suits - informal:

last suit post, then onto my next ideas.

informal suiting is a little more difficult, but at the same time, you can put a lot more character into it - creating an effortless look actually takes more effort and more confidence. mostly, just take everything explained in dressier suiting and do the opposite. to explain: still keep to the basics; fit should still be your primary concern, then details, and finally color. this is true with both dressing sharp and dressing creatively, but the 'opposite' part come in the execution.

starting at the top, drop the sharp parted hairdo for something a little more haphazard, like you wanted to part your hair, but had no comb. im still not exactly endorsing full-on fohawks or ultimate wet looks, just something messier, like below.

next, keep the theme running with shoes that have a bit more character. don't pull out your skater shoes or basketball kicks, but instead of spit shined cap toes, try some bucks, boat shoes, or chukkas. they're great for dressing down a suit.

alden chukkas, j. crew

bucks

chukkas don't necessarily have to match very much on the suit, just be in the same relative color family as something else you're sporting.

moving towards the middle, your shirts and ties should still be narrow. shirts still need to fit slim, and maybe be tailored (just a tag that says 'tailored fit' may not be enough), but go for oxford cloth, chambrays, polos, or something more casual. same goes for ties, narrow width, but play with patterns and textures. generally try to keep one pattern louder, and one more understated so that the shirt and tie don't compete.

suit + striped polo

chambray + knit tie     

and finally, lets talk about the suit. i like the suit pictured at the very top because it's actually a nicer suit that's just been dressed down with a denim shirt, a dandy pocket circle (an alexander olch pocket circle), some expressive socks, and white-bottomed loafers. to pull off an informal suit look, the suit doesn't necessarily have to be casual, just stick with the basics and cheat with the details. there are more casual suits, look for something with a different texture, color, or material of the suit. a great example of this is going for a suit in something like a nice wheat colored chino, subdued seersucker, or tweed as shown below. just remember to tailor it for everything it's worth.

overall, the difference is in the details, and in casual suit wearing, don't be afraid to punch 'em up a bit. go ahead and let things stand out, just keep everything in proportion. don't forget that the details should still work together, but they can be a little less exact, and a little more expressive. cheers

any questions comments or concerns, feel free to comment.

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