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For Him: Suit Styles and Fabrics

A celebrity stylist helps you navigate the suit jungle...

Posted February 14, 2012

suitWhether a man’s suit is a his uniform five days a week or saved for special occasions, the same styles from seasons back are no longer fashion’s front page.

“This season, men’s suits have taken a load off, literally,” says celebrity stylist Christie Moeller, who gives tips and tricks on her fashion blog www.icanstyleu.com. “You will see cleaner cuts in lightweight fabrics with a looser fit than previous seasons. Double breasted suits are also making a comeback and linen will be the ‘it’ suit of the summer as well as the gray on gray trend.”

With retail suit prices ranging into the thousands, it’s tough to know what’s a quality investment and what is some throwaway fad. “Men should know whether their suit is canvased or fused,” says Moeller. “Canvassed suits are constructed with a layer of canvas underneath the fabric shell which holds the shape of the suit and prevents sagging while fused suits use a more inexpensive process where fusible lining is glued to the shell of the suit to help keep the jacket’s shape. This can create a stiffness to the jacket. Fused suits do not last as long as canvassed.”

Often the wearer’s age is a factor. “In general, younger men are looking for overall style and not necessarily a designer brand,” says Moeller. “They should look for style and affordability. More mature men can delve a little deeper into fabric, texture, stitching and quality.”

But neither man should be roped into the same look, day in and day out. Moeller feels that “even conservative industry professionals are having a little more fun with their suits, expressing themselves through their ties, shirts, cufflinks and pocket squares. The same suit can look dramatically different with a change of accessories. Men should feel free to mix patterns and make a look of their own.”

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