I don't have one.
I don't see them as being as classy as some people do. I think that's because I see them as uniforms for most of the people who wear them. When I see someone of some note or importance who is wearing just pants with a tucked in casual, collared shirt, top button open, I feel more of a connection to that person in a way. It seems to me like that person had control over what they wanted to wear that day, and it seems more "human" like to me. For example, I find Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's style (he does wear a jacket, but never buttons the top button, never wears a tie) more honest in some way than someone who is wearing a tie and a typical suit. I associate that with car salesmen or young children who were forced to dress that way for Easter. Although Rick Santorum in his sweater vests was intriguing. It felt warm. And it didn't feel forced. In fact, I imagine some people probably tried to talk him out of those.
I don't think I would particularly like a suit, mostly because of the jacket/blazer (not sure of the difference). To me the jacket is unlike most other forms of clothing. It doesn't really mimic the shape of any part of the body; it doesn't really seem to have much purpose other than ornateness. And in terms of ornateness (ornation really should be a word), it's not one I particularly care for. There's too much structure to it. Too much going on with those big angle flaps at the top and the big buttons. To me, it reminds me of one of those boxy curtain valances. And I guess the other part is that I don't get its function. Is it really to keep people warm? That can't be it because men wear them with suits in the middle of summer on the East coast. It must be part of the formality. And I would most likely want to take it off as soon as I could. It's odd that I've noticed in Mad Men, it seems like around the office, the men take off their jackets but seem to put them on and button them up if they're meeting someone important. This idea of formalizing and deformalizing throughout the course of a day is interesting, but does not sound fun. And the inverse of wearing one in the summer when it's too hot is: what does one wear in the winter? Is the jacket your "jacket"? Maybe that's why people in New York wear trench coats with over their suits. It all just seems crazy to me, but I guess that's the East coast for you.
And I don't know how to explain this last part, but it's just a feeling I have: To me the jacket looks feminine. And I have nothing against feminine. I love all sorts of feminine things. But it's jarringly ironic when it comes to a suit.
Don't get me started on ties . . .
Anyhow, that's just me. The most formal I ever am is a casual, collared shirt, tucked into pants, with a belt. But that's rare.
There was a time in my life where I really wanted to look good. I wanted to feel better by looking good. Now the haughtiness of some of the young men's clothing brands (Bonobos, I'm looking at you) just make me feel ill. So that's part of it too. I'm sure in my younger years I would have wanted to try out a suit for the sake of having what now feels like vapid cachet. Not that I'm agains it. I wanted it at one time. It just makes me ill now thinking about it. Again, hard to explain. I'm just most comfortable in whatever is practical now. And to me that looks less cheap than a suit.
