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[[File:Matt Smith on "Christopher And His Kind" set.jpg|thumb|Actor [[Matt Smith]] wearing a traditional English suit.]]
{{Western dress codes|informal}}
A '''suit''', '''lounge suit''', '''business suit''', '''dress suit''' or '''formal suit''' is a set of clothes comprising a [[suit jacket]] and trousers of identical [[textile]]s generally worn with a collared [[dress shirt]], [[necktie]], and [[dress shoes]]. A '''skirt suit''' is similar, but with a matching [[skirt]] instead of trousers. It is currently considered [[semi-formal wear]] or business wear in contemporary [[Western dress codes]], however when the suit was originally developed it was considered an informal or more casual option compared to the prevailing clothing standards of aristocrats and businessmen. The lounge suit originated in 19th-century Britain as [[sportswear (fashion)|sportswear]] and [[British country clothing]], which is why it was seen as more casual than [[Wikt:citywear|citywear]] at that time, with the roots of the suit coming from early modern Western Europe formal court or military clothes. After replacing the black [[frock coat]] in the early 20th century as regular daywear, a sober one-coloured suit became known as a lounge suit.▼
▲A '''suit''', also called a '''lounge suit''', '''business suit''', '''dress suit''', or '''formal suit''' is a set of clothes comprising a [[suit jacket]] and trousers of identical [[textile]]s generally worn with a collared [[dress shirt]], [[necktie]], and [[dress shoes]]. A '''skirt suit''' is similar, but with a matching [[skirt]] instead of trousers. It is currently considered [[semi-formal wear]] or business wear in contemporary [[Western dress codes]], however when the suit was originally developed it was considered an informal or more casual option compared to the prevailing clothing standards of aristocrats and businessmen. The lounge suit originated in 19th-century Britain as [[sportswear (fashion)|sportswear]] and [[British country clothing]], which is why it was seen as more casual than [[Wikt:citywear|citywear]] at that time, with the roots of the suit coming from early modern Western Europe formal court or military clothes. After replacing the black [[frock coat]] in the early 20th century as regular daywear, a sober one-coloured suit became known as a lounge suit.
Suits are offered in different designs and constructions. Cut and cloth, whether two- or three-piece, single- or double-breasted, vary, in addition to various [[Fashion accessory|accessories]]. A two-piece suit has a jacket and trousers; a three-piece suit adds a waistcoat.<ref>Flusser (2002). p. 146</ref> Hats were almost always worn outdoors (and sometimes indoors) with all men's clothes until the [[counterculture of the 1960s]] in [[Western culture]]. Informal suits have been traditionally worn with a [[fedora]], a [[trilby]], or a [[flat cap]]. Other accessories include handkerchief, [[suspenders]] or belt, watch, and jewelry.
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===Trousers===
Suit [[trousers]] are always made of the same material as the jacket. Even from the 1910s to 1920s, before the invention of sports jackets specifically to be worn with odd trousers, wearing a suit jacket with odd trousers was seen as an alternative to a full suit.<ref>Flusser (2002). p. 100</ref> However, with the modern advent of sports jackets, suit jackets are always worn with matching trousers, and the trousers are worn with no jacket or the appropriate jacket.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}
Trouser width has varied considerably throughout the decades. In the 1920s, trousers were straight-legged and wide-legged, with a standard width at the cuff of {{convert|23|in|cm}}. After 1935, trousers began to be tapered in at the bottom half of the leg. Trousers remained wide at the top of the leg throughout the 1940s. By the 1950s and 1960s, a more slim look had become popular. In the 1970s, suit makers offered a variety of styles of trousers, including flared, bell bottomed, wide-legged, and more traditional tapered trousers. In the 1980s, these styles disappeared in favor of tapered, slim-legged trousers.
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Suit-wearing etiquette for women generally follows the same guidelines used by men, with a few differences and more flexibility.
For women, the
Women's suits come in a larger variety of colours, such as darks, pastels, and gem colours.
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For many men who do not wear suits for work, particularly in Western society, wearing a suit is reserved for special occasions, such as weddings, funerals, court appearances, and other more formal social events. Hence, because they are not a daily outfit for most men, they are often viewed as being "stuffy" and uncomfortable. The combination of a tie, belt and waistcoat can be tight and restrictive compared to contemporary casual wear, especially when these are purchased at minimal cost and quality for rare occasions, rather than being made to be worn comfortably. This tendency became prevalent enough that the [[Christian Science Monitor]] reported that a heavy jacket combined with a necktie and flimsy slacks was "a design that guarantees that its wearer will be uncomfortable" at any temperature.<ref>[http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/09/05/to-save-power-bangladesh-bans-suits-and-ties/ To save power, Bangladesh bans suits and ties], ''The Christian Science Monitor'', September 5, 2009</ref> During the late 1960s and early 1970s, men's suits became less commonly worn, in much the same way that skirts and dresses were dropped by many women in favour of trousers. This was seen as a liberation from the conformity of earlier periods and occurred concurrently with the [[women's liberation movement]].
Also remarkable is that the suit now frequently appears in Rock, Heavy Metal and Gothic happenings, even though such groups were once known for a rather rebellious tradition of clothing. Artists and bands such as [[Nick Cave]], [[Interpol (band)|Interpol]], [[Marilyn Manson]], [[Blutengel]], [[Albert Hammond Jr ]] of [[The Strokes]] and [[Akercocke]] are known for the use of formal clothing in music videos and stage performances. The suit also appears when fans dress for styles such as Lolita, Victorian and Corporate Gothic.
===East and South Asia===
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** [[Business casual]]
==
{{Reflist|colwidth=25em}}
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==External links==
{{Commons category|Suits}}
* [https://archive.org/details/etiquetteinsocie0000emil/page/562 Chapter XXXIV - "The Clothes of a Gentleman", from ''Etiquette'' by Emily Post, Seventh Edition, 1923] on [[Internet Archive]]
* {{Cite web |work=Fashion, Jewellery & Accessories
|publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]
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