Mar

2011

of Valet.

Seasons:

Spring

Week 1:
The Shirt

Week 2:
The Suit

Week 3:
The Shoe

Week 4:
The Debut

Fall

Week 1:
The Look

Week 2:
The Boot

Week 3:
The Debut

Week 4:
The Jacket

Week 5:
The Pants

Spring 2011

The Outlook

Our guide to the best of spring shopping,
presented every Wednesday during the month of March.

The Suit:
Lighten Up

We've covered the recent rise of affordable suits made from quality material, but there's more happening in the world of men's suiting this spring. After all, aren't we ready to retire the tweed and flannel for a bit? With warmer weather is upon us, it's time for comfortable fabrics with a lighter feel, a relaxed style and some details from the past reinterpreted in new, refreshing ways. What's more, most of these aren't that expensive either. Not a suit guy? There are some just-the-jacket alternatives for the same lightweight look.

The Modern Seersucker

Seersucker doesn't have to be stripes of pastels and white. This over-dyed version by L.L. Bean's Alex Carleton (in either chocolate brown or black) is more city, less southern prep.

Jacket, $175 and pants, $89
at L.L. Bean Signature

The Double Breasted
Cotton Suit

The DB is back in a big way, and this khaki version is a lot less stuffy. But feel free to dress it up with a gingham shirt and a bow tie.

Perry Ellis Jacket, $175 and pants, $69.50, at Macy's and Dillard's stores

Alternative

Steven Alan, $425

The Return of
the One-Button

Two will always be classic, but a single button suit balances the styles of yesterday and tomorrow and can be worn as traditional or as modern as you'd like.

$1,584 at Phineas Cole

Alternative

John Varvatos, $398

The Warm Weather
Work Suit

Tom Wolfe once called the navy suit bulletproof sartorial armor. In this weightless, breathable wool version, you'll feel as good as you look.

Jacket, $495 and pants, $195
at Theory

The New Take on Plaid

Hickey Freeman offers an American-made update on the traditional checked suit. The more urbane style tones down the plaid, ensuring you don't feel too dandyish showing up at the office.

Hickey Freeman, $1,495
at Nordstrom