Men of the world, it’s time to take a stand. It is a new year, time to discard the ripped jeans, Ed Hardy paraphernalia, super tight T’s, and gaudy jewelry. It’s time to think about future goals, take charge of life, and get a look that is as timeless, unique, and purposeful as you are. Go; take charge of the world, not the other way around.
Yes gentlemen, I’m talking about a suit. Why a suit, you ask? A suit is the one weapon in the male arsenal that that can break societal, economical, cultural and even physical boundaries. It never fails, when used correctly. The golden ticket. Every man should own at least one suit, but as with everything in life, rules must be followed.
The aptly named TwentiesLife.com is focused on the twenty-something’s of the world. That being said, when wearing a suit, one should be seen as put together, modern, confident, and proper. It’s truly disheartening to see a mid-twenties individual in a suit that yells grandfather or stuffy. A properly fitted suit should exemplify your best qualities and down play the not-so-good. There is no such thing as a perfect person. Everyone has flaws and shortcomings, and a suit that is made to fit your body type and of good quality evens the playing field just a little bit. Now that the pep talk is done, time to find the perfect suit for you.
The Coat:
The Do:
The only colors acceptable for a first suit are black, navy blue, or grey. These three colors are versatile for any event and can matched with virtually any shirt and still look great.
Do find a good tailor. A well experienced tailor can make a good suit into an extraordinary suit that was made to fit you perfectly.
The Don’ts
When trying on a coat, DON’T stretch out your arms in crazy positions as if you were doing yoga poses. A coat is made to lay over you like, uh, a coat. It’s not spandex, it’s meant to move with your body. When checking for arm length, just relax with your arms to the sides. Check to see if sleeves end just prior to the break of the wrist.
Also, DON’T try to do the Hulk pose to see is the back is tight. Think about it, how often are you going to be at an event posing in that manner? NEVER! If so, change outfits or find some new people to associate yourself with. When trying to measure the length of your coat, check to see if the back covers your rear.
Double vs. Single Breasted
Double breasted suits are ideal for men with a medium to tall build that lack a gut. If you’re interested in a double breasted coat, make sure you have it tailored around the waist to emphasize your shoulders. A double breasted suit is the quintessential suit; because of a timeless look that always stands apart of from the crowd and boasts, “I’m miles ahead of the game.”
Single breasted suits are a common sight in today’s America, it’s a versatile look that can be appropriate for any event. Unlike a double breasted coat, which is on the upper echelon of dressy, a single breasted coat can be dressed up or down and still be appropriate.
Buttons #
For men with a short to medium stature, don’t buy suits with more than two buttons. The greater the amount of buttons, the longer the coat, the shorter your legs (as well as you) will appear. Regardless of height, the number of buttons should never exceed 3, the Zoot Suit look is dead. Regardless of height, a two button suit is classic and always in fashion.
The Pants
When looking at the slacks, look for a flat front trouser. Currently in fashion is a flat front pant with plain bottoms. A cuff is still appropriate and adds a bit a weight to your pants allowing them to hang properly. When trying on a pair of trousers, make sure you can fit one finger into the waist to ensure it’s not too tight, and don’t wear pants with and abnormally high or low rise. You are neither a cowboy nor a rapper wearing a suit.
Fabric
For a first suit, go with a worsted wool suit. Write it down, Say it, Memorize it. For a first suit, worsted wool is THE one and only choice for a suit. It can be worn year round and it’s very durable. It can be found in various weights, and breathes quite well. When looking at the quality of a suit, look at the twist number. Twist number range from 60 – 120 A suit composed of less than 80 twists is of poor quality, and remember: The higher the twist number, the better the quality, the pricier it can be.
The above criteria are just a few of the guidelines to having a GQ-ed look of your own. As a first suit, the idea is to buy something timeless, not just what is “in” for that season. A first suit has to be able to do a plethora of tasks and still look fresh.
Alright. Now that you’ve learned a thing or two, it’s time for show and tell. Was your first suit the right choice? Was it a classic, timeless suit? Having read this, would you make the same choice again? Tell us your first suit buying experience by leaving a comment below.
