On balance, what, about half the men were in suits of any color? Taking out the Asians, whom seem to favor black suits, how old were the black suit wearers on guess? Interested to know if it's more a "young man" thing or generic.

I am ambivalent about black suits; I don't have one but don't personally find them a transgression. IMO it's either the "one suit" theory, connotations of seriousness or the belief black looks good on everybody that makes them popular.

 

The majority of the men in black suits ranged from about 40 to 60. A few of the Chinese and Koreans were considerably older. The 2 Brits in black both between 40 and 45. The other interesting demographic was that to a man all the light grey suits were on "youngsters" i.e under 45-50

 

Are you sure they were black - not very dark navy? I'm surprised. It sounds a bit like an undertakers' convention.

 

I think that your survey was taken from an unrepresentative selection - black suits are very common amongst Asians/Orientals.

 

It just so happens that I was in a local department store over the weekend and as I walked through the men's department I couldn't help but notice all of the black suits. I'm guessing that anywhere from a third to one half of all the suits were black. Black also appeared to be the most popular color in the pants section.

Cruiser

 

I understand that this forum takes a more conservative (some might say "old school") business view of things. I think everyone here needs to just get over this black suit thing. Black suits are in the stores, people buy them, and they do actually wear them in public. The world of clothing is a dynamic marketplace, things change. One such change is black suits becoming more popular. What is the big deal? After all this is not the first time men have donned black during the work day, is it?

 

I think that your survey was taken from an unrepresentative selection - black suits are very common amongst Asians/Orientals.

It wasn't unrepresentative at all. The conference delegates were mostly from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australasia (112 delegates)
The only Asian countries present were Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, India, Israel, and Thailand. (33 delgates, of which 3 women, but even the Chinese and Korean women were wearing black suits)

(NB: not a single Muslim country attended. This was remarked upon)

What is obvious for me though is that the whole raison d'etre of suits as business daywear outside Asia, especially at large internaiotnal meetings is brought into question, because out of all the Europeans, Africans, Austrlains, and Americans (north & south) you could almost have counted the total number of suits on your fingers. And that's from 112 delgates!!!

Norway 1
Holland 1
Germany 1
Sweden 3
UK 3
USA 1
Canada 1 (woman)
South Africa 1
Zimbabwe 1

All the rest were in smart casual wear, myself included, navy jacket, khakis.

No Frenchmen in suits.
No South Americans in suits
No Australasians in suits
No Eastern Europeans in suits (Serbia, Hungary)
The Danes, Italians, Spanish, Greeks, Russians, Irish, and most Eastern Euros not present.

Smart casual was the order of the day really. Apart from one American in his sandals and jeans and 2 Africans in traditional dress.

Conclusion - suits outnumbered, most suits black.

 

Black suits are very stern during daytime and often bought for they are offered in MTM shops. They imitate Pulp-Fiction or Godfather/Underbelly Italo-Crim style, especially when worn with sunglasses - not very recommendable for serious work. They also smack a bit of a lack of imagination, but they an are an appropriate option in very important events, e.g. appearing in a higher law court. They also might be an emergency compromise when there is no time to change for an evening event, for at night they are less conspicuous. In some elegant night clubs where any note of standard business garb would be out of place they come to their own, a note less elegant than a Tuxedo. Not a great choice during daytime, but, especially in cooler climes, not necessarily a terrible faux pas. Incidentally, statistics are not necessarily the best way to elucidate style.

 

Are you sure they were black - not very dark navy? I'm surprised. It sounds a bit like an undertakers' convention.

Yes, I'n sure. Because there were 1 or 2 navy suits,including my own blazer, which made it easier to spot black.

 

It just so happens that I was in a local department store over the weekend and as I walked through the men's department I couldn't help but notice all of the black suits. I'm guessing that anywhere from a third to one half of all the suits were black. Black also appeared to be the most popular color in the pants section.

Cruiser

Snap!!! In all the clothing stores in my town in Sweden over the last month or two, the number of black suits has increased dramatically to cater for all the graduating students. Now on the graduation Friday,2 weeks ago, I was in the centre of Stockholm, when all the open lorries ferry all the students around the centre of the city.I'd say 99% of the boys in suits were in black suits, there was the odd white jacket. And 99% of the girls in gowns/cocktail dresses were in white, with the odd yellow or pink.

 

Black suits are very stern during daytime and often bought for they are offered in MTM shops. They imitate Pulp-Fiction or Godfather/Underbelly Italo-Crim style, especially when worn with sunglasses - not very recommendable for serious work. They also smack a bit of a lack of imagination, but they an are an appropriate option in very important events, e.g. appearing in a higher law court. They also might be an emergency compromise when there is no time to change for an evening event, for at night they are less conspicuous. In some elegant night clubs where any note of standard business garb would be out of place they come to their own, a note less elegant than a Tuxedo. Not a great choice during daytime, but, especially in cooler climes, not necessarily a terrible faux pas. Incidentally, statistics are not necessarily the best way to elucidate style.

I have to disagree, I find it highly unlikely that elderly Korean, Chinese, Japanese and UK politicians and respected academics are aping pulp fiction or the Mafia.
Are those just your own views and theories?

 

The idea that black suits are inappropriate for daytime or business presupposes two things- that the association of the colour black with funerals and formalwear exists within one's culture, which can be said only of western cultures. To the populations who wear white to funerals, the black suit would carry no such funereal quality, and in those cultures whose formalwear is traditionally anything other than the dinner jacket , such as the Sherwani, the Hanbok, etc., black is not necessarily associated with formality either so it is not surprising that black suits would be popular in the rest of the world.

