Black suits/yay or nay

[Brian SD]

I love black suits, especially of the jet variety, with dual vents and flat-front pants. No pinstripes for me.

 

[Zubberah]

Definite yes from me too. Black suits are all the rage in Sydney and have been for some time (especially on the under 40s). I have two from Gianni Versace (one very subtle herringbone patterned, one black with fine purple pinstripes) and one super 140s wool from Gucci. All beautiful looking suits and very, very versatile.

 

[gorgekko]

Add another vote for. I've never worn one in the day time but I do wear it occasionally weekend evenings when socializing. No tie.

 

[Alias]

Even though it's been said that Asian men look great in black, I don't like wearing it. Something about black just bugs me with its... achromaticism. (Is that even a word?) What I'm trying to say is, wearing black looks like I'm wearing a shadow, an empty void lacking in visual interest or detail. (I guess this is why dinner jackets have that neat grosgrain trim going on.) I'd rather prefer a dark charcoal grey. It's not so "flat."

 

[drizzt3117]

I personally like the minimalism of a jet black suit... I almost recently bought a Brioni on ebay, but it got a little bit out of hand at the end

I will probably pay a bit more for a navy/charcoal suit or something I will likely wear more often though.

 

[UncleFes]

Count me amongst the pro-black suit crowd. To address Mr. Alias' charge of achromaticism, I find that black's basicness provides a nice baseline for experimenting more with shirt and tie combinations. Most recently, I wore my black suit with a light purple shirt and a demure purple and grey paisley tie, and received several compliments on the combination.

 

[Brian SD]

Alias, your reasons for disliking black are some of the reasons that I love it. It is a nice contrast to my sickly pale skin.

 

[bryce330]

Big thumbs up for black suits. I think they look a hell of a lot better than navy on most people - most navy suits just look cheap.

I am also an attorney (IP law) in a relatively conservative market, and I wear a black suit to work (either plain black or pinstripes) all the damn time and nobody has ever said a word about it. I even wore a plain black suit to an appeal before the Federal Circuit (I was not giving the oral argument, but I sat at the counsel's table).

I do try to avoid wearing a plain white shirt with black suits, since that can look a bit undertakerish. I usually go with blue, pink, or some kind of stripe.

 

[Navy09]

 I am curious sir. Would you wear either of those suits appearing before the judge? The scenario can be simply plaintiff/ defendant or a jury trial sir?

 DO you meet with clients when wearing those particualr suits ?

Finally, are you in a larger metropolitan area please?

John,

I would wear either suit before a judge; however, as I said, I do transactional law so I am rarely in court.  I wear both to meet with clients and opposing counsel during negotiations.  I think both suits, plain black and black with pinstripes, have very clean lines that give the impression of confidence and competency.  Both suits have presence and I don't think you disappear in black. Rather, I think it is a very solid and commanding color that for someone who is often 20+ years younger than everyone else in the room gives me authority.

In response to another posting, I do wear a black suit with a white shirt on occasion but then I wear a tie that either plays on the severity of the look (a rich plum with a gold box pattern) or one that lightens it all up (a light blue) highlighting my Irish heritage -- pale skin, reddish blonde hair and blue eyes.

Also, I think that many legal clients identify with black since their vision of the legal profession is the judge, who wears black.  Seeing their lawyer in black provides a connection to the profession and seems appropriate to them.  I think that would be even more pronounced in a rural environment.

I live in Washington DC.

 

[Alias]

UncleFes and BrianSD both make convincing arguments for black suits. I just won't wear one personally, although I agree that it can look great.

 

[Leo Jay]

I am also an attorney (IP law) in a relatively conservative market, and I wear a black suit to work (either plain black or pinstripes) all the damn time and nobody has ever said a word about it.  

bryce330, what market are you in?  While you appear to be very carefully groomed, my sense from your photo is that your firm allows its associates quite a bit more latitude than most firms of any size in, say... New York City.  In NYC, my sense is that it would be the rare associate who would even attempt facial hair.  And I doubt most would dare to be as fashionable as you in the way they style their hair.  (Are there any NYC attorneys who care to weigh in?)

Black suits aside, for what it's worth, as a former H.R. professional, I wouldn't advise anyone to assume that their dress code meets company/firm standards (written OR unwritten) just because "nobody has ever said a word about it".  Most managers (even H.R. managers, sadly) are embarrasingly non-confrontational and passive-aggressive where staff management issues are concerned.

In general, I'd advise junior associates in large, political firms to pay close attention to the unspoken rules evident in the habits of the more senior people... and/or to simply find someone more senior with whom they have a comfort level and just ask the candid question.

 

[@riss]

bryce330, what market are you in?  While you appear to be very carefully groomed, my sense from your photo is that your firm allows its associates quite a bit more latitude than most firms of any size in, say... New York City.  

I'm guessing that's not really bryce330 in that photo, but perhaps I'm wrong. This is an interesting thread though. I'm just curious as to why there is such a widespread negative connotation with black suits in more conservative professions. I'm a bit younger than most on this site, I believe, and it wasn't until my senior year of college when my buddies and I were starting to interview for jobs that one of my roommates, who was from a rather conservative background, mentioned that he didn't think it wise to ever wear a black suit to an interview or to the job. I was initially surprised by that, as I just assumed that as long as you were dressed smart and the suit fit, the color of the suit was somewhat arbitrary. (Obviously, I'm talking about earth tones and not something Dion Sanders would wear). I understand you probably wouldn't want to wear a black suit with a white shirt/black skinny tie combo to work in a conservative industry (even though that is what many hip designers push as THE LOOK), but why is black in itself bad? My roommate told me it conveyed "dishonesty". Also, was wondering what people thought of brown suits? I don't hear those mentioned much, but when I was in Paris I saw some men wearing amazingly stylish brown hues.

 

[johnapril]

I never thought of buying a brown suit until I went to Prada this year. The brown suit I found there had this sort of faded, washed out look, not shiny, not flat. I love earth tones, and so it was not a leap for me to go with this suit. I have very few preconceptions about what I "should" buy when I go shopping. I also do not go with the crowd when it comes to taste. This, however, does not result in a wardrobe that looks intentionally different. I buy for quality, classic pieces that look good on me, specifically, that will last a long time. I wish people followed their instincts when chosing clothes. The main problem is the freaking salespeople. Most are just terribly unhelpful, play off your insecurities, and have no depth of knowledge.