it can requested to add buttons, lapels, vents, cuffs etc unlike a standard suit.

What are you waiting for, go and express yourself by getting scheduled for a custom suit, we are certain you won’t regret the choice.

The post Reasons Why You Should Own a Fitted Suit appeared first on Be Stylish!.

While the chinos + sports jacket combination seems to be getting a lot of attention these days, the classic attire option remains: the suit.

When it comes to choosing a summer suit, the most important thing to consider is – you guessed it – the fabric.

Nothing is more frustrating than to feel like you’re boiling inside your clothes. And when you have to experience that for hours and hours straight… you get the idea: another important event that’s almost ruined.

So what are the best suit fabrics?

Cotton

Let’s start off with cotton. Cotton ia the best choice not only for clothes but for other garments as well. It keeps the body warm in the winter and it lets it breathe during hot summer days.

However, if you’re going to pick a cotton suit specifically for this season, make sure you get it right. There are thicker cotton suits and thinner ones.

While cotton is great, you’ll still feel hot if the suit itself is too thick.

There’s a particular kind of cotton that you should look out for: seersucker. This is a very thin cotton (usually checked) that allows your skin to breathe freely.

Take a look at this seersucker suit from Brooks Brothers:

Linen

Linen creases very easily but that’s nothing to worry about. They have their own charm and you should embrace them.

Linen is the best “ventilator” for your skin on hot summer days. A linen suit not only looks great on anyone but it also shows that you know how to dress for the season you’re in. As I always tell my style students: Always dress for the season. It’s something most women notice.

Take a look at this khaki nine suit from Indochino. Notice the subtle creases I was telling you about:

Wool

You might find it weird to wear a wool suit during summer but this CAN work, as long as either…

the suit is very thin/lightweight or…

the’re is a mixture of wool and, say, linen.

This wool & linen suit from Brioni look great, doesn’t it:

The post A Few Excellent Summer Suits appeared first on Be Stylish!.

If you have a quality suit and it’s made of natural fabrics, you’re probably in possession of a valuable asset. But let’s assume you really want to start clean and buy a new suit. Where do you start?

In my Be Stylish ™ Package I talk a lot about suits. It would be impossible to discuss all aspects in a single article so let’s focus on the basics.

My goal here is to give you enough info to buy your next suit. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be able to walk into a store and either walk out with the right fitting suit or empty handed. Buying something that’s not right for you is not an option.

I’ve done this in real life with my clients but don’t worry – the info I’m about to present to you is gold.

Step 1: Fabric

The most important aspect of a suit is fabric, no doubt about it.

Even if it fits you perfectly but it’s 50% or 80% or (God forbid) 100% polyester, you should NEVER spend your money on it. Period.

Suits are a long-term investment (you’ve probably heard this already) but here’s where most people go wrong:

They walk into a couple of stores, they only find a couple of suits that fit them and they buy one, without even looking at the label.

If they do check the label before they buy, they see it’ 30% or 40% synthetic fiber yet STILL buy it. Guys have a phobia of buying clothes and the though of spending 2 more hours searching for one is too much to bear. They buy the polyester one right on the spot.

So lesson one is: stick with natural fibers.

Cotton, wool and even linen are great examples. Blends of cotton and wool (in various percentages) are also acceptable. Natural fibers allow your skin to breathe, which is important both in summers and winters.

Don’t be scared of wool as some suits made of this fabric can be worn without problems in every season. However, cotton is the most popular all-season suit fabric choice (and it’s a little cheaper too).

Step 2: Fit

Before we begin, here’s the thought for the day: fit is what makes you cool. Forget flashy suits or going with the latest trend. The way a suit follows your body lines is what gives you that sharp look.

A good fitting suit will also hide some of your body flaws… if you know how to choose it.
For instance, if you have lowered shoulders, an Italian style with padded shoulder will give you that extra height and make you appear.

There’s a huge misconception when it comes to a suit’s fit. Most people think that good is good enough. The fact of the matter is that the difference between a regular-fitting suit and a slim fit one is HUGE.

