Help me choose my new suit ...

[Tibo]

Time goes by and I feel like ordering a new suit at my regular, yet decent MTM tailor (there's no problem about bespoke, only its price).

I work in a conservative business environment where I wear suits every day and where a relaxed outfit is a blazer, a shirt without tie and grey flannel trousers (Fridays only).

So far, I own the following suits and I'm just wondering what you would find an appropriate fabric for my new suit:

- Medium gray end-on-end
- Dark gray herringbone
- Navy with a light blue pinstripe
- Charcoal gray with a red chalk stripe
- Somewhat more heavy charcoal gray flannel (winter only)

I'm hesitating and considering several options. I thought I'd go for a charcoal grey with medium chalk stripe, but now I'm thinking about a dark gray suit in a slightly different fabric (no precise idea yet).

What would you consider ? I'm open to suggestions, but I'm ruling out plaids and checks, and I mostly wear blue (often striped) shirts.

Any ideas, suggestions, etc. more than welcome ! Look forward to hearing from you ...

 

[johnnynorman]

a dark grey with chalk stripe is a great option. But I also would suggest that you rethink ruling out plaids and/or windowpanes. A dark grey with a very faint windowpane (shade of blue, light grey, or rust) is unique and subtle. You could also do a prince of wales with a more robust overpane (such as burgundy or red). Both patterns go great with small scale check, solid, and stripe shirts, and can take a variety of ties.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Does anybody there wear dark brown or olive?

 

[Bradude]

A brown or olive suit?! Can you say tacky? Stick with classic colours. It seems you're missing an all-black suit.

 

[PITAronin]

Call me dull and old-fashioned but, for a conservative buiness environment, it just seems odd, given your list of suits, that you've avoided acquiring a standard solid navy suit to this point. Would certainly be my choice.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by Bradude

A brown or olive suit?! Can you say tacky? Stick with classic colours. It seems you're missing an all-black suit.

Uh oh

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by PITAronin

Call me dull and old-fashioned but, for a conservative buiness environment, it just seems odd, given your list of suits, that you've avoided acquiring a standard solid navy suit to this point. Would certainly be my choice.

I second this. Your wardrobe is already heavy on the grays. I'd go for something navy--solid, birdseye,...

 

[Tibo]

Originally Posted by thinman

I second this. Your wardrobe is already heavy on the grays. I'd go for something navy--solid, birdseye,...

Yeah, I guess you're right, but I find it difficult to find a nice navy fabric+ I'm not fully satisfied with any shoe combination: black looks dull and I'm not fond of the bown/navy combination either (as opposed to a lot of the board's members, I've been able to assess)

+ Navy is (I think) incredibly less popular in continental Europe than it is in the US or the UK

But the idea is interesting ... Any ideas on a nice navy fabric ?

 

[Jovan]

I'm a fan of birdseye ever since I saw some CT suits made with it. I'd go with that.

 

[A Londoner]

So much a matter of personal preference. But you have 2 stripes already. I'd be inclined to look for something which had some texture and colour variation other than a stripe, like a birdseye, a sharkskin, a subtle windowpane or a dark Prince of Wales check.

 

[Tibo]

Originally Posted by A Londoner

So much a matter of personal preference. But you have 2 stripes already. I'd be inclined to look for something which had some texture and colour variation other than a stripe, like a birdseye, a sharkskin, a subtle windowpane or a dark Prince of Wales check.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking of. Any idea where I could find good images of birdseye or sharkskin fabrics, before I ask to my tailor ?
Thanks for your help

 

[A Londoner]

There are pictures of both a grey birdseye and a grey sharkskin in this set of samples at Holland & Sherry. They are not all that easy to see, but the best I could find in a short time.

You really need to see these cloths (I mean the type, not H&S's though I expect they're lovely) and feel them: the effect is subtle and a picture does not do them justice, they have ... depth. Your tailor will have samples, I'm sure. I have suits in a navy birdseye and a mid-grey sharkskin, and both get lots of wear.

 

[Tibo]

Originally Posted by A Londoner

There are pictures of both a grey birdseye and a grey sharkskin in this set of samples at Holland & Sherry. They are not all that easy to see, but the best I could find in a short time.

You really need to see these cloths (I mean the type, not H&S's though I expect they're lovely) and feel them: the effect is subtle and a picture does not do them justice, they have ... depth. Your tailor will have samples, I'm sure. I have suits in a navy birdseye and a mid-grey sharkskin, and both get lots of wear.

I think birdseye is what I called "end-on-end" in my first post, so I have a medium-grey sharkskin suit and it's definitely my favourite one as well (very versatile). Birdseye seems nice, I definitely have to see with my tailor what he proposes.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant.com

Does anybody there wear dark brown or olive?

Actually, it's funny that you mentioned that as I really, really love a dark brown with white chalkstripe suit that Larry Kudlow wears on his show. He is a great dresser with great style but I am not sure that I can pull it off. My fabric purveyor has this same fabric in and I am severely tempted. Also, the last Menswear mag (and the first Mens Vogue) had a guy wearing a YSL or Gucci suit which seemed to be light brown melange with some rust windowpane's or something. The fabric looked amazing and I would definitely wear a suit in that fabric.

Olive is a non starter for me.

P.S. non of the aforementioned suits are ones that I would wear in a conservative business environment. Well, maybe the brown/white chalkstripe. Damnit Larry, you're gonna make me do it!