17 Simple Rules for Buying the Perfect Suit (2024)

A couple of truths about suits: 1) You need at least one. 2) It's going to cost you. Exactly how much is up to you. Thanks to technology, inexpensive labor, and the free market, you can now buy a damn fine suit for under $300. You can also drop a grand or more. It all comes down to options.

The Basic Suit
Price Range: $300-$599

1. Try a Separation
Many brands in this price range, including Nautica, Banana Republic, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, and Alfani, sell the jacket and pants separately. It's a made-to-measure feel on a budget. It works for Men's Health guys with athletic builds who need large jackets and smaller trousers.

2. Get Stylish
Just because it's affordable doesn't mean it has to be stuffy. In the past, inexpensive meant conservative, too. No more. Modern, trend-driven details—including peak lapels, double vents, and a variety of patterns and fabrics—are now attainable at the $300 threshold.

3. Finger the Fabric
Worsted-wool fabrics are measured by the number of times the yarn has been twisted, ranging from 80 to 220. The more twisting, the more lightweight (and expensive) the fabric. This range brings you into the 80s, an excellent three-season option in most climates.

4. Find the Lining
Eye-catching linings were once a hallmark of only the more expensive suits. Now you'll find them at lower price points. Iridescent fabrics, intriguing patterns, or stripes can make slipping off your coat a statement of style.

The Moderate Suit
Price Range: $600-$999

1. Thump the Chest
The most important element in a tailored garment is the chest piece, which is either sewn in or glued. Look for one made of natural fibers, which breathe, for comfort. At these prices, cotton is the choice. Camel and horsehair are the finest, but they'll cost you.

2. Pick the Pockets
On lesser-priced suits, the chest pockets are square boxes. On suits above $600, they become "crown" pockets, which point outward and are angled in toward the chest. Why is this important? It's not, terribly—but people who know these things will notice, and sometimes those people are important.

3. Scrutinize the Machine Stitching
Hand-sewn detailing is common on more expensive suits. But these days, machine stitching in a moderately priced suit is generally excellent and looks hand-sewn. Examine the lapel and pocket flap.

4. Eyeball the Buttons
Buy a suit for less than 600 bucks and you're getting plastic buttons. Dig a little deeper and you cross the threshold into Corozzo buttons, which are crafted from ground nuts. These not only look cooler but also are far stronger.

5. Finger the Fabric Again
You've moved yourself into suits made of Super 100s to 150s worsted wool, or higher-end cotton/silk blends. In this range, you can find even finer fabrics, including interesting blends with linen, silk, wool, and bamboo.

6. Carry a Load
In this price range, suits begin to offer four or more interior pockets, tailored for passports, pens, cellphones, and the like. Look for pockets sewn into the lining, extending to the edge of the jacket's interior and the actual outer-shell fabric. This lends the pockets structure, so you won't look lumpy.

The Expensive Suit
Price Range: $1,000 and up

1. Canvas the Territory
Past the $1,000 price point, you can expect full-or half-canvas construction—sewn, not glued, for stability. Half canvas ends at the lower part of the chest, while full canvas comes down to the bottom of the coat.

2. Scope Out the Stitching
That slight roll on the shoulder? That means it's been attached by hand, not machine. Hand stitching makes for a more stylish suit, and one that wears better and lasts longer. It also adds precious minutes to the production process, thus elevating the price. Suits at this price point often take 6 hours or more to assemble.

3. Look for "Made in Italy"
Call it unjust: The country with the most beautiful women in the world also boasts the best suits. Spending $1,000 or more will get you into the latter. As for the former . . . well, wearing a nice suit isn't going to hurt.

4. Finger the Fabric a Final Time
Around $1,000 and up, fabrics are exceptional, including worsted wools that break the 200s. The most exclusive fabric, known as Esperdi 220s, is used by Canali and can result in a suit costing $10,000 or more.

5. Flash the Lining
Suits in this range usually sport a Bemberg lining, which is silklike and has a satisfying luster to it. But looks aren't the whole of it. Your $1,000 or more also buys you two separate linings, one for the coat and another for the sleeves. Having both makes for a more comfortable, better-looking suit.

6. Working Buttonholes
Not much function here, but working buttonholes on the sleeves are a surefire way to ID a pricey suit. If you require more than minor alterations in the sleeve length, though, avoid this detail—the buttons can't be adjusted as easily. The best way to wear them: Leave the last button undone.