Compare this suit:

to this one:

photo: gq.com

Huge difference, right?

Even if you don’t get the colors and patterns right, a good fitting suit will still flatter you. Fit is king and I cannot stress this enough.

Pay special attention to the way pants fall down on your shoes. They shouldn’t have too may breaks down there. If that’s the case, rest assured that any tailor can fix that by making minor adjustments.

The jacket’s length has to fit you right from the get-go. Your good friend the tailor can’t help you there. A right-fitting jacket will only go down about halfway over your behind. That’s the ideal length from which you have a margin of error of about an inch (but no more).

If the sleeves length is a little too big or if the jacket needs adjustments on the sides – that’s not a problem. The tailor can remove any excess fabric wherever there is a sewing line.

Step #3: Colors, Patterns and Style

If you’ve taken care of steps 1 and 2 then all is left is to make an awesome impression. To be the life of the party. The man everyone wants to talk with.

You have a lot of options to mix and match your suit with your shirt and tie or pocket square but, before you think about those, think about the shoes you’re going to be wearing (by the way, shoes is another standalone chapter in my Be Stylish eBook from the package).

Once you have those shoes handled, it’s time you consider on the color and pattern of the suit.

So, here’s my quick color list:

• black
• navy blue
• dark brown
• dark blue
• dark green
• charcoal gray

Those are basic. To take things one step further, try these colors:

• miedium green
• medium blue
• cream

Ok, let’s explore some fabrics:

• pinstripes
• prince of Wales
• herringbone
• houndstooth
• bird’s eye

You may not be familiar with all of these patterns but I can assure you – all of them will make you look very stylish.

Certain patterns are usually seen on suits of a certain fabric. Herringbone, houndstooth and glen check are such examples, usually found on thick wool suits like tweed.

Patterned suits (except pinstripe) are less formal than their solid color counterparts. Therefore, you shouldn’t wear them to any formal dinners but you can wear them to a wedding for instance, where the atmosphere is more relaxed.

Step #4: Choose Your Jacket

While this may be of secondary importance, the choice between a single-breasted suit jacket and a double breasted one may be important.

Double breasted jackets (which have 2 rows of buttons in the front), while they’re more formal than single breasted ones, can be very unflattering for men with narrower shoulders and torso.

If, on the other hand, you’re tall and thin, a double breasted jacket will make you look a tiny bit wider. That’s a small plus but the biggest reason is that they’ll – you guessed it – make you stand out more.

Step #5 It’s all in the Details

You may be surprised but most suits in stores have buttons which are actually sewed to the other side of the sleeve! It’s like they don’t even expect you to unbutton them.

If you’re in a serious meeting then it’s ok. However, there’s a big “roll up” trend which also happens to include suit jackets. You need to be able to unbutton those sleeve buttons on your suit jacket to roll up your shirt’s cuffs over it. It’s a very bold move but – hey – you’re a very bold man.

Another important little detail is the jacket’s lapel. A peak lapel is more formal and less common. However, if all other factors are according to my guidelines (fabric, fit, color) then I strongly recommend you buy the damn thing. A peak lapel is an extremely stylish way of showing that you yourself are bold.

OK, I’ve only touched some of the basics here but it should be enough to make a good purchase that will last you for years to come. Of course, when you get your second and third suit, you should try to be even bolder, but let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?

The post Finding Your Next Suit appeared first on Be Stylish!.

Choosing a suit is a daunting task. you’ve got fabric, color, fit and so on to worry about. But what if we wanted to be a little more stylish and add another level of complexity? Welcome to the world of three-piece suits.

A three-piece suit is essentially a suit with a waistcoat. The three pieces are (obviously) the suit jacket, the pants and the respective waistcoat.

Since most suits are made of only two pieces, a three piece suit will give you that unique edge you will need in a formal situation. While most guys are still wearing their two-piece suits, by adding an extra layer into yours, you will make a strong fashion statement.

But you can’t do this every time. If it’s really hot outside, wearing a waistcoat is not a really great idea. You’ll most likely want to remove even the suit jacket in order to keep yourself cool.

Who used to wear a three-piece suit?

The three-piece suit was worn by many celebrities, including Clark Gable and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Here’s Clark in one of his suits (look carefully and you’ll spot the vest):

The benefits of wearing a waistcoat

The waistcoat isn’t there just to look good – it has some other advantages too. First off, it has a trimming effect!

If you’re wearing a light-colored (or a white) shirt, a darker waistcoat will distract the attention from your belly and up to your neck and face.

Second, it helps keep the tie in place. If you’re not wearing a tie clip, chances are your tie will bounce around as you make different movements. A waistcoat removes the need for a tie clip and makes sure the tie stays in its place. The side effect of that is that there’s a smaller chance that the tie knot will deviate to either left or right.

Confession: I’ve actually taken a GREAT picture in a two-piece suit, only to realize that my tie knot was off to the right. The windy conditions as well as the lack of a waistcoat made that unfortunate accident happen.

Never wear loafers with a three-piece suit. Such types of suits require a higher level of formality so always go for lace-up shoes.

Also, never wear a waistcoat from another suit. Mixing and matching suit pieces is always a bad idea.

Fabrics

Just like when buying any other suit, make sure you stick to either wool or cotton. Wool blends such as tweed or flannel are also great.

Stay away from polyester, nylon and any synthetic blends.

What suit color should I choose and how should I match it with my shirt, tie and pocket square?

Well, this is a pretty long answer. I covered suits in depth in my book which is part of the Be Stylish ™ Package but I’ll give you a few tips right here.

First off, consider your skin tone. If you have light skin complexion, go for a lighter suit. Light grey, blue, light green and beige are great suit colors.

On the other hand, if you have darker skin, think of purchasing a darker-colored suit, such as navy blue, dark brown or dark grey.

Careful, though! If you have light skin but you want to wear the suit for business situations well… in that case you DON’T want a light colored suit. Why? Because you need to also consider the seriousness of the situation. Dark and medium colors are recommended for you in such cases. Get a lighter colored suit for weddings and any other non-business-related occasions.

Take a look at this Simon Spurr 3-piece suit below. Notice how the guy has a light skin complexion and the suit is medium gray. This is what he should be wearing on a business meeting.

Any shade of gray that is lighter than the one in the picture and he’d be sending the wrong message to his business partners.

Want to go that extra mile?

If you want to look even more stylish in your three piece suit, there are a few things you can do.

Number one: get a wrist watch and have its watchband match your shoes and belt.

Number two (this is getting interesting, isn’t it?): wear a pocket square.

Number three (you’re going to love this one): wear a watch chain on your suit vest. Something like this:

photo: Indochino.com

This suit is from Indochino, by the way.

Number four (for an extravagant yet stylish look): attach a pocket watch to your watch chain described above. Very few people wear pocket watches but if you’re really looking to show off amazing style and class… go ahead and do it.

The post Why You Should Get a Three-Piece Suit appeared first on Be Stylish!.

One of the things no man wants is to look like the next guy. If he’s at a wedding or at a business meeting,this can happen a lot. That’s why a pinstripe suit will shield you away from that boring (yet classic) James Bond look and take you to the realm of fashion conscious men. Let’s leave mr. Bond’s solid suits for a moment and find you a suit that will make you stand out.

What are pinstripes?

Pinstripes are nothing more than a pattern of very thin stripes, commonly found on suits. Such suits used to be considered too formal to be worn outside business meetings and 9-to-5 jobs. However, leading designers soon realized they can make this pattern work for a wider range of social situations… So they started to include pinstripe suits more and more in their collections.

The stripes are more or less visible from a distance, depending on the contrast they make with the suit’s color.

Why pinstripes?

Because it’s a great way to stand out. Sure, you can choose a good suit color that complements your skin tone, you can wear a great shirt, tie and pocket square with it.

Pinstripes are yet another way to show some class. Not only that but it’s the #1 way to look taller. Stripes are great to gain a few inches in height(or at least to fool the viewer’s eyes). The pinstripes are present on both on the suit’s jacket and pants so the effect is that much more powerful.

