It seems like no matter how much fashion evolves, a great suit will forever remain a staple of any man’s wardrobe. But just like finding the perfect watch or pair of dress shoes, investing in a suit that fits you like a glove, meets your styling needs and is within your budget is no mean feat.
In this article, we’ll help you get started by breaking down the process and guiding you through it step by step. Below, you’ll find four of the most important things to consider while browsing the shops for this essential piece.
What Do You Need It For?
First off, knowing why you’re even looking to buy a suit in the first place is alpha and omega. For years, the classic, fitted black or navy suit was touted as the only suit you’d ever need and mainly reserved for special occasions or professional settings. But in recent years, baggier styles have made a comeback for all kinds of occasions, at some of which the tighter fit might now look a bit stuffy. This year, loose, boxy silhouettes are the height of fashion, either luxuriously draped in colorful fabrics (and perhaps even bejeweled) for an effortlessly cool formal look – or combined with streetwear for a casual, heightened everyday look. Since some of these styles require very different suits, it’s important to consider in which ways you would like to use yours before buying. If you’re not on a budget, it might even be worth considering splurging on a few different options if you’re feeling adventurous.
Quality vs. Quantity
Next up, you’ll also need to consider how long you want your investment to last – and that in many cases, you get what you pay for. When it comes to longevity and attention to detail, you simply can’t beat expertly hand-tailored pieces made from quality fabric.
Take a fresco suit, for instance: By investing in this, you get a classic, crease resistant piece that drapes beautifully and is light and comfortable to wear – which will last you for many years to come and allows for easy styling for both everyday looks and formal occasions. But on the other hand: If you’re not looking for one single suit that works for everything, but just want plenty of trendy options to play with, you might be better off investing in a few different, cheaper options. Either way, it’s all about having your priorities straight before you spend lots of money on a suit you may not even end up using.
Budget vs. Longevity.
This leads us perfectly into our last thing to consider when buying a suit, which is a lot more about practically than style or preferences: What’s your budget for your purchase, and how high do you need the quality of the piece to be – and do these two factors realistically align? While most people ideally want a durable, high-quality suit, paying what these usually cost just isn’t always possible for your financial situation.
And even if it is, you should also be sure that you’ll actually use the suit more than a few times in your life. If not, renting might be a better option for you – and maybe even allow you to go for a more expensive option than what you could afford to buy. If you still want to buy your suit and are thinking of going down the cheap route, it’s important to remember that you might not be saving as much money as you think. Because while the suit will cost you less than half the price of a designer piece, it’ll also wear thin way quicker. In general, a good rule of thumb is to find an option that strikes the perfect balance between price and durability.