Wearing suits casually

[cosmicvagrant]

Hi I'm new here and really thought this might be the best place for the kind of information I'm looking for.

I want to start wearing suits and dressing well in a casual environment, I'm not a young professional and don't work in an office but I'm talking about trying to look my best day-to-day, I see movies set in older times and everybody seems to be wearing a suit. Why does nobody do this anymore? You guys obviously know what I'm talking about but how can you pull it off casually, I get the feeling you will stand out and look out of place. Or do you just not care?

I am interested in getting a tailor made suit, right now the only one I've got is a standard off the rack dark navy slim fit suit I wore for a wedding once. The suits I am interested in wearing will be brown, maybe a sandy/rusty brown as well, a lighter alternative. I guess the only advice I'm looking for is how do you wear suits, do you wear them every day when your just nipping to the shops or meeting friends?

 

[PHIL1959]

The British actor Bill Nighy Always wears a blue suit, usually with an opened neck shirt. to my eyes he always looks smart.
I always try to wear a suit, linen in summer and wool in winter. To my eyes it looks smarter (esp. at my age mid 50's) than the normal street wear you see now a days.
and I don't mean kids, I mean people of my age and older.

 

[herringbonekid]

...I get the feeling you will stand out and look out of place. Or do you just not care?

i don't care. (i haven't had any nasty comments in years).

...how do you wear suits, do you wear them every day when your just nipping to the shops or meeting friends?

i don't wear suits every day, if i'm out, but usually wear some sort of sports jacket if not a suit.
i usually save suits for 'about town' days when i'm meeting friends, going to a gallery, shopping for interesting things (rather than just groceries). you know, self-indulgent days.

 

[Two Types]

Like HBK, I tend to save suits for the right occasion - nights out, meals etc. The rest of the time it's a jacket and contrasting trousers. The trick is not to be self conscious about what you are wearing. Forget the clothes and just do what you would normally do but in a suit. Going to watch football? Wear a tie clip so your tie doesn't get blown around.
You might self conscious at first, but everyone will get used to it.

 

[Qirrel]

I find that a suit can successfully be "casualized" in many ways. One of my favorites is wearing a plain suit with a high, round neck t-shirt or a turtleneck sweater.

 

[Fastuni]

Welcome cosmicvagrant.

If you want to avoid the office/business association, avoid dark (navy, charcoal, black) solid or pinstripe fabrics.

Light browns, beiges, greens, heather greys and structured fabrics like herringbone, but also patterns like checks and windowpanes will reinforce the casual look.
Also you might prefer to wear just a sportscoat (suit jacket) with odd trousers.

 

[countryclubjoe]

Welcome CosmicV

Keep in mind that a gentleman can never be over dressed.

Find some nice sport coats and trousers and mix them up from time to time, add the suits to you're wardrobe and wear them when ever you please...

Enjoy you're new look and please keep us posted.

Regards

CCJ

 

[Big Man]

... I get the feeling you will stand out and look out of place. Or do you just not care? ...

I'm almost 60 years old, stand 6' - 6" tall, and weigh 360 lbs. I already stand out.

I try to dress appropriate to what I'm doing. If I'm working, it's most always a pair of bib overalls. If I go to town, to church, to a meeting, out to eat, etc., I'll wear a suit. I really like a three-piece suit, but do understand it can sometimes look "too dressed up". So, for a more informal/casual look I usually will wear the pants and vest, with no tie. It's a look I've seen my grandfather wear in old pictures from the 1920's. If it worked for him, why not me?

You are to be complimented on wanting to look sharp.

 

[Metatron]

Good thread.
I will add that the more matt/rough the fabric is, the more natural it looks when worn casually, which is why vintage suits have an advantage here.
Modern run of the mill business suits (especially super wool and shiny polyester blends) are definitely hard to wear casually, because they are generally intended as a work uniform, not as something you wear all the time.
Matt Deckard expresses it well in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxVmZmimBSA

As to pulling it off without looking being self conscious and looking weird,
I try to turn things around and think of the way I perceive people who wear something out of the ordinary (albeit pull it off well).
I have a friend who wears a suit with a tie all the time. I don't think about it at all these days, and it certainly isn't off-putting or distracting.
He stuck with it, and now that is just how he looks now.
I remind myself of this whenever I feel self-conscious about being overdressed or looking strange etc.
The biggest encouragement you will get will be the inevitable compliments you will receive if you wear your clothes well, unusual or not.

 

[lordwinters]

I have always been interested in dressing sharp, but it's only this past year that I've actually started to realise my "dreams" if you wish. I still get a bit uncomfortable at times, but that usually wears off after an hour or so, as others have already said, all the compliments help.