 

Incidentally, statistics are not necessarily the best way to elucidate style.

My thread has never mentioned style and is not responding to style. It is a response to the view held here, by many it seems ,that black suits won't do for daytime business wear. I disagree. Even at my own govt agency most of the guys who wear suits wear black.

Personally I don't like it and would never wear a black suit in the daytime or the evening for that matter. Navy or grey.
But style and preference aren't the issue here.
I'm simply questioning on what basis so many here say that black is a no no for a business suit when the fact of the matter is that so many men around the world wear black business suits.

Might it be a case again of us gentlemen being a bit too sure of ourselves and assuming that our preferences are correct and thus should apply to everyone? I think it might be.
And clearly black suits are very popular, no amend that, are the most popular colour for a suit.

 

The idea that black suits are inappropriate for daytime or business presupposes two things- that the association of the colour black with funerals and formalwear exists within one's culture, which can be said only of western cultures. To the populations who wear white to funerals, the black suit would carry no such funereal quality, and in those cultures whose formalwear is traditionally anything other than the dinner jacket , such as the Sherwani, the Hanbok, etc., black is not necessarily associated with formality either so it is not surprising that black suits would be popular in the rest of the world.

I take your point & I'd like to agree but for the fact that 2 Brits were in black suits.

 

There is a sartorial Black Abyss out there for sure.

Avoid it at all costs!!

 

I think the other interesting observation to be drawn from this is in regards to the vehemence with which this board tries to dissuade people asking about interview suits from wearing black. We might want to start taking the apparent fact (which I can also confirm from my MUCH less exacting observations) that black is accepted as "normal" in a business setting into account.

 

Warning: Suiting customs in America may differ from those abroad. I'd still prefer navy or charcoal in a business setting any day in the good old U S of A. Black suits also limit your tie colors.

 

Well then, this Thursday I'm doning my seersucker suit, white OCBD, white nubuck and navy bucks, ribon belt (blue and pink), bright yellow socks (or lime green w/ multicolor dots) and either a pink tie or one of the following bows - madras, pink/navy,or wild blue polka dots Top it off with a Stetson straw fedora and walk through the business district on my way to work.

 

I think the other interesting observation to be drawn from this is in regards to the vehemence with which this board tries to dissuade people asking about interview suits from wearing black.

Exactly. And that is exactly the kind of thing on this forum that I'm questioning. The ridiculous "elitist" idea that someone turning up for an interview in a black suit clearly knows nothing about dressing and would be somehow frowned upon (by who, I don't know) for wearing a black suit.

 

This thread originated with the OP's observation that black suits are being worn in abundance out in his world. He really didn't express any opinion as to whether he thought this was a good thing, bad thing, or if he even cared one way or the other. It appeared to be nothing more than an observation.

Most of the responses to this observation really have had little to do with what is happening out there in the world, but rather folks have been expressing their dislike for black suits by pointing out all of the arguments usually put forth by clothing enthusiasts including the old mafia stereotypes.

Although I can't speak for the OP, I get the feeling that the point being made is that despite the fact that clothing enthusiasts and hobbyists have a general disdain for black suits (and pants, shirts, etc.), this disdain isn't found in the greater world at large. That isn't a vote for or against, it's just an observation.

Keep in mind that the men of the world aren't buying black suits because the manufacturers are filling the stores with them. The manufacturers are filling the stores with them because that's what sells. This doesn't mean that you have to join in and start wearing black. Heck, if you don't like it, don't wear it.

I don't wear my black suit for business or during the daytime for any reason because I don't personally think it's the best choice; but it doesn't bother me if someone else does. (Wear their own black suit that is, not mine. :icon_smile_big: )

Cruiser

 

Warning: Suiting customs in America may differ from those abroad. I'd still prefer navy or charcoal in a business setting any day in the good old U S of A. Black suits also limit your tie colors.

Well clearly, six American men turned up. One was in sandals and jeans, four in tieless smart casual and one in a light coloured suit, mentioned above. No charcoal or navy suits at all. Now I know that's only six men, but it was six men on the US delegation representing the USA on an international forum.

 

Our stores sell black suits (in solids, stripes, patterns) at least 4 or 5 to one over any other single color. I don't recommend them to my customers as a first or second suit because you can't wear all the same shoe colors you can with a navy or gray suit; but that doesn't seem to slow down sales.

 

Earl, as one of those ill-disposed towards black suits, I do not contend that they are not commonly worn. I merely contend that they are sub-optimal for daywear, and do not communicate those messages that I frequently want to communicate. The fact that some attendees at a conference wore black suits is of no moment.

 

Well clearly, six American men turned up. One was in sandals and jeans, four in tieless smart casual and one in a light coloured suit, mentioned above. No charcoal or navy suits at all. Now I know that's only six men, but it was six men on the US delegation representing the USA on an international forum.

The Americans probably would have been better off in black suits than in casual dress, then. It's my personal opinion that as long as a man is dressed well (in the year 2010), traditional conventions be damned! It's a sign of the times. You don't have to be correct, just be decent and you'll be ahead of the game. That being said, I'm personally against black suits for standard business day wear, but we all have our opinions and I would not be bothered or even think twice about someone who wore a black suit.

 

I understand that this forum takes a more conservative (some might say "old school") business view of things. I think everyone here needs to just get over this black suit thing. Black suits are in the stores, people buy them, and they do actually wear them in public. The world of clothing is a dynamic marketplace, things change. One such change is black suits becoming more popular. What is the big deal? After all this is not the first time men have donned black during the work day, is it?

Exactly. Well said.