Why are navy suits usually pinstripe?

[Dr Huh?]

I'm in the market for a solid navy suit, yet I find that a lot of the navy suits I see are pinstriped. Now there's nothing wrong with pinstripes, but since I'm tall and skinny I think it would probably be best if I steered away from them.

Is there a reason a lot of these suits have pinstripes? If I ever do see a solid navy suit, it is usually so dark it's nearly black. I'd like a lighter shade of navy. (Navy blue?)

 

[factorial]

I think it's because most men only own one solid navy blue suit and the rest have to have some other distinguishing characteristic -- whether that be pinstripes, a nailhead pattern, or an overcheck.

Another possibility is that stock of plain navy suits is sold more quickly while stock of other patterns sits around longer. I think it's more difficult to find a plain navy blue suit at a discount than it is to find other less-frequently-purchased pieces of attire (black suit, tuxedo, etc.)