Suit (clothing)
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Image:Chicago woolen mill suits1.jpg
A suit, with varieties such as a business suit, three-piece suit, lounge suit or two-piece suit , comprises a collection of matching clothing consisting of:
- a coat (commonly known as a jacket)
- a waistcoat (optional) (USA vest) — without this it is known as a two-piece suit or lounge suit.
- for men, a pair of trousers (USA pants), or for women, a skirt or trousers
A suit is generally accompanied by a dress shirt and tie (for men), or a blouse (for women). A hat such as the fedora and the bowler (for men), or the pill box (for women), in Western countries, used to complete the outfit, but over the course of the 20th century they largely fell out of fashion and are no longer worn with suits.
Men wear suits much more frequently than women, for they, unlike women, have never widely accepted pullover tops or sweaters as formal wear. Women's suits are also usually worn only in business settings. For other dressy occasions, other styles are more typically worn.
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History
Men's suits
Image:Fischer gainsborough.jpg The suit is the traditional outfit of men in the Western world. The modern suit did not appear until the late nineteenth century, but its origins can be traced back to the revolution in men's dress set by Charles II, king of Great Britain in the 1660s. Charles, following the example of the court of Louis XIV at Versailles decreed in 1666 that at court, men were to wear a long coat or jacket, a waistcoat (originally called a petticoat, a term which later became applied solely to women's dress), a cravat (ancestor of the modern necktie) a wig, and breeches or trousers gathered at the knee, as well as a hat for outdoor wear. Although it is hard to see the outline of the modern business suit in the elaborate and brightly-coloured court dress of the seventeenth century, the basic pattern outlined above has survived for more than four hundred years with some adjustments, notably the abandonment of wigs and knee breeches after the French Revolution; the rise of British tailoring, which used steam, pressure, padding, and stiffening to mould woolen fabric to the body; the invention of the modern necktie in the late nineteenth century; and the gradual disappearance of waistcoats and hats during the last fifty years.
What we call the modern suit was originally a nineteenth-century American innovation in dress: seeking a casual alternative to the long, heavy frock coats then considered appropriate business dress, men began to wear lighter coats cut just below the waist when not engaged in business. This "sack suit" (now called a "lounge suit" in Great Britain or a "business suit" in North America) became informal daywear for all men who were not engaged in physical labor. Even the humblest men would have at least one suit to wear on Sunday to church, hence the term "Sunday best." The waistcoat or vest was worn regularly with the suit until World War II, but is rarely seen today.
At the end of the nineteenth century, an informal suit for evening wear, the Tuxedo, was developed. Sometimes referred to as black tie, it was popularized as an informal alternative to standard evening dress, or white tie. As the Tuxedo grew in popularity, it became acceptable formalwear and today has all but replaced white tie, which today is only seen at the most formal occasions. The daytime equivant to white tie is the morning suit.
Women's suits
Image:Walking suites 1894 Delineator.jpg Image:Women's tailored suits.jpg The earliest women's suits were riding habits, which consisted of a tailored coat or jacket and matching skirt from the 1660s. Practical and sturdy, riding habits were worn not only on horseback, but also for travel and other daytime pursuits. Suits not intended for riding appeared in the later nineteenth century. Both riding habits and walking suits reflected the skirt and sleeve styles of the day.
In the first half of the twentieth century, the skirted suit became the common daytime city costume for women, in the workplace and out; dressmaker suits featured softer fabrics and "feminine" details, and cocktail suits were worn for semiformal occasions in mid-century.
Under the influence of Dress for Success, a working woman's uniform of skirted suit, tailored shirt, and floppy tie evolved in the 1970s and 1980s. Pantsuits (women's suits with trousers) were introduced by designer André Courrèges in 1964 but were only gradually accepted as formal business attire.
Influence of casual dress
Over the past half-century, the wearing of suits has become far less common than it once was and is now restricted almost entirely to formal and business activities. During the 1990s, many businesses in North America adopted casual dress codes, beginning with "casual Fridays" and then extending to the entire business week. Although many workers have applauded the relaxation of dress codes, suits are still required wear for formal business events such as board meetings. As well, the abandonment of an uniform dress code has led to considerable confusion over what is considered appropriate business wear. More recently, some business have reinforced the wearing of suits, although they may never again be as common as they once were.
Like the frock coats they replaced, business suits seem to have become too formal for an age of casual dress. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that they will disappear entirely, and even the most casually dressed man typically owns one for such occasions as weddings, funerals, court appearances, and job interviews.
