The Truth About How to Wear Your Suit

There is nothing like a man in a suit. Whether you’re looking to encompass a fashion statement that screams class and respect, you’re owning up to your authoritative role, or you’re attending a formal affair—and everything in between, there is no better way to sa it than in a suit. Men: Have you ever wondered what it means to wear a 1, 2, 3 or 4 button suit? How many buttons do you need to convey your message?

False: The more buttons on the suit, the more formal it is.

The majority of the acceptable formal suits and tuxedos have 2 or three buttons. If you wear a suit with just two buttons, you’re telling everyone that you’re here to look formal and conservative. You’re part of the business world and you dress the part. If you’re wearing a suit with three buttons, you’re still just as appealing to the business class at a formal affair, but you’re encompassing more trend and style into your wardrobe.

A ‘Zoot suit’ was big in the 1950s and 1960s and usually only had one button on the jacket. This style is popular with the baby boomer generation and in fashion today as a vintage look. These types of suit jackets are extremely stylish, but generally considered casual: best kept for a night out on the town than in the office.

A four button suit is generally reserved for schmoozing: its trendy, classy, and stylish—especially if it’s a top designer.

True: Suits need to be custom tailored.

Suits are made for the majority of men in your size group, not specifically tailored to you. Don’t skimp on the custom tailoring if you can afford it because it will help compliment your overall physique, guys! What’s the point of dressing to impress if your suit isn’t impressive in the first place?

True: Any GQ Suit Guru will tell you to leave the bottom button unbuttoned.

Little known fact of classy men in the business world: if you’re wearing a two-button suit, just button the top. If your suit has three buttons: it’s perfectly acceptable to button the middle and leave the others undone.

A four button or more suit jacket should usually allow for the bottom most button to be left unfastened.

False: This is a worldwide standard.

Businessmen in Asian nations like China and Japan are expected to completely button their suit, regardless of this trend that has swept 6 other continents. Their mannerisms, business practices and traditions are much more formal than other countries.

This trend was most likely started by King Edward VII (1841-1910). It is rumored that as the king grew around the waist, he no longer had room within his suit jacket and would leave the bottom button undone to allow room for his girth. The common people adapted this as a normal style at formal affairs, and over a century later, the trend is still in.