A modern day gentleman knows that a suit is an essential part of his wardrobe. When a special occasion arises there’s nothing like a man in a luxurious looking suit. But does every modern man know what are the parts of a suit? A stylish, well put together suit is an unparalleled look for a modern day gentleman. But like we suggested many get confused when shopping for one. They end up with missing components which results in a not so well put together look. We want to make this process easier by exploring the different parts of a suit. By following our simple guide you’ll never end up being confused when shopping for a new suit. We are going to lay out all the essentials for a complete look, starting from different kinds of fabric used in the making at StudioSuits to all the different parts that make up a modern day James Bond kind of look.
Fabric
Suits at StudioSuits are made in a variety of different fabrics, the two most common being worsted and wool. With that said, worsted and wool can be woven to create many other fabrics, including flannel, tweed, gabardine, fresco and more. In most suits, the same fabric is used for different parts of a suit most commonly both the jacket and trousers. If you choose a wool suit, for instance, both the jacket and trousers will feature wool. Of course, you can buy your suit as “separates” for different fabrics, but most suits are sold with the jacket and trousers together.
Types of Suits
There are many different types of suits. Because we already mentioned that they can be made from different types of fabric, here we are going to give an overview of the most common suit pieces. There are 2 piece suits, 3 piece suits, 4 piece suits and 5 piece suits. We are going to examine all of them and lay out an overview of all the parts of a suit. To start with a 2 piece suit - it simply includes a suit jacket and trousers. This look is considered to be smart casual and is the perfect office look.
What is included in a 3 piece suit?
A 3 piece suit contains a suit jacket, trousers and a waistcoat (vest). It’s considered to be a more formal look and is usually warmer because of the extra piece the waistcoat (vest). They are made from the same matching fabric and are meant to be worn together. A 4 piece suit apart from the trousers, suit jacket and the waistcoat also includes a matching bow tie. This look is also considered to be formal.
What is a 5 piece suit?
A 5 piece suit contains all of the parts of a suit and is considered to be the most formal look. A 5 piece suit includes a matching suit jacket, trousers, a waistcoat (vest), a bowtie/tie and a dress shirt.
Suit Jacket
The most important component of a suit is the jacket. Not to be confused with a sports coat or blazer, a suit jacket offers the perfect blend of formality, style and comfort. There are a few things you must consider when choosing a suit jacket. That’s why knowing different parts of a suit jacket is important.
What are the parts of a jacket called?
There are 37 parts of a jacket. We are going to list them by grouping them in different parts of a suit jacket. First we have the front of suit jacket and the back of suit jacket. The front of the jacket has 24 parts but we are going to group them a little differently as these are the most important parts for the person who is going to wear a suit jacket.
We have:
- Sleeves
- Collar
- Back Lining Pleat
- Jacket Front
- Buttons
- Pocket
As for the back, the most important parts are:
- Sleeves
- Armscye
- Shoulders
- Jacket Back
These are the parts of a suit jacket you should pay attention to when investing in one. These parts make a suit jacket look good on you, we will give you an example. The number of buttons in front and pockets are very important when it comes to the overall look of the suit jacket. With the exception of zoot suits, most suit jackets today have fewer than four buttons. Most style experts will agree, however, that three-button jackets look the best. When wearing a suit jacket with three buttons, a good rule of thumb is to button the top two buttons while leaving the bottom button undone. While suit jackets are available in dozens of colors, the most common colors in which they are available include black, light gray, dark gray and navy. Either of these colors will offer a classic, stylish appearance that’s guaranteed to enhance your image when worn. You can still feel free to experiment with other colors, but the aforementioned four colors are safe and effective for all men.
Trousers
We can’t talk about all the parts of a suit without mentioning the trousers. As previously mentioned, suit trousers are typically made of the same fabric from which the jacket is made. If you have a suit with a linen jacket, the trousers will also feature a linen construction (assuming you purchased them together). Other than the fabric and color, one of the things you must consider when choosing suit trousers is whether it has pleats. Trousers are either fall under the category of pleated or non-pleated. Traditionally, most trousers featured a pleated front, which provides increased comfort when sitting. In recent years, however, many men have opted for non-pleated (front-front) trousers when wearing a suit. Flat-front trousers offer a slimmer, cleaner appearance — something you won’t find in pleated trousers. Regardless of which style you choose, you must consider whether or not trousers have a pleated front.
Dress Shirt
Another important component when it comes to different parts of a suit is the dress shirt. There’s no other way around it. If you want to wear a suit in a formal way, you need to wear a dress shirt under it. The great thing about dress shirts, however, is the countless different styles and options in which they are available. You can choose from standard cotton dress shirts to silk, linen and other fine fabrics. A good rule of thumb is to stick with a fabric that’s appropriate for the weather during which you intend to wear it. If you’re wearing a suit in winter, for example, choose a dress shirt made of a thicker fabric like tweed shirt. But if you’re wearing a suit in the summer, a light fabric like linen shirt or lightweight cotton shirt will suffice.
Shoes
Don’t forget to wear the right shoes with your suit! Even if you wear all the parts of a suit mentioned above, you’ll struggle to create an attractive appearance without the right shoes. We’ve talked about this before on our blog, but Oxfords are always an excellent go-to choice of shoes for a suit. They are clean, stylish, formal and look great when worn with all suit outfits. Just remember to keep them clean, as dirty Oxfords — or any dress shoes — don’t necessarily look nice. As long as you follow these tips, you’ll create the perfect suit while enhancing your appearance in the process.
Suit Accessories
We mustn’t forget about the details when it comes to the parts of a suit. They are as essential as any other component of a suit as they make a certain look you might be going for complete. Some of these accessories include:
- A waistcoat
- A necktie
- Handkerchief/ Pocket square
What is the thing in the pocket of a suit called?
It’s called a handkerchief or a pocket square. It can be made out of different fabrics that match the fabric and the style of your suit. It’s considered to be a formal and a gentleman like accessory.
The Vest
The vest is also a component of different parts of a suit. While optional, many men also wear a vest with suit. Known as a waistcoat in the United Kingdom, they were once a fundamental part of a suit. A suit vest wasn’t until the 1940s when manufacturers were forced to ration materials and resources that vests became optional. While materials and resources are no longer scarce, vests remain an optional component of a suit. So although it was once considered as an essential of different parts of a suit should you still wear one? It really depends on your personal preference. Wearing a vest creates the appearance of a more formal suit, which some men prefer. If you’re attending a black tie event, for example, you may want to wear one simply to create a more formal appearance. On the other hand, however, there’s really no rule — written or otherwise — stating that you must wear a vest with your suit.
Necktie
There’s one accessory that you shouldn’t forget when wearing a suit: the necktie. While a necktie doesn’t offer any functional benefits, it plays an important role in enhancing the wearer’s appearance while creating a cleaner and more effective outfit in the process. We consider it to be one of the crucial parts of a suit when attending a formal or semi-formal event. There are three things to consider when choosing a necktie -- the color, fabric and size. Some fashion experts recommend choosing a necktie that’s slightly darker than the color of your dress shirt. Regarding the fabric, silk or other fine materials is always an excellent choice. And for the size, consider a long and thin necktie to create the appearance of a slimmer figure.
