Alsigner Guide to the Right Suit

You made it through the interview, you got the job and you are set for your first day as a professional. Only one problem: the jeans and hoodies you wore in college will no longer do, and that nice suit you wore on the day of your interview is hardly an adequate business wardrobe.

Dressing inappropriately is a common mistake among young graduates, and an annoyance in the eyes of your superior. Assembling a business-friendly wardrobe, however, is both an intricate and expensive endeavour. Fear not! Once you obtain the basics, combining items differently can create sufficient variation in your outfits. Slowly expand your wardrobe paycheck by paycheck, and soon enough you will possess enough quality items to suit your needs.

Make a commitment to improve your wardrobe, be conscious about your investments, and target your purchases towards compiling a suitable business-friendly wardrobe.

Identifying the Requirements

The first step in the process is identifying what is required. You may be entering an office operating under a rigid suit, shirt and tie regiment. Conversely, it may be a more casual jeans-and-a-shirt environment. Regardless, you want to dress the part. As the newest member of the firm you should aim to blend in and postpone the more flamboyant outfits till when you have proved your worth.

At your interview, you probably got a good idea of what everyone else in the office was wearing. This is an excellent starting point. If you are unsure, do not be afraid to ask. If you still have doubts, remember that over-dressing beats under-dressing. Better to be the target of a little friendly banter than to come off as sloppy and not caring.

Make a Commitment

Assembling an impressive business wardrobe will – unless you come from significant means – take several years. It is perfectly all right to take your time, improving it step by step.

Make the commitment to change your style. Rather than sporadically buying a few random items from time to time, consider what you need and stop wasting money on clothes that do not fit into your new wardrobe. If you are wearing a suit for work, you are unlikely to switch to a hoodie and sweatpants when you are off. Chances are, you are going to want stylish quality clothes then as well.

Leave money aside every month and gradually improve your wardrobe.

Start Off Conservatively

As the company’s newest employee, you do not need to dazzle. You need to compile a set of outfits that meet expectations, make you look competent and that allow you to feel confident. With the right combinations of conservatively coloured items you have plenty of variation for any day of the week.

If you are required to wear a suit, start off with charcoal grey and navy blue. These are simple colours that work in any business-related situation. Save the pinstripes and other more elaborate patterns for later.

 - Make sure you own a sufficient number of shirts in white and light blue. These match any suit and will go well with most ties. Shirts can also be a good way to spice up an outfit. When you are up for it, start introducing different colours and patterns.

 - In many office environments, a navy blazer and a nice pair of trousers is a valid substitute for a suit. These items are also well suited for after-work social occasions.

 - A pair of black or dark brown shoes with a matching belt.

 - Get a few ties. Keep them rather simple, but allow for variation in both colour and pattern. Ties are a great way to add diversity to your outfits.

 - Mix and match. To make your wardrobe seem bigger, use different combinations of suit, shirt and tie. Sticking to the above-mentioned colours allow for plenty of permutations.

Quality over Quantity!

Stick to quality. A quality pair of shoes that you are going to feel good in and wear two hundred days a year is worth its price. It may seem like a lot of money to spend when you are still just getting settled, but the right purchase will quickly turn out to be a good investment.

Business Casual? 

Casual Friday or a casual office dress code should by no means be understood as sloppy. There is an important distinction between business attire, business casual and casual.

Lose the jacket, but stick to trousers and a shirt for now. Possibly top it up with a sweater or a cardigan. Get a sense of what everyone else at the office is wearing on casual Fridays and attempt to mirror that level.

Regardless of the industry you are in and the dress code your company has set, make sure you dress the part and come off as both professional and confident.

The way you present yourself determines the first impression of you. Before you have even spoken, your potential future employer has already examined your appearance, made some basic assumptions of your character and developed a pretty good idea about whether you are a good fit for the company. While it is possible to alter his perception over the course of the interview, more often than not you will find that the next half an hour is merely spent rationalizing that first impression.

This highlights the importance of picking the perfect outfit. Dressing right for an interview, however, has become increasingly complicated in the last couple of years. Gone are the days when a suit and tie were always the right combination. Today, you have to distinguish between the type of company and the specific position you are applying for.

The aim of your outfit is to convey that you are a good fit for the position. You must therefore look serious, competent and like you belong in that particular environment. A sloppy outfit or a badly fitted suit will thus worsen your chances of success. Conversely, over-dressing for an interview at a start-up or a tech company will make you appear incompatible with the workplace.

Therefore, before deciding on your outfit, take a few moments to make some basic considerations.

The Environment

Your main objective is to look right for the job. Are you applying for professional employment, e.g. at a law firm or in finance, the classic suit, crisp white shirt and a tie is basically your only option. Classic business attire is similarly expected if you are applying for a management or executive position.

In other professions, however, a suit makes you look like a bad fit. A start-up will generally be a lot less formal, and arriving in your best suit may make you appear out of place. For a service position, clothing that is a bit more practical sends the signal that you are ready to fold up your sleeves and get to work. The tech business, on the other hand, often celebrates diversity and discourages rigid and formal dress codes.

Before arriving at the interview, you should have made some considerations as to what is expected of you. Maybe you already know someone at the company; maybe the expected attire is obvious. If not, contacting human resources for clarification may be advisable.

Classic Business

For a job where classic business attire is expected, opt for a suit in conservative colour and style. Navy and charcoal grey is especially advisable. These go well with a crisp white or light blue shirt. Darker ties are more commonly used for business wear, but you are allowed some personal preference in your selection. Use your résumé to stand out and your outfit to fit in.

