Do you spend hours researching men’s grooming blogs about suit styles and fits, and yet second-guessing yourself about the clothes you are wearing to a wedding or a business event? It doesn’t need to be that complicated or …..daunting.
In my endeavor as a tailoring expert, I have met people far and wide, and across many continents. I am the quirky curious type. I often wonder why people wear suits. So I went on a quest to distil out the answers for myself. In those many hours of conversations with customers, many insights opened up for me. And in so doing, I am sharing my thoughts with you here.
Basic Usage
As I understand, suit wearing was started by gentlemen in cold countries, so it’s logical to assume that in its most basic essence, the idea was to cover our bodies and to keep us warm. But it’s has gone beyond this basic usage. Like the car now has more meanings than just a transportation that takes a person from place A to place B, similarly, suits has come to mean much more.
Occasions
For many a times, what determines, why suit is worn for is ‘the occasion’ in which the person is attending or using it for. The obvious ones are weddings, daily job or job interviews, school/college proms, public speaking/ presentations, business meetings, manning booths, doing sales calls, events/meetups, parties and funerals. Other not so obvious usages are red carpet events, sports events like horse racing and theatrical performances of some kind.
The logic behind is, there is a specific type of audience that attend that occasion, which usually dictates what clothing is worn. A somewhat loose generalization one can use is the business (professional) to casual index. What this does is it further influences style of the suit, color tones and patterns.
Just understanding this logic, gives you peace of mind about what to wear, by looking at the audience attending and what the function is about.
To me, as I observe what my customers were trying to do as they go about ordering their suits, I got that people are honoring the occasion and the people attending the occasion by dressing well and appropriate to that occasion. If you just keep this intention at heart, you will be fine.
To Woo Ladies
This is somewhat related to the topic “Occasions” but I am writing it separately. As the male gender of the human species, we have to find our way to do peacocking (pun intendedJ). Wearing smart casual suits or sports jackets to impress our special someone, conveys to her that we are attentive and caring. Who knows, sometimes the suits themselves bring out the best in us. It gives us the occasion to be chivalrous for, like opening the car door, or seating her to the table. Just my two cents…
A Channel for Self-expression and Creativity
Some of my friends/customers are, you could say ‘out there’ . Many of them are fashion designers (a few came from Academia Italiana Bangkok Branch), and they design fancy, dashing suits for themselves and others. It’s a form of exploring what is possible in their creativity and self-expression. Sometimes the suit convey ‘loud’,or ‘funny’ or ‘profound’. Whatever it may be, it’s obvious that it creates the “Grand Stand Entrance” effect for the wearer.
Accentuate or Balance Something Out.
Our body structures are relatively symmetrical and are not made the same. The word here is ‘relatively’. Some of the ‘common anomalies’ (oxymoron huh?) are hunch back, long neck, lopsided shoulders, different length hands and/or legs, paunch, football thighs and calves. That’s on one side. On the other side,
So suits are made to either correct, hide, or balances something out for example lopsided shoulders and make it symmetrical. Or accentuate something for example creating a nice V-line effect with wide shoulders (to express masculinity).
Commands Respect
What I learned from powerful men like country ambassadors and what I think is the most profound of intentions to wear suits is it commands respect. Other people, nearly automatically, honor you. An example that is quite common, but a bit extreme, though paints the picture is, try walking into a Ferrari showroom, one time, in a dapper suit, and one time in slippers and shorts and notice the difference in the treatment you receive. Country ambassadors/politicians make decisions daily that impact millions of lives and they need that clout to pull through challenging and trying times. Elegantly tailored suits deliver that home nicely.
Conclusion
As you can see, suit is not just a suit, but has become a vehicle, so to speak, for fulfilling on something larger than itself. Either to build trust, look professional, be charismatic, a form of self-expression or give us the quiet confidence in our own skin. I invite you to give yourself the space to explore, have fun, and have a bit of flair in your journey of grooming yourself with tailored suits.
Raja Gulati is the Managing Director of Monte Carlo Tailors, a family business his father started some 40 years ago.
He is endorsed by Antonio Centeno, the world’s most followed men’s grooming guru (2 million on youtube) in the article “10 Custom Tailors Antonio Recommends”
He is sought after by country ambassadors and high networth individuals to consult in style and fit.
Monte Carlo Tailors – Have The Quiet Confidence To Be Who You Really Are.
Store Website: www.mctailor.com