SUIT YOURSELF

SUIT YOURSELF

Your First Big Boy Suit
So, you’ve got a job interview. Armed with your resume, talking points and confidence, you know this economy has no mercy for the unprepared. But if clothes help make the man, what does that make you? Picking out one’s first suit is a rite of passage for most all young men and we’re here to help.
Whether you’re coming off your years of college or four seasons of Mad Men, chances are, you’ve seen your share of suits – dapper and dashing, empty  and ill-fitting alike. With so much out there, we turned to our resident sartorial savant, Dan Trepaneir for some color (and style) commentary. Because, as you’ll find, only the sharpest survive.
(although being smart helps too)

1. The Cut
Even if it is fits like a glove off the rack, have an expert tailor take a look at it.

2.Self-Test
The jacket should hug the shoulders without any pulling across the back.

3. The Fabric Of Your (Work) Life
 Dan’s Pick: (1005 Wool)
Aim for: Super 110s-130s (That’s the fineness of the fibers used to weave the cloth. The lower the number, the more durable the cloth;the higher the number, the more delicate.)

4. Single-Breasted. No Extensions.
Dan’s Protip:
“A longer jacket makes you slimmer, a short jacket makes you look taller. In any case, like a good lawyer, a jacket should cover your ass.”

5. Vents (Dan’s Pick):
“Double over single because it can be cut slimmer in the hips and don’t have to sit on your jacket tail”

6. Within Arm’s Reach
Have the sleeve length tailored to show 1/2″ of shirt cuff.

7. Solid Navy 
For your first suit. Why? “It’s business appropriate, flattering on just about any skin tone, works with most shirt and tie combinations, can be styled as separates and can be worn three days a week without any coworkers taking note”

8. Trouser Length?
Gimme A Break!

• Dan’s Protip
  ” For a first suit, i recommend a light break hemmed at a slant (front slightly shorter than back) so the back of the shoe (not including the heel)”
• More Break
  Makes you look shorter and more conservative
• Less Break
  Makes you look taller and younger

9. Your Best Feet Forward
For navy and grey suits: pair with black or brown shoes. Therefore, for a first suit, go with dark chocolate.

10. Back (away from) Black
“Black should be reserved for semi-formal occasions and funerals,” says Dan on this classic rookie mistake. “it’s too stark and formal for business.”

11. Socks
Go one shade darker than the trousers.

12. For Your Next Suit
(or Those “My suit’s at the Dry-cleaners” Days)

• Grey
  (Medium, light or charcoal )
• Navy
  With a very subtle natural pinstripe

13. Mixing It Up
“If you’re new to pattern-mixing,” says Dan, “Start with the 2-out -of rule, meaning two of the items (suit, shirt or tie) should have some kind of contrasting pattern (stripe , check, dot/repeat) and one should be solid. The two patterns should have an obvious contrast in scale and boldness.”