My husband will be graduating from college this summer and we need to buy him some suits! What's "in?"

I have two suits that I wear, both Jones New York, both single breasted. The reason I chose that maker, is that I'm athletically built (read: wider shoulders, narrower waist) and most other suits would need to be tapered. Jones featured an "athletic cut" that fit much better than the normal cut. I purchased them at Foleys (now Macys) for somewhere around $300ea on sale.

I have dark hair, eyes, and goatee-with medium complexion. I really wanted to try a navy blue suit, but it just didn't work as well for me. I chose charcoal (radiates confidence), which I usually wear with a textured white oxford and a red or blue tie. I wore this combination to a job interview, and it looked great.

I also picked up a dark sand color suit as well, which went with my complexion and hair great. I wear that with a dark blue oxford, and a tie with blue and sand color mixed in. I wore that to a wedding recently. It was very refreshing to be different, yet look quite good.

One final note on suits: I prefer to have something "other" than flat color suits. I mean, some type of texture is preferrable as it really is a subtle way to set you up a notch or two. (some Jones NY suits feature this, some don't, so look carefully).

As for the business casual side, I prefer dockers premuim pants. You can get them just about anywhere. Remember, there are dockers, and then there are dockers premium. Regular dockers are what everyone wears, so he won't really appear much better dressed. Dockers premium are made of much better fabric, have texture and character, and will give him that "refined" look that the others are missing.

Obviously, nice button down oxfords, v-neck sweaters, polos, and havana-style shirts would go well with these pants.

If your on a budget, and you have any of: Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx in your area... go in and have a look at the oxford shirts. You may be pleasantly suprised at what you can get for $15-25. Just make sure you have him try them on first. Also, if he likes polos, check out some of the outlet sporting good stores which feature great deals on polos from time to time. Rock Bottom Golf (link below) has Nike Polos for $19.99 and less.

I frequent stores that I know have good deals once every other week. I've really stocked up on some good deals by being patient and persistant.

Good luck, and congrats to you and your husband!

Don't go for what's "in". You want to get a good, classic style suit that will last a long time. All of those four and five button suits, etc. are a fad. Go to a good menswear store and ask a salesman. There are some classics that never go out of style.

Go for dark colors at first... blues, blacks, dark charcole. They go with everything and can be used for serveral occasions (night time, weddings, etc.) You want to get the most bang for your buck. Get a few nice cotton shirts in various colors, blue, white, pin stripe. You can even get a light pink shirt to give him a little flair (yes men wear pink). a few ties and he should be good to go. Later you can maybe pick up a lighter suit for summer, tan, khaki, etc.

As far as business casual, or Friday casual, a nice pair of slacks and a nice knit shirt should do the trick. Stay away from the t-shirts and jeans. Even on a business casual day, if you're working in an office, you should stick with the dress slacks.

Pick up a few mens' magazines like Esquire to get some ideas. I'd stay away from GQ. Even though they're a men's fashion magazine, they seem to go for the "out there" fashions. Not stuff you'd wear to work.

If you are going to buy a suit, I would buy something that will last a few years so that you can wear it to weddings and other special occasions. Charcoal gray is conservative but classic. When I say "suit," I mean matching pants and jacket (i.e. same material and same color). Some people think a "suit" is a guy wearing any formal jacket (e.g. navy blue blazer) with different pants (e.g. khaki trousers). The latter is considered a dress coat with slacks.

Since he'll be wearing the suit in the summer, I would select a light wool material. The pattern on the material should be subtle, such as herringbone or light pint stripes. He'll also need a dress shirt; blue or white are standards. Don't forget a tie to go with the whole outfit. And dress shoes are needed. Black shoes will go with this outfit very well.

That being said, if he is going to wear a robe to graduation, he won't be needing his suit jacket until after the commencement and when you're at home to party. Therefore, you may not need to buy a suit but a nice pair of trousers and a nice white shirt with a tie.

Good luck.

The type of suit will depend on his profession. If he is in a very conservative field, then he will need to dress the part. Brooks Brothers do a great job of matching suit styles and cuts to your environment. My husband works in Tokyo - where business attire is very formal and conservative, so the staff at BB steer him away from anything too trendy.

I recently read an article on nytimes.com that said " the most popular suit is an elongated and trimmed-down silhouette." The old style "baggy" pants and larger jackets are a little tired looking.

Also, for business casual - start with a great sport jacket and several pairs of pants and shirts that coordinate. Again, with regard to what colors are "in" - check out Banana Republic or Brooks Brothers - just wander through the shops and you'll get a feel of what is "in" this season.

If you live where it gets cold, remember to invest in a dress coat for your husband - nothing ruins the look of a great suit or business casual outfit like a huge parka!

Best of luck to your husband in his new profession!

The most basic suits for interviews are navy blue, 2 or 3 button, single-breasted. If he's a tall guy, you can do a 4-button coat, but typically stick with 3 button suits. A solid 2-button navy color works well because for business casual you can dress it down by wearing just the pants with a polo shirt or button up dress shirt. Stick to white, cream or pale blue shirts for interviews. Pick the ties WITH the suit and shirt - you have to see the whole out fit together. Socks should be a solid, dark blue. Shoes - for a professional job - stick to black cap toes - for a slightly trendier job - go with a dark brown wing tip or italian lace up. The bonus is he can still wear those worn jeans on the weekend, but add a polo shirt and the coat from the suit for a very 'in' look.

Now the "Don't"s...

...don't wear a black suit unless you're going to a funeral.

...don't wear socks lighter than the color of your pants.

...purple only belongs in a tie - never anywhere else on a man.

...no hats, unless in the middle of a 'Noreaster.

...One good suit is better than two cheap suits... far better.

...With a blue suit and a charcoal grey pinstripe suit, 6 shirts (white, cream and blue), 10 ties, 10 pairs of socks, and 4 pairs of shoes, a proper gentleman is 90% done shopping for all the attire he "NEEDS". Then the fun begins.

A business suit can be a very expensive purchase so it is much better to stick to a classic suit. Going with "what's in" will be a waste of money and if he has not started his career, I am assuming he does not have money to waste. Classic is always they way to go with suits. The best bet is to buy a well made classic black suit that will not only be good for interviews but can be used in his career for business meetings and such. As a "in" suit will be a one or two use item.

If you want to make sure he is in style go to a department store and pick up a tye and dress shirt. A stylish tye is a smaller investment and it is much easier on the wallet when it goes out of style. Depending on his career choice he may be wearing dress shirts on a dayly basis so they are more likely to get a good amount of use over the next 6 months.

I would worry less about what's "in" and concentrate more on what's "classic". Suits can last a long time if they're well cared for. In which case, you don't want a nice "out" suit hanging in the closet. After getting established, your husband can worry more about styles of the day. Unless he's graduating with a lot of money, go with what's practical to start.

As for business casual, go with khakis or chinos with either polo or oxford shirts.

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For a job interview, get a black suit. Single breasted, 3 or 2 buttons. Wear a white undershirt, non-button collar. I prefer a red print tie with it. This interview they're just trying to weed out nonconformists & weirdos. Something classic and plain is what you want here. The cleanliness & maintenance of your clothes, nails & hair are what's important here. Any brand wil do. The cheapest is usually The Stafford Suit seperates from jc. .pennys.

If he gets called back for a 2nd interview, use the same suit, get a different undershirt. I wear a royal blue undershirt with a blue & orange tie on 2nd interview. This interview they will want to see a little more style, but not much.

He should only need the suit for job interviews and buisness meetings.

Many business casual places will let you wear jeans if you have a sport coat to go with them. A nice tan sport coat will let him use a lot of his jeans at the workplace.

My son graduated from college two years ago and is an engineer with a big firm, business casual. He was a jeans guy only, too. Now he wears J Crew khakis every day -- they have a lot of colors, like charcoal gray, light gray, army green, british khaki...and he wears those with a pressed dress shirt, like a Polo shirt.

As far as buying a suit, I wouldn't buy my sons or husband a suit unless it had medium sized lapels (too fat or too thin go in and out of style and look really dated), and I wouldn't buy a real long three-button torso. A two-button mid range will look stylish and will NEVER go out of style. And don't buy pleated pants, buy flat front waisted dress pants with the suit coat. And cuffs on the pants go in and out of style, so go without. That way he will get years and years out of the suit. And I'd go with a gray pinstripe. Classic look!