And again, get yourself a nice suit, maybe a tan or a light grey, and then get some contrasting trousers and some nice shoes to that and that should serve as good everyday wear. And when you feel like looking a bit less casual, wear the suit trousers and use a handkerchief to match your shirt or tie, whatever you feel like. That way you can vary the degree of casuality (probably not a word but whatever), depending on what your doing, but still wearibg pretty much the same stuff.

Mind you I am still a newbie to all this as well, so my advice should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[Matt Crunk]

Cosmicvagrant, you don't state how old you are but I'm guessing from your post that you are quite young. Wearing a suit with any sort of authority can be a challenge for a young person, because many will see you as simply playing dress up. But don't be discouraged. Do you work, go to school? What is your typical daily routine? If we knew more about your daily activities that would help us to better guide you in your attire choices.

As the others have said, a sport coat is a good place to start. Pairing it with jeans keeps it very casual, or dress slacks if you want take it up a notch. I'd say start with that and allow yourself to get accustomed to the change, and to allow those around you time to adjust to your new look. Once you are comfortable in a sport coat, then a suit or two for dressier occasions would be in order. Most important when wearing a suit is to wear it comfortably and confidently, not like you're wearing a costume.

As for the type of suit you want, if you could post some photo examples of type suits you are interested in, that would help us direct you to a possible source and tell you specifically what to look for. Hope this helps.

 

[cosmicvagrant]

Thanks for the welcome.

Cosmicvagrant, you don't state how old you are but I'm guessing from your post that you are quite young. Wearing a suit with any sort of authority can be a challenge for a young person, because many will see you as simply playing dress up. But don't be discouraged. Do you work, go to school? What is your typical daily routine? If we knew more about your daily activities that would help us to better guide you in your attire choices.

I am 26 going on 27 come next month. I work night shifts at a supermarket and wear a not so glamorous uniform there. I don't always go out because I'm tired on some days and don't have much of a social life but I always go the cinema whenever there's a film I want to see, I try and get to the city a few times a month for the atmosphere, if it's not raining I sometimes go for walks around my local town. Basically whenever I'm out doing anything, I dislike what I'm wearing, I don't feel comfortable in the typical high street store stuff like at Topman or wherever but then I bought a suit for a wedding and I loved it and wondered why don't people wear these all the time, granted, as long as you take care of them!

Good thread.
I will add that the more matt/rough the fabric is, the more natural it looks when worn casually, which is why vintage suits have an advantage here.
Modern run of the mill business suits (especially super wool and shiny polyester blends) are definitely hard to wear casually, because they are generally intended as a work uniform, not as something you wear all the time.
Matt Deckard expresses it well in this video:

Aye, the navy blazer I've got is polyester but I have some money aside for something better. I want some timeless tweeds in grey and charcoal because of the fabric is really nice though I also have my eye on some wool suits in all kinds of brown, I feel drawn to the colours brown mainly because I prefer the colours and earth tones I could wear with them. Eventually building a wardrobe to be proud of is my endgame.

 

[Retro Spectator]

If you want a classic style brown sport coat, you might want to check out Kohl's. I got a Croft and Barrow sport coat there, and although it is poly-viscose, it looks fine. It wasn't much, about $85. Unless you are looking for specifically vintage of course. This is the jacket I got. It might not be tweed, but it has a houndstooth plaid pattern on it.

Another place you could look is Paul Fredrick. They have pretty low prices on clearance items from time to time.

 

[Fastuni]

I would recommend strongly against synthetic fibres, especially 100% synthetics.

One can find (from brand new to any vintage) pure wool sportcoats and suits on ebay. If it is something made within the last four decades, it will cost often only very little money.
Also if you have thriftshops in town, check there from time to time.

 

[avedwards]

The only advice I can give is to just wear suits whenever you want regardless of how inappropriate it may seem to what you are doing. I wouldn't even try to make it casual, unless you are aiming for a specific look. With time it will just feel normal to you.

I've been doing this for over five years now and I feel casual if I wear a suit without a tie now. I even wore a three piece suit to the beach yesterday (on a hot day in Barcelona no less) and didn't feel strange about doing it.

I guess the only advice I'm looking for is how do you wear suits, do you wear them every day when your just nipping to the shops or meeting friends?

To answer this question, I usually wear a suit and tie (or occasionally a jacket/trousers and tie) if I am going anywhere outside the house for an extended period of time, regardless of whether I am meeting friends, going shopping or going for a meal by myself.

 

[Matt Crunk]

Aye, the navy blazer I've got is polyester but I have some money aside for something better. I want some timeless tweeds in grey and charcoal because of the fabric is really nice though I also have my eye on some wool suits in all kinds of brown, I feel drawn to the colours brown mainly because I prefer the colours and earth tones I could wear with them. Eventually building a wardrobe to be proud of is my endgame.

