Your second suit?

[bantone]

We always talk about a man getting his first suit, which generally is a versatile Navy suit, but what would you suggest for a second suit a man would need in his collection after acquiring that first one?

Personally I'd think a tuxedo would make most sense.

 

[gs77]

Maybe I'm living in a different world, but if someone just has one suit, signfying he is just staring out or needs suit for occasional wearing to weddings and funerals, do you really think he'd be going to black tie events?
In my 43 years in this life, I've been to 2-3 black tie events and many more times where black tie wouldn't be out of place, but certainly wasn't required.

 

[breakaway01]

I think it depends on how often you are going to wear your first suit. If you wear it more than a few times a year then a second suit could make sense -- most common recommendation is medium grey or charcoal.

If you are going to wear that suit very rarely then maybe you don't need a second suit. A tuxedo is an interesting thought but I echo @gs77 's comments. When is the last time you were at a black tie event?

 

[EZB]

We always talk about a man getting his first suit, which generally is a versatile Navy suit, but what would you suggest for a second suit a man would need in his collection after acquiring that first one?

Personally I'd think a tuxedo would make most sense.

Second suit should be mid grey. You can mix-match them well

 

[dieworkwear]

I think it's hard to recommend a second suit because people live very different lives. If you wear a suit to work every day, clearly your second suit should be a navy or grey worsted. If you live in a place with seasonal climates, you may need a seasonal wardrobe. If you don't, maybe you want a year-round fabric.

If you don't wear a suit often, it would be almost kind of pointless to get a second dark worsted suit.

The only reason why you can still recommend a navy or grey suit to people is because, no matter your background, we all still have to attend certain events where wearing one is required -- weddings, funerals, court appearances, christenings, graduations, special events, etc. Outside of that, it depends on your location and lifestyle.

Personally, my second suit would be a casual one. Linen, cotton, or tan wool gab.

 

[FlyingHorker]

If I could go back and redo things, my 2nd suit would be a cotton with some stretch in an earthy colour. Dark olive, khaki, light olive, rust orange, etc.

 

[EZB]

If I could go back and redo things, my 2nd suit would be a cotton with some stretch in an earthy colour. Dark olive, khaki, light olive, rust orange, etc.

I have 4 suits that get worn at most once a year each:

navy
Grey
Charcoal
Burgundy

I also rarely even wear them as separates or even just the jacket

 

[FlyingHorker]

I have 4 suits that get worn at most once a year each:

navy
Grey
Charcoal
Burgundy

I also rarely even wear them as separates or even just the jacket

Yeah I couldn't see myself wearing those as separates, save for the burgundy.

I find earthy cotton suits can be broken up though.

 

[classicalthunde]

Second suit should be mid grey. You can mix-match them well

second the mid-grey, it works for weddings, interviews, possibly funerals (with a black tie) important meetings, and can also be dressed down as well and split up into separates for versatility. I think a huge chunk of the population could get by on navy and mid-grey alone.

That being said, my tuxedo for my wedding was actually my third big boy suit (not including sport coats), and I have found that the bar for attending a black tie event is a lot lower if you have one in your closet (depending on where you live). I'll be getting a 4th use out of it this winter in a little over 2 years, so its past its break even point as far as investment v. rental. I'll also admit, it is the one outfit i look forward to wearing the most as well.

my personal recommendation for someone who wears a suit on a semi-regular basis (more than once a month) would be: navy > midgrey > charcoal or dark navy > tux

 

[Ismael J]

This can be a tricky question. If you bought your first suit and then see that you need a second suit, maybe it is because you will be needing suits more often. Probably that first suit is not of the highest quality and maybe a good investment would be to buy a proper (canvassed, MtM, etc.) navy suit.

 

[Waldo Jeffers]

I would choose mid gray flannel

 

[Waldo Jeffers]

I echo that if your life is very casual I would give strong consideration to an unstructured cotton suit