Own a “power suit”; an outfit which is comfortable, in which you look good and feel confident. Make sure it is a perfect fit.

Business Casual

Sometimes a suit is simply out of place. This by no means suggests that a sloppy outfit is acceptable. Your aim is still to present yourself as competent and serious about committing to the job.

A dress shirt combined with a pair of slack or even a nice pair of jeans will be suitable.  If the weather permits it, add a sweater to your outfit. Make sure you are wearing nice shoes and a belt as well.

Avoid ripped jeans or anything else coming off as too casual.

Fashion Faux-Pus

Finally, avoid making a couple of common mistakes.

- Make sure your outfit is a good fit. You need to present the best possible image of yourself. Have it tailored if needed.

- Grooming is as important as picking the right outfit. Take your time to make sure you are looking your best.

- Avoid too many accessories. It is an interview, not a nightclub after all.

- Headphones are fine for the commute, but lose them before entering the building.

Alsinger Guide to the Right Suit

It doesn’t matter whether you’re working in an office, attending a wedding or going to court – a man should wear a suit that’s exactly right for him. It is a timeless piece of clothing conveying a respectable image of you. It signals confidence, competence and success. It is thus an essential part of any man’s wardrobe.

While a suit has the potential to convey all this, wearing the wrong style or fit will have the exact opposite effect. Choosing the right suit, however, is by no means a simple exercise. The main things to consider are the occasion, the fit and the style. In this Alsinger Guide to the Right Suit, we have compiled the most essential considerations to make.

O c c a s i o n

The first thing to consider when picking out a suit is when you will be wearing it. While a dinner jacket may well score you points at a social event, wearing it in an interview will make it hard to take you seriously. If you are the kind of guy that only wears a suit a few times a year, it is advisable to keep it simple. A well-fitted two-piece black suit can be  worn for weddings, funerals and interviews. If, however, a suit is a part of your daily attire, you should consider the occasion.

At the Office

Generally, if your workplace operates under a rather conservative dress code, stick to classic contemporary cuts and plain, dark colours. With a two-piece navy, black or charcoal suit you can meet the expectations and still look good. If you later feel like spicing up your outfit, different shirts, ties, shoes and accessories can bring a little colour to your outfit.

At the Interview

When going for the big interview, the first impression is vital. Flamboyant outfits are not advisable. Rather, you want a suit that makes you look confident and serious, in other words competent. The essential thing to keep in mind when trying to impress your potential future employer is that fit trumps brand every time. Rather than splashing out on the most expensive suit you can find, make sure the fit is perfect for you.

At the Social Event

If you are attending a social event or a big night out, there is room for creativity and variation if you want to dress to impress. If your body type admits it, a slim one-button suit can be a big hit. Top that off with a slim black tie or even a bowtie. If you are attending a summer wedding or a garden party, keep the fabric lightweight and the colours lighter. If the wedding is your own, however, keep it classic. No reason to commence the marriage by failing to meet the standards of your wife-to-be.

F i t

The fit is without doubt the most important consideration when purchasing a new suit. Even the most expensive name brand suit will fail to impress anyone if it looks like the suit is wearing you. Having an off-the-rack suit adjusted can be an expensive endeavour. When you buy a tailored suit you know exactly what the final price will be.

Shoulders

A bad fit around the shoulders is one of the most common mistakes that men make. While few will buy a jacket that is too tight, many men will tend to go for a jacket that is a size too big. The jacket’s shoulder should hug your body’s shoulder. This means that the line that forms from the lapel to the sleeve cap should be straight and smooth. If wrinkled, your jacket is either too tight or too loose. Choose a different size or style.

Chest

You should be able to button your suit jacket easily and without having to breathe in. If the fabric wrinkles forming an “X” with the button as its center (often referred to as the dreaded X), your jacket is too tight. If you can place a fist between yourself and the jacket, the size is about right. Any wider and you should consider a smaller jacket.

Length

There can be slight variation in the length of the suit jacket. It should, however, fall past the waistline but not beyond the butt. If you are short, a longer suit will only amplify that feature. In that case, opt for the shorter end of the spectrum.

Sleeve Length

As a general rule of thumb, the sleeve length should allow for a half to a full inch of the shirt underneath to be visible.

D e t a i l s

When you have mastered the basics, you can begin to play around with the details.

Buttons

You never go wrong with a classic two-button suit. If you insist on trying something different, a one-button suit comes off as a little more casual, has a slimming effect and creates a deeper “V”, which allows for more of the shirt to be seen. In a conservative work environment, however, if may come off as a little “too cool”. A three-button suit is perhaps a little old-fashioned. It also allows for less of the shirt to be visible. Generally, this style works best on particularly tall men.

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Colour

The colour is another consideration. When you own only a few suits, it is important to pick dark conservative colours that will fit every occasion. A charcoal grey suit complements any skin tone and can be worn with both black and brown elements. This allow for great flexibility in your wardrobe.  It also allows you to stand out from a crowd of young men in black. Navy blue goes very well in the office while a black suit is ideal for any formal event. All three are acceptable for any occasion, so your personal preference is key.

Vest

Think about adding a vest. Wear it as a three-piece suit, or leave the jacket on your chair while walking around. It comes off rather manly!

Ticket Pocket

You may have wondered about the extra pocket sometimes seen on suit jackets. It is know as a “ticket pocket”, and it is both practical and allows you to stand out a little.