A suit is an essential item that should be included in every man’s wardrobe. There are certain occasions during which you’ll need to wear one. This includes, but is not limited to, job interviews, graduations, weddings and dinner events. But there’s a certain level of uncertainty surrounding men’s suits. To provide greater transparency, we’re going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about men’s suits.

Q1. How to choose the right fabric for your suit?

The Classics: Wool

The most common suit fabric. Good for work. Good for job interviews. Good for pretty much everything. Our wool-blend and 100% New Zealand merino wool fabrics belong to a category called ‘tropical wool’ and are extremely lightweight. They are highly breathable as their natural fibers help to regulate the body temperature and promote the exchange of heat, making them suitable for Singapore’s climate. The beauty of wool is also the fact that it will mold better to the wearer’s body overtime, thus providing a better drape.

The Warm Weather Warriors: Linen

Linen is the lightest, most breathable fabric out there. It also wrinkles like hell. So: Beach wedding? Absolutely. Easter Sunday? No doubt. Business trip? Maybe not, unless your hotel has a good steamer (or you know how to steam it out in the shower).

We advise to steer clear of: 100% Polyesters

100% Polyester suits are mainly synthetic and hence, tend to trap heat and make you feel warm. They don't breathe very well which makes for a very uncomfortable suit wearing experience.

Q2. Can I wear a suit without a tie?

This is another all-too-common question that our clients usually ask. If you’re running late for an important meeting or interview, perhaps you don’t have the time to find a matching tie to wear with your suit. So, is it okay to wear a suit without a tie? While you can certainly wear a tie without a suit, this typically isn’t recommended, especially if you are trying to create a formal appearance. It’s nearly impossible to achieve a formal appearance when wearing a suit without a tie, simply because the tie is an inherit part of a suit.

The bottom line is that you should always wear a tie with your suit when trying to achieve a formal appearance. Whether it’s a necktie or bow tie, the tie is an important component of a formal suit. Now if you are dressing for a semi-casual/formal event, wearing a suit without a tie is perfectly acceptable. Occasions like this call for a less formal appearance; thus, you can wear trousers, a dress shirt and blazer, while leaving your tie at home. Think about the occasion and level of formality and use this information to decide whether or not to wear a tie.

Q3. How can I prevent my suit from wrinkling?

Wouldn’t it be great if your clothes never wrinkled? You could simply pull them off the hangers, get dressed, and hit the road. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, as most garments are susceptible to wrinkling - and suits are no exception. The good news is that you can discourage wrinkles from forming by following some simple steps.

First and foremost, try to get into the habit of hanging your suit up on a wide-contoured hanger whenever you aren’t wearing it. By hanging both your blazer and pants, it reduces the likelihood of wrinkles. Again, this isn’t a fool-proof way to protect your suit from all wrinkles, but it’s certainly helpful in discouraging them from forming.

Now if you discover your suit already has wrinkled and need to wear it ASAP, you have a couple different options: you can either use a garment steamer and steam-press it on your own or take it to the dry cleaners, assuming the manufacturer recommends dry cleaning, or you can use an alternative wrinkle-busting method. One wrinkle-busting method that we’ve found to work well is hanging your suit in the bathroom while the shower is turned on the hottest setting. The hot water produces steam, which essentially smooths out wrinkles. Just remember to keep your suit far enough away from the shower head so it doesn’t become soaked. You want the steam to reach your suit but not the water.

Q4. How do I care for a suit?

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this question, as different suits require different steps to care and maintain.

Normally, you should not toss your suit in a traditional washing machine, nor should you dry it in a clothes dryer. Even if it’s made with a durable material, it’s best to err on the side of caution by having your suit professionally dry cleaned.

Most suits are made from wool, which shrinks when wet. It will not shrink consistently across all parts and will come out looking stretched and weathered if it washed. More than one fabric is used to create a suit - you have the lining, woolen felt, and sometimes cotton and horsehair pieces throughout the inside of the canvas - all of which require careful cleaning to extend the longevity of the suit.

Q5. What accessories should I wear with my suit?

Accessories can make or break the appearance of a men’s suit, which is why it’s important to choose the right ones. Some simple yet meaningful accessories to consider wearing include a wristwatch, cufflinks and tiebar. Although small, these accessories will make a big difference in your overall appearance, enhancing your suit to create a fuller and more sophisticated look. You can also accessorize your suit with a pocket square, but remember not to exactly match your pocket square to your tie, and instead contrast where possible, complement when needed and if you must, let it match only in colour and never in print.

Q6. How different is made-to-measure as compared to off-the-rack suits?

An off-the-rack suit is exactly what it sounds like: a men’s suit that’s sold off the rack, without any customisations or modifications made before they are sold.

Made-to-measure, however, allows some flexibility in main features of a suit - such as lapels, buttons, vents, monograms, linings and it offers a better fit as it it cut and sewn based on your body measurements and preferences.

Q7. How many suits should I own?

There’s no set number or type of suit you will be expected to have, but having at least two great basics in your arsenal is a good start. You should have a navy and a grey wool suit. After that, you can go for suits with more flare, like a windowpane or a glen plaid or pinstripes. Test your comfort level by mixing and matching patterns.

If you’re required to wear a suit everyday, we’ll recommend having at least five suits. With five suits that pair harmoniously with each other, you can effectively gain enough outfits to make it look like you’re wearing a new outfit everyday of the month. After that, you can add on some of the more rakish jackets to complement your wardrobe.

Q8. How much should a good suit cost?

In the event that what you are searching for is an item with a decent quality or value proposition, that somewhere in the range of $280 and $1500 is unquestionably the best reference price range.

Our suits fall in the range between $290 and $498, and are half-canvassed (which typically cost upwards of $600). You can read more about our brand story here.

Q9. How many wears should a suit last?

Generally, our suits can, in some cases, last 5 - 10 years or more, However, this depends on various factors such as frequency of each wear, how you care for it etc.

The rule of thumb for someone who wears a suit every day is to own 5 - 10 suits. Wear a different suit to work every day for two weeks and reset the rotation. Dry clean every 6 months or when dirt/stains are visible. Replace every 5 - 10 years. By that logic, you'd get at least 130 " wears" and 10 washes out of a suit. If you wear it once a month, maybe it will last 10 years.

Q10. When should i wear a three-piece suit?

A good rule of thumb: At any event where a tuxedo would be appropriate, a three-piece suit will fit right in. Above and beyond that, however, a three-piece suit is a good choice for any event or occasion where you will naturally be the center of attention, or where it would be appropriate and even desirable to draw extra attention to yourself.

Below are some suggested scenarios for wearing a three-piece suit:

To a wedding - especially if you are the groom and you need to stand out from the rest who will be donning their two-piece suits.
To notable work-related occasions - particularly if you’re in a senior management position, such as giving an important presentation, receiving an award or special recognition, attending an upscale conference or professional networking event, or impressing a new client.
To a job interview - if you’re interviewing for a senior management role, or if you’re talking with the president of your company about a possible promotion to the C-suite, wearing a three-piece suit will help you convey authority, confidence, and respectability.

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