Look, guys. You’re an adult now, and that means dressing the part – get yourself a nice suit. They’re not too expensive, and you’re going to need one for all kinds of things: weddings for when your friends start getting married, important job interviews, and, at some point, your dad’s funeral. There are a lot of suits out there, and it’s hard to know where to start, especially if your dad, who would have given you a hand at this kind of thing, has died. We got you on this one, bro.
Color. Grey? Tan? Black? That’s the one. If you’re going to have just one suit, a black one will do the trick. It’s a slimming color, it never goes out of fashion, and it’s versatile. You’ll look right in place at any suit-wearing occasion. Bonus: Black is the traditional color of mourning in the West, so you can wear it to a funeral. (You won’t have the time or energy to go out and buy a new black suit right before, for example, your dad’s funeral.)
Pockets. Some suit manufacturers will cut corners by not including pockets in suit jackets. Come on, you’re a guy – you don’t carry a purse, so you need as many places as possible to stash your wallet, phone, keys, etc. Make sure that your suit’s jacket has a nice breast pocket – not too big, not too small – but large enough that it can fit a folded-up piece of paper upon which you’ve written, say, a eulogy for your dad that you will read at his funeral.
Cut. There aren’t many elements of a suit that can be designed radically different, which explains why the size of lapels grows and shrinks over time. Get a suit with lapels of medium width, not too thin and not too broad. This suit needs to outlast passing trends. Fashion fads die, much like people. Much like your dad.
Fabric. You’ll want to get your suit professionally cleaned before you wear it to major events, but you don’t want to have to wash it yourself all the time. Opt for a fabric that’s been treated with stain-repellent materials. You could easily ruin a brand-new suit forever by using a jacket sleeve to wipe away tears at your dad’s funeral, or spilling food on the pants at a post-funeral reception.
Get it tailored. Buying your first suit is a great time to establish a relationship with a tailor. They’ll have your measurements on file (saving you the trouble and embarrassment of having to do that more than is necessary), and if you’re a preferred customer, they’ll do little extra things for you. Some might throw in a free pocket square, or others might offer rush service if, say, you need a suit by Friday because your dad’s funeral is on Saturday.
