Men’s suit styles, while diverse, can be categorized primarily into four distinct styles. Each has its own origin, aesthetics, and wearers. Understanding these four foundational styles is key to navigating the diverse world of men’s suits.
Your choice of suit style should reflect your body type, personal style, and the occasion. Here’s a deeper look into the four main styles:
The American Suit Style
American suits, (also known as sac suits), have been around as long as the United States itself. This style is the most versatile and can be used in any setting.
American Suit Style Jackets
Traditional sac suit jackets have two buttons, medium-sized lapels, and three outside pockets. Two of these pockets are flap pockets located towards the bottom of the jacket, while the third one is on the upper left breast of the suit. It can be worn with a pocket square or without.
Jackets are single-vented with natural shoulders. Some people make the mistake of adding large shoulder pads on them, but it rarely makes them look better. I would only advise this for tall men with scrawny shoulders. However, even then the shoulders should only be enhanced to make the man’s shoulders look natural rather than thick and muscular. Too much padding is just too obvious, even to the casual observer.
American Suit Style Pants
Pants can invariably be flat-front and do a great job showing off a man’s natural leg shape. The bottom of the pants are un-cuffed and have a natural break at the dress shoes. Pants should angle back towards the legs at the ankles.
Who Should Wear This Suit Style?
This style is great for men with large chests. The two-button style will form a nice V shape around the pectorals and accentuate them. Flat-front pants will conform to the leg and show off a mans overall fitness.
If you’re looking to only own one suit for your wardrobe I highly recommend making it this style. However, with full disclosure, I must say that I am American and my opinion may be a bit biased.
American Suit Designers
Keep in mind that a suit made in America is not necessarily an American-style suit. This is also true with suits made in Italy and in Great Britain.
Some classic examples of American-made suits are Hart Schaffner Marx, Brooks Brothers, and Anderson Little. Joseph Abboud and Hickey Freeman are also great examples, although they generally just fall under the same ownership as HSM now.
Tom James is a good example of a state-side suit company that makes bespoke suits for U.S. citizens.
The English Suit Style
English suits are cut with classic British style, elegance, and formality. This type of suit is great for formal occasions, interviews, the office, and when you want to make a firm appearance.
English Suit Style Jackets
The traditional single-breasted British-style jacket will have three buttons. The double-breasted jacket, which is also popular among the English, will generally have a six-on-two arrangement where two parallel columns of three buttons exist but only a couple are actually fastened.
British suits traditionally have three pockets and strongly tapered sides, providing a more formal aura. It will have two side vents and minimally padded shoulders, but some models do come with one vent. Waists will be streamlined with one flap pocket on each side.
This is all opposed to Italian suits, which generally have strongly padded shoulders, minimal tapering on the sides, and a sleeker look. Both of the aforementioned styles are opposed to American suits, which range from more relaxed, to more trendy, to some permutation of the other models.
English Suit Style Pants
Pants will be pleated or double pleated with a quarter-inch cuff at the bottom. Cuffs should always have a slight break at the dress shoes. The pants should never scrape the ground for two reasons. One, you will quickly ruin your pants. Two, it creates a disheveled, unprofessional appearance.
When To Wear an English Suit Style
A major advantage of English suits is their forgiving nature. Three-button suits do a much better job of hiding a man’s potentially protruding gut or weak chest. The pleated pants also do a great job of hiding not-so-shapely legs. So, in addition to hitting the gym or taking up a sport, a tailored English suit can make you seem like you are in great shape.
Proper tailoring can give this suit a formidable and authoritative look. Wear a pinstripe model to add even more power to your look.
The Italian Suit Style
The Italian suit,(also known as the European suit), sparks great interest in any fashion enthusiast. You can find this style on the runways of all male fashion shows.
Italian Style Suit Jacket
The traditional look on this jacket is double-breasted with large lapels and slit pockets. A classic model will be completely vent-less. Shoulders will be gently padded to add some bulk without making the suit look unnatural.
Italian Style Suit Pants
Pants are pleated and cuffed with both button down pockets and slit pockets. The cuff may end with a slight break at the shoes or it may end slightly above the shoes with no break.
Who Should Wear An Italian Suit Style?
Tall men with lean builds look both trendy and stylish in these models. However, many fashion consultants feel that short and stocky men should steer clear of anything resembling double-breasted.
I disagree that short and stocky men can’t wear double-breasted suits. While the suit will look bulky at the midsection, a double-breasted suit will hide a large belly much better than a British model.
The key to making this suit work for a bulkier man is to have higher gorges to elongate the torso. Leaner men may go with shorter gorges, while average men leave them at the standard position.
Learn more about gorges in our post on how to buy a suit.
Italian Suit Style Evolution
Keep in mind that suits made in Italy aren’t always going to be double-breasted suits. In fact, most suits today are single-breasted suits. This includes the suits that come out of Italy.
Traditionally each area of the globe had its particular styles, but today you can get any style you want from almost any company you want.
