From Humphrey Bogart to Clark Gable, the three piece suit paints the most dashing picture of a man. True, it’s been tarnished a bit by dated images like John Travolta’s three piece white ensemble. But, the jacket, pants, vest combination is still famously debonair and finally back in high style. From gangsters on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” to hip hop stars like Usher and on runways like Simon Spurr and Dsquared2, the suit feels impressive, fresh and powerful.
For the cooler months, the three piece suit is an obvious choice as the waistcoat, or vest, adds a nice layer of warmth and wind protection. The vest, when fitted properly, meaning not too loose and not too tight, has the added benefit of keeping the shirt and tie in place while making the man stand up straighter and ‘suck it in’ a bit for a slimming effect.
That being said, the most formal of suits has a few rules. It is not to be worn without a tie, or it will begin to feel retro 70s and not in a good way. Make certain, again, that the vest is fitted properly, hitting your waistband and fully concealing the end of your tie.
There are a lot of buttons to deal with on a three piece suit so let’s just make sure everything is entirely clear. Allow the bottom vest button to remain undone, never leaving the vest entirely open. But, with a three piece suit, please leave the suit jacket itself wide open or you defeat the purpose of the vest, jacket combination. For a slightly more casual and fashion forward look, a sweater vest or complementary, but not matching, vest can also be chosen.
