Three Standard Suits

[RyFranzese24]

I am starting to put together a wardrobe, and wanted get some standard suits. I own only a charcoal single-breasted pinstripe. I read once there are three basic suits to own, but it escapes my mind. I know one was a gray suit, but I cannot be sure which other two to own. I tried searching the forum, but I could not find anything specifically for this. It is also harder than you might think to Google 'three standard suits,' and have an abundance of 'three button' matches, so please go easy on me if this is asked here every day. Does anyone know what the three standards are, or does anyone have a personal preference? Thanks, guys and gals.

 

[Orgetorix]

I would think that a charcoal single breasted, a navy double breasted, and a slightly less formal "Friday suit" would cover just about all the occasions on which you'd need to wear a suit.

 

[CharlestonBows]

When you say three starters, you want to go with some workhorse suitings. This means, generally, stick to single breasted in standard button stances, i.e. 2 or 3 button (preferably 2). Keep the fabrics simple, wearable, and versatile. This means, stay away from really pronounced stripes and patterns.

You have the gray - that's a smart first step. You next want to go with a basic, single breasted navy. This is a must have, "as basic as sugar in a grocery store" as I like to say. Next, go with a basic black. Now, some folks might disagree, but black is always appropriate, usable and correct.

Then you might think about branching out into some shades of gray - lighter gray, dark gray, charcoal, patterned navy (like my sartorial obsession, navy pinstripes, a la 'Avengers'**), and maybe some double breasted thrown in here and there.

That'll get you started.


** - And yes, I know it's the movie, not the show, but it was the clearest picture of Mr. Steed that I could find on short notice. Uma Thurman doesn't hurt, either

 

[Will]

Navy solid, charcoal solid, charcoal pin stripe and navy pin stripe are the four basic suits. Pick one of the latter two for your third.

 

[Fletch]

Your 4 basic suits are all dark. What does that tell us about the appropriateness of suits today?

I think it says "strictly 9 to 5 and for elegant events" - and only in certain traditionalist industries, and with people of that milieu after hours.

If I could have only 2 suits, I would take navy and cambridge grey.
The third would be a multi-hued glen plaid on a charcoal blue base.

 

[Jovan]

Cambridge grey? Is that similar to Oxford grey, Fletch?

I would personally do a light grey, as it's cool to wear during the day and livens up an otherwise dark suit wardrobe. Something like this jacket's colour would be appropriate most any time. (Obviously if you want to look more "serious," a dark suit would be the better choice.) If any of you hate this gent and his clothing, apologies, but focus on the fabric. Like him though, you can interchange your jackets and trousers with good results. It's especially good if you don't have a lot of sport coats and need a more casual look at times.

10 oz worsted, depending on where you live, is a classic choice and wears pretty well. The even lighter tropical worsteds are nice and airy (especially if you get unlined trousers and half-lined coat) but will require more care in the pressing department because of their thinness. Choose wisely. The winter months are not the time for tropicals, as you have probably gathered.

 

[Daniel]

A really nice thing about a proper single-breasted navy suit is that you can use the coat as a sport coat...with khakis, for example.

 

[Jovan]

That's also what I was getting at, Daniel. Many may argue that it isn't a "proper" blazer with horn instead of brass buttons, but I think it looks nicely understated.

 

[Undertow]

I think this list is pretty good:

Matt's List

 

[Sefton]

I suppose the "standard" part of this thread's title rules out the now far from standard brown color for a suit. Too bad it's dropped off the radar...

 

[Will]

Your 4 basic suits are all dark. What does that tell us about the appropriateness of suits today?

I think it says "strictly 9 to 5 and for elegant events" - and only in certain traditionalist industries, and with people of that milieu after hours.

If I could have only 2 suits, I would take navy and cambridge grey.
The third would be a multi-hued glen plaid on a charcoal blue base.

My list is for a major metro area. Lot of places a check is too informal then - you can always be a bit too dark when too light won't get you past the gatekeeper. I think of the glen check as a sixth suit for the city.

For a man who needs to wear suits but is working in a less formal place like a suburban office complex, your list is great.

 

[Fletch]

'K Will, good advice. Thanks.

Being in greater NYC myself, I do usually wear something dark when on a Serious Job (say consulting with bluebloods or playing jazz for one of their dos).

I do have a navy blue chalkstripe on hand, but stripes generally aren't my thing.

Jovan, I think of cambridge grey as dead-on medium (50% grey value in Photoshop), oxford grey as a touch lighter (perhaps 40%). Of course I could be off a bit.

 

[rygd]

I suppose the "standard" part of this thread's title rules out the now far from standard brown color for a suit. Too bad it's dropped off the radar...

How did blue stick but brown get dropped? Brown is the much nicer of the 2.

 

[cookie]

Standard suits

I noticed tonight that paulfrederick.com have USD 100 off their suits. I have bought a few on sale. No complaints. Ditto landsend.com[huh] [huh]

 

[Feraud]

Standard suits

Blue, brown, and green sharkskin suits. You asked.

For weddings, funerals, work, etc. you can get the humdrum blue and grays.

 

[Fletch]

How did blue stick but brown get dropped? Brown is the much nicer of the 2.

Possibly in the 50s, when WW2 veterans who had had to wear earth tones became influential tastemakers.

Or possibly after Charles Revson said that "a man in a brown suit looks like dookie." (Revson did not actually use the word dookie.)

The general stereotype, now somewhat faded, is that of a rube or country bumpkin. In England of course, there were city colors and country colors, brown being country.

I think there ought to be a National Brown Suit Week. Say sometime in early November.