Suit (clothes)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A suit, also known as a business suit, comprises a collection of
matching clothing
consisting of:
-
a
coat (commonly known as a jacket)
-
a waistcoat
(optional) (USA vest)
-
for men, a pair of
trousers (USA pants),
or for women, a skirt
or trousers
A suit is generally accompanied by, for men, a
shirt and tie,
or for women, a blouse.
History
The suit is the traditional outfit of men in the Western world. The modern suit
did not appear until the late nineetenth century, but its origins can be traced
back to the revolution in men's dress set by
Charles II, king of
Great Britain in the 1660s. Charles, following the example of the court
of
Louis XIV at
Versailles decreed in 1666 that at court, men were to wear a long
coat or jacket, a
waistcoat (originally called a
petticoat, a term which later became applied solely to women's dress),
a cravat (ancestor
of the modern necktie)
a wig, and breeches
or trousers
gathered at the knee, as well as a hat for outdoor wear. Although it is hard to
see the outline of the modern business suit in the elaborate and
brightly-coloured court dress of the seventeenth century, the basic pattern
outlined above has survived for more than four hundred years with some
adjustments, notably the abandonment of
wigs and knee breeches after the
French Revolution, the invention of the modern
necktie in the late nineteenth century, and the gradual disappearance
of waistcoats and hats during the last fifty years.
What we call the modern suit was originally a nineteenth-century American
innovation in dress: seeking a casual alternative to the long, heavy frock
coats then considered appropriate business dress, men began to wear lighter
coats cut just below the waist when not engaged in business. This "sack suit"
(now called a "lounge suit" in
Great Britain or a "business suit" in North America) would be worn for
formal occasions by lower-class men, and for casual occasions by upper-class
men. Gradually it replaced the older frock coats until it became accepted as
appropriate business wear after
World War I. A formal version of the suit, called a
tuxedo or
dinner jacket was popularized at the same time, helping to doom the
older tailcoat
and morning
coat worn as parts of
formal wear (see
evening dress,
tailcoat,
morning coat). The
waistcoat or vest was worn regularly with the suit until
World War II, but is rarely seen today.
As women entered the working world in large numbers over the past fifty years,
business suits for women have become increasingly popular. These are imitations
of the male uniform
and have become common in formal attire for females in the workplace and
elsewhere: in this case a matching
skirt may substitute for trousers.
Over the past half-century, the wearing of men's suits has become far less
common than it once was and is now restricted almost entirely to formal and
business activities. During the 1990s, many businesses in North America adopted
casual
dress codes, beginning with "casual Fridays" and then extending to the
entire business week. Although many workers have applauded the relaxation of
dress codes, suits are still required wear for formal business events such as
board meetings. As well, the abandonment of an uniform dress code has led to
considerable confusion over what is considered appropriate business wear. More
recently, some business have reinforced the wearing of suits, although they
will never be as common as they once were.
Like the frock coats they replaced, business suits seem to have become too
formal for an age of casual dress. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that they will
disappear entirely, and even the most casually dressed man should own one for
such occasions as weddings, funerals, court appearances, and job interviews.
According to Anne Hollander's book Sex and Suits (ISBN
1-56836-101-7), the origin of the suit was in European medieval
armor, which "replaced the naked human frame with another one that made
a close three-dimensional, line-for-line commentary on it in another medium."
Furthermore, "plate armor required an undergarment made by a linen-armorer, a
close-fitting padded suit that outlined the whole man".
Perceptions
The uniform impression of a suit, often appearing in standard configurations
such as pinstripe
suit or suit and tie, can carry numerous connotations.
In business settings it can communicate respectibility and taste. In different
milieus, the connotations of corporate life that the suit represents conveys
unadventurous conformism. Extreme variations on the suit can convey the
opposite (for example, many
pimps wear exaggerated versions of suits containing various hues,
patterns, etc.).
An alternate use of the word as a
synechdoche in references to
management staff in
corporations as "suits" may express contempt for the perceived
absence of autonomy
seen as imposed on members in a uniform elitist
bureaucracy. It may also be a comment on the perceived amorality or
even immorality of those who work for corporations.
The political and social dominance of Europe in the world during the last
century has led to the adoption of the suit as appropriate business and formal
wear in almost every part of the globe. Refusing to wear a suit, therefore, can
be a symbolic rejection of European dominance in some cases. For instance, some
political leaders reject wearing business suits in order to send a message that
they do not conform to Western patterns. The most notable example was probably
the late Chinese leader
Mao Tse-Tung, who usually appeared in public wearing a suit of his own
devising, nicknamed the
Mao suit. Other alternatives to the suit include national or tribal
dress for African and Middle Eastern leaders, or military fatigues like
Cuba's
Fidel Castro.
Traditional etiquette
(Note: The following is a general guide for wearing a suit in a professional or
respectful manner. Casual wear is at the discretion of the individual.)
Double-breasted
suits are always kept fully buttoned. For single-breasted suits, when standing,
all buttons except for the bottom one are fastened. In the case of three-button
suits with lapels
that roll over the top button, the top button should not be fastened. Under no
circumstances fasten the bottom-most button of a single-breasted suit jacket.
To prevent "bunching," the single-breasted jacket should be completely
unbuttoned while the wearer is seated.
Ties should be darker than the wearer's shirt. The bottom of the tie should just
touch or just go over the top of the belt buckle. The shirt collar should not
be the button-down variety, although this guidleline is frequently ignored. It
is also advised that all buttons of the shirt, including the top one are
buttoned for a tidy appearance.
Acceptable colors for belt and shoes are brown and black. The belt and shoes
should match one another. The belt's buckle should be silver or gold. Other
metallic objects worn with the suit (such as
cuff links,
tie bar,
tie tack, watch)
should match the belt buckle. Where watches are concerned: the more formal the
occasion, the thinner the watch. In the most formal situations, the watch
should be kept in one's pocket. Shoes should not have rubber soles. Rather,
they should be made of leather. Some companies also make dress shoes with
wooden soles.
Socks should match the pant leg. This makes the leg appear longer, as well as
minimizes the noticeability of a too-short pant leg. If it is not possible to
match the pant leg, socks may match one's shoes. However, it is more correct to
match the pants.
The classic conservative shirt colors are light blue or white. The classic
conservative suit colors are navy blue, grey, and charcoal. Black has only
recently gained acceptance as a suit color, and still is not considered
particularily conservative. The most formal type of dress shirt worn with a
standard suit is a shirt with
French cuffs, which use cuff links (or the lesser known silk knots) to
close, but this type of shirt is optional, and essentially up to the
preferences of the wearer.
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