According to Anne Hollander's book Sex and Suits (ISBN 1568361017), the origin of the suit was in European medieval armor, which "replaced the naked human frame with another one that made a close three-dimensional, line-for-line commentary on it in another medium." Furthermore, "plate armor required an undergarment made by a linen-armorer, a close-fitting padded suit that outlined the whole man".
Extreme suits
Although the man's tailored suit is commonly perceived as the ultimate conservative costume of Western culture (see below), extravagant variations on the tailored suit have been adopted by many subcultures over the last century as a matter of fashion or social identity. As early as 1922, Emily Post addressed what she termed the "freak American suit" in her influential guide Etiquette:
- You will see it everywhere, on Broadway of every city and Main Street of every town, on the boardwalks and beaches of coast resorts, and even in remote farming villages. It comes up to hit you in the face year after year in all its amazing variations: waist-line under the arm pits, “trick” little belts, what-nots in the cuffs; trousers so narrow you fear they will burst before your eyes, pockets placed in every position, buttons clustered together in a tight little row or reduced to one. And the worst of it is, few of our younger men know any better until they go abroad and find their wardrobe a subject for jest and derision.
Some of the non-traditional tailored suit syles of the past century include:
- The Zoot suit of the 1930s and 1940s
- The Western suit, a form of western wear featuring a tailored jacket with "western" details such as pointed yokes or arrowhead pockets
- The Nudie suit, a highly decorated form of western wear
- The Beatle suit or Mod suit, a fashion of the late 1960s with very narrow trousers and sometimes collarless jackets, derived from Pierre Cardin's early menswear
- The Disco suit, a fashion of the 1970s with exaggerated lapels and flared trousers, often in white or brightly-coloured polyester fabric
Perceptions
The uniform impression of a suit, often appearing in standard configurations such as pinstripe suit or suit and tie, can carry numerous connotations. In business settings it can communicate respectability and taste. In different milieus, the connotations of corporate life that the suit represents conveys unadventurous conformism. Extreme variations on the suit can convey the opposite (for example, many pimps wear exaggerated versions of suits containing various hues, patterns, etc.).
Used as a synechdoche, by referring to management staff in corporations as "suits", may express contempt for the perceived absence of autonomy imposed on members in a uniform elitist bureaucracy. It may also be a comment on the perceived amorality of those who work for corporations.
The political and social dominance of Europe in the world during the last century has led to the adoption of the suit as appropriate business and formal wear in almost every part of the globe. Refusing to wear a suit, therefore, can be a symbolic rejection of European dominance in some cases. For instance, some political leaders reject wearing business suits in order to send a message that they do not conform to Western patterns. The most notable example was probably the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong , who usually appeared in public wearing what was nicknamed the Mao suit in English. This suit was originally designed under the direction of Sun Yat-sen for the Chinese Republic, reflecting the need to create a uniquely Chinese dress for the new era. The "Mao suit" was worn by most Chinese political leaders (including Chiang Kai-shek), until the mid-to-late 20th Century, and is known as the "Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) suit" (after its creator) in Chinese. Other alternatives to the western suit include national or tribal dress for African and Middle Eastern leaders, or military fatigues like Cuba's Fidel Castro. In more recent years, however, Castro has taken to wearing business suits in public appearances in lieu of his iconic revolutionary fatigues. By contrast, Japan's prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi has recently (as of 2005) begun appearing in shirt sleeves, to encourage his compatriots to dress more practically and reduce energy usage.
Women's suits today
In the 1990s, the return of the miniskirt to the fashion world soon carried over into the office settings. Skirt length varies with fashion trends and acceptable local custom.
Conservative suit etiquette for men
(Note: The following is a conservative guide for wearing a suit in a professional or formal manner. Casual wear is at the discretion of the individual.)
Buttoning the suit
Double-breasted suits are always kept buttoned. When there is more than one to-button (as in a traditional six-on-two arrangement), only the top one is to be fastened. Often, this is the only one that can be properly fastened, because the bottom to-button often lacks a corresponding interior flap button. In the case of arrangement such as the six-on-one, particularly popular when the double-breasted suit first staged a comeback in the 1980s, one has no choice but to fasten the bottom button as this is the only option.
Single-breasted suits are buttoned while standing. When the jacket is buttoned, all buttons except for the bottom button are fastened. Under no circumstances should the bottom-most button of a single-breasted suit jacket be fastened. This rule is adequate for two-button suits and three-button suits, as well as the rarer four-button suits. Three-buttons suits present a couple of special situations. In the case of three-button suits with lapels that roll over the top button, the top button should not be fastened. These are typically older three-button jackets and contemporary three-button suits are not normally designed this way. With a typical three-button suit made today, one has the option of buttoning only the middle button in the manner of the old three-button cuts, or following the rule of buttoning every button but the bottom-most one. Both are acceptable. To prevent bunching, the single-breasted jacket should be completely unbuttoned while the wearer is seated.
