Your Essential Guide to Building a Business Wardrobe

The short answer: a formal office wardrobe needs two or three suits, five or six shirts, an extra pair of trousers, and good leather shoes. Business casual and creative workplaces need fewer suits and more separates: sport jackets, trousers, relaxed shirts and knitwear.

How Do You Build a Versatile Business Wardrobe?

What should you buy first for a work wardrobe?

Start with a few classic staples and build outwards:

1. A well-fitting suit in navy or mid-grey that also works as separates. If you can, add a spare pair of matching trousers, as trousers usually wear out before the jacket.

2. A handful of shirts in white and pale blue/pink, formal or relaxed depending on your office.

3.Your next piece of tailoring. In a formal office, a second suit in a contrasting shade (charcoal if your first is navy). In business casual or creative workplaces, a sport jacket and trousers that also work with your suit jacket.

4.You can introduce colour, pattern and seasonal cloths, once the foundation is in place.

How do you make a small wardrobe go further?

Wear your suit as separates. One suit that separates well, plus a sport jacket and an extra pair of trousers, gives you four jacket-and-trouser combinations before you've changed a shirt.

Think in outfits. Before buying anything, picture two or three outfits it would make with what you already own. If you can't, it's not the right piece yet.

Choose a mid-weight cloth first. Around 10–12oz is comfortable for most of the year in an office. Lighter and heavier cloths can come later.

What Do You Need in a Formal Office Wardrobe?

How many suits do you need for work?

Two or three, in navy, mid-grey and charcoal. They're easy to combine with different shirts and ties, and owning more than one lets each suit rest between wears, so it lasts longer. A three-piece is worth adding if you have regular formal meetings or events, and a black or midnight blue dinner suit if your work includes black tie.

How many shirts do you need for work?

Five or six, so you have a fresh one every day of the week. White and pale blue/ pink subtle work with almost any suit.

Finishing touches: an extra pair of trousers, black or dark brown leather shoes, a navy, charcoal or camel overcoat, and a few ties, cufflinks and pocket squares.

Cloth to consider: Dormeuil Millennial or City of London.

What should a business casual wardrobe include?

Do you need a suit for business casual?

One or two is enough, in navy, charcoal or mid-grey cloth that works as separates. Most of the work is done by one or two sport jackets, which pair with almost any trousers, plus tailored trousers in navy, beige or brown and a pair of chinos.

What shirts and knitwear work for business casual?

Relaxed shirts in white and pale blue, plus fine-gauge knitwear and polos. A knit over a shirt with a sport jacket is one of the easiest combinations.

Finishing touches: loafers, brogues or smart boots, and ties and pocket squares with subtle colour and pattern.

Cloths to consider: Dormeuil Mohair or 4 Seasons by Holland & Sherry.

How do you build a wardrobe for a creative or relaxed office?

Do you still need a suit in a relaxed office?

Yes, one, for important meetings. Navy works hardest if it's your only suit, but a richer shade works if that's your style. Build the rest of your tailoring around two or three sport jackets in subtle checks and textured weaves.

How much colour and pattern can you wear in a creative office?

Plenty, and trousers and shirts are the easiest place to start. Mix three or four pairs of tailored trousers in beige or brown with richer colours such as burgundy or forest green, and add four or five relaxed shirts in subtle pastels, checks and stripes alongside your white,pale pink and blue basics.

Finishing touches: loafers, suede shoes, smart boots or clean leather trainers (keep one smarter pair too), and patterned socks or a statement tie.

Cloths to consider: Dormeuil Naturals or Holland & Sherry Corduroy and Tweed.

Business wardrobe at a glance...

6. Baste

“We'll book you in for a baste fitting”

A baste is an early version of a suit created before the garment is properly stitched. Once the individual pattern has been created and the cloth has been cut, the pieces can be temporarily joined using loose stitches called baste stitching. This creates an opportunity for the tailor to assess how the garment fits on your body and make refinements before the final construction.

During a baste fitting, your tailor can assess areas such as the shoulders, chest, waist, sleeve length, jacket balance and trousers. The temporary stitching is important because it can be removed and adjusted more easily than permanent stitching, so the tailor can therefore refine the fit while working with the actual cloth before its final form.

