Fall’s Most Stylish Suits Are a Study in Letting Loose
Welcome to State of the Suit, a new Robb Report series in which writer and menswear stylist Caroline Reilly examines the sartorial choices of candidates, celebrities, and other movers and shakers. Whether it’s an ode to an individual’s timeless style or a fantasy list of items we think would better suit a prominent figure, she has plenty of thoughts.
A few weeks ago, I lauded French actor Benjamin Voisin for his decision to don not one but two deliciously fluid suiting looks for the Venice Film Festival, revealing gold chains and just a touch of chest hair. It was a sign of things to come as blousy suits, full of movement and flamboyance, are slowly but surely centering themselves in the menswear zeitgeist.
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They were out in full display—with varying degrees of success (win, Jonathan Bailey; loss, Bowen Yang) at the Emmys. Dolce & Gabbana showcased beautiful examples in their Spring/Summer 2025 show this past June, as did Amiri, offering another glimpse at a more sartorially louche future. Ditto Todd Snyder.
As we hurtle into fall and cooler temps, I know what you must be thinking: Who in the hell, other than select, stylish snow birds, is going to be donning silk shirting under loose suits? Fortunately, Saint Laurent and Loro Piana both offered masterclasses in how to take the principles of this aesthetic and adapt them for chillier climes in their Fall 2024 collections, which you can shop now.
I’m lovingly calling his trend of move-like-liquid suits that ooze sexuality the languid gigolo, not least because they feature prominently in the steamy 80’s crime noirs. The prime example is of course Richard Gere in American Gigolo. With Giorgio Armani overseeing the film’s costuming, this classic provides a perfect blueprint for the enduring allure of more generously cut suiting. That said, historical precedents reach as far back as 1955’s East of Eden, where James Dean dons a suit that would look right at home hanging in any modern closet. “I think about all the big Hollywood stars [when I think about this style],” says London-based bespoke tailor Caroline Andrew. “Cary Grant, Marlene Dietrich, theater productions like Guys & Dolls, movies like Wolf of Wall Street, Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts wears that oversized jacket, Scarface, Working Girl, The Great Gatsby.”
On the menswear spectrum, this particular aesthetic couldn’t sit farther away from the skinny suits popularized in the mid 2010s (those that bare ankles and do a load of other characteristically untailored things despite being considered a “tailored” garments). By contrast, these fuller cut suits are fashioned from fabric that move with the wearer and aren’t, critically, to be mistaken with the stiff, broad- shouldered and too-large suits that men often reach for in an attempt to avoid a skinny suit fate.
“These are an antidote to over a decade of to-the-body, stingy, too tight, far too short tailoring,” says stylist Tom Stubbs. “The way these more voluminous tailored looks feel and move is radically reforming, and it’s long overdue in most wardrobes. Skinny suiting just looks horrid and out of date. The looser, longer, flowing silhouettes make you feel relaxed and free, delivering a cool dynamism which causes the wearer to walk, stand and poise themselves differently.”
At its most stylized, the languid gigolo is a perfect antidote to the drone of poorly fitted tuxedos and banal gray suits. It is intentionally relaxed, but no less refined. It’s also surprisingly wearable and (if it matters to you) comfortable.
How to Get It Right:
Don’t Ignore Tailoring
“Like all good suits, their fuller cut doesn’t absolve the wearer from tailoring their fit to their body type,” says Andrew. “The suit has to suit the person, rather than the person suiting the suit. So the challenge for me is not only creating a suit for certain body types but individual characters that have different tastes and styles.” To achieve this balance, Andrew says she plays with proportions, picking specific areas to fit will like the neck or shoulders so the drape on the suit is just right.
Embrace Vintage
Andrew says not to overlook secondhand or consignment options for sourcing. “I think about quality and durability. Historically, all day suits were cut fuller,” she says. “So many of them are still around now in vintage and second hand shops in such good nick because they weren’t cut so close to the body meaning they wore very well, people better looked after them, and generally the fabrics were thicker.”
When it comes to distinguishing these fuller cut suits from something that’s just plain too big, Stubbs says it’s all about intention. “There’s got to be a sartorial acknowledgement that it’s deliberate. One [detail] is enough,” he says. “Either the shoulder line has to be perfect, or the arm hole could be smaller with a baggy no-pad check to bring it into the body, and sleeves are appropriate length. A perfectly nipped-in higher waist on wider trousers shows it’s actually on purpose.”
Pleats, Please
Trousers should be pleated with at least a half break and a cuff is also acceptable. Loewe offers great examples, as does Brioni. Both brands also offer exemplary double-breasted jackets that are a perfect complement to a fuller trouser. Stubbs recommends wearing yours open, in what may feel like a counterintuitive styling choice, but that promises just the right amount of ease. “Open DB is the way forward,” he says. That being said, a single-breasted jacket can absolutely still fit into this categor. Fabric will be key, and it should be fluid and move with the wearer. When dabbling with fuller cuts, a fabric that’s too stiff risks veering into less desirable territory; with a softer fabric, the suit will drape and keep from looking simply oversized.
Come Together
Finally, when it comes to accessorizing, cohesion is key. “You can’t just trot out your old skinny trappings with this look,” says Stubbs who recommends shirking traditional tailoring elements. Shirts are where you can really have some fun. Of course, you can make a statement with something silky and unbuttoned like what we saw in Venice Film Festival (gold chain optional), but you can also opt for a knit as a perfect way to adapt the look for cooler temps. Finally, for a shoe, skip the traditional and go for a nice loafer, low profile or chunky depending on the overall weight of your outfit. “I’m obsessed by this aspect [of pairing non-conventional accessories],” says Stubbs. “And it typifies the practice of wearing swank suits for leisure and not for work.”
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