When it comes to men’s clothing, the suit still remains as the pinnacle of sophistication. I remember my desire to “suit up” when I was watching the famous American TV show How I Met Your Mother during my early 20s, and how the womanizer Barney would always be wearing an amazing suit. Later in life, came Harvey Specter played by Gabriel Macht, one of the top attorneys of a New York law firm in the TV Series Suits, exuding confidence through his finest cut single-breasted, made-to-measure suits with Windsor-knot ties. But too late, as I’d already made several suits and none of those had the classiness I wished for.
So when you are thinking of buying your first suit, make sure to keep these things in mind:
The colour
Your first suit will benefit you greatly if you take versatility in consideration and choose the colour carefully. You can wear a shiny tuxedo and rock your brother’s wedding, but for the upcoming interview or any formal event, that shiny tuxedo will simply make you feel overdressed and out of place. Therefore, whatever the occasion is, do not go for a shiny, silky, light coloured suit. Why? Simply because dark solid colours such as charcoal or navy are perfectly suitable for formal occasions like a job interview or a formal client meeting, as well as for non formal programs, like a wedding.
The fabric
Due to climate change caused by global warming, Bangladesh does not have six seasons anymore, and winter nowadays, only lasts for two months. Thus do not buy a heavy 100% wool fabric for your first suit, rather, pick the fabric that is not too heavy or not too light, and does not have loud patterns on it.
Style and fit
Everything depends on the fit of a suit. It must not be too tight or boxy, but the jacket should taper at the waist to give you a nice silhouette when you put it on. Avoid being too stylish with your jacket, as you will need to use it for formal occasions too. Include classic features such as notch lapels, double vents and flat front pants. Some modern jackets nowadays have a ticket pocket, which is cool but will make it funky instead of formal. Both two button and three button suits will be a good choice. However, bear in mind that three button suits look better with men who are in better shape.
Ready made or tailor made
Unfortunately, Bangladesh is still way behind the tailoring standard Western and European countries have set. Even other Asian countries such as China, Thailand or even India have plenty of bespoke tailor shops, which are comparable with the finest in the world market. However, in Bangladesh ready-made suits available in different fashion brand outlets are mostly poorly tailored and overpriced. Hence, to accommodate your needs, it is better to look for a custom tailoring shop where you can choose your desired colour or fabric and instruct the tailor the things you want, such as the fit, the length, preferred buttons, pocket, and vents.
Time
A complete suit normally takes four to six weeks to tailor in Bangladesh depending on the season. Therefore, keep adequate time in your hand, if you plan to make it from a custom tailor shop. Also reserve another four weeks for altering your suit, as most of the time, your suit will need to be altered in different places due to the lack of skilled local tailors. However, if you are in time constraint and also on a budget, then simply visit Elephant Road or Bongo Bazaar in Dhaka to find ready made suits on a budget.
