It is usually called a business suit today, a sign that many of us have forgotton that the suit was worn daily by our anglo-influenced predecessors. Indeed, the most interesting examples of the genre to my mind are the non-business suits of the past, like the pair worn by the (American) footballers in the 1936 Esquire illustration. Such suits remain appropriate as well as interesting for daytime occasions ranging from holiday gatherings to museum going.
The components of the non-business ensemble are well represented in the illustration. They include the patterned suit in tweed or flannel, brown blucher shoes (with double or crepe soles), colored shirts, wool or cashmere neckties, and silk pocket squares. The combination looks great, wears warm enough for the season, and provides storage for all of a man's stuff in its many pockets.
Consider the non-business suit.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Non-Business Suit
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6 comments:
As you say, Will, the most interesting suits are often those that would be unsuitable (ahem) for business.
That being said, if considering a single breasted, plain navy suit with a double breasted waistcoat, would peak lapels be the better choice, or should one stick with notch?
I have a suit... its a flannel light navy with very blurred light blue chalkstripes. I find that although it is completely unsuitable for a work environment, it has been excellent as a weekend or "casual" suit.
I hope (when I have the monetary capabilities) to invest in more casual suits.
Levi, the answer depends on how many suits you have. If it would be your third, stick with notch. They are less memorable, which is what you want when you are building a wardrobe.
If on the other hand you have nine notch SBs, a peak lapelled tenth would be a nice change of pace.
My thanks, Will, for the response.
It will be my 8th or 9th suit, but the thing is that most of mine have a peak lapel already... It was a phase, I guess.
In any event, I think the dressiness of the DB vest calls for the peak yet again, and so it goes.
Thank you for this post, Will.
It is my firm belief that the business suit has killed men's style. By making it a requirement for showing up at the office, the suit has become the most uninteresting piece of clothing a man could wear because it has been homogenized. It has become boring. Look at politicians, they wear the same suit all over the world, each and every one of them, the exact same bland navy suit with the white shirt and the power tie. Young people look at the yuppies and the politicians and form a negative image in their minds about the suit, and they choose to wear hoodies with sweatpants when it's cold and t-shirts with shorts and sandals when it's hot. Now compare this to the suits worn by the men in the Esquire illustration... Vests, materials in Earthly (or else daring) tones, double-breasted, peak lapels, hats, the business suit has killed such things, and made suits a boring clothing choice, if compulsory, by homogenizing it. If a politician ever showed up in Parliament in a Glenplaid-patterned db suit, maybe I'd consider voting for him... And if he showed up in a vested corduroy suit, I'd go to his rallies...
I've only recently found this wonderful website and subscribed to the email list and find the information both informative and entertaining.
On this subject, I try to mix a little business with pleasure, by not sticking to the same old navy suit and plain shirts at the office or at clients. What I have found is that by actually being well dressed I find my colleagues asking me for advice on what can and cannot be worn together. Without intention I have become someone my friends, the ones without huge egos, turn to when they have concerns about pairings.
I still have alot to learn about wardrobes and Men's clothes, notches vs. peak lapelles etc., but I look forward to great insights from this wonderful resource.
All The Best,
John
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