One of the benefits of choosing to go bespoke when you have a suit made is that you can choose any color and pattern you want for both the outer material and the lining. That choice will, in essence, decide the vibe you give off when wearing the suit, so it’s not something to be taken lightly.
Choosing the Right Outer Material
When choosing a color for the suit’s primary material, the main consideration you should make is how formal you want the suit to come off. You can pick your suit color based on the “formality scale” below.
- Black, dark gray, and dark navy are the most formal colors of all and are suitable for a highly formal event or wearing to a white collar job.
- Charcoal gray and charcoal blue are slightly less formal. We don’t generally play favorites, but we’d recommend a charcoal gray or blue suit for a first-time suit buyer because they are incredibly versatile and can suit a wide range of occasions.
- White, cream, and brown suits make a statement. They’re not incredibly formal, but they still give off an air of old-world sophistication good for dinner parties and casual business meetings.
- Bolder colors like burgundy, emerald green, or deep purple are “more fun” but much less formal. They’re a good way to make sure you’re the most authoritatively-dressed figure in the room at casual events like birthday parties, barbecues, or concerts where many people might be wearing t-shirts and jeans.
A pattern for the fabric is a good way to liven up a more formal fabric color. Popular patterns for suit fabrics include:
- Crosshatch
- Herringbone
- Pinstripe
- Bird’s Eye
- Self Stripe
- Checkered
We’d recommend adding a pattern to any shade of black, blue, or grey unless you’re going for a very formal look. For bolder suit colors, a pattern will probably make the suit too lively and is usually unnecessary.
Choosing the Right Lining
For your lining, you essentially have two ways you could go with color choice:
- Tone-on-tone – pick a color that’s the same hue or a slightly lighter shade than the color of the main suit material for a formal look.
- Contrasting tone – For a bit more flair, pick a very different color that still complements the primary suit material color. The fashionistas at the ATL Tailor shop will help you settle on a specific hue.
An unpatterned lining is the most formal, but you could also go with one of the many patterns we offer to add a bit of excitement to the suit. What pattern to choose is almost entirely based on personal preference, as lining pattern is so subtle that it doesn’t make a statement beyond aesthetic appeal.
