Finding dress suits for black men isn't as specific as it sounds. As with men of any color, you simply look for a complementary shade in a style that flatters the wearer's personality. If you're a traditional kind of guy, you'll want colors that have stood the test of time in classic cuts. More of a risk taker? Opt for a wider palette of colors in a mix of styles.
Essentially, there are suits that look much better on black men than on anyone else.
Dress Suits for Black Men: Colors
Black men are able to pull off suit colors no one else can. Moreover, they can wear all the neutrals everyone else can wear. Colors to try:
- Black
- Navy blue
- Olive green
- Tan
- Beige
- Light gray
- Charcoal
You can have more than one in a color, especially if one has pinstripes and one does not. Play up those pinstripes with a shirt in a matching or complementary color.
Patterns
Solids: Solids are the most traditional "pattern" of the dress suit world. Dress suits for black men can be anything from rust to black, pale tan to charcoal gray. These practical, go-to suits can take you from business to dinner.
Pinstripes: Pinstripes are on everything from business suits to the more fun zoot suits. The most common colors for suits that feature pinstripes are black, brown, and charcoal.
Dress Suits and Black Men: Styles
Dress suits that look fabulous on black men come in all styles. Some popular ones include:
- 2-piece suit
- 3-piece suit (basically a 2-piece suit with a matching vest)
- Zoot suit (Generally, this has a longer jacket and a wider range of available colors, plus a matching hat. In addition, you can often find matching Oxfords, as on Men's USA.)
Accessorizing
Dark skin tones can have it all. Your shirt and tie can be very dark or very light; no color is going to look too intense for your skin tone. Black men can pull off colors other guys have a hard time wearing. If your skin is very dark, you may want to avoid very light pastel colors for your shirts due to severe contrast, but that's the only limitation (and definitely not a rule!).
Where to Shop
Trying before you buy is always going to be your best bet because different cuts fit differently. However, if you have found a suit you like in a store and you wish to shop around for the best deal, online shopping is the way to go. If you don't have much in the way of shopping near your town, you may also want to go online, but be prepared to visit the post office a couple of times if your first suit picks don't work.
- AH Fashion: Browse the selection with ease with just a glance at the left-hand side of the page. Here are a couple you're bound to love:
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- Reversible Vested Navy Shadow Stripe with Extra Pants Rizzoli Suit: Shadow stripes add depth to this gorgeous navy suit with pleated pants. This one's conventional, sophisticated, and a great choice for anyone's closet.
- Men's Wearhouse has quite a few nice suits for black men, modeled by black men so you can get an idea of how each one looks on dark skin tones. Here are a few favorites:
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- Joseph & Feiss Two-Button Tan Suit: This two-button, 100 percent wool suit is for work or a night on the town. The tan color is top notch for dark skin tones. Wear it with brown accessories as shown in the image and you will be the picture of sophistication.
- Calvin Klein Two-Button Black Multi-Stripe Suit: This is one sharp suit! Very classic, very traditional, and unbelievably handsome, this pinstripe suit is also 100 percent wool.
- Men's USA has a wide selection of dress suits for black men. Easily navigate through 2, 3, and 4 or 5-button suits; zoot suits; pinstripe suits; suits by color; and more. Here are a few favorites:
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- Gorgeous White & Small Thin Black Pinstripe Pattern: Untraditional from start to finish, this is a fun zoot suit in white with black pinstripes.
- Men's Single Breasted 2 Button Dark Black Super Wool Hand Tailored No Vent: Made of Merino wool, this suit is bound to be soft. In addition, the material is a bit stretchy for a superb fit and added comfort.
