The Case FOR SUITS
Why Wear A Suit?
What if I were to offer you a vitamin that will make you look sharper, more professional, more respectable, & sexy? And, with regular use, it made you think better, and work more efficiently too? Would you buy this pill? Would you buy stock in the pharmaceutical company that makes it? Damn right you would.
Why wear a suit?
You Look Better
Suits are designed to accentuate the positive and minimize the negative. They give you broad shoulders and hide that tummy.You Look More Powerful
Those broad shoulders give you a more powerful look.You Look More Respectable
People looking at you make assumptions. Quickly. What do they think when you appear in a sloppy t-shirt and flip-flops? Not much. People take you more seriously when you are dressed in a suit.You Can Express Yourself Through Clothing
There’s more to suits than traditional power-suits. Fashion suits come in more colors and styles than Crayola has crayons!You’ll Feel Better About Yourself
You set a standard for yourself when you walk out the door in the morning. How are you presenting yourself to the world? How will people perceive you?You’ll Work More Efficiently
Studies have shown men dressed well perform better at work. Much better. (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 22, 2016).
Modern “Power Suit”
History Of Suits
400 years ago the “suit” was an elaborate concoction of frills, lace and layers of shirts and vests topped by a long “frock” coat. A gentleman or noble spent hours choosing options in the intricate art of being noticed and impressive in his powdered wig at the courts of 17th century nobility.
The 18th century courts of Louis XIV and Charles II declared a simplified dress code. Men would wear a long coat, vest, cravat (type of tie), knee breeches, wig and hat.
One hundred years later, Beau Brummel came along and cut the layers of frill and lace to more of what we think of today as a suit. Precisely fitted jacket and long pant along with elaborate cravats .
By the late 1800’s, long frock coats were the standard for “day wear”, tailcoats for evening use.
Our modern suit appeared in the early 1900’s. There were (& are) lots of variations: single breasted, double breasted, oversized to super-slim, wide lapels to thin lapels, notch or peak collars, center vent, side vent, no vent, pleats or flat front, cuffs or not. We’ve seen it all over the past 100 years.
One of the more exciting moments (with a significant personal connection) was the “Thunderbolt”. Designed by my grandfather, Nathan “Toddy” Elkus, this long coat with wide shoulders, fly front, slash pocket jacket with a high waisted pant was introduced in 1939. This quickly became popularized as the Zoot Suit.
Go ahead and chuckle at powdered wigs, breeches, and frock coats, but, men still strive to be seen, respected, project confidence, authority, professionalism, and, catch that someone special’s eye. And a suit is the fastest way to that goal.
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Frock Coat - Courtesy of Men’s Fashion Illustration from the Turn of the Century. Reprint by Dover Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-486-26353-3
Zoot Suit - Courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum
Fun Suits
Participating Retailers
Michigan
Baron’s Wholesale Clothiers
27888 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(248) 865-9960
Todd’s Menswear
520 W. 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 865-9963
Fashion International
15612 W. 10 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 552-8810
Massachusetts
Giblees
85 Andover St, Danvers, MA . 01923
(978) 774-4080
Pennsylvania
Joseph Orlando
300 4th Ave First Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 765-1726
Texas
SuitMart
9453 S Main St., Houston, TX 77025
(713) 664-9400
Missouri City - 11894 Murphy Rd., Houston, TX 77031
(281) 495-5656
North Houston - 11120 North Freeway, Houston, TX 77037
California
Roger Stuart
729 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 627-9661
Better Menswear
Virginia
8820 Brook Rd, Glen Allen, VA. 23060, (804) 266-7363
4908 Southpoint Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407, (540) 993-4938
8200 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23235, (804) 323-0060