Thoughts on the Black Suit · Real Men Real Style Community

Thoughts on the Black Suit

On entering my style journey most style youtubers and bloggers recommend avoiding the black suit. They say things like it's difficult to pair, its too formal, it's too boring, there are better colours to incorporate into your wardrobe etc.

Hugo Jacomet has always been a major style icon for me. I've re watched his video on the black suit, his main idea is not to avoid the black suit in your first few suits. His video gives some good examples of how to pull it off.

This is in contrast to many people who think a black suit should be your first and maybe only suit. I think this public opinion comes from the idea that you would never need to wear a suit aside from a funeral. I think we can all agree this is a sad and self-limiting mentality many people have these days.

I find it interesting how many in the men's style community seem to pick the 30s-50s style as the main base of inspiration for style (although not completely copied)... the golden age of style. But this does leave out the first 100 years of the suit's existence. The suit was really born out of the aesthetic movement called "The Great Male Renunciation" at the turn of the 19th century. This emphasized rugged masculine personas, subdued colours and minimal embellishments for men. Of course this was in response to very opulent and frilly displays of wealth and power through delicate clothing.

There is a beauty to it's simplicity, and I think there is something to learn from this very austere approach to menswear. I think (as Mr. Jacomet argues) that avoiding wearing a black tie with a black suit can instantly drop the cartoonish, shrunken-suit, runway model vibe we often think of when imagining a black suit. I think a lot of our dislike of the black suit comes from a reaction of the way big clothing has shaped the imagine of the black suit: something poorly fitting out of stiff polyester that is uncomfortable. But what if we add the style principles that elevate any other colour of suit like adding a subtle pin or chalk stripe, or using a flannel wool just the same way we elevate our other suits. Maybe then our perception of the black suit may change.

Photo credit: The Parisian Gentleman

OOTD:

Ralph Lauren grey herringbone sport jacket

Spier and Mackay 3" untipped tie

Charles Tyrwhitt white poplin shirt

Walmart Chinos.

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