subject: Mens Clothing- Suits [print this page] Mens Clothing- Suits Mens Clothing- Suits
Like many things about proper etiquette today, all you need to do is look in the past. You don't have to look more than a couple centuries back either. Just go to the Victorian era and you will find many of social rules practically invented or ironed into etiquette during that time period. One of those clothing icons that evolved with only minor change are Mens Suits. When it comes to mens clothing in the world of fashion there simply is only one king of the hill without many contenders and those have become what we know as mens suits. Relatively simple in nature but not simple to manufacture, mens suits have been around since the seventeenth century as a pair of britches or trousers and matching coat that depending on the style of the era was how it was styled. It wasn't until the Victorian era of the early ninteenth century that suits started to look more like what they do today. In the world of mens clothing- suits have changed very little since that time period with only changes in the either the length of the coat, shape or style of the lapel and maybe the number of buttons. It's the construction of Mens suits that hasn't changed much at all because of the methods that are used to make mens suits have pretty much stayed the same with the way the lapels are shaped and the use of canvas chest pieces to give the jacket a sturdy body and shape.
Because of the price to tailor mens suits prior to the Industrial Revolution that swept through Europe and North America in the ninteenth century. Only the well to do were able to afford to wear mens suits that were litterally made and sewn by hand. The poor naturally had more important things to do with their money than bandy about in fancy mens clothing. Things like feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. Until the Industrial Revolution started and mass produced clothing was possible. Suits were stratospherically expensive like a Bespoke suit is today costing thousands of dollars. Even after they were able to produce mens suits, only the better off were able to afford them and wear them on a regular basis. A man of lesser means may own one suit for a special occasion but that was it. That is why when you see a man wearing a suit, the first thing that may come to mind is where he works or what he does for a living. These days you can find mens suits that are well made costing only a hundred dollars but since the stigma of social status still exists, you're not going to find your local vagabond wearing one. In the world of Mens Clothing, Suits are still the ultimate form of menswear available and give the wearer a sense of accomplishment.
