Black Suit Revised and Revisited

One of the first style posts I published on the blog was one showing six ways to make the most of a black three-piece suit. When I started He Spoke Style, one of my goals was to identify those items that I considered essential pieces for any guy interested in developing his wardrobe and provide visual inspiration as well as simple style tips. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that although it continues to evolve, this idea and goal remains central. One of the things I haven’t done much of, especially once I’ve put the finishing touches on a series of posts built around a single item, is to revisit all—or parts, in the case of a suit—of those items. So today I thought I’d revisit the black suit and offer another way to style the waistcoat as a separate.

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is: I’m going to buy my first suit. What should I get? It’s a great question and one that I never tire of answering. The simple answer is navy, and possibly grey. Both are classic and super versatile. But I think many also consider a black suit as well because of the option to wear it for more formal situations. It’s definitely sound reasoning. However, although you can certainly dress either of those suits more formally—check out my black tie take on a blue suit—black it is not.

Having said that, you should own a black suit, though if you’re planning out your purchases, maybe it’s the third, fourth, or fifth one that you add to you collection. And while a black suit is less versatile than a navy or grey suit, it is still versatile.

This Look: Waistcoat by Stile Benetton (similar here ON SALE) – Shirt c/o Banana Republic – Pants c/o Reiss – Glasses c/o Persol – Tie by J.Crew – Watch by Timex – Belt c/o Banana Republic – Loafers by Bass Weejuns

If this look is somewhat familiar, you’ve likely seen it as Look 3 in the 10 Essential Ties video.

Thanks for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian
He Spoke Style

Photography by Rob McIver Photo.