Formal occasions call for formal wear. As guests at an event with a strict formal dress code, it is our responsibility to adhere to the dress code. Now, if you are someone who does not own a single suit and a formal event comes up, you must find a nice suit that you can wear not only once but multiple times. There are a lot of off-the-rack options you can choose from, but did made to measure suits ever cross your mind? These are suits explicitly made to your body measurements, so they fit snugly, and you feel comfortable wearing them.
Bespoke versus ready-to-wear
Tailors make a pattern from scratch, and they take measurements from you. This pattern will become their guide in making the suit to your specifications. Ready-to-wear suits, however, are standardised. Suit manufacturers make them from pre-formed patterns of different sizes to fit different body types. A bespoke suit are made to order when a customer needs one.
Tips on wearing a suit
There are some basic rules you can follow when wearing a suit to a formal event.
- Pinstripe suits are the less formal type. These are more suitable for business meetings and office wear. Do not wear a pinstripe suit to attend a wedding or any formal event.
- If you want to flaunt your flair with a loud and overly-designed suit jacket, reserve it for evening wear.
- Shirt collar and cuffs not peeking out of the suit jacket – this is a big no-no. It would appear that you are not wearing the appropriate shirt. The cuffs should not be too short that their ends do not show.
- Neckties will make or break your outfit. Some people prefer to wear loud ties that represent their personality, but for formal events, neckties with neutral colours and designs are the way to go. If it is a wedding you are attending, you may even coordinate the colour to the wedding’s colour theme.
- Dark shirts are for more informal settings. Formal events call for light coloured shirts. Reserve the dark shirts for when you are going to an after-party in the evening.
Price
You can expect a bespoke suit to be more expensive than an off-the-rack one because of the detail put into making it to your specific measurements. But the price that you will pay for a bespoke suit will be worth it if you are comfortable in it and it fits your body like a glove. It is one of the best wardrobe investments you can spend on.
In any wardrobe, it is essential that you have at least one of everything – formal wear, everyday wear, work wear, casual wear and workout gear, among others. Pair all these with the appropriate shoes, and you will always have something to take out of your closet for each type of occasion. Invest in classic pieces that you can mix and match with your existing pieces to create varied looks.