I’m in agreement with the gray suit crowd - simple, but elegant, and a color that will suit spring, fall, or winter weddings, funerals, or job interviews. (Summer wedding, I’m assuming that you have a nice seersucker.)
As for choosing a good suit, I also agree that a three button is probably the most timeless option. Check the rear view for whether a one- or two-vent jacket works best for your body type. And look for a very good lightweight wool material - not shiny, not flashy, but the best quality material you can afford. (Take a straight woman shopping with you. Really.)
Personally I think you should buy a charcoal gray and a dark blue suit. IMO you’d be set for any suit wearing occasion with those. However, if you can only afford one right now, go with the dark blue. Go with a light wool. The classic two button will serve you well also. You can buy a decent suit off the rack at any good department store (hint… Dillard’s) and get it altered to suit your body style.
I don’t know how your tie situation is Sampiro but you can get some pretty nice ties for cheap to jazz up a suit. As for shirts, well, of course the classic white but solid colors and pinstripes are good too.
I trust you have a nice pair of black leather shoes too.
This is fun! Like having our very own “Sampiro dress up doll”.
FWIW I’ve always been sort of drawn to pinstripes. They seem to be coming back in suits because I’ve noticed one or two legislators or other government officials wearing them in the past week or so.
I’ll have to go suit shopping myself pretty soon and am considering pinstripes.
Seconded.
BTW - If I overstated the high, tight, lapels issue, as I probably did, it was done on purpose to highlight the issue. People can choose what they like, but I just wanted to put the issue out there.
Thirded (or whatever) for the double vent at the back. If you’ve got some butt, then the two vents will give you a much nicer shaped back-line. Really.
Re Navy. Navy can be problematic. Although my favorite suit among those I own just happens to be a navy one, that is more a result of the fabric and cut than the color. The trouble with navy is that there is so much room for error in the hue. Too much towards the “blueness”, coupled with a medium quality fabric, and you are going to look like a cop. Too much towards the black side and you may as well just get black. It’s a fine balance. In my humble opinion, and this is just me, but a navy suit works best with a winter weight fabric (wool or wool blend). I don’t think it’s a color suited to a medium weight, all-year-round suit. Whereas a charcoal gray can take a medium weight, which is the kind of fabric Sampiro would be looking for I guess.
What else? Oh yeah. If you think the solid charcoal is too boring (but it’s not! As others have said, a bold tie and a brilliant-white dress shirt (French collar please) can make ALL the difference), then you can look for a fabric that has it’s own texture. A herringbone stitch, for example, can lend a sort of aristocratic elegance to the whole look.
“You know the difference between you and me? I make this look good.” – Agent J.
Are “earth tones” out now? I know that was all the fashion rage a few years ago, and I was persuaded to purchase a brown suit that actually looks really good, but I’m guessing that the color scheme might not meet muster with the current fashionista contingent. Not so much that I care, mind you, but if I’m going to go drop coin on a new suit (and I probably need a couple) then I figure I should to match current styles.
Oh, and Argent Towers, I can’t offer the “queer eye” perspective, but I think you’re missing both on high style and low camp there; if you really want to go for the used car salesman look you’ll need to get a much broader and boldly striped tie, and switch the tweed for polyester. The getup you have looks more like a junior humanities professor on the make.
I concur. Unless you are a 50-something CEO, a funeral director or going to a costume party as an M.I.B. or one of the Reservoir Dogs, a black suit is a bit much.
We women have a lot more leeway with suit colors; I could wear a purple suit and no one would compare me to a pimp. I have a great brown suit (I love wearing a bright colored camisole/shell underneath, like a near hot-pink or a bright spring green) that looks great. Few guys can work the brown suit, though, like msmith537 said.
