Knickerbocker’s channeling of classic mid-century cool doesn’t stop with beefy chinos and camp collar shirts. The New York label makes some head-turning tailoring as well and its Miles suit is prime example. The 2×2 button front is a pointed departure from the usual double-breasted button configurations we’re used to seeing and gives the suit a retro feel in a way that’s actually hip and not dated. Add to that a featherlight linen-cotton blended fabric woven in Italy, and you’ve got a suit that feels as cool as it looks.
A Great Black Option: Smock Wool Gabardine Suit
Mohawk General Store is one of the greatest multi-brand menswear retailers in the country, but fewer people know that its house line, Smock, has fully earned its place among the other brands it carries (and almost always beats on price.) Made from premium Japanese Wool Gabardine, the blazer’s got a notched lapel, two-button closure, center vent, and easy-access patch pockets, while the pants have welted rear pockets for even cleaner lines.
Why Are Suits So Expensive?
Suits aren’t cheap compared to a lot of the other things you wear, but there are good reasons for this. For one, suits—particularly suit jackets—are complicated things to make, and the more skilled handwork that goes into them, the better they tend to be. For another, good fabric isn’t cheap, and aside from the labor of cutting and sewing, the quality of the cloth is what determines the price of a suit. With all that said, you can still add a beautiful suit to your wardrobe for under a grand, provided you know what to look for.
What to Look for in a Great Suit
The top-line criteria include fabric made of 100% wool (the ultimate suiting fabric for durability and breathability) or cotton (cheaper and less durable, but still good). You can also look for hallmarks of quality like full or half-canvassing, which is the invisible layer inside the jacket that gives it shape. Fortunately, there is a whole rack of dapper options that meet these standards, from classic navy notch-lapel units to swishier double-breasted pinstripe numbers and professorial corduroys. Just make sure you get it tailored before you step out: a cheap suit that fits you really well will always look better than an expensive one that doesn’t.
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
