5 things to think about when buying a suit

1. The Occasion

The first thing to think about is the occasion, or occasions, that the suit is for.

Wedding: Although some weddings are more formal than others, it’s always a good idea to wear a suit, and as a rule it’s better to be too formal than too informal. For a casual summer wedding, pair a slim fit jacket with a crisp white shirt and some light coloured chinos for a relaxed look. For a more formal winter wedding, opt for slim fit trousers and a darker coloured jacket, with a tie and pocket square.

Work: When it comes to dressing for work, the first port of call is to see if there’s any formal dress code in your office (if you don’t already know). Opt for at least two or three colours to form the basis of your wardrobe throughout the year. A light grey check for summer, a dark navy for winter and a light blue for everywhere in between would be a good place to start. If you do have to wear a suit at work, find out how formal the suit needs to be and if you need to wear a tie.

The races: Depending on which races you’re going to, it’s definitely worth checking out the official dress code before choosing a suit, but on the whole the rule is dress to impress! A slim fit jacket, trousers paired with a waistcoat, tie and pocket square is a great look for the races. You can get away with dressing a bit bolder and brighter than you would for a wedding or for work.

2. The Fabric

Once you know the occasion, you can start to think about fabric. It’s important to feel as great as you look, so pick a fabric that you know you’ll be comfortable wearing time and time again.

Bear in mind the time of the year, too. Trust us, you’ll regret showing up to a wedding on a hot summer’s day wearing tweed! For a particularly warm day,  lose the jacket and go for a waistcoat, crisp white shirt and slim fit trousers for a very dapper look.

Our beautifully-cut and durable blazers and suits are tailored using 100% British fabric woven at the historical mills of Alfred Brown and Abraham Moon and Sons in Yorkshire, so you know they’re built to last.

3. The Fit

If you do one thing, make sure to try on the suit before the day it’s needed. A suit can look great in every single way, but if it’s a slightly big on the shoulders or the arms, it can throw off the look completely. Give yourself plenty of time to get a suit adjusted if needs be.

Our new collection has been designed with the modern man in mind, and has been cut in a slim fit. This means that the suits are more fitted than a regular but looser than a skinny version. It’s narrow through the waist, shoulder and sleeve, with a tapered trouser designed to fall just on top of the shoe. This gives the suits a sleek look that’ll work for all occasions.

4. The Details

As with everything, it’s all in the detail. Dapper design features of this collection include a split back yoke, contrast cuff button holes, contrast under collar meltons, corozo buttons and smile-raising printed linings that pop with character and are hand-drawn by Joules’ clever in-house print team and ensure a timeless look.

You can achieve several different looks by layering suits and jackets with complimenting and contrasting shirts and accessories. By adding a different shirt, pocket square or tie, you’ll always look like you’re wearing a brand new suit. This is also a way to dress up or dress down your suit for several different occasions.

5. The Colour

Now you’ve decided on the occasion, fabric, fit and ironed out the finer details, the final thing to think about is the colour. This collection is available in all the key colours of the season, including blue, bright blue, charcoal, khaki and light grey, as well as traditional check designs. Remember, you can always jazz up a darker suit with a colourful tie or pocket square.