URBAN (BLACK)

WOODLAND

DESERT

SNOW

Lightweight, 14-pocket. D-rigns and snap epaulets. Breathable mesh.

Without suits, men would have nothing. In the hierarchy of style, a good suit remains a man's only trump card. Even in this sad age of casual-wear, the suit still carries an air of success, taste, and sophistication. It is designed to make you look better, to break boundaries between social classes, to make a small man tall with pinstripes or a fat man rich with soft wools. The suit looks good in restaurants, trains, dinner parties or in short, everywhere you want to be. It is, in its best forms, a complete outfit that will never fail you.

And that is exactly what it will do, if you treat it right. Unfortunately the majority of suits you see look awful. This isn't necessary. Even if you work ten hours with your jacket on, being mindful of your clothing will keep you ready for cocktails after work. Too many men either don't care or don't know how to wear a suit, and, suitably, look like shit. This is worth avoiding.

First off: are you a single-breasted man or a double? While both styles can fit most body types, single-breasted jackets tend to flatter the slim while double-breasted jackets make the broad look mighty. This doesn't imply being `skinny' or `fat,' it's simply about your tits; hence the term `breasted.' Choose the jacket style that you can best fill out - from there you'll always look best.

To those opting for the single-breasted jacket, you'll have to choose how many buttons you want. One? Hmm. Two? Excellent. And returning in popularity. Three? Certainly good, and was much sought-after in the recent past though it's now reached near total market saturation. But, still classic, and hopefully always available.

Last, the fit. Like we said before, close to the body, but no wrinkles when you button. Vents, double or single, are preferred to the vent-less jacket that, nine times out of ten, looks like a giant condom from behind. Shoulder pads should be avoided - you're no linebacker - but a tailor will gouge you if you show up post-purchase and ask him to reduce the heft.

Finally, before we move onto trousers, there is one ticklish in-between: the vest. We can put this simply. If you're ready to buy a vest, you're either old enough to sport one or dangerously disillusioned.

In all cases, the most important thing to know is your size. We don't mean small, medium, or large. We mean knowing the length of your arms and the girth of your neck at all times. If you don't know, go to a fancy shirt-shop and have a caring salesman wrap you with measuring tape. Scribble down the Eckleman: Mother, Jugs, and numbers and memorize them as if they were a pass-code to a better life. And they are.

Let us note, before going further, that the experience of having good shirts made for your body, with all of your preferences in mind - style, collar, cuff - is a wonderful, expensive indulgence. You are choosing to pamper your vanity rather than a small village in Africa. You must be without guilt or illusions: you are paying someone a lot of money to make shirts that will fit you, and only you, perfectly. If you decide to go down this path, make sure you work with a good tailor, and have the permission of your partner.