Once the fit has been perfected, the temporary stitches are removed and replaced with permanent stitching. 

7. Silhouette

“This suit has a relaxed silhouette”

A suit's silhouette is the overall shape and outline it creates when you're wearing it. The silhouette is influenced by how the suit has been cut, including the shoulders, waist, trouser leg and overall length.

Slim 

A slim silhouette has a closer cut through the chest, waist and legs, creating a more fitted appearance.

Tailored

A tailored silhouette follows the shape of the body without feeling restrictive.

Classic

A classic silhouette provides more room through the chest, waist and trousers.

Relaxed

A relaxed silhouette uses a looser cut for increased comfort.

Oversized

An oversized silhouette deliberately exaggerates proportions for a casual, fashion-forward feel.

8. Darting

“We'll add four darts to the front of the jacket”

Darts are small folds of fabric that are stitched into a garment to remove excess material and create a more shaped fit. Rather than allowing the jacket to hang straight from the shoulders, darts help it follow the natural curves of the body. They're usually found on the front panels of a jacket and can run from the chest area towards the waist.

Darts can usually be adjusted during the fitting process, allowing your tailor to refine the shape of the jacket to suit your body. Once a suit is finished, darts can still be altered in some circumstances, although this can be limited by the construction of the jacket and the amount of fabric available.

9. Trouser Break

“A half-break would be great for a slimmer cut”

Trouser break refers to the amount of fabric that folds where the bottom of the trouser leg meets your shoe. The amount of break affects the appearance of the trousers and therefore the overall look of the suit. It is influenced by the trouser length, the shape of the leg and the shoes you're wearing.

There isn't one correct amount of break, and different choices create different looks.

No break

No break means there is little or no fold of fabric, with the hem sitting just above or lightly touching the shoe, popular with slim and contemporary tailoring.

Quarter break

A quarter break creates a small amount of fabric resting on the shoe, producing a subtle fold, popular with slim and modern tailoring.

Half break

A half break creates a more noticeable fold of fabric over the shoe, popular with classic and tailored silhouettes.

Full break

A full break creates a deeper fold, with more of the trouser hem resting over the shoe, popular with classic, traditional and relaxed tailoring.

10. Notch, Peak and Shawl Lapels

“The notch lapel is a classic choice”

Lapels are the folded sections of fabric that run down the front of a jacket, sitting on either side of the chest. The style and width of the lapel can change the overall appearance and proportions of a jacket. 

There are three main lapel styles you'll commonly come across:

Notch lapel

A notch lapel is the most common and versatile option. It has a small V-shaped indentation where the lapel meets the collar and is a classic choice for many types of suits.

Peak lapel

A peak lapel has edges that point upwards towards the shoulders, creating a sharper and more dramatic appearance.

Shawl lapel

A shawl lapel has a smooth, rounded edge without a notch or peak. It is most commonly associated with evening wear and black-tie tailoring.

We'll guide you...

Tailoring terminology can sound complicated when you're hearing it for the first time, but you don't need to become an expert before visiting a tailor. Understanding terms simply gives you a better idea of what your tailor is talking about, and how different choices can affect your finished suit.

At King & Allen, our consultants will guide you through every decision, from the cloth and construction to the finer details of the fit. You can ask questions, explore different options and make choices based on what feels right for you.

Do you still need a suit in a relaxed office?

Yes, one, for important meetings. Navy works hardest if it's your only suit, but a richer shade works if that's your style. Build the rest of your tailoring around two or three sport jackets in subtle checks and textured weaves.

How much colour and pattern can you wear in a creative office?

Plenty, and trousers and shirts are the easiest place to start. Mix three or four pairs of tailored trousers in beige or brown with richer colours such as burgundy or forest green, and add four or five relaxed shirts in subtle pastels, checks and stripes alongside your white,pale pink and blue basics.

Finishing touches: loafers, suede shoes, smart boots or clean leather trainers (keep one smarter pair too), and patterned socks or a statement tie.

Cloths to consider: Dormeuil Naturals or Holland & Sherry Corduroy and Tweed.