How To Wear A Serious Statement Suit
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Brian Sacawa is the Founder of He Spoke Style and one of the original men’s style influencers.
More5 Expert Styling Tips
Even as someone who has pretty conservative and traditional tastes when it comes to tailored clothing, every once in a while I get the itch to step into something a bit more statement making. Sometimes the occasion calls for it and sometimes I’m just feeling it.
Whichever of those reasons happen to be the reason du jour, when I do get that urge, more often than not I’ve been reaching for one of the latest additions to the He Spoke Style Shop, our gray plaid flannel double-breasted suit.
Here are five expert tips for styling a statement suit.
The Rules You Need To Know
If you’re a longtime HSS reader, you know that I am not a huge fan of menswear “rules” per se, but in the case of wearing a statement suit — or any statement garment, for that matter — I do believe there are some guidelines to follow that will help you pull it off with style and panache. So here’s a look at five styling tips to pay attention to when wearing a statement suit.
Keep The Rest Of The Outfit Simple
This is one of the most important principles to adhere to when styling any statement suit. You should always let the suit be the star and stand on its own. The easiest way to do that is to have the rest of the outfit stay out of its way by keeping things as simple as possible. In this case, since we’re dealing with a gray plaid double-breasted flannel suit, that means a solid shirt, solid tie, and solid pocket square. Don’t send mixed signals and muddy the waters with too much activity and let the suit take center stage.
Wear Complementary Pieces
Even after adhering to the first tip, it’s important that you choose the rest of the outfit with intention. And the best way to pull an entire outfit together is by choosing pieces that complement the statement suit. Here, I opted for a blue shirt and blue tie along with dark brown Oxfords. These choices were not arbitrary. If you look closely at the plaid of the suit, you can see small blue and golden brown lines running through the pattern. It’s quite subtle, but details like that are worth latching onto and building upon as it will make everything look exceptionally coherent.
Choose The Occasion Wisely
As much as I love and admire the spirit of those who dress however they want whenever they want with a devil may care attitude, personally, I think you need to assess the situation to calibrate how you dress. You never want to show up and be “that guy.” So reserve your statement suit for an occasion where it makes sense. A fun and festive get together? Absolutely. Pitti Uomo? Indeed. Just don’t show up wearing a bold plaid double-breasted suit the first time you meet your new girlfriend’s parents.
Focus On The Fit
Focusing on the fit of the garment may be pretty self-evident since it’s something that applies to literally any outfit you may put together. But in the case of a statement suit, it’s even more important. By its sheer nature, a statement suit — like the gray double-breasted plaid flannel suit I’m wearing here — is going to call attention to itself. People are going to look and possibly stare. There’s no way around it. So making sure it fits perfectly is of the utmost importance. If it’s too big you’ll look like a clown. Too small and you’ll look like a different kind of clown.
Own It
When you really break it down, having style is all about having confidence. So if you’re wearing a statement suit, you need to own it. If there is any crack in your sartorial armor — meaning, you’re not 100-percent sure about whether this works or not or you feel even just the least bit self-conscious — it’s going to show and that is the last thing you want in the world. So if you’re going bold, own it and be confident in yourself. And if you can’t get there, maybe it’s not the best style move for you, which is totally fine.
The Suit
Now that we’ve talked about how to style this particular statement suit, let’s take a closer look at the suit itself. It’s brand new in the He Spoke Style Shop and it’s our gray plaid flannel double-breasted suit.
We’ve chosen to make this suit out of a lovely Vitale Barberis Canonico Super 120s flannel, which has a medium weight making it a perfect fabric for both fall and winter. The jacket is 6×2 double-breasted, fully canvassed, peak lapel, double vent, and jetted pockets. The trousers are our usual — should I say “house” at this point? — styling with a single reverse pleat, belt looks instead of side adjusters, and a two-inch cuff.
The Bottom Line
A statement suit like our gray plaid flannel double-breasted suit may not be for everyone. And you know what? That is totally okay. However, if you’re going to add one to your wardrobe, first and foremost, it’s important that you wear it with confidence. Additionally, keep the rest of your outfit simple, wear complementary piece, and choose the occasion you’re planning to wear it at wisely. Remember all of that and there is no doubt you will look and feel great.
Thanks 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.
Edited by Rachel Butler
Photography by Rob McIver
