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The best suits for men: 18 stylish suits for every occasion
Presenting GQ’s ultimate guide to buying a men’s suit. Whether you’re in the market for a linen, cotton or wool suit, we’ve got you covered...
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Every man should have a suit in his wardrobe. There, we’ve said it. There really is no exception. Gay Talese, former journalist at the New Yorker, once said, “Putting on a beautifully designed suit elevates my spirit, extols my sense of self and helps define me as a man to whom details matter”, and it will do the exact same for you. Even if you don’t work in a job that demands one. Whether you need a suit for a wedding, job interview or funeral, it’s likely you’ll need a smart, tailored look at least once a year.
And, sure, while a decent suit will make you feel a million dollars (figuratively speaking), with so many suits out there, chances are you could fall flat and end up looking pretty awful. Every leading style figure has at one time or another donned a suit, whether it’s Harry Styles or Donald Glover (and, to be honest, they know how to get it right).
With that in mind, we thought it was about time we compiled the ultimate GQ guide to suits. So whether you’re in the market for a wool suit fit for the winter months or a wedding suit that won’t break the bank, we can (and will) help you out. Don't hesitate, thinking you may not be able to afford any of the suits below, either. We’ve got you covered with the best suits for men, no matter your budget.
Reiss linen suit | Sunspel white T-shirt | Serge DeNimes gold chain | (Green wool suit is custom-made, model's own)
What are GQ's best suits?
- Best linen suit: Percival, £378 at percivalclo.com
- Best affordable suit: Uniqlo, £104.80 at uniqlo.com
- Best corduroy suit: Drake's, £795 at drakes.com
- Best velvet suit: Oliver Spencer, £480 at mrporter.com
- Best budget wool suit: Arket, £368 at arket.com
Wedding suits
For your typical wedding, formality should be at the forefront of your mind. “A versatile, ever-smart-suit-that-flatters-your-proportions three-piece suit” is the best option and the one that Ben Clarke, head cutter at Richard James, suggests men go for. If there is a colour scheme, it’s best to stick to it. If in doubt, a plain mid-grey will go with anything, while navy is versatile and flatters all complexions. If you do decide to opt for a three-piece suit, then always remember that when wearing a waistcoat, there is no time or place for a belt.
“Sunny-weather weddings lend themselves to more casual styles in lighter tones with softer constructions (less padding and canvasses). Soft linens, cottons and summer wool frescos all come into play during the summer,” explains Clarke.
And while a wedding itself may break the bank, your suit doesn’t need to. Whether you head to high-street favourite Marks & Spencer or Alexander McQueen, there is something to suit every budget, without compromising on the fit.
Summer suits
With the turn of summer comes the ability to change up your suiting. Summer suits, when put in contrast to their winter-friendly compatriots, should be lighter, cut from more porous fabrics (such as linen, silk or fine merino wool), and styled in pale, sun-reflecting shades to reflect the warmer climes. You could even go down the route that John Legend favours and go for suits in vibrant shades such as yellow and purple.
You also have the opportunity to play around a little more when wearing a summer suit – perhaps by switching out a shirt for a vest (as Harry Styles and Kanye West like to do) or by going shirtless completely, as seen on the catwalks of Louis Vuitton and Dior.
Winter wool suits
Sure, you might not be a fan of the cooler weather that the winter months bring, but there is one good thing about it: you get to wear a wool suit. Softer and therefore more wearable than tweed, it is a happy medium between comfort, style and warmth, making it our go-to between the months of October and March (give or take a few, remembering we still live in temperamental Britain). Essentially, wool is a better idea than lighter alternatives in the cooler months because you won't have to cover up all that excellent tailoring under a coat.
Wool is also a good idea because, rather than its polyester counterpart, it is less damaging to the environment. When you want it to, wool will biodegrade in a matter of months, without causing microfibre or plastic pollution. It’s a win-win (unless, of course, you try to wear it in a heatwave).
Linen suits
A linen suit is a warm-weather must-have. Lightweight and loose, the mighty linen suit tends to be constructed in flax fibre with an extremely low thread count (fine cotton tends to be around 200, with a fine linen around 80-150), which means it is a lot lighter than other suits (the wool suit, in particular). If you have any business obligations that take you to warmer climes, then the linen suit should be a bit of a staple.
Whether you wear a linen suit for a formal day look with a pair of sandals and an open, linen shirt (Chris Hemsworth does this well), or wear it with a crisp white shirt and tie, you can guarantee that a sweaty back will be furthest from your mind.
Lounge suits
Historically, the lounge suit was the less formal version of morning dress or morning suit. Today, however, that has changed. Ben Clarke suggests that “these days, I would say that a lounge suit is simply a suit of two or three pieces that has each been cut from the same cloth. After the Second World War the waistcoat rather disappeared because of cloth rationing and so the two-piece lounge suit was born.”
The lounge suit, as we know it today, is something of an umbrella term, covering both two- and three-piece suits. When you read a dress code on an invitation that reads “lounge suit” rather than “cocktail attire” you can expect that your office suit is more than up to scratch, rather than tailored eveningwear.
Essentially, most suits you see on the high street or in the office are lounge suits. The colour, style and shape preferences are up to you.
Made-to-measure suits
While you can find some great tailoring on the high street right now, chances are an off-the-peg fit will always be a little off (unless you’re built to model-sized specifications, of course). If you're looking for something truly perfect, made-to-measure is your best bet.
Made-to-measure suits are typically taken from a ready-made fit pattern and then altered by a tailor to fit you, meaning the finished garment will be fully customised to your body and style. If you’re looking for a suit that fits like a glove, then you’re probably going to want to go down the made-to-measure route.
Nowadays, most brands offer a made-to-measure service, from Paul Smith to Gieves & Hawkes.
Dinner suits
If you have a black-tie event, then you’re going to need a dinner suit. The classic tuxedo (AKA the penguin suit) is sharp, fitted, and comes in a range of styles with small tweaks. A traditional dinner suit comes with a single-breasted jacket with jetted pockets. Typically, it features peak lapels or shawl collar, which are equally authentic and correct and usually come in silk, satin or grosgrain. Notched lapels aren’t seen as typically acceptable for a black-tie event.
Today, the dinner suit has come a long way from its 19th-century origins and the red carpet at awards ceremonies have become awash with different variations. The blue tux is a popular option (Tyler, the Creator and Donald Glover favour a more colourful-hued suit). Then there's the bolder, mismatched tux; a look which the likes of Timothée Chalamet is a fan of, donning black slim-fitting trousers with a patterned dinner jacket.
There is also the white jacket dinner suit. The rules of white tie are akin to those of black – just make sure everything fits and avoid notched lapels (a bow tie is customary).
With all that in mind, below we have picked the best suits you can get your hands on right now, to fit any occasion…
How do we select our favourite suits?
So, how exactly do we choose what constitutes the best suits for men in 2024? Simple. We know our stuff, we do our research, and we get out there to experience as much product as possible.
Our section head of menswear for GQ Recommends, Heidi Quill, is obsessed with clothes. Joining British GQ in 2021, Heidi might primarily look after clothing content, but she spends a healthy amount of time up to her neck in samples, checking product for the very best quality, price and design, all before recommending it to you. That includes knowing everything there is to know about an excellent suit.
A suit is a uniquely personal item, and one that ought to be considered carefully before buying. For our part, Heidi and our team of contributing writers and freelancers (Jessie Atkinson, Faye Fearon, and Adam Cheung) have primarily taken fit and material into account in their selections, and have primarily chosen from brands — both high street and designer — that they've worn and loved before. Scroll on for their findings.