Once you’ve covered the basics, the blue and charcoal solids and the occasional subtle pinstripe, the real fun begins. One of the merits of the casualization of today’s dress is that you can wear originally very sporty suit fabrics to almost any occasion; and these are often the most fun. Here are three examples:
Grey POW check. A light grey POW check with light blue overcheck is such a versatile suit it should actually be in the basics section, but many men are put off by the seemingly complicated pattern, so here we are. Formal enough so that it can be worn to most business meetings, almost a solid from a few meters back, but so much more interesting. Works with brown shoes and black shoes alike and almost the whole spectrum of ties, except for very formal ones, like wedding ties.
A lightweight tweed suit. See this beautiful green Donegal suit, for example: the color is definitely sporty, but still dark enough to be worn to all but the most formal occasions. The cloth is also definitely sporty, but still refined enough to work as a suit. Besides, green is one of the best colors if you’re not restricted to conservative blue and grey; works perfectly with autumny colors such as rust, brown and burgundy but also with the right shade of blue.
Windowpane suits. Windowpane is among the more discreet, “real” patterns; pinstripes are so common that they almost don’t stand out as such. Be it in a flannel winter version or a summery fresco, the jacket can work perfectly as an odd jacket, given the right configuration (two patch pockets are a good idea). Pay attention to the size of the pattern: larger “windows” work better for taller, bigger men and vice versa.
