Construction
Half canvas standard
Measured
Fifteen points
Fittings
At least one
Cloth
Chosen by weight
Business Suits, Chiang Mai: a business suit is built for repetition rather than occasion, so it is chosen for durability and recovery rather than for softness or sheen. Navy and mid-grey in a mid-range Super number, around 240 to 270 grams, will outperform a finer, lighter cloth worn the same number of days per week. VIP Custom Tailor makes business suits to individual measurements in Chiang Mai.
Business Suits, Chiang Mai: built for repetition
A business suit has a different job from a wedding suit, and the difference should drive every decision.
It will be worn dozens of times a year, sat in for hours, creased at the elbow, and carried through airports. What matters is recovery: whether it looks the same at six in the evening as it did at nine in the morning, and whether it comes back to shape overnight on a hanger.
That points away from the softest, finest, most impressive cloth in the room and toward something more robust.
Cloth
A worsted wool around Super 110s to 130s, in the region of 240 to 270 grams, is the sweet spot for daily wear in a warm climate with air-conditioned offices.
Fine enough to look and feel like a proper suit. Robust enough to survive being worn weekly. Open enough in weave to be bearable getting from a taxi into a building in Chiang Mai in April.
Resist the pull toward Super 150s for a working suit. It is softer and has more sheen, and it will shine at the seat and elbows far sooner. The fabric guide covers the trade properly.
Colour
Navy first. It is the most versatile suit colour, works across almost every professional setting, and suits a wider range of complexions than grey.
Mid-grey second. Slightly more formal in most contexts and better in photographs, which matters more than it used to now that so many meetings are recorded.
Charcoal is a good third and reads as more serious. Black is not a business suit and belongs to formal evening wear and funerals.
Avoid strong patterns in a first or second suit. A subtle birdseye or a faint stripe is fine. A bold check is a suit you will tire of before it wears out.
Cut
Conservative, deliberately.
A notch lapel of moderate width, two buttons, a cut that follows your shape without gripping, and two side vents. Trousers with a slight break, and side adjusters or belt loops depending on whether a waistcoat is involved.
None of this will attract attention, which is the point. A business suit noticed for its cut is working against you in most rooms.
Rotation
If you wear a suit regularly, own at least two and alternate them.
Wool recovers from creasing when it is allowed to rest, and a suit worn two days running never gets that chance. Two suits rotated will each outlast one suit worn twice as often, which is the cheapest wardrobe advice in existence. See suits for the full range.
Next step
Walk in, or send your dates and we will tell you honestly what fits in the time you have.
Fabric
Cloth that suits it
Weight decides whether you will actually wear it. Ask for grams, not a Super number.
Worsted wool
Breathes, recovers from creasing overnight, holds a press. The default for a reason.220–250 g tropical
Wool-cashmere
Softer to the hand and more drape than plain worsted. A step up in feel, not in heat.~10% cashmere
Linen
The coolest thing you can wear, and it creases within minutes. A deliberate look.220–320 g
Explore
Related
Custom suits
Made-to-measure suits cut to your measurements in Chiang Mai. Business, wedding, three-piece, tuxedo, linen and summer weights. Half canvas as standard.
Three-piece suits
Tailored three-piece suits made to measure in Chiang Mai. When the waistcoat earns its place, and when it is a layer too many in the heat.
Super 120s
Super 120s wool: the balance point between refinement and durability, and the most versatile choice for a suit worn regularly in a warm climate.
Common questions
What colour should a first business suit be?
Navy. It is more versatile than grey, works in nearly every professional setting, suits most complexions, and photographs well. Mid-grey is the natural second suit.
What is the best fabric for a business suit worn daily?
A worsted wool in the region of Super 110s to 130s, around 240 to 270 grams. It recovers overnight on a hanger, resists creasing through a working day, and lasts. Very high Super numbers look better on the rail and wear out considerably faster.
How many business suits do I need?
Two is the practical minimum if you wear one regularly, because a suit needs a day off between wears to recover. Three lets you rotate properly and will make all three last longer than two worn harder.
Should a business suit have one vent or two?
Two side vents are the more practical choice. They let the jacket sit cleanly when you put your hands in your pockets and when you sit down. A single centre vent is more traditional and tends to open unattractively when seated.
Next step
Book a fitting
Walk in, or tell us when you are in Chiang Mai and we will hold a slot. First fittings take about 45 minutes.