I would hazard a guess that 75% of men in the UK chose a navy suit as their first, and that most of those men still have one hanging in their wardrobes.
But what makes a blue suit better than the one next to it?
This will be different for everyone but Kipper & Chalk asks clients to think about the 3 C's: Cut, Cloth, Colour.
Cut
The easiest question is usually Single or Double breasted.
I love Double-breasted and it is really having it's moment thanks to Kim Jones at Dior Homme, but it isn't for everyone. If you are looking for a work suit I would steer you towards a classic Single-Breasted which will never go out of style.
Single Breasted |
Double Breasted |
|
Pros |
This is as classic as they come. | Instantly elevates an ordinary suit to something a little more interesting. |
| It flatters everyone no matter your height or stature. | It can broaden a narrow chest/shoulder | |
| It will never go out of style | Double-breasted jackets are a very powerful choice | |
Cons |
Classic can sometimes seem ordinary | It can overpower shorter, stouter men. |
Cloth
The next thing to consider is cloth. Here are a few questions to consider for this:
Where and when will you be wearing it? e.g All year round; for a wedding on a beach; in an airconditioned office;
Do you feel the heat? Would you like the cloth to be as light as possible?
Are you tough on suits? Do you go through trousers quickly? (Tip: DON'T CYCLE IN A SUIT)
Do you have any allergies or lifestyle choices to consider (i.e can't wear wool).
A good strong, all year-round fabric should be between 11-13oz but wool worsted can get as light as 6oz so it is really helpful to understand when the suit will be worn. Fine fabrics can feel lovely to wear but they can be fragile so I would only suggest them if you are going to take good care of the garment and not wear it everyday.
Cloth really affects how a suit ages so it is well worth investing in. If you are wondering what the difference between a suit costing £150 and one which costs £1500, one of the biggest factors is fabric - avoid cheap, shiny poly-blends unless you want to look like an estate agent.
Colour
This may seem silly - we are talking about a blue suit. But there are blues and blues.
What shade you choose may depend on what sort of shirts you want to wear with it. If you like a crisp white shirt then the world is your oyster - for pink shirts I'd go for a warmer, shade like an Indigo - for ice blue, Petrol is beautiful.
There are so many ways to make a Navy suit your own. If you'd like to discuss it further just drop us a message here.