Men look to suits for their versatility and affordability, but Jude Hathaway says it is also about style.
When the designers took their bows at autumn shows in New York, Paris and Milan this year, many of the men were in suits.
But within their shared choice of dress there was plenty of diversity, as they rolled out the suit story for the next 12 months.
It's a good yarn, too, particularly with more young men warming to this worthwhile wardrobe addition.
They have been down the suit-hire road for school dos and other obligatory dressier occasions.
Now they're all grown up and need appropriate gear for either their job or the frequent weddings and other celebrations that crop up for those in their 20s and 30s.
Local stores offer great deals on suits during the year, whether they stock mid- to top brands or are menswear chains with their in-house labels.
Of course fabrics and overall quality vary considerably.
Another aspect of the suit's appeal is the number of styles being produced by designers and manufacturers.
"Some brands stick to the modern take on the classic cut, others are edgier, favouring slimmer lines, narrow lapels and narrow lower legs.
Then there are the manufacturers that produce a range of styles," says Seba Farry, of Farry's Menswear.
"Finding the right suit is finding one that flatters the body," he points out, adding that with the great cuts out there most figure types can be accommodated.
Women, too, like men in suits.
"What lingerie is to men, suits are to women," says author A. Evans in a recent online article.
Incidentally, she rates United States President Barack Obama No 1 for his flair at wearing a suit well.
Her next choice is rapper Shawn Corey Carter (Jay Z), while actor George Clooney and dancer extraordinaire Fred Astaire are also mentioned in dispatches.
But thousands of men do suits well, and without the help of the exorbitant price tags of many of the high-flying European and British brands.
A typical Italian-made Brioni suit - worn by presidents, kings, celebrities and, of course, James Bond - sells for $US3000 or more.
Nevertheless, it is Italy and Britain that provide the key to the latest looks in men's suiting.
Each has a distinctive style developed over years by craftsmen tailors.
While Britain tends towards the more formal Savile Row feel, with higher-cut armholes and heavier-weight cloth, the Italian silhouette gives a classic V-shape.
The jacket skims the body without restricting it.
The shoulders are broad, the line becoming slim through the waist.
Italian suits favour more tapered trousers.
These are worn distinctly shorter than they are in Britain, Australia and New Zealand, where a trouser "break" is favoured.
This is when the hem is dropped to the heel, rather than just to the top of the shoe.
The autumn shows had a crisp, angular and authoritative feel to many of the suit ranges. Fabrics and colour tones varied.
Pinstripes and checks were in evidence.
Two-button jackets with double vents were favoured.
The waistcoat and three-piece came back strongly in the northern hemisphere last year, which had much to do with the waistcoat's popularity in men's street wear.
Double-breasted styles are back too, although they have not yet been taken up widely by Kiwi men.
And then there's the sack suit, first introduced in the late 19th century by Brooks Brothers and said to be the first genuine American suit.
It features jackets devoid of front darts and a shapelessness.
Ralph Lauren reinterpreted the look this year, doing away with darts and shoulder construction.
Designer Michael Kors, of Project Runway fame, gave the look a thumbs-up last year.
The suit is evolving.
Designers have taken formal aspects from the Victorian era, mixed them with a little of the urbane 1930s style and added some of the mod detailing of the 1960s.
It is a solid blend with some splendid results.
It has also left men spoiled for choice.
- Jude Hathaway
