Serious Business: The Dark Grey Flannel Suit

A supremely classic winter suit

I think it’s safe to say that among the sartorial classics, a grey flannel suit occupies a pretty singular place. Over the decades, some of the world’s most stylish men – both real and fictional – have made a grey flannel suit a signature part of their look. Do a quick Google search for names like Astaire, Agnelli, Truman, Squarzi and, yes, Bond, James Bond and it won’t take you long to find a photo of them wearing some grey flannel.

There are a range of color options for a flannel suit within the grey spectrum. The most ubiquitous of these is what we’d call a “mid-grey”. And when it comes to grey flannel suits, there is perhaps no more versatile color option than a mid-grey flannel suit. Then you’ve got the lighter side, which is sometimes referred to as a “Hollywood grey“. Some serious classic, old school vibes that somehow feels a bit adventurous in the modern era.

And then, of course, you’ve got the suit pictured here – a dark grey flannel suit. It’s got some gravitas. It’s serious, somber, refined and says you mean business. Let’s take a closer look at some of the details.

| WEARING | Alan David Custom suit, Ermengildo Zegna shirt, Isaia tie, Rolex watch, Loafers c/o Allen Edmonds | PHOTOGRAPHY | by Rob McIver Photo

When I commissioned this suit, I wanted something for winter business wear that would also do particularly well at elegant evening events. Those prerequisites led me to two particular styling details. First, going double-breasted.

Styled here with a simple white French cuff button up and striped tie, you’ve got a serious business suit. Simply swap the shirt and tie for a dark turtleneck and you’re ready for a refined evening cocktail party. As a bonus, you get a pretty killer sharp casual jacket if you wear it as a separate.

Next, choosing a plain bottom trouser rather than opting for a cuff. While there are some guidelines, whether or not to get a cuff on your pants is a matter of personal preference. If you follow the link to our guide, you’ll see that as a general rule, we recommend a cuff with a double-breasted suit. However, because my intentions with this suit were more toward the formal side of things, no cuff was the right choice. Does it limit this suit? Slightly. But, on the other hand, this suit was made to fill a very specific need and fill it it does.

Thanks, as always, for reading. It’s good to be back.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian Sacawa
He Spoke Style