The Beginner's Guide To Suit Shopping When You've Never Owned One

Walking into a suit store for the first time can feel confusing. The salespeople use words like lapels and half-canvassing. The mannequins look impossibly thin. All this is enough to make anyone turn around. But buying a suit does not have to be hard. You just have to ignore most of what salespeople say. Ask one question: what is this suit for? The answer decides everything. You do not need to become a suit expert. You just have to walk out with something that fits well and looks good.

Television makeover shows have convinced many men that buying a suit off the rack is a mistake. That isn’t exactly true. Most well-dressed people buy suits off the rack and then get them altered. The difference is the tailoring. A cheap suit that gets fitted will look better than an expensive suit that hangs loose. The most important part here is the shoulder fit. The sleeves can be shortened, the waist can be taken in, but the shoulders must fit right by all means. If they don't, put the jacket back. Do not listen to a salesperson who says a tailor can fix it because they can't. For the pants, the waist and seat can be adjusted, and the hem should hit the top of your shoe. The fabric should not bunch up around your ankle.

A lot of guys in suit stores pick shiny fabrics because they think shiny looks expensive. But that is the wrong move. A suit made from wool breathes better, drapes better, and doesn't rustle when you move. Polyester blends are cheaper, and they wrinkle less. That sounds good until the body is wrapped in plastic and the sweat builds up in uncomfortable places. For a first suit, a wool or wool-blend in a mid-weight fabric works in most weather and seasons. Linen suits look great on Instagram, but they crumple the second you sit down. They are good for beach weddings and nothing else. The number on the fabric tag, like Super 110s or 140s, tells how fine the wool is. Higher numbers mean softer fabric that also wears out faster. A first suit should stay in the middle and should be sturdy enough for a long day and soft enough not to feel like sandpaper.

Modern suits have changed a lot in the last ten years. First, they got very tight, like spray-on skinny jeans for men. Now they are billowy and huge on fashion runways. Both looks feel rather strange on a regular person buying a first suit. The better choice is a fit that follows your body without squeezing it. The jacket should close without pulling at the button. If you see wrinkles across the stomach, it's too tight. The sleeves should show a little bit of shirt cuff, maybe half an inch. The pants should sit at your natural waist, not down on your hips like jeans. When you try on a jacket, slide a flat hand between your chest and the closed jacket. It should fit without straining. If hugging someone would rip the seams, then you know the jacket is too small.

A surprising number of first-time suit buyers pick up their purchase and wear it straight out of the store, tags still dangling in some cases, because the idea of standing in front of a tailor with pins in the mouth feels too intimidating. What they don't know is that the tailor is the single most important part of the process, the difference between a suit that looks borrowed and a suit that looks made for you. The conversation is simple: the tailor needs to know where the trousers should break, how much cuff to show, and whether the jacket waist needs taking in. A good tailor will also point out things you missed, like a collar gap or sleeves that pitch at an odd angle. The appointment takes maybe twenty minutes, and the adjustments take a few days. The result is a garment that moves with the body instead of fighting it. 

When spring arrives, the suit becomes something you actually need. For grooms, the advice is simple. Buy the suit, don't rent it because rented suits look, well, rented. For guests, the invitation tells you what to wear. Cocktail attire means a dark suit and tie. Beach formal means lighter colors and breathable fabrics, whilst garden party means something that won't show grass stains. The tie and pocket square do not need to match exactly; in fact, they should not. A pocket square that works with the tie, instead of looking like it is a small detail that makes a person look like they know what they are doing.

The suit is the star of the show, but the accessories can torpedo the whole production. A beautiful navy suit paired with scuffed brown shoes and a black belt looks like a cry for help. The belt and shoes should match in color. Brown shoes with a navy suit are a classic move. Black shoes with charcoal are equally a safe choice. The socks should be long enough that no bare ankle flashes when you sit down. The shirt should be crisp and light-colored, white or pale blue, with a collar that sits neatly under the jacket lapels, which is what's needed here. A tie that hits the belt buckle is the correct length. All these details sound fussy, but they take about ninety seconds to execute correctly, and they signal to the world that the person wearing the suit is not a hostage situation waiting to happen.