Also, you can find double-breasted suits with vents and single-breasted suits with large lapels and slit pockets. Suit styles are constantly changing and as long as you have the money, you should be able to find something that you feel looks great on you.
The Mandarin Suit Style
The Mandarin suit is a unique style associated with Eastern cultures. Many nations in Asia along with many religious sects used to use this style suit in day-to-day activities.
The most apparent notice of this in Western society is the catholic priest’s weekly uniform. In fact, you really won’t see too many other Westerners wearing a suit with a Mandarin-style collar.
Mandarin Style Suit Jacket
The difference is this collar stands straight up rather than lying flat on the shoulders and chest like a typical British, Italian, or American suit.
Jackets are also noticeably different in that they have buttons all the way up the jacket and do not end until they close the jacket up at the neck. This causes the average jacket to have five to six buttons.
Mandarin Suit Accessories
Accessories worn are the same in theory but must be adapted to the jacket. For instance, a mandarin shirt is often worn with this style of jacket. Also, the tie is often non-existent, while the pocket square takes the central role in adding a touch of style to the outfit.
You’ll also notice that some designers make a mandarin suit that works well with a typical dress shirt and tie. This is nice for those looking to wear a mandarin-style suit without sacrificing their favorite shirts and ties.
Suit Designs
Now that we’ve covered the basic styles, we need to talk about the different designs to choose from. Designs come in the form of button numbers, jacket styles, and trouser styles.
The Suit Jacket
The suit jacket can vary in number of buttons, lapel width, and collar style. It can also come with different pocket styles as well.
One Button Suits
The one-button suit is one of the least popular suit models on the market. In general, you’ll find that the two and three-button suits dramatically outsell the 1 button suit. Reasons for this vary, but you’ll find that the one-button jackets typically don’t match up well with many body types.
For instance, many short people find that the one-button suit jacket only accentuates their small stature. It makes the wearer look almost incapable of wearing a two-button suit jacket.
However, short and stocky men can benefit from a one-button model. This is because the single button centers nicely on their stocky frame and provides a nice focal point.
Just don’t wear this if your beer belly is bordering on its nine-month of pregnancy. Your stomach will become the focal point and it will not be flattering.
Tall men tend to do better with more buttons on their jackets rather than less. The exception comes with very tall and very lean men. For some reason the single button makes them look fashionable rather than frail. You can get a good visual of this by simply watching any tall and skinny runway models.
Two Button Suits
The 2 button suit is the standard executive suit worn by businessmen all over. This type of suit is the number one choice among Americans for all types of events requiring a suit.
You’ll find that two-button suits and three-button suits make up most of the suits that you see for sale.
As a result of this type of suit being so popular, you’ll have no trouble finding it in all sorts of colors, patterns, and styles.
The 2 button style is usually set lower than the top button of the three-button suit but can be styled more like the 3 button suit at times. This look is a good happy medium for those that want to wear a two-button without having to bear so much of their chest.
This is a picture of a charcoal gray two button suit that I sold on Ebay. As you can see, the designer decided to sit the buttons up almost as high as you would put the top button on a three button suit.
Setting the top up like that worked very well with this suit because it was a slim fit suit and was very streamlined. It became narrower towards the waist and on the right owner should fit snugly.
Had this suit been made to fit a more portly gentleman it may have flared out awkwardly.
Shorter people tend to look better in a two button suit versus a three button suit. This is because the three button can overwhelm a person with a shorter torso.
Conversely, a tall and lean person can sometimes look overgrown in the wrong 2 button suit. You’ll notice that I said tall and lean and not simply tall.
This is because thicker men have an easier time pulling off the two button suit even when they are taller than average. In fact, many body builder types prefer this type of suit because it conforms to their thick muscular frame better than a three or four button suit would.
Three Button Suits
The 3 button suit is the standard in British style and design. This style jacket gives off a more regal and formal look.
It is also much more forgiving to those with less flattering body types. For instance a man with a large belly and small chest will be able to cover both of these areas with the front of his suit jacket.
Three button suits are appropriate for all sorts of occasions and can be worn to office and even interview settings. This suit will give the wearer a nice refined look in comparison with its American two button counterpart.
The price of a three button model is the same as a two button model of equal design, stitching, and material. Also you will find that all designers will have this style jacket within their lineup.
When buying your first suit or even additional suits, you can’t go wrong with a three button suit. This suit has enough buttons to look well on tall people and few enough buttons that most short people will still look just fine in it.
For this reason, the 3 button suit is hands down the most popular suit button design on the market and in the closet. You’ll find that finding a 4 button suit or some other variation can be difficult if not impossible in some makes, but rarely ever in a three button model.
The three button suit and the two button suit are always easy to find in any size, color, make, or model.
Who Should Wear a Three-Button Suit?
As we said earlier, the three button suit is a versatile one and can look good on many different body types. This being said, you’ll find that the person that most benefits from the three button suit is the tall and slender man.
