When you think “timeless suit styles,” your mind turns to the style icons, real and imagined, known for wearing them: Fred Astaire, James Bond, JFK, Cary Grant. Timeless suits hearken back through our history and honor the gentlemen who made them legendary. Every time we close that top jacket button, we summon up the spirit of their style and sophistication.
Timeless suits remind us of a glorious past while hinting at an ambitious future. These suit styles have endured throughout the decades simply because they’re unimprovable. To give yourself that timeless quality, examine the following looks and consider adopting them into your own wardrobe.
Mastering Timeless Suit Styles
In the long and varied history of men’s fashions, trends will fall in and out of public favor, but the following five suit styles remain constant. Mastering these looks will give you an immediate edge.
-
The Classic Black Tie
Not all tuxedos are created equal. The best black tuxedo is one made from designer-quality wool—never polyester—and is accented with grosgrain satin lapels, besom pockets, and stitching and construction details that don’t detract from its clean lines. Mastering this look depends on crisp tailoring and a perfect fit; to look classic but not outdated, go with a vented jacket with a straight hem instead of tails.
-
The Navy or Charcoal Everyday Suit
The everyday suit has been seen in corporate offices and on the sidewalks of Wall Street since the early years of the twentieth century; it’s most likely the first suit you ever purchased. This suit usually features a two-button jacket with slim lapels, paired with tapered trousers in a standard mid-weight wool. The everyday suit in charcoal grey has been a reliable choice for generations, with dark navy coming in a close second. Master the classic workhorse suit by pairing it with dress shirts in contemporary colors or patterns to anchor this timeless look in the twenty-first century.
-
The Double-Breasted Suit
Historically regarded as the signature attire of billionaires, bankers, and tycoons, double-breasted suits have long-standing associations with money and power. While any high-quality suiting fabric can be transformed into the classic double-breasted style, we recommend choosing a solid or subtly textured wool that doesn’t detract from the eye-catching nature of this jacket design. The ideal double-breasted suit should be fitted through the torso; excess fabric in the jacket can make the front detailing look bulky.
-
The Patterned Statement Suit
As long as there have been suits, men have worn patterns in various levels of boldness. Whether you’re considering a bright plaid, a refined glen check, a light pinstripe, or a classic herringbone, you’re evoking the age-old statement suit look with bold suiting fabrics. For a more subtle statement, choose a pattern in which all elements live within the same color family—for instance, a plaid consisting of closely-related shades of grey—and keep the contrast low. A suit in a beautiful charcoal chalk stripe is the perfect example of a pattern that makes a statement while remaining cool and collected.
-
The Three-Piece Suit
The three-piece suit may be the most difficult classic style to master; too few gentlemen know how or when to wear a three-piece suit. We recommend purchasing a high-quality three-piece suit in a rich, deep color, such as a dark navy or slate grey, and having it expertly tailored to fit your body. Better yet, purchase a custom high-end suit from a clothier who can craft your three-piece based entirely on your individual measurements. That way, no matter when or where you choose to wear this eye-catching classic, you’ll look impeccable. That’s really the only trick to this particular style: Choose a good fabric and the highest-quality construction, then wear it with confidence.
Bridging the Gap Between Classic and Modern
For generations, these timeless suit styles have endured. That’s the beauty of superior design. While department stores will feature these styles in a limited range of colors, fabrics, and sizes, if you choose to go the custom route, your options are unlimited, and the fit will be impeccable.
At Knot Standard, we’re dedicated to helping our clients discover suit designs that look and feel better than anything they’ve ever purchased before. From classic sophistication to bold modernity and everything in between, our custom menswear creations help men create their ideal self-image. Let’s create timelessness together. Schedule an appointment or visit a Knot Standard showroom today.