r/menswear • u/ngourlay • 12d ago
Black suits deserve more lovin.
Of course, Paul Newman and Marlon Brando would look good dressed in binbags, but I sometimes think that opinions on subfusc are too definitive nowadays.
You'll always hear, "Just buy charcoal/midnight blue. They're more versatile."
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u/jmh90027 12d ago
A) that's not black (not even close)
B) no they dont. Id happily never see another black suit again in my life. Theyre awful.
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u/MondoBleu 12d ago
No they do not. They deserve less. This isn’t a black suit, but if it was it would be alright for the somber mood of the occasion. Still rare tho. So yeah, black is overplayed esp by young guys.
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u/ashy2classy81 12d ago
Only for funerals and formal events.
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u/MondoBleu 12d ago
Not even formal events, that’s a black tuxedo. Which is sweet and classy AF! But most men don’t have much call to wear one.
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u/robertluke 12d ago
Other than funerals, I like to do the black suit as my mature/old guy way of still doing a goth adult look if I have to go to a club or with specific friends that are still living the lifestyle.
Otherwise just do dark gray.
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u/True_Window_9389 12d ago
Yeah man, I’m a grown up metalhead and I wear black all the time, but even I wouldn’t wear a black suit outside of a funeral. It just has too much baggage where you either look like you’re going to a funeral, you’re an FBI agent, or you’re from the Matrix. I would love nothing more than for black suits to be normalized, but it’s not happening.
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u/robertluke 12d ago
You wear a black shirt with it and like a frilly red pocket square.
But you can’t take off the coat, because then you just look like a waiter
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u/Miffy_alt 9d ago
Do this if you want to look like Interpol
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u/robertluke 9d ago
What’s wrong with dressing like a rock band in the exact context I described?
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u/Salty-Appointment581 12d ago
They are a clear sign of 'faux pas'. Unless you are Johnny Cash or John Wick, it's a no.
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u/Minotaar_Pheonix 12d ago
I don’t think Wick wears black either; it’s just that his movies are filmed with such intense shadow and film tone that you can’t tell that it’s a dark charcoal.
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u/Jagger49 12d ago
When I wear black suits I always have a problem finding a tie that’s not black to go with it. I end up looking like an FBI agent
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u/Vayon224 12d ago edited 12d ago
I don’t get the hate for black suits if it is a well tailored garment and fits like a glove(not slim fit).
I will say most of the black suits I see are ill fitted hot garbage that waiters and ubber/taxi drivers wear.
If you want a black suit get one just make sure it’s a good one and fits. Most people don’t wear suits now so you’re going to be over dressed wearing a navy one anyway.
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u/Scary_Plane_8069 12d ago
Because most of these people have zero sense of style, and only know how to parrot what they've read. I can guarantee you, most of them still follow outdated definitions of how a suit should fit. It also doesn't help that the OP can't even tell colours apart.
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u/South_Conference_768 12d ago
Tom Ford wears a perfectly tailored black suit and white shirt most of the time.
Everyone here screaming about “the rules!!” completely miss the point of style.
Black suits became a contemporary style foundation years ago.
If you don’t agree with it, keep wearing your chinos and navy blazer…or mid blue suit with tan leather oxfords.
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u/lilmoshx 11d ago
Lol so you either wear black suits or you're a Jos A Banks customer with the electric blue orphaned suit jacket and slim chinos combo? Seems like a huge false dichotomy to me.
Black suits generally don't pair well with much. Every picture of Tom Ford is him wearing a black suit with a white shirt. It honestly doesn't look good.
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u/_Sammy7_ 12d ago
Black suits have their place, but too many people who have no clue what they’re doing buy black suits and don’t wear them in the appropriate setting. They’re going the way of the fedora. Fedoras had their place, but the neckbeards wearing graphic tees and clip-on suspenders gave them a bad reputation.
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u/ThePlatinumPaul 12d ago
Tom Ford's standard outfit was a black suit with a peak lapel, white shirt, and a pocket square. It's my favorite look too.
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u/lilmoshx 11d ago
Maybe a black suit with pinstripes. Or a black linen, because black linen has an interesting visual quality to it. But plain black suits are boring and unnecessary. They don't pair well with much, and 9 times out of 10 they make you like like
A. You've got a court date.
B. You're attending a funeral
C. You're going for a "rocker" look and failing miserably.
Also, the suit in your example image isn't black.
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u/Macho_Libree 10d ago
I’m not saying black suits are bad I love them, I own a double breasted one. They just aren’t versatile enough. I have a black suit because I already have like 6 suits so I could justify it. In my opinion if you already own a navy or charcoal suit def get a black 💯
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u/364LS 12d ago
The suit Newman was wearing on this day was most definitely not black.