The Ultimate Guide To Suits | How to Wear A Suit

Posted on August 26 2021

The Ultimate Guide To Suits | Everything You Need To Know About Wearing Suits - Leonard Silver

New to suits or grown out of the habit of wearing them? You may feel a bit out of touch regarding the best suits to wear and how to wear them. That's where we come in. With over 70 years of tailoring experience, we've seen all sorts of trends come and go, and we know all of the unwritten rules on how to wear a suit. Throughout this guide, we'll provide you with all you need to know about the best suits for men for 2021 and how to wear them. After reading our guide, you'll be confident in creating a style that has you looking as slick as James Bond or Don Draper.

The Basics of How to Wear a Suit

When it comes to wearing a suit, there are a few unwritten rules that you must follow to have you looking as good as possible in your suit. These rules are essential to keep in mind when it comes to suit shopping online. When visiting a tailor in-store, they will help with all aspects of sizing your suit, choosing the right style and selecting matching ties and pocket squares.

The width of your tie MUST match the width of the lapel

This helps create balance in your suit and is one of the more minor details often overlooked. However, matching your tie to the width of your lapel will help to create that sleek and sophisticated look which we're used to seeing on James Bond.

Modern fit suits will often use thin lapels, so a slim tie must be used for balance. Don't make the mistake of going too narrow with your tie, as this will throw your outfit off-balance, creating an unaesthetic style.

We have a wide range of luxury ties from each of our popular brands, which can be explored here. If you need more guidance on choosing a matching tie colour for your suit or the correct width, our team of experts are on hand to help; simply send us a message via our website chat function!

Unbutton your suit jacket before sitting

You've probably seen many people do this on tv and in films; as they sit down for their dinner or meeting, they unbutton their suit jacket. But why do people unbutton their suit as they sit down? As you sit, your posture changes, pulling your clothing in different areas. Over time, sitting with your jacket buttoned will cause it to stretch and warp, leaving you with an ill-fitting suit. To maintain your sleek and stylish look, you must unbutton as you sit down, but ensure your jacket is buttoned up at all other times!

Pocket squares add personality

Pocket squares are your opportunity to add personality to your suit. Play around and have some fun with your pocket square but just remember; make sure it doesn't match your tie pattern or the fabric!

You can explore our range of bright and beautiful pocket squares here.

Made to measure is ALWAYS best

Of course, you can buy a ready to wear suit and have it fitted, but you'll never look quite as good as you will in a made to measure suit. If you want to match the style level of James Bond, you MUST commission a made to measure suit; it is, in our opinion, essential for every man.

However, if you're working to a budget or time-restraint and need to buy ready to wear, the most important thing to get right is the fit on your shoulders. Take time to try on suits to get the best fitting one, or if you need to buy online, take a look at our measure yourself guide to get the correct measurements. If you want to visit a suit store near you to get measured, you can find us in Hull City Centre, in East Yorkshire.

Your belt must match your shoes

Keep your belt and your shoes the same colour to create a consistent and balanced style. Opt for a relatively thin belt to not distract from the overall look of the suit. Make sure to invest in a quality belt; these can be worn with multiple suits over the years and should be bought to last. Explore our range of luxury belts here.

Which Suits To Wear

Different occasions and even seasons call for different styles and cuts. We've put together some top tips on which suits to wear and when to wear them, following the year's latest suit trends.

Avoid Black Suits (unless necessary)

There are occasions, such as a funeral, which call for an all-black suit. However, wherever possible, we advise avoiding black suits, which can look drab and dated. Modern tailoring has advanced over the years to include some fantastic patterns, colour and materials, allowing you to create a more unique style for you.

For occasions that may require a more classical look, we'd always opt for a charcoal or grey suit, allowing for that traditional and smart style, but in a more flattering and stylish colour.

Tweed suits are ALWAYS on trend

The tweed suit is a timeless design and a fashion favourite right now. Tweed makes the perfect choice for your first suit; a stylish and robust material, tweed is made to last, meaning you can wear the suit again and again. Not only is it durable, but extremely affordable; our range of Tweed suits starts at just £169.95. Explore the collection here.

Bold styles are in for 2021

When it comes suit trends for 2021, bold styles are at the top of the list. As we come out of a yearlong lockdown, it's no surprise that fashion trends are celebrating with bright colours and loud patterns. Whether you create a bold style by mixing and matching your suit jacket and trousers or throw in a patterned waistcoat with a solid colour suit. Or whether you opt for some bold patterns with amazingly creative materials and colours. There's plenty of options for jumping on that trend, but keep in mind for 2021, the bolder, the better.

Celebrity styles to inspire you

There are some fantastic styles to inspire you right now and help you develop your suit style. We've explored below our top three celebrity styles to inspire you!

Tom Holland is the perfect example of a suit lover. Tom has explored some fantastic styles in recent years, from a bold burgundy suit to a traditionally sophisticated double-breasted black tuxedo suit. He's not afraid to experiment with some new techniques, and he always does it well. If you're looking for your unique celeb style to watch, then look no further than Tom Holland.

If you're into breaking the rules, keep your eye on Jake Gyllenhaal. Whilst Jake looks impressive in traditional and bolder styles, such as an iconic velvet suit, he is known to break a few of the essential rules we've talked about. It takes a brave man to go against these traditions, but Jake isn't afraid. And whilst we don't always agree with some of these choices, we just cannot deny how well he wears a suit.

We can't talk about inspirational celeb style without talking about James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. Everybody loves that sharp and sophisticated style that we associate with James Bond. Danial Craig is owning the James Bond suit style on and off-camera. For the perfect example of traditional, stylish, and perfectly tailored suits, take your inspiration from Daniel Craig.

There are endless tips and style inspiration you can explore when it comes to suits, but we think that you have the information you need here to ensure you can find the best suits for you. If you follow our essential tips for suit-wearing and find your own celebrity style inspiration, you'll be looking as good as James Bond in no time.

If you want to know more about the latest trends by occasion, why not have a read of our latest blog on wedding suit trends for 2021?

If you have more questions about how to wear a suit, we'd love to hear from you in the comments. Or feel free to visit our suit store in Hessle and talk to our team in person about your custom made suit needs.