Men’s formal wear, like suits, sport coats, blazers and business suits, have come a long way since their boxy, unstructured beginnings. Styled to complement the modern man’s well-toned physique, today’s business suit is cut with broader shoulders and a slimmer waist. Single-breasted lapels still dominate men’s fashion, but double-breasted suits and sport coats have experienced resurgence now that cuts are trimmer. The preferred fabric for men’s suits and sport coats is superfine wool unless a sweltering climate calls for cooler fibers like linen and silk. Patterned men’s formal wear fabrics are generally subdued, with small pinstripes. Men’s sport coats and blazers, on the other hand, offer more creative latitude for the adventurous dresser, delighting the eye with bold patterns and brighter colors. For top-quality formal wear that stays on trend year after year, shop brands like Arnold Brant, Lauren by Ralph Lauren or Hickey Freeman.