Sounds like an excellent and worthy plan. I'd imagine that being in England you'd some great resources for vintage jackets and suits over there.

By the way, as a side note, I notice you hail from Merseyside. My family comes from that area as well, specifically the village of Crank, which also gives us our family name (the letter "a" was replaced by a "u" , changing it to Crunk somewhere down the line).

Good to have you as part of the Lounge.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I'm almost 60 years old, stand 6' - 6" tall, and weigh 360 lbs. I already stand out.

I try to dress appropriate to what I'm doing. If I'm working, it's most always a pair of bib overalls. If I go to town, to church, to a meeting, out to eat, etc., I'll wear a suit. I really like a three-piece suit, but do understand it can sometimes look "too dressed up". So, for a more informal/casual look I usually will wear the pants and vest, with no tie. It's a look I've seen my grandfather wear in old pictures from the 1920's. If it worked for him, why not me?

You are to be complimented on wanting to look sharp.

For those of us who live outside the US... when he says he goes out in his pants and vest he means his trousers and waistcoat.

 

[cpdv]

I wear a suit almost every day and if not a suit a jacket with odd trousers. I've never been one to care if i stand out. I feel like acting casually adds to if it is perceived to be casual. I prefer blues and earth tones along with natural and cream colors in the summer.

 

[Edward]

Ah, the vagaries of fashion.... I've not cared for or about mainstream fashion since I was fourteen in 1989... Quite honestly, I'm not entirely sure I could pick it out in a line up these days... Since then I've dressed to many subcultures - metal, punk, goth, Rocky Horror.... Once you've gone out among the normals on public transport in full bondage wear or a corset and heels, a suit's a breeze.

I also wore a collar and tie and blazer at school five days a week for years, and dressed "formally" as a form of camouflage at a village church for a very long time too. I put especially the school uniform down as to why I feel naked without a jacket nowadays (one reason I hate hot weather, though all my trips to China at this time of year for the guts of a decade as well as acclimatisation to the London heat have given me the ability to wear at least a linen jacket most of the year - a definite plus). That definitely helps with feeling comfortable. Otherwise, though, it's broadly a matter of simply not being self-conscious about it. You'll also find, with time and experimentation, what works best for you. Myself, I tend not to suit up just to go over the road to Sainsbury's. There is a place for a pair of vintage cut jeans and a nice leather jacket....

For a more casual look with a jacket and tie, I like a contrasting jacket and trousers (think casual Elvis, circa 56). Occasionally I'll leave out the tie, but always if I do this fold the collar of the shirt out over the jacket. To do otherwise one risks looking like... well, you've seen the hack of our current PM, yes? It's a dreadful look. At best it looks like one has forgotten one's tie; at worst like one is seeking some absurd variation of looking down with ver kids. The absolute worst is when people do this with a shirt the collar points of which button down... and they leave the points buttons down so the collar doubles over on itslef and looks awful.


Another alternative that has a more casual vibe is to replace the blazer with a nice leather jacket, or something like a decent Harrington over a collar and tie.

i don't care. (i haven't had any nasty comments in years).

Me neither. Those who notice tend to be complimentary, but tbh I suspect most people pay even less attention to how I dress than I do them.

Like HBK, I tend to save suits for the right occasion - nights out, meals etc. The rest of the time it's a jacket and contrasting trousers. The trick is not to be self conscious about what you are wearing. Forget the clothes and just do what you would normally do but in a suit. Going to watch football? Wear a tie clip so your tie doesn't get blown around.
You might self conscious at first, but everyone will get used to it.

Yes. THe fun really begins when they start to expect it...

If you want a classic style brown sport coat, you might want to check out Kohl's. I got a Croft and Barrow sport coat there, and although it is poly-viscose, it looks fine. It wasn't much, about $85. Unless you are looking for specifically vintage of course. This is the jacket I got. It might not be tweed, but it has a houndstooth plaid pattern on it.

Another place you could look is Paul Fredrick. They have pretty low prices on clearance items from time to time.

Not sure thatwe have either of those in the UK?

Charity shops are always good. If you're on a budget and/or not a small size, it's worth developing an eye for pieces of more recent manufacture that look right for an overall vintage inspired vibe.

For those of us who live outside the US... when he says he goes out in his pants and vest he means his trousers and waistcoat.

Ah, yes. That would make the difference between casualised, and rather too casual.

And possibly an arrest.

 

[Two Types]

If you don't want a full-on vintage look, try a late fifties or early sixties suit. These can often be picked up cheaply on ebay etc. The cut isn't too dissimilar to standard modern suits but just has a bit more style. Maybe wear a suit with a Fred Perry shirt underneath, so it's a bit casual but not too casual.
Above all, just try to be relaxed about what you are wearing.