If I could describe the pinstripe suit with one word, that would be… authoritative. So, if you feel this is you or this is what you want to project, the pinstripe suit is definitely for you.

When can you wear a pinstripe suit?

Pinstripe suits are suitable for a wide array of occasions. Wear them at…

• weddings
• business meetings
• formal dinners
• restaurants, at special occasions

Do NOT wear pinstripe suits in…

• bars and clubs
• with your beer buddies if you’re out to watch a sports game (this is obvious but worth mentioning anyway)
• on dates (usually this is not a great idea because dates are suppose to be fun. Suits should only be worn at events that show some level of formality.)

Of course, you should also consider what other people are wearing when deciding to go for a pinstripe suit or not. If you’re going to a restaurant dinner between friends and family and everyone is dressed really casual, then you’re probably better off with chinos and a sports jacket.

I know style is individual and that you shouldn’t care what other people are wearing too much…

BUT:

If everyone’s wearing t-shirts and you’re the only one in a suit, that’s going to be a little weird, isn’t it? Always remember to adjust your degree of formality to what your peers will be wearing.

A few pictures

Let’s start off with 50 cent wearing a grey suit with white pinstripes. As you can see, his suit complements his dark skin very well.

And here’s a designer suit by Ermengildo Zegna:

And another by Laurence David:

photo: ldcustomapparel.com

How to match pinstripes (this is a biggie)

Did you look closely at the pictures above? If you haven’t, you missed out on the biggest secret when it comes to pinstripes. Trust me, 99,9999% of men out there have no clue about it.

The big secret is to match the pinstripes to your shirt. Please take a moment to review the above pictures and take a closer look.

Interesting, right?

The post A Man’s Guide to the Pinstripe Suit appeared first on Be Stylish!.

Just like Hamlet in the classic Shakespeare play, we have set ourselves to make a choice between those two types of jackets. Unlike the famous play, we hope that our question won’t remain unanswered.

In clothing,  single breasted refers to a coat, jacket or similar garment having one column of buttons and a narrow overlap of fabric. Single-breasted suit jackets typically have two or three buttons (less common one is four), and a notch lapel.

The notch lapel is one of the most common lapels in formal wear, as seen in the picture below:

photo:davidsformalwear.com

From the 1930s onwards, the peaked lapel single breasted suits became popular:

photo:regent.blogs.com

If one designer would like to personalize the design of the single breasted suit, the most common practice would be to work on the width of the lapel. Take a look at this smaller peak lapel:

photo:bridalconference.com

How to make sure your single breasted suit is on the edge

Shoulders

The shoulder of the suit should end at the edge of the deltoids, creating a natural line that drops down from the shoulder.

Coat length

The length of a coat is extremely important for the overall balance of your suit. First of all, it should be long enough to cover your buttocks and second of all, with hands to your side, the coat should end where your thumb meets your forefinger.

Button Position

The button position is where your top button is located.It’s important because it creates a balance point between the upper part (where the widest part of the thorax is), and the bottom part (where the panels meet). When you have it correctly, it prevents an ugly bunch up of the suit when seated.

Traditional tailors will locate this button point half an inch below the natural waist. The natural waist is the narrowest part of the waist. For most men, this would be an inch or two above the navel. Take a look at the picture below:

photo:tuktuk.com

For 2-button coats, this impacts where the top button should be placed, and for 3-button coats, where the middle button should be placed. Less buttons mean a bigger V in the front. Thus, 2 button coats create the illusion of a bigger height that the actual one.

Sleeves

Coat sleeves should show half an inch of the shirt sleeves when standing with arms by your side. The shirt sleeve itself should be about half an inch to one inch below the wrist bone.

Armhole Position

An often neglected but extremely important detail is the armhole position. This should be set as high as possible, no more than an inch below your armpit.

This minimizes the chances of your entire coat riding up when you raise your arms. A coat riding up in this manner is extremely unsightly, and one of the surest signs of a bad fit.

