Originally Posted by Queensman

Just to start you off:

Suit trousers with belt loops. What a load of bolloxs.

Shirts with pockets. Fair one, unless worn for modern office (civilian) work.
Shirts with single cuffs. Bolloxs. All depends on the context of where the shirt is worn and in what country, and whom you are meeting at the time.
Brown shoes in Town. Fair enough unless Friday and in tweed suit ready to depart for the country.Ties tucked in to their labels. Fat men should do this. Thin men don't need to as their tie will hang properly, and not spread to one side of their belly. (I'm a fat bloke).
Suit coats with no vent. Agreed unless dinner jacket.
Suit coats with two button fastening. Fuck off. What planet/century are you on?
Zip flies. See my comment immediately above.
Any made man fibre. Agreed for 99% of circumstances. Does not apply for cold climate.
Shirts with different coloured collars (unless, of course, stiff & detachable). Bolloxs.
Back to front pleats on the trouser. Bolloxs.
No button hole on the coat lapel. Fair one: how else could one attach the Remembrance Day poppy?

As for must have leather soles on shoes: good for pure office environment, utter wank advice for anyone in a climate where it snows (i.e. Budapest) and you ever have to walk on the snow/salted pavement. That crap destroys a Church's leather sole in about 30 metres (or 50 yards if you are a pompous arrse).

Originally Posted by Queensman

The advantages of a buttoned fly are:
1. No danger of snagging
2. If the zip breaks - you're buggered, but if a button falls off, the remainder will hold the fort until one gets reacquainted with one's hussif.

The disadvantages are that the wear on the fabric as a result of buttoning and unbuttoning is greater than is inflicted by the equivalent amount of unzippping/zipping-up - it was a mistake I made when I had my first Service Dress made.

If you're going to spend all that money on getting a decently tailored suit, it's a shame to to shorten its working life by being pointlessly 'traditional'.

IMHO, of course.

Originally Posted by Queensman

First things first:

The use of the word 'lounge'. Not good. Simply ask your tailor to make you a suit. He'll understand.

People that use the word lounge also tend to say toilet and cheers and mate - all signs of poor breeding and a state education.

"People that use" or "People who use"? I was state educated so I am looking for guidance here.
I tend to say the word "Queensman" with a sneering curl of my upper lip; an indicator of my poor breeding I suppose.

At the real risk of showing up my lower middle class upbringing but hope you will humour me. What changes in terms of the cut and styling of suits used for business and lounge?

Originally Posted by Jimima_Shark

At the real risk of showing up my lower middle class upbringing but hope you will humour me. What changes in terms of the cut and styling of suits used for business and lounge?

I'd say the terms are pretty much interchangeable. 'Lounge suits' tends to be written on invitations when people are trying, politely, to say 'FFS, put a suit on'. But both are suits.

If people really want to split hairs, then it comes down to fabric. Purists will say don't wear a pin/chalkstripe to a wedding, for instance, because that's a 'work' cloth (when plain greys, blues, and such as nailheads are 'acceptable' but NOT black). On the other hand, a loud glencheck probably doesn't belong in an office.

The rest (cut, vents, pockets and all the other nuances listed tortuously here) is down to physique (ie. whether you can carry a certain shape), personal preference or - something which should be on tap if you're having something made - professional advice.

At worst(ed) - see what I did there - if budget dictates buying only one suit, then go navy. It's acceptable for both and can be dressed up or down with shirts and ties.

No, damn your eyes! The rules are absolute and were passed down on tablets of stone!

This thread is becoming a little, umm..... fey.

Could someone tell me correct button form for a single-breasted overcoat? I see a lot of people who do up the bottom two and leave the top open, but this seems perverse.

Leave the lower one undone, do up the others.

Let your man dress you, he will know.