How To Wear: The Burgundy Suit

Introduction

In the formative days of this year’s autumn/winter season, I approached the idea of three alternative suits worthy of consideration as additions to your wardrobe. Among the three was what is known among the corridors of style as ‘the suit of the season’.

Capable of making a statement both dressed up and down, the burgundy suit is versatile and stylish. The reasons why it is an absolute essential addition to any stylish man’s wardrobe are to be laid down here today.

The Burgundy Suit

Burgundy has already begun to establish a foothold in the modern males’ wardrobe. The hue has quickly become one of those colours that men have a natural tendency to flock to. As a suiting option, it still has a long way to go before it becomes an everyday choice, but as a way of standing out and making a statement – without straying too far from the norm – it’s worth some serious contemplation.

The reputation of the burgundy suit has certainly been given a lift in recent times. FashionBeans style icon Ryan Gosling has been found sporting one on numerous occasions, both on the red carpet and on screen:

How to Wear: The Burgundy Suit

Burgundy Suit Lookbook

Look One: Shirt and Tie

Make waves at the office by replacing your regular suit rotation with a burgundy sort. Dress it up as you usually would (shirt, tie and a pocket square if you want to go all out) for a look that is bound to garner some all-positive attention.

Opting for a blue shirt and navy tie combination is a fail safe option but green hues and even yellow to gold shades will flourish under the deep red. Shoe wise, you’ve also got a blank cheque so to speak – black, brown and of course burgundy leathers will all work well:

• Canali Classic Cotton Twill Shirt
• Reiss Cutler Knitted Silk Tie Navy
• Burton Burgundy Slim Fit Suit With Waistcoat
• H By Hudson Livingston Brown Shoes

Look Two: Dressed Down

A good suit shouldn’t be confined to the day to day. Dress it down on a night out or on days off with a t-shirt and trainers combination, or simply by losing the tie and undoing a button or two.

A grey t-shirt adds a casual element to the suit, while the Chelsea boots aren’t as dressy as a pair of brogues or wingtips. The pocket square ‘folded’ louchely into the breast pocket adds the additional style points which helps separate you even further:

• Allsaints Belgrade Crew T-shirt
• Topman Burgundy Novak Two-piece Skinny Suit
• Turnbull & Asser Paisley-print Silk Pocket Square
• Vesty Kurt Geiger London

The Burgundy Suit: Separates

Burgundy Separates Lookbook

Look Three: The Jacket

The beauty of a good suit is you’re essentially getting at 3 pieces of attire – the whole suit, the jacket and the trousers – for the price of one. Learning to separate a suit is an essential skill, arguable as key as being able to layer effectively.

A burgundy blazer combined with grey chinos or casual trousers forms the basis of a standout smart-causal look. Black accents in the form of a polo shirt and leather desert boots complement the rich burgundy in the jacket and complete a minimally stylish look that can carry you from day to night with ease:

• Asos Polo In Pique Jersey
• Allsaints Spires Blazer
• Reiss Maine 2 Brushed Twill Trousers Light Grey
• Topman Nevada Leather Desert Boots

Look Four: The Trousers

Separating your tailored pieces gives you the freedom to create a number of different looks that don’t necessarily have to mirror the uniformity that is so often associated with the modern lounge suit.

Dress down your burgundy suit trousers with a white shirt and black leather biker, topped off with some sleek and simple leather sneakers. The timeless black biker jacket is a modern marker of understated cool and brings a rebellious contrast to the suit trousers and shirt. The trainers keep the look dressed down without being juvenile but you could so easily swap them out for a pair of black derbies:

• Vivienne Westwood White Stretch Poplin Slim Shirt
• Allsaints Standen Leather Jacket
• Ami Slim-fit Wool Suit Trousers
• Common Projects Leather Low Top Sneakers

Men’s Burgundy Suits

• Asos Slim Fit Suit Jacket In Berry
• River Island Ivan Suit
• River Island Domy Ink Blazer
• Topman Wine Coloured Cotton Suit
• Burton Burgundy Slim Fit Suit With Waistcoat
• Topman Made In England Berry Miller Suit
• Regular Fit Suit: Jacket
• Reiss Sandman 1 Bt Notch Suit Claret
• Burgundy Tuxedo Slim Fit Suit: Jacket
• Topman Burgundy Novak Three-piece Skinny Fit Suit
• Ami Unstructured Slim-fit Wool Suit Jacket
• Kenneth Cole Perry Slim Tonic Suit Jacket

Conclusion

The burgundy suit is surprisingly modern and versatile. In a time where individuality and sheep-separation is embraced more than ever, it’s a piece of kit that can act as a great canvas for a wide range of colours and looks. But what we want to know is:

• Are you already on the burgundy bandwagon?
• Have you ventured into the realms of the burgundy suit?
• How often do you wear yours?
• Or do you prefer you tailoring to remain classic, sticking to black, grey and navy?

Let us know in the comments below.