How Many Suits Should a Man Own?

Maybe this is a question which popped into your head once you finished school and started looking for your dream job. Or when you got your first job at an office. Or when you got invited to your best friend’s wedding...

Either case, there’s not a single answer to “How many suits should a man own?” You can have as many suits as you want, so maybe the real question is: How many suits do you need?

It’s clear all men are different, and it comes down to your personal style: Some guys work at a startup, where casual clothing is accepted. Some others are bankers or lawyers and need to wear a suit every day.

Still, it never hurts to have a suit. It is the backbone of man’s wardrobe, and even if you don’t use it often, eventually you’ll need to go to a cocktail party, wedding or an important meeting.

The golden rule for a suit? Quality doesn’t necessarily mean a good fit. You will look so much better in an inexpensive suit with a perfect fit than in a high-quality suit with a poor fit.

Having this in mind, make sure you reserve some money for alterations unless you take the made-to-measure or bespoke route.

Now, a mini-collection of suits means having at least three suits. They will be enough to take you through the week, and they can look like a whole other outfit if you have a good variety of shirts, ties and pocket squares.

Also, if you choose the right colors and fabrics, you can wear your suit as separate pieces, so just imagine how many outfits you can create.

What Details To Look For In a Suit?

To make your suits wearable for many occasions, make sure they have the following details:

- Full canvassed suit if the budget allows. If not, go for half canvassed suits.  Fused canvas is not advisable as it is not very resistant and it looks unstructured.
- Single-breasted, two button jackets.
- Two vents on the back of the jacket.
- Patched pockets on the jacket: It has a more versatile look, which will allow you to wear your jacket with other pants.
- Notched lapel on the jacket: This type of lapel is sewn at an angle to create a step-like effect. It is more casual and versatile than a peak lapel.
- Pants with a flat front.
- Cuffs on pants: It helps the pants to drop better and look straight.
- Fabric: Mainly look for suits in super wool 100 to 120. These numbers indicate the thickness of the wool. The suggested thickness is right for suits you will wear on a weekly basis as they will last longer, and they don’t wrinkle as much.

Three Suits Every Man Must Own

Midnight Blue Suit

When it comes to formal events such as weddings or funerals, this is is your must have suit. Black suits are utterly overrated unless you work at a funeral home, so this midnight blue color is a good option.

Additionally, it will work for very formal meetings. Since this color is easy to match, you can get great looks by changing your shirts, ties or pocket squares. An alternative shade for this dressy type of suit can be a charcoal color.

Another significant advantage of a midnight blue suit is you can wear it with black, bordeaux or brown shoes.

Hopsack Weave Navy Suit

This type of suit has been called the ideal outfit for the modern man; it is definitely your workhorse when it comes to dressing up.

The hopsack weave, which is a fine basket-like texture, will give your suit a lot of versatility and you can even wear it as separate pieces, to create a business casual look.

Also, this type of fabric has an ideal weight, which means it works well for cold and warm months. It is wrinkle resistant, so if you are a business traveler, this is the perfect type of suit for you.

Same with your midnight blue suit, you can wear it with black, bordeaux and brown shoes.

Mid-Gray Suit

Anything in shades of gray works really well: It is an easy-to-match color, so think of it as a white canvas and add touches of color with your shirts, ties and pocket squares.

Gray also has the advantage to match with several shoe colors such as black, bordeaux and brown.

By having this suit along with the others, you can create great combinations by using the gray jacket with your blue pants, or vice-versa.

Conclusion

Whether you are just starting on your collections of suits, or already have some, make sure to include the suggested above suits in your wardrobe.

They are not only the most versatile colors you can get, but they are interchangeable pieces, which will add a lot of variety to your outfits. Have fun, mix-and-match and add touches of colors by using different accessories.

Again, once you buy your suit, make sure you have a budget for alterations. That way, you will look like a million dollars in a suit which fits you perfectly.

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