Suit colours
The classic conservative suit colours are navy blue, grey, and charcoal. Black is traditionally a colour for one's dinner jacket (tuxedo), not one's suit. Though the severity of that judgment varies by industry and region, it is best avoided for business wear unless one knows for sure that it will be acceptable. Conservative suits are generally solid colors or pinstripes, with refined plaids sometimes qualifying.
Ties with suits
- See also main article Necktie
Working with ties is very much a matter of personal taste, but in conservative terms there are some basic guidelines. Ties should be darker than the wearer's shirt. The background color of the tie should not be the same as that of the shirt, rather the foreground of the tie should contain the color of the shirt and thereby "pick up" on the color of the shirt. Ideally, the tie should also integrate the color of the suit in the same way. Generally, simple or subdued patterns are preferred for conservative dress, though these are terms with a wide range of potential for intepretation. The list of knots generally includes the Four-in-hand, the Half-Windsor (or Windsor), the Full-Windsor (or Double Windsor), and the Shelby or Pratt. A Four-in-hand, Half-Windsor, or Full- Windsor is generally the most appropriate with a suit, particularly by contemporary guidelines. Once properly knotted and arranged, the bottom of the tie should just touch or just go over the top of the belt buckle. The thin end should never extend below the wide end.
Shirts with suits
The type of shirt worn with a suit is a top made of woven cloth, with long sleeves, a full-length buttoned opening down the front, and a collar; this type of garment is known in American English as a dress shirt but simply as a shirt in many other dialects of English.
The classic conservative shirt colors are light blue or white, with white edgeing out as most conservative. The most formal type of dress shirt worn with a standard suit is a shirt with French cuffs, which use cuff links (silk knots can also be used) to close, but this type of shirt is optional, and essentially up to the preferences of the wearer and the vagaries of fashion. Ideally, this shirt should also have what is known as a spread collar. This is frequently the default collar type for French cuff shirts, though they can sometimes be found with point collars. Normally button-down collars are reserved for use with a sportcoat or without a coat at all. The button-down collar is not seeing as much wear today, particularly with the resurgence of more formal shirts with spread collars and French cuffs, even in business casual wear. In terms of wear, the shirt should be properly pressed and have collar stays in place if the shirt allows.
Short-sleeve shirts, tennis shirts, and t-shirts should never be worn with a suit when adherence to traditional etiquette is desired.
Socks with suits
Socks should match the pant leg. This makes the leg appear longer and minimizes the noticeability of a too-short pant leg. In the absence of an exact shade match between pants and socks (just the variability of how dye appears on wool and cotton, viscose, silk, et al makes this a practical impossibility), the shade of the socks should always run darker than that of the pants. With patterned socks, ideally the background color of the sock should match the primary/background color of the suit. If it is not possible to match the pant leg, socks may match one's shoes. This is not especially appropriate, particularly in contemporary conservative dress, and should only be done if nothing remotely similar to the pant color can be found. This is only likely to occur in the case of unusual, fashion-forward colors, and there should not be any cause to do this with traditional colors such as navy or gray, barring emergency. ..
Accessories with suits
Acceptable colors for belt and shoes are black and burgundy/cordovan, though since the 1980s various shades of darker browns (particularly mahogany) have started to gain acceptance. Light browns such as saddle tan and its ilk should be reserved for use with business casual wear. The belt and shoes must match one another, at the very least in color category if not almost exactly in shade. The belt's buckle should be silver or gold. Other metallic objects worn with the suit (such as cuff links, tie bar, tie tack, watch) should match the belt buckle. Where watches are concerned: the more formal the occasion, the thinner the watch. Analogue watches are more formal than digital watches. In the most formal situations, a pocket watch, or no watch at all, should be worn. Generally speaking, one should not wear rubber sole dress shoes, though there are some individual high end shoes that may be exceptions. Leather sole shoes are not only traditional, but more importantly they almost always have uppers that are of a far better quality and have a much more "dressy" appearance. Some companies also make dress shoes with wooden soles.
Handkerchiefs and pocket squares/silks in the upper welt (chest) pocket are not especially common in today's conservative dress, and have never been 'good form' in Britain, though like other accessories (e.g. tie bars), they can certainly be added. Coordinating pocket squares is a matter of taste, but a general safe rule of thumb would be to match the color of the shirt or the background color of the tie. When in doubt, one can simply use the traditional, white cotton or linen handkerchief. There are a number of styles in which these may be folded, all at the wearer's discretion.