How Many Business Suits Should You Own?
If you work in an office or professional setting where suits are the norm, you may be wondering where the sweet spot is to scoop out a number of appropriate suits to create a collection for your wardrobe, so you have enough to get you through each day without having to wear the same one twice. Generally, it is recommended that you need to have more than one — after all, we’ve all had a spill of coffee or another mishap that called for an emergency visit to the dry cleaners. There are also weather concerns to consider and then there’s the issue of colour. So, how do you choose how many suits you should have? Let’s find out.
How many business suits should you own?
Any suit you buy is an investment. Nowadays, it may also be one of the only pieces in your wardrobe that are made-to-measure and tailored to perfectly fit your body. To protect that investment, it’s better to have more suits in rotation. This puts each suit through less stress, wear and tear — meaning all of your suits will enjoy a much longer lifespan than if you were alternating between just two or three. So, how many business suits should you own? For someone who makes it compulsory to wear a suit to their 9-5 several times a week, we recommend a ratio of two suits for every day of the week — ten suits in total. This allows you to rest each suit in rotation, gives you enough time to dry clean and mend your suits when required and offers various options that will work for all professional occasions. If you’re just starting your career, don’t stress if you don’t already have ten suits in rotation. At a bare minimum, you can start your wardrobe with a core of five good work suits and slowly build this number out. Here are the bases we want to cover with this base suit wardrobe:
- • The navy suit — Black is often considered the go-to shade for workwear, but this isn’t true of suits. Save black for funerals or black tie events and opt for a navy wool suit instead.
- • The grey suit — Following closely behind the navy, a charcoal or grey suit is another great, versatile neutral for your work wardrobe. Keep it simple with a single-breasted, notched lapel blazer style.
- • The lighter option — For your third suit of the week, try a lighter blue, a more lively brown or even a bold green tone — something that breaks up the week and feels like a point of difference.
- • The patterned suit — A great option for any workwear wardrobe and styled well with or without a tie, a subtle pattern like tweed or pinstripe is a must.
- • The summer swelter suit — For Australia’s weather, we recommend a lightweight cotton or linen suit for those days when wool just won’t cut it.
Create your businessman’s wardrobe with Sartorial Bay’s fine tailors
At Sartorial Bay, we tailor-make every one of our suits to create a professional impact that reflects your unique personality and style. Whether you have questions about building out your suit collection or pricing for a bespoke suit, contact us today, and we’ll help you.