And now, the double breasted suit enters the ring

The double-breasted suit has always been considered a conservative suit choice, but its style is timeless. Because of the heavy fabric, it’s not so recommended in the hot summer months. Best choices, speaking of patterns, are windowpane and pinstripe patterns.

photo:nelsonwade.com

Plain-front trousers are very usual, but a traditional double-breasted suit demands a trouser with a pleat at the waist, such as these:

photo:detroitfashionpages.com

At more formal events, wear a french cuff, and go wild when it comes to cuff links.

photo:stephentrendy.files.wordpress.com

So you have in one corner the sleek and cool single breasted suit, and in the other the traditional and hefty double breasted suit. As you are now armed with the power of knowledge, go out there and see what goes best for you.

The post Single Breasted or Double Breasted Jackets… That Is The Question appeared first on Be Stylish!.

Now, let me ask you a quick question: do you think the image of the calculated, witty and charming 007 is the result of just a pretty face and good acting?

Yep, you guessed it, the suit plays a crucial role in all of this. James Bond in shorts and an over-sized short-sleeved shirt wouldn’t be as charming, would he?

Let’s talk about what I believe to be the absolute best suit color out there: the navy suit.

If this is your first suit, you should definitely go with navy, because you’ll be covered for whatever events you need to attend.

And if you just feel like you want to wear it one day, just for the heck of it, that’s ok too.

What is the color navy?

Navy is often mistaken for black, and for good reason. Navy is a really dark blue, very close to black. If the lighting isn’t good or if you’re just not paying attention to it, you’ll barely notice the difference.

Let me point that difference out to you:

Actually, the navy blue shown above isn’t even that dark, you can see Daniel Craig’s suit at the top is much darker.

Now, one important thing to consider from a chromatic perspective is that navy blue is a NETURAL. Other neutrals include black, white, gray and any dark colors. It’s important to note that neutrals go really well with most colors.

When can you wear a navy suit?

The navy suit is probably the most versatile suit you can find. You can wear it to proms, to the office, to business meetings and, of course, to weddings.

Now, you might want to stand out a little more at a wedding than you would at a business meeting, right? Even though you’ll be wearing the same suit, it’s the shirt and the accessories that will make the difference. But, at the core of your outfit, there’s gonna be the same stylish navy suit.

So, if for a business meeting you might opt for a white shirt and a gray tie (gray works really well with navy, by the way), at a wedding you can choose a white shirt with red microchecks, a red tie and a white pocket square with polka dots.

Bored with solid colors? Try a pinstripe suit

The advantage of navy suits is that you can match them with both black and brown belts and shoes, unlike the black suit. And, if you are a creative person, you can play a little bit. Instead of wearing a plain navy suit, you could wear a pinstripe suit, or with a textured fabric.

\

photo:1.bp.blogspot.com

Now, for the main topic of this article, finding the shirt and tie best suitable to your suit. First of all look carefully at your suit and notice all the colors and shades on it (especially if you are looking at a pinstripe suit).

Overall, the look of the suit is blue but up close we find it has fine lines in teal, maroon and gray. Once you have selected the color of the suit you need to find more of it and the easiest place to do this is with your tie, to complement it. The color of the tie will definitely need some contrast.

Choose a tie in a bold color

Here’s a great combo: a pinstripe suit, a solid color shirt and a patterned tie. Consider a solid navy suit with white shirt or light blue shirt and striped tie.

photo:3.bp.blogspot.com

Wear a pinstripe suit with a uni shirt. For a striped navy suit, try a solid blue shirt or white shirt and foulard tie.

Looking to stand out even more?

If you want to impress the ladies, I’ve got some great ideas for you (and they all involve your navy suit).

The best way to stand out is to pair your suit with a shirt in a bold color. A navy suit (whether it has pinstripes or not) will work great with a light pink or even regular pink shirt.

If pink is not really you, you have another option to playing with color: playing with patterns.

Accessorize

Colors are great but accessories are even better. Very few men know how to jazz-up a formal suit. When I try to talk with them about accessories, all they think about are ties. Needless to say, there’s a world of formal accessories out there that are trending right now. THey just don’t know it.

Pocket squares, tie bars, tie clips, cufflinks, hats, belts (some of them are stylish, others look terrible on them and they don’t even know it), watches – make your pick. And just in case you don’t know how to pick them and how to match them, I can help.

Too much? Try THIS combo:

How about this: a pinstripe suit, a checked shirt and a striped tie. Would you be able to handle mixing three patterns together?

Remember: since the suit color is dark, the shirt and tie color should be lighter for a formal look. Here’s a silver tie that would work well with a navy suit:

photo:www.ctshirts.co.uk

You can also try a deep purple tie:

photo: hawesandcurtis.com

Matching the tie and suit

When matching the tie, you can never fail with patterns (stripes, checks, polka dots etc.). Striped ties are the number one choice you should consider. As for the color, it should have some blues or grays while the rest can be of more striking colors like, pink, yellow, green or red. Here’s what I mean:

photo:slimages.macys.com

Wrap-up

Before we wrap this up, I want to tell you that this is probably the most important article on the blog. Because if I can help you pull a kick-ass outfit with a navy suit, the rest of my style will fall into place a lot easier.

Remember: it’s better to have 2 quality suits (which, if you look hard enough, you can find them rather cheap) than to have 5 cheap ones. Get a quality fabric, take care of it, don’t abuse it and it WILL last you a lifetime.

Now…

A navy suit is just the beginning, what’s really cool is that there are lots of things you can do to improve your style, and I’m not talking just about special occasions. Take a look here to learn more.

P.S. If you’re looking for a black suit, I have a separate article about that (pictures included) right here.

The post Shirt and Tie Combinations For a Navy Suit appeared first on Be Stylish!.

If you thought getting a suit will make you look stylish, how about you take this to the next level and get a three piece suit? If you haven’t heard too much about it or you’re afraid it’s too “business” for you, let me shed some light on the matter.

Let me first tell you what a 3-piece suit is…

A 3-piece suit is no different than an ordinary suit except it has one extra item: the vest. If you wore vests in casual situations, like I advised you is some of my other articles, you’re already familiar with it.

So a three piece suit = suit jacket + suit pants + vest.

Why a vest?

As to why the vest became a part of the suit ,we’d have to look back into history. It seems that King Charles II enforced this “fashion rule” way back in 1666, which stood around up until nowadays.

The fact is, a suit vest can give a guy some big advantages (which I shamefully kept for myself until now because I realized I’ve never written about this).

The vest can help you in two ways:

1. It makes your chest look bigger
2. It makes your waist look smaller

Those are two fantastic reasons to wear a 3-piece suit!

Obviously, you can’t get the vest from another suit or wear one that you bought separately. All three pieces come in a set and they should always be worn together.

Since the only new element here is the vest, the other rules related to suits still apply to the 3-piece suit so you don’t have anything new to learn.

If you don’t know the basics about suits, I have a men style book that will help you out. If you do, let’s move on and talk a little about the vest.

The great thing about a suit vest as opposed to a casual one is that it has a back adjuster. The purpose of it is to allow yourself to adjust the vest to fit perfectly over your waist. This means that, when you buy a 3-piece suit, you shouldn’t worry too much about the vest – just try on the jacket and the pants. If they fit, the vest will fit you as well.

One thing before using the back adjuster (or the side adjusters that some suit vest have): sit down for a few second AFTER you’ve adjusted it to make sure it fits. if you feel uncomfortable, try loosening it up a little.

The second thing I want you to remember is never to try to “color match” your vest with your suit. I’ve said this before in this article but it’s well worth mentioning again: the suit jacket, the pants and the vest should be made from the same color and same fabric – buy them and wear them together.

In fact… please don’t even try to match them even if you think they have “pretty much” the same color.

Wearing the suit without the vest

In the summer, wearing that suit vest can make you very hot. I know that and, if you’re wondering if you can skip the vest, my answer is a definite YES. 3-piece suits can be transformed in 2-piece suits.

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