The reason for this is that this type of buttoned-up suit jacket will not create the elongated torso appearance that a one or two button suit can create on a man. A tall and thin man’s torso already looks elongated and adding to this look with a minimally button adorned jacket is simply unnecessary.
Four Button Suits
The 4 button suit hasn’t been popular among the masses in over 100 years. However, this suit does have its uses and can be seen every now and then at parties, weddings, and even the office.
This suit is popular among tall and thin athletically built men looking to wear a suit that looks a bit more natural than a three button suit tends to look on them.
The rule to wearing a four button suit is to make sure you never ever button up all four buttons. Fastening all four buttons on four button suits will cause them to look more like trench coats than suit jackets.
Who Should Wear a 4-Button Suit?
In conclusion, if you want to wear a 4 button suit, make sure you are tall. Otherwise, stay away from them completely.
Five Button Suits
The 5 button suit is more of a “Hollywood” type of suit than a traditional business or formal wear suit. This suit has so many buttons that even tall men will not have enough room for normal neck lines or lapel styles.
Five button suits can be found from designers such as Steve Harvey, Tayion, Michael Kors, and even Fubu. Also you will notice that many online companies will sell 5 button zoot suits with long trench coat like jackets.
The colors, materials, and prices will generally be different than their two and three button brothers.
When Should You Wear a 5 Button Suit?
This suit really shouldn’t be worn in your typical office. When working for a design company or something else edgy, then you might be able to get away with this type of suit during day to day business.
This being said, never wear a five button suit to an interview. The suit looks dramatically different than traditional suits and will not fit well in a formal or an informal interview.
A formal interviewer will want you to wear something standard like a two or three-button suit, possibly a 4 button suit if you’re on the taller side.
An informal interviewer on the other hand, will not want you wearing a suit at all. If you do come to the interview wearing a suit, he’ll wonder why you look so out of balance in it. He probably won’t be thinking, this guy has too many buttons on his suit, he’ll probably just think you don’t look very good.
These suits are not something you normally see on Wall Street. However, the designers aren’t really trying to sell them for this purpose. They are meant to be worn fashionably and if you do like the way they look, then feel free to wear them to parties, to church, and anywhere else that you only wear a suit for fun.
Six Button Suits
The 6 button suit should only be used in fashion shows, costumes, and possibly parties. This jacket type is certainly not something that would be acceptable in the normal business environment.
People that might consider wearing a suit jacket with so many buttons would be men trying to be fashion forward or trend setting. This practice rarely works in their favor, but it does create some interesting looks.
Men looking to wear six button suits should probably leave the jacket completely unbuttoned. Leaving the jacket unfastened will allow for your shirt and tie to remain visible even with such a large jacket.
Designers like Gino Cappeli and Nipon sell some interesting 6 button jacket pieces. They price out at around the $100 range for a new model.
Are Double Breasted Suits Six Button Suits?
The other type of six button suit is the double breasted suit version. This suit is sometimes referred to as a six button model, because it does indeed have six buttons.
However, although this suit does have the requisite number of buttons, only one or two of them are actually used. Two of the buttons will be able to fasten the suit together, and two will sit alongside of them to form a visual square.
When Should You Wear a 6-Button Suit?
You’ll find that this type of suit can look very fashionable, and can even cross over into the world of business. However, this is not something that is very common, and I really wouldn’t recommend wearing this type of suit into the boardroom.
Suit Designs for Trousers
Men’s trousers have evolved in style, fit, and design over the years. From classic designs to contemporary, men’s trousers have diversified to cater to various occasions, preferences, and body types. Here’s an overview of popular designs for men’s trousers:
- Flat Front (Plain Front): These trousers have a flat panel in the front and no pleats. They provide a slimming effect and are best suited for men with a slim or average build.
- Single Pleats: They have one pleat on each side, typically resulting in a slightly roomier fit. These are a more traditional design and can provide extra comfort around the hips and thighs.
- Double Pleats: Typically more roomy than single-pleat trousers, double pleats feature two pleats on each side of the zipper. They are better suited for men with a larger build or those seeking a traditional, comfortable fit.
- Cuffed Bottoms: Some trousers have a turned-up cuff at the bottom. This can add weight to the drape of the trouser and can be a style preference for some.
- Tapered Fit: This design narrows down towards the ankle, providing a modern, slim appearance.
- Straight Leg: This is a classic design where the trouser leg falls straight from the knee to the hem.
- Cropped Trousers: Shorter in length, these trousers end above the ankle. They’ve become a trendy choice, especially in warmer weather or for a more fashion-forward look.
- Suspender Buttons: Some traditional trousers come with internal buttons for attaching suspenders, instead of using a belt.
Fabric choice is equally essential when considering trouser designs. Wool, cotton, linen, polyester, and blends are commonly used materials, each offering unique characteristics in terms of comfort, appearance, and suitability for different occasions. You can learn more about suit fabrics in our post titled: The Suit Fabric Guide.
When choosing trousers, it’s crucial to consider the occasion, the fit that complements your body type, and personal style preferences.