The Absolute Best Way To Style A Burgundy Suit
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Brian Sacawa is the Founder of He Spoke Style and one of the original men’s style influencers.
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A burgundy suit is one of the most interesting and intriguing suit options for men. Honestly, I find it to be somewhat paradoxical. It’s bold and striking while at the same time also being sexy, subtle, and sophisticated. And although a burgundy suit is decidedly all of those things, the one thing it is not, though, is terribly versatile.
Now, when building a smart suit wardrobe, one of the things I always preach is versatility — it’s always best to view any prospective addition to your closet through the lens of “how many different ways can I wear this?” thereby getting the most for your money.
But I also believe that not every single suit you own needs to come with a maximum versatility guarantee. In other words, there are certain suits worth adding to your collection only for the purposes of expanding your options and adding a little color — pun, sadly, intended — and a burgundy suit is one of the best suits to do that despite its general lack of versatility.
That’s not to say there aren’t multiple ways to style a burgundy suit, because there certainly are. However, as I began to consider those different options in preparation for one of our popular “1 Piece, 5 Ways” posts, I realized that I was pretty much riffing on one particular way to wear it that I find quite pleasing and, dare I say, perfect.
I’ll talk about that “perfect” burgundy suit outfit, including what color shirt, what color tie, and what color shoes in just a bit, but first, let’s discuss four benefits of having a burgundy suit in your wardrobe.
Benefits Of A Burgundy Suit
Before we get into the particulars of what I think is the absolute best way to wear a burgundy suit — though a quick glance at the photos should have tipped you off — let’s take a quick look at four specific benefits of owning a burgundy suit.
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A Standout Suit
When everyone else is wearing a navy blue suit or a gray suit or even a black suit, a burgundy suit will stand out. However, it is important to note that it’s not going to stand out in an eccentric or over-the-top flashy way. Standing out subtly is something I’m all about and a burgundy suit’s deep and rich color feels luxe, not loud.
Seasonal Flexibility
Although burgundy may seem more suited — again, pun, sadly intended — for the fall and winter, the truth is that as a color it’s pretty seasonally agnostic. As long as you’re working with a perennial weight fabric — which burgundy suit is cut from, by the way — then you’ve got a suit that you can wear in any season. In that sense, what you lose in terms of garment versatility, you gain in terms of seasonal versatility.
Diversifies Your Wardrobe
Even if you’re as big of a fan as “uniform” dressing as I am, meaning you love and tend to stick to timeless and conservative tailored classics, there inevitably comes a moment when you’re thinking about what to wear — maybe for an elegant evening affair — and what you really want is something a little different, but not too different. That’s where a burgundy suit really shines because it is exactly the piece to do just that.
It’s Memorable
About 10 years ago, just as He Spoke Style started to take off in a big way, I was invited to an event in New York City. It was a memorable evening for many reasons, but looking back now, the thing I remember most was one gentleman who wore a burgundy suit. It just stood out. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t scream, “Look at me!” It just came off as ultra cool and confident — equal parts suave, swagger, and sophistication. And that, my friends, is what I mean when I say that a burgundy suit is memorable.
The “Perfect” Burgundy Suit Styling
As I mentioned earlier, there are certainly a variety of ways you can style a burgundy suit. However, there is one way to wear a burgundy suit that I find myself coming back to over and over and over again and it’s why I consider it to be, more or less, the perfect styling. As I tend to wear this particular suit for evening events, my approach is centered around creating an elegant and sophisticated look.
What Color Shirt?
In my opinion, the best color shirt to wear with a burgundy suit is, hands down, a white shirt. It’s simple. It creates a great deal of contrast. And if we’re considering the suit to be a “statement” piece, a white dress shirt plays the “supporting” role brilliantly. As an alternative, you may also consider a black dress shirt for something more unconventional, or a black cashmere turtleneck to add some casual sophistication.
What Color Tie?
The best color tie to wear with a burgundy suit paired with a white dress shirt is a black necktie. You’re getting a ton of contrast and, once again, it’s letting the suit shine as a standout garment. One thing I recommend to make it a little more interesting and less — let’s say — pedestrian, is to choose a tie with some texture such as a grenadine tie.
What Color Shoes?
Based on my shirt and tie recommendations, you may have guessed that the best color shoes to wear with a burgundy suit are black shoes. A simple black Oxford complements the tie and provides the perfect anchor to the outfit.
The Bottom Line
There are many reasons to have a burgundy suit in your lineup. It’s a surefire way to stand out in a subtle and sophisticated way. It provides a welcome alternative to some of the more classic colors you may already have. The color works year round. And it’s a suit that is completely memorable — who doesn’t want to be remembered, right?
And while there are most certainly more ways than one to style it, should you decide to pull the trigger, my suggested styling is a great place to start. So bookmark this page and check out our burgundy suit in the He Spoke Style shop to expand the options in your wardrobe.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
This Article is part of the Shop Drop Series.
Brian Sacawa
Brian Sacawa is the Founder of He Spoke Style and one of the original men’s style influencers. Since 2013, his goal has remained the same: to provide men the advice and inspiration they need to dress well, develop their personal style, and gain more confidence. Brian’s interest and passion for men’s style and luxury watches has led to his writing for The Robb Report, The Rake, and Sotheby’s and he has been quoted on menswear in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Today.com, Brides Magazine, and the Huffington Post. He lives in the woods north of Baltimore with his wife, Robin, kitties Nick and Nora, and German Shepherd/Collie mix Charlie.
