The business suit - a very bad design 

I recall my University interview for archaeology. Everyone else in the waiting room was wearing a suit. "They must all feel very uncomfortable," I thought. My interviewer was dressed the same as me - woolly jumper and all - and I got an unconditional offer!

I know! We need to wear cloaks.

Down with suits? Bring back cloaks?... Business Cloaks?

It's the male equivalent of a hoop skirt, or high heels, etc. It says "I don't need to do manual labour. I don't need to raise my arms. I don't need to move quickly. I have people who do that sort of thing. I sit prettily and/or give orders."

Lloyd I think you'll find that the national dress in the UK is tracksuits and a hoodie, fantastically practical.

My mother is a fashion designer. She's made clothing for my sisters all their lives, but never made be anything. She tells me repeatedly she can't do men's clothing. Well one day I was shopping for dress pants and got some pants that weren't hemmed. She refused to hem them for me. So I went online and looked up how to hem pants. I quickly found out that there were tons of ways to hem men's pants. You can get it hemmed any number of ways depending on what shoes you're wearing and the details are very small, but also very specific. I then realized that formal men's clothing is all about tiny, difficult little details and that my mother just didn't have to patience for them and would never have the skill to make me a good pair of tailored pants or a suit and never would even try. I once got a tailor made suit for a photoshoot. I'm an actor and needed headshots for promotion, but more importantly, I needed an excuse to spend some money on a tailored suit. Anyway, the thing was amazing. I was impressed with how comfortable it was. I wore it to my cousin's wedding and a relative sitting next to me accidentally took my suit jacket when he left. He didn't notice it was the wrong jacket because he happened to have the same jacket size I did. I held on to his jacket until we could trade, but the difference was astronomical even though we were the same size physically. Now, I agree with most of what Lindy said. I don't really like suits and before I got one tailored I always found them uncomfortable. But then I realized that they are literally supposed to be tailored, not just bought at random. I once read an interview with a suit tailor that said that you could actually fight in a suit, like Agent Smith or James Bond, but that that suit had to be designed for that specific purpose and for the specific person, taking into account not only size and proportion, but the way he stands, holds his arms and moves. You can even tailor it around whether or not you're carrying a gun and how you're carrying it. Anyway, I know I'm rambling, but the point is this: Either you spend a small fortune getting a suit custom made for you, or you just don't wear one, because anything in between just feels like shit to be in and looks like it too. I never managed to get my suit jacket back. And I've never enjoyed having to be forced into a suit since. As far as I'm concerned, unless I'm going to an audition or a wedding or funeral, I'd only ever willingly wear a suit if I can afford to get it custom made.

I'd give you a thumbs up, but I can't in this f***ing suit.

Nine and a half years ago and today, Lloyd is still the same...

If you buy a decent suit and and it properly fitted by a talented tailor, they are comfortable, you can move in them and you can even carry things in the pockets.

I have a tailored suit (was a gift, not like I'm made of money), and it actually does not hinder my movements. I used to have suits bought at stores around my country, and I had the exact same trouble with them. Restrictive, uncomfortable and really not practical in any way shape or form. Now however, I have a suit with hidden pockets, and pockets that actually are tailored to my body (so I can put my hands in my pockets comfortably), and it does not tighten around the back as soon as I dare lift my arms above my belly button... The only thing I regret is I didn't get a black suit, I have a pinstriped one, so does not fit all occasions... Oh well, next time someone offers to buy me a tailored suit I know what to get... A grey one ;)

at least suits HAVE pockets *glares at every single fake pocket i've ever discovered in a garment after i've bought it* fake pockets are the worst omg

Bring back the cloak!!!

The two piece modern suit is a contrivance though. Wear a three piece (properly, without the jacket fastened) and it a remarkably good piece of clothing. People forget that the jacket used to be a coat that you took off for manual work.

Thank you RU-vid algorithm for recommending me 9 year old videos about a guy ranting about suits enjoyed it quite a lot tho

As someone who has to wear one of these things to work each day I would have to add that not only are they incredibly uncomfortable, restrictive, and frankly boring to look at, they are also ridiculously impractical no matter what season you happen to be wearing them in. For instance, wearing a business suit in summer is an experience akin to wandering around inside a portable oven (with the possible exception of linen suits, but then again these aren't exactