One of the hard, cold truths about men’s style is that few things will flatter you more than a suit – yet few things are also harder to wear. In today’s dressed down, casual age, wearing a suit can be somewhat of a statement. Outside of business centers and special occasions, it’s just hard to wear tailored clothing when everyone else is in t-shirts and jeans.
There’s no easy way out of this, but if you’re willing to be a little bolder with your style choices, you can always try a casual suit – and dress it down a little further at the margins. Recently, I went to see a performance by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Edinburgh. Not necessarily the most formal event (even orchestral performances nowadays are pretty casual in the UK), but it was nice to see some people dress up for the occasion.
For example, I spotted this man in a tan linen suit. There were some formal details – two button closure, which is a little sleeker than a three-roll-two, as well as flapped hip pockets – but the color and material made it much more casual than the navy and charcoal suits you see downtown. To dress the suit down further, he decided to forgo the tie and put on some brown suede loafers. No pocket square, which I thought made the outfit look a little less studied.
It may be harder to wear a suit nowadays, but with the right outfit and right event, it’s also a lot easier than you think.