<p>I accidentally posted in the hs forum before I realized parents would probably know more about this… I’m shopping for a suit to wear to semi-formal events (think dinners, school dances) and I don’t know whether to find a suit with trousers that have pleats or not. What’s the suggestion/style these days?</p>
<p>And while we’re at it, are shoulder pads in suits a good thing?</p>
<p>Edit: I’m 5’10", slim with a slightly muscular build. I also have broad shoulders from swimming so much, if that helps…</p>
<p>A suggestion for you: Calvin Klein suits (on sale). I was a swimmer also (you could never tell it now) and to get a suit that fits my chest means that the pants are baggy, baggy, baggy. Even after taking the pants in enough for the waist, they still balloon around the thighs. So make sure you look at separates, so that you can get a jacket that fits and pants that fit.</p>
<p>The CK suits come as separates, are great quality for the price (on sale), very stylish, and FIT. I especially like that the pants of CK suits are cut for a more snug fit, making a sharper overall look.</p>
<p>With a swimmer build, do not listen when the salesman says, “Oh, we can take the pants in a few sizes…”</p>
<p>Another rule of thumb: broad shoulders = no shoulder pads. You don’t need to build up the shoulders. Of course, many jackets have small pads so the jacket holds its shape, but nothing else. Look for ones with the smallest padding possible. Or ones that you can just remove the pads.</p>
<p>An excellent book on the subject of all manner attire for men “Dressing Smart for Men: 101, Mistakes you can’t afford to make and how to avoid them” by JoAnna Nicholson (2004). I got it from the library but plan to buy one for DS before he leaves home. It’s approach is classic with all sorts of odds and ends that I wasn’t aware of. Good Luck.</p>
<p>I have been trying for YEARS to get my husband to stop buying clothes with pleats…blech</p>
<p>As for the suit, don’t just have white shirts, get a cool blue, black, gray or darker color, looks great with black and a couple of ties that can go with all the shirts</p>
<p>A dark shirt can go without the tie and still look cool, while the white, eh, just doesn’t work as well</p>
<p>You can get some great dress shirts at Macy’s that don’t cost a lot</p>
<p>One of my Hs favorite ties, my Ds got at, yes, Walgreens</p>
<p>Don’t forget one or two pairs of dress socks, simple black, not expensive either</p>
<p>And a black belt, guys, you need a belt to carry it off</p>
<p>okay, i give on the charcoal socks, but the tie, stripes…hmmm</p>
<p>You need a shirt for day- that can be whitel but for night, you need to look like a young adult, not your dad</p>
<p>I got my nephew some ties for graduation, with a gray shirt- the ties were a modern design but dark , with pupple, black, gray…he LOVED it…its not fuddy duddy and he doesn’t look like his dad</p>
<p>the shirts, make sure you have some that are dark, not just the pastels…I love seeing a guy with a snazzy dark shirt, cool tie and black suit…shows confidence and individuality</p>
<p>the tie can make the outfit, and for evening, dances, etc, don’t ever ever ever do a stripe unless it is very modern, its like you can’t tell the difference between an evening event and a daytime one, and that goes for the white shirt for evening…if you DO do the white for the evening be sure the tie doesn’t look like you are going for a job interview if it is for an evening party or dance</p>
<p>I give on the pleats (I don’t wear them, myself), but my advice on the separates for suits stands. Do NOT buy a suit. Buy a suit jacket and suit pants!</p>
<p>I have a friend who just bought her first interview suit from United Colors of Benneton (sp? I’m not a fashion person), and they have a great selection and great mix and match options! I bought my thesis defense outfit there, it may have cost more than I’d like, but I looked darn good! ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful replies! You guys have me convinced to go no pleats. The shoulder pads I’m still not sure about, cuz I thought jackets always had shoulder pads, but I’ll see if I can find one with minimal shoulder pads.</p>
<p>Definitely no pleats - I wore an old pair of pants with pleats today and remembered every negative, unflattering aspect to pleats that exist. If you’re a swimmer, I’d also go no shoulder pads (or as small as you can find). </p>
<p>If this is semi-formal attire, ditch the suit and get a sportcoat and maybe two pairs of pants that go with and three ties that work in. Best would be if you could also get a coat that can handle a white shirt (more professional) and a colored shirt (more semi-formal-chic) and get the three ties to match. Cuffs on pants are great, especially if you think you’ve still got a bit of growing left to do and the tailor can make it such that the cuffs can give without leaving obvious marks of decuffing later.</p>
<p>Big thing in coats these days - cool linings (cool as in the antonym of “lame” versus the antonym of “thermally increased”).</p>
<p>But, above all, regardless of body type really wear sunglasses (oops, wrong year) - no pleats…</p>
<p>What to buy and what to wear also depends on the situation. And what’s in the stores will reflect whatever is currently in fashion anyway.</p>
<p>In the working world, I don’t think anyone cares, especially for men, as long as its well fitted (nothing is worse than flood pants) clean, pressed, conservative and does not look cheap.</p>
<p>For social occasions, it depends. If you are the “star”, the center of attention, then by all means be concerned. Otherwise, I don’t think anyone else really cares that much. </p>
<p>IMHO, people are much more likely to notice:</p>
<ul>
<li> your tie</li>
<li> your shirt</li>
<li> your shoes</li>
<li> your haircut</li>
<li> your shave or lack thereof</li>
</ul>
<p>than whether or not your pants have pleats.</p>
<p>As far as dress shirts go, I think that shirts with a spread collar and french cuffs look very nice and modern. In fact, I will only buy shirts with those features. The standard slim collar seems very out of style/conservative to me now.</p>