Why Business Casual Suits Are Here to Stay

In this moment where we might be at the tail end of a literal fight for our survival…a question arises: does fashion still matter? And, given they are the pinnacle of fashion, what about suits?

The suit – for both women and men – has traditionally been a big deal, holding symbolic power of elegance, authority, and mastery over one's self and profession.

Where a suit was a requirement for work – something of a uniform that showed respect but also conformity – it’s importance in society is evolving. As our active, fast paced lives lead us to ask more from the performance of our clothes, everything we wear has to deliver in durability, ease of care, and wrinkle-resistance, in addition to style.

So yes, a formal suit is no longer a need-to-have burden (for most business environments). Instead, we are free to explore it the way we do other fashion – as something elegant and refined to wear when you want to look great and feel taken care of.

There are two main angles from which you would approach wearing a suit:

Because you feel you should.
Because you want to.

Take a look –

Wearing a suit when you feel like you should

There remain settings where it’s accepted and assumed that you will wear more formal attire. These include the most special occasions (weddings and funerals), executive meetings in many industries, and finally, law. In these settings, traditions rule. Unless you are a cat in court, you are expected to present yourself with respect for the moment.

I know the rise of the culture around technology has made formal wear seem less important and these days, most of us are working from home in jeans and a hoodie. But, when you encounter someone wearing a suit – especially when you’re used to seeing them in casual attire – the whole energy changes.

If the situation calls for a suit, and you go against the grain you’ll end up feeling out of place. What’s the impact? You’ll probably be off your game.

So, what to do if you’re someone for whom dressing up doesn’t come naturally? We make performance suits that help you feel great, even when you don’t love wearing one.

Wearing a suit when you want to feel like a million bucks

We all know people who always look great, and do it with ease. Why can’t that be us? What we don’t see is how much energy it takes behind the scenes to pull it off.

This is decidedly not me. While I am eager to feel like a million bucks in a suit that makes me feel good, I am only willing to go so far to do so.

I won’t iron. I won’t dry clean. I won’t carry a separate garment bag. I’m not willing to sweat and I hate slowing down my life. We make refined mens and womens suit separates that are for people who are emboldened by fashion too. The only difference is, we make it easier to do so, because your wrinkle free blazer is always ready, straight off your hanger or out of your bag.

So, in this moment, do suits still matter? It all boils down to who you are. Either way, we’ve got your back.

Here is a rundown of how our line is prepared to outfit everyone -

For Him

Presidio

With a slim profile and a luxurious feel, our most formal suit takes home highest honors with a lightweight structure that won’t make you break a sweat. The more dapper cousin to our popular Gramercy Blazer, the Presidio is a lightweight suit that drapes like a summer-weight wool, elevating your look from tired work-from-home staples into something a bit more secret-agent-stealth.

Gramercy

A man in the Gramercy blazer. Once upon a time, we dreamed of a comfortable suit — one that was breathable, washable, wrinkle resistant, and still looked and felt like wool. After a tremendous amount of testing, we finally found the Gramercy fabric — and made our men’s casual blazer fantasy a reality when it raised over $340k on Kickstarter. These days, it’s all about easy wear. Our goal has always been to create low key, zero-effort pieces that solve problems and this machine washable blazer and pant was no exception.

For Her

Trevi

These lightweight separates are a go-everywhere essential that always looks elevated thanks to a relaxed modern silhouette. Our fantastic Trevi fabric is moisture wicking, odor preventing, and machine washable. Plus, it's so soft and comfortable that you’ll want to wear it every day.

Making it your own

Dress for you, not for them.

At its core, a suit is about confidence. Whether you’re comfortable in them naturally, or find dressing to be an extra step, we’ve made it easier for you to show up in something that amplifies the best of who you are.

The shift towards work from home clothing has meant a shift towards dressing for oneself. We can interpret the typical business casual suit on our own terms. By dressing for you, it’s more about feeling whatever combination of comfortable and confident makes sense on a given day. When the comfy t-shirt and joggers that you’ve been living in feel tired, break the monotony with a suit and turn heads.

A Higher Standard

When I speak to women about fashion, I am universally told that they feel they have to conform to a higher standard. Women often had to wear suits to be taken seriously in the workplace, and in many ways faced more strict rules. But, with changes in self-expression have come more options that lead to donning a suit or blazer in an edgier or more stylish way. It could be a classic twist on menswear. Could be a non-binary clothing trend. The point is - make it your own and have fun with it. May the boring pantsuit be no more.

I know I’m not the only one who had moments of chafing at wearing a suit. My least favorite aspect of them was that they were hot. Or, that I had to baby them. Or, wait, that they cost $12 to dry clean and then immediately wrinkle.

I think you get the idea. We make suits that don’t own you.

Bluff on,

Stefan Loble