How many suits should a man own?
Different types, styles, colors, ect. I have one for formal events but I think I need a few more.
I agree with Mitch that 3 suits is probably the minimum that you need. A lot of the variation will depend on how often you'd need a suit for work / leisure. Here are my quick thoughts on sytle:
-All suits must be tailored. If you're over 12, the suit should fit well.
-Get 3 piece suits when possible; looks better and more versatile.
-1 or 2 button suits are look better.
-Notch lapel is the classic, but peak and shaw lapels can occasionally look good.
-Black Suit: A definite must.
-Grey Suit: Most versatile suit. Purchase solid and pinstripe where possible.
-Blue Suit: Good for winter. Can vary widely by color and style, not bad to have more than one.
-Tan/Khaki Suit: Excellent summer suit. Looks good and stands out at summer weddings and events.
-Brown Suit: Good change of pace if you need to wear suits a lot.
-Pattern Suits: Kind runs into grandpa territory, so purchase sparingly and take a girl with you to make sure its not bad.
7 Answers
I agree with Mitch that 3 suits is probably the minimum that you need. A lot of the variation will depend on how often you'd need a suit for work / leisure. Here are my quick thoughts on sytle:
-All suits must be tailored. If you're over 12, the suit should fit well.
-Get 3 piece suits when possible; looks better and more versatile.
-1 or 2 button suits are look better.
-Notch lapel is the classic, but peak and shaw lapels can occasionally look good.
-Black Suit: A definite must.
-Grey Suit: Most versatile suit. Purchase solid and pinstripe where possible.
-Blue Suit: Good for winter. Can vary widely by color and style, not bad to have more than one.
-Tan/Khaki Suit: Excellent summer suit. Looks good and stands out at summer weddings and events.
-Brown Suit: Good change of pace if you need to wear suits a lot.
-Pattern Suits: Kind runs into grandpa territory, so purchase sparingly and take a girl with you to make sure its not bad.
Well, it largely depends on how often you wear suits. Obviously, more frequent need (particularly for work) will necessitate owning more suits.
In general, though, 3-5 will probably cover you.
A dark blue or Navy suit is an excellent default, and if you only own one suit, it should probably be this one. It's hard to go wrong with a dark blue suit.
Next, get a charcoal or gray suit, perhaps with a (subtle) stripe. If you don't find yourself wearing suits often, these two will probably serve your bare-bones needs.
Next, I'd go for a black suit, and in the slimmest cut you're comfortable with. Black suits are actually often too formal and/or MIB costume-y for most occasions the average guy faces (ie, you probably wouldn't wear a black suit to work or church), but they're incredibly flexible and easy to dress down for a night out. You'll get a lot of bang for your buck from a black suit.
Finally, I'd also suggest getting a linen suit for the summer. These are on the informal end of the suit spectrum, so you won't be wearing it to the big conference meeting. But, like black suits, they're very flexible; heck, you can wear a linen suit with Reefs if you want. Plus, it shows you have some confidence in your wardrobe and are branching out beyond the blue/gray masses.
That should about cover your needs, assuming you're not wearing suits frequently for work, in which case you'll need a few more if only to limit the wear on each and prolong their life a bit.
A few other pieces of advice: remember that you can wear the pieces of a suit separately. A lot of guys buy a suit and then only wear the pieces when they wear the whole suit. But buying a black suit not only gives you something to wear to your next Mad Men party, it also gives you tailored black slacks and a black jacket, each of which can be worn separately. So when you buy your suits, keep flexibility in the back of your mind and buy colors/patterns that you can see working in other combinations (a black suit jacket looks great with jeans, for example).
And at least for these first suits, keep the colors/patterns/stripes subtle. The stronger the pattern or stripe, the less flexible the suit will be. Plus, the more noticeable the suit itself is, the more likely people are to notice that you're always wearing the same one. To start with, you want simple suits that will essentially be blank canvasses that you can use for multiple purposes. Once you have the basics, you can branch out and get something with a stronger pattern, because that suit won't be bearing the wardrobe burden that your standard navy suit will.
Finally, unless you live somewhere especially hot or cold, your standard 3-season suits will be fine (except for the linen one, obviously). If you live in Fargo, you'll probably need some wool suits. If you live in Phoenix, load up on linen. Everywhere else, go with 3-seasons, take off the jacket in the summer, add a sweater and coat in the winter, and you'll be fine.
Black suit a "definite must?" Only if you're name is Vincent Vega or you actually work in Hollywood. I've interviewed an alarming number of recent graduates who seem to think black is appropriate at the work place. A black suit is a fine thing to own, but only after you've acquired a dark blue, grey or charcoal, and possibly a summer suit in a lighter color. And even then, when you put on a black suit you should be planning on a night out at a club - in Las Vegas - not planning on lunch with an important client.
If you can pull it off, a seersucker suit is a nice alternative to light brown for summer.
Overall, Kurt Von's answer is an excellent suggestion for starters. After 3 suits, depending on your age and profession, you may want to consider a tuxedo if you find yourself in or attending a lot of weddings.
Depends on how often you wear them.
IF you are an Attorney and going to court..you need a new one each day for the trials.
IF you are a banker..one in grey/black/blue with multiple shirts/ties will do.
Bernardsbespoke.com makes them to fit you exactly.
Three suits minimum - Navy, Gray and something light colored for summer.
Black suits are for nightclubs. The only black "suit" you should own is a tuxedo.
Go with single breasted, notch lapel, two button suit jackets. Three button jackets are for pro athletes who are trying to play dress up.
When you buy your suit, look for a pair of contrasting color dress pants that go with the suit jacket, so you can mix and match from a suit look to sportcoat/blazer and slacks look on less formal days.
And unless you're over 60 or own a boat, stay away from gold buttons.
I think it depends on what you do for a living. I am a designer and can wear jeans and shorts to work, so I only own two: a standard black suit and a lighter suit for summer occasions. But I can understand if you have a standard desk job and would need to wear one every day you might want to have several more.
I would say at least three. Depending on where you live, you'll want a suit that can accommodate very different weather, so a lighter suit in the summer, a heavier one if it snows, etc. etc. You can't go wrong with owning a black suit, a gray suit and a navy suit. At the very least, you'll be set if you ever need to wear a suit two days in a row with the same group of people.