Menswear: Formal SuitJackets

Menswear is an area of function which has seen innovative and contemporary design changes. Under menswear product categories, we have seen development of new areas and styling definitions. Menswear can broadly be divided into Outerwear Furnishings Bifurcates Work wear Neck wear Shoes & Accessories ? Outerwear Outerwear usually consists of clothing worn over shirts, vests etc. They are over garments, i. e. , to be worn over another garments. Outerwear are usually jackets or coats which are worn either as protective clothing or as a fashion statement. Jackets A jacket is a type of sleeved hip- or waist-length garment. It is a type of coat, and in some instances either term can be used for the same article. A jacket is generally shorter, ending just below the waist, and often lighter. Some jackets are fashionable, while others serve as protective clothing. Jackets can be furthur classified into:- Formal Semi - Formal Casual Formal Jackets • Suit Jacket The man's suit of clothes is a set of garments which are crafted from the same cloth. The English word suit derives from the French suivre, "to follow", i. e. rousers and waistcoat follow the coat's cloth and colour. There have been various styles of suit, the most common of which is the lounge suit, sometimes called a business suit, which originated in England as beachwear. The other type of suit still (rarely) worn today is the morning suit. The lounge suit is classified as "informal" in the hierarchy of dress codes. A business suit is a lounge suit suitable for wearing conducting business. Its variants, such as two- and three- piece, or single- and double- breasted, are garments the design, cut, and cloth of which determine their social and work suitability. Generally, the man's suit is worn with a collared shirt, and necktie. Until around the 1960s, as with all men's clothes, a hat would have been also worn. Originally, as with most clothes, a tailor crafted the suit from his client's selected cloth, a process known as "bespoke". The suit was custom made to the measurements, taste, and style of the man. Since the Industrial Revolution, most suits are mass-produced, and, as such, are sold as ready-to-wear garments (though alteration by a tailor prior to wearing is common). Currently, suits are sold in roughly three ways: bespoke, in which the garment is custom-made from scratch entirely for the customer, giving the best fit and free choice of fabric; * made to measure, in which a pre-made pattern is modified to fit the customer, and a limited selection of options and fabrics is available; * and finally ready-to-wear. There are many possible variations in the choice of the style, the garments and the details of a suit. Silhouette The silhouette of a suit is its cut or shape. Double-breasted suits have two parallel rows of buttons, which is considered very conservative; a single row of buttons is called single-breasted. British suits are characterised by moderately tapered sides, minimal shoulder padding, and two vents. Italian suits are characterised by strongly padded shoulders, strongly tapered sides, and no vent. American suits are considered more casual than the preceding styles, and are characterised by moderate shoulder padding, minimally tapered sides, and a single vent. The sack suit is a loose American style. Contemporary is a term that includes a variety of recently designed garments that do not fit into the preceding categories. Suit colours For business, in the past (especially in the 1920s and 1970s), suits were made in a wide array of colours. Today, business suits are usually made in navy blue, grey, and charcoal. Browns and darker shades of green have returned to fashion (these colours had previously been popular in the 1970s and also prior to 1935) although these colours are still not widely accepted by more conservative men for business wear. For recreational (non-business) use tweed has been popular since Victorian times, and still is commonly worn by certain people. A wide range of colour is available, including greens, browns, reds, and greys. In the US and UK, suits were never traditionally made in plain black, this colour instead being reserved for formal wear (including dinner jackets or strollers)[citation needed]. However, the decline of formal wear in recent years has meant that black, as well as being popular for clubbing, is now also being worn in formal contexts (such as to a funeral or religious function) in place of the traditional more formal wear. Pattern Traditional business suits are generally solid colours or pinstripes, with refined plaids such as the traditional Glen plaid sometimes qualifying. The colour of the patterned element (stripes, plaid checks) varies by gender. Navy blue and charcoal are considered smart staples of the suitwearer's wardrobe. A pinstriped suit is conventionally associated with conservative businessmen but many designers have made sharp pinstriped suits more fashionable and cutting edge. Number of pieces A two-piece suit means a jacket plus the trousers. A three piece suit includes an additional waistcoat. Further pieces might include a matching flat cap. U. S. President J. F. Kennedy in a two-piece, single-breasted suit.

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