What’s the Difference Between a Dinner Suit and a Business Suit?
As anyone who’s tried to parse the meaning of “black-tie optional” or “smart casual” on an invite knows all too well, there’s no such thing as an all-occasion suit. Some suits are better for the office, some are perfect for summer weddings, and others are designed to match the heightened refinement of a formal event. Common sense goes a long way to understanding the differences (you probably wouldn’t rock a breezy linen ensemble to an important business meeting), but a lot of it is a matter of terminology.
While part of the fun of building a tailored wardrobe is becoming conversant in barchetta pockets and pagoda shoulders, you don’t need to memorize a stack of vocabulary flashcards to look great in a suit. What you do need, however, is an understanding of the most common types of suits and which one is right for any given occasion. Here are a few of the most important varieties to know.
The Casual Suit
The chillest member of the suiting squad meets the basic definition of a suit (i.e., a jacket and trousers made from the same material) but brings an altogether more laidback vibe. A casual suit can be made from any type of material, but the most classic examples are made from cotton-based fabrics like twill, linen, corduroy, or seersucker in a wide range of colors. Other hallmarks include patch pockets, unstructured jackets, and a boxy, relaxed fit. A casual suit may not be right for the office, but you can still dress it up with a tie and a pair of loafers, or wear the jacket and pants separately in any number of rakish configurations.
The Business Suit
As the MVP of your tailoring lineup, a good business suit can take you from the office to a wedding to a cocktail event. Understatement is the name of the game here, so the fabric should be dark—navy, charcoal, brown, or black—with a matte finish. A subtle windowpane check or pinstripe is okay, but save the big, bold patterns for your sport coats. The jacket can have one, two, or three buttons, but the smart money is on a three-roll-two, with the topmost button hidden under the lapel to create a more substantial lapel roll. On that score, a classic notch lapel is going to serve you better than a showier peak lapel here. Double-breasted jackets are also on the board, but they’re a more advanced move, sartorially speaking, and best reserved for your second- or third-string suits. The fit, needless to say, should be immaculate, neither thigh-huggingly tight nor boxy. An office suit is supposed to make you look confident, sexy, and powerful, and if that’s not happening, it’s probably down to fit.
The Party Suit
If it’s vibes you’re after, the party suit is where to find ‘em. As its name suggests, this is a suit that’s made to stand out in every way, from the cut to the fabric to the details. That means anything is on the table, including (but not limited to) wild colors, funky prints, giant lapels, and double-wide pleated trousers. Given all of that, the party suit isn’t for everyone—and definitely not for every occasion—but when wielded with skill, it can be the most powerful of the bunch.
The Dinner Suit
Much like the difference between a “cocktail party” dress code and “cocktail attire,” the dinner suit’s name is a bit counterintuitive. That is to say, it’s not just a suit that you’d wear out to a nice restaurant or a dinner party; it’s a tux. The difference between a tuxedo and a dinner suit boils down to semantics, and which side of the Atlantic you’re on, with the latter term being more common in the UK and the former generally used in the US. That said, there’s a fair bit of latitude around what constitutes a tuxedo these days. If the occasion calls for a dinner suit, your options can range from an ivory dinner jacket to a jewel-toned velvet one, so long as you pair it with tuxedo pants, a white shirt, and (nine times out of ten) a bow tie. Which look you choose depends on the vibe you’re going for, but you can never go wrong with classic black. Likewise, if you don’t look (and feel) like James Bond when you put it on, take it back to your tailor for a re-fit.
