Navy wool suit with white shirt, red striped silk tie and white pocket square, worn by a model on a cobblestone street

The Power Suit

August 26th, 2013

Written By

Black peak lapel tuxedo with bow tie and stud front shirt, worn by a model in a car

Brian Sacawa

Brian Sacawa is the Founder of He Spoke Style and one of the original men’s style influencers.

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As far as fashion from the 1980s goes, I’m happy not spending too much time looking back at it. However, one of the era’s lasting sartorial symbols should have a home in every man’s wardrobe: the power suit. While the power suit’s classic styling—boxy, rigid, big shoulder pads—might not be something to embrace at this moment in time, its ethos of confidence and success are timeless and transcendent values. Here’s a updated and modern expression of the power suit.

Navy two-button suit with white shirt, red striped tie and tan leather briefcase, worn by a model on a cobblestone street

Aside from how it looks, a power suit should make you feel confident, successful, and in control. As a result, having it impeccably tailored is an absolute must. A perfect fit helps project confidence and also, frankly, shows that you give a damn. For business meetings or job interviews, for that matter, putting a high level of care into your appearance will definitely impress since what it displays is likely indicative of how you approach all aspects of your life.

Navy two-button suit with blue striped shirt, red repp stripe tie and white pocket square, worn by a model

Navy two-button suit with white shirt, red striped tie and white pocket square, worn by a model on a cobblestone street

Navy suit with white shirt, red tie, brown leather briefcase and tan loafers, worn by a model on a city street

The classic iteration of the power suit is more or less monolithic in its approach to everything—bold blocks of color and mostly devoid of stylish details or subtleties. However, choosing to zero in on something a little more playful—like stripes, for example—can make a statement just as bold, if not bolder.

Navy suit jacket with red striped tie, white pocket square and monogrammed shirt cuff, a close-up detail

Navy wool suit with white shirt, red striped tie and tan leather briefcase, worn by a model on a cobblestone street

Tan leather cap-toe brogue oxfords with navy cuffed trousers and striped socks, a close-up detail

This Look: Blue suit by Quinntessential Gentleman Custom (get similar here and here) – Horizontal stripe dress shirt c/o Deo Veritas (previously featured here) – Red BB#1 repp tie by Brooks Brothers – Sterling silver tie bar by David Donahue (similar here) – Sterling silver cufflinks by Tiffany & Co. (similar here) – Pocket square with navy border by The Tie Bar (similar here) – Striped socks by Original Penguin – Sunglasses by Ray-Ban (Clubmaster) – Watch with brown leather strap by Timex – Walnut leather dress belt c/o Allen Edmonds (Manistee) – Leather briefcase c/o Korchmar (Garfield) – Walnut dress shoes c/o Allen Edmonds (Strand)

Thanks for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian
He Spoke Style

Photography by Rob McIver Photo.

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 doggies Charlie and Simon.

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