3 Occasions to Wear a Bold Suit by McKenzie Jones

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Men’s fashion is breaking away from the traditional suit colors of grey, black, navy, and brown for shades with a bit more punch. While the fabric choices for these new colors tend to be a bit more casual, you can still get a well-cut suit to suit your physique in a striking bright blue, lime green, or brick red.

Weddings

While the wedding party will have to stick to one color, you as a guest can get creative. Once you invest in a bold color like a red suit, pay special attention to your accessory choices.

Because the cut of the suit will likely be trim to the ankles, make sure your shoes and socks are a solid shade. Black is a great option as a base for many bold colors; if you want to make more of a statement, consider a taller shoe with a buckle feature to draw the eye without adding a lot of contrast. Let the suit take center stage.

Your bold suit will likely be made of linen or a cotton blend, rather than a wool suiting fabric. To match that crisp fabric, add a cotton shirt and cotton pocket square in bright white. Any tie with red in the pattern will suit, or you can wear a tab collar shirt and let the suit speak for itself.

Cocktail Parties

If you’ve been invited to a formal party and want to make a statement, a suit in a bold color can both give you the chance to stand out and the ability to stay a little cooler. Seersucker and linen suits provide men the chance to both brighten their wardrobe and take off the weight of a wool blend
Once you switch over to linen, your color options can really take off. Make sure to get your linen suit tailored so it stops at the hip and at the wrist. You want a nice straight hang at the shoulder for airflow and to avoid crumples. If you’re driving to the cocktail party, hang the jacket in the backseat until you arrive at your destination. In the battle between the seat belt and linen, linen will lose every time.

Because linen suits are inherently casual, let your accessories be a bit more relaxed as well. If you’re taking a date, see if you can come up with a pocket square that will coordinate with their clothing choice. Skip the tie and wear a silk shirt with a tab color to allow air to move under your suit. Skip the socks and slip into comfortable loafers for this party.

Dining Out

Headed out for a nice dinner with friends? Bring out your bold suit and you can both dress up for dinner and dress down from work. If your job requires that you spend your days in a standard suit of a standard color, you can change things up on your night out. Because restaurants tend to be dim, your bold suit will draw the eye to you. For a more formal meal, switch things up and go darker with your accessories. For example, a bold blue or lavender suit with a white tab shirt is a great option for an outdoor wedding. You can add elegance to your bold suit with a black or charcoal grey shirt and a tie that features both colors. The final touch of a black silk pocket square turns your casual summer suit into a stylish statement that you can wear year-round.

When you ramp up the suit, make sure to tone down the shoes. Loafers are great for an outdoor event, but when dining upscale, return to solid black shoes, or something with a zip or a buckle. If your shoes have a bit more flair thanks to metal trim, take the time to polish up both the shoes and the buckles or other trim. Lift the buckle from the leather and sweep away any dust or grime that builds up in the creases made by the buckles.

Men have long struggled to add a bit of interest to their wardrobes. If you’re tired of swapping out pocket squares and trying to find socks that are a little more fun, consider a single bright suit for a wedding or other special event. Once you own it, you’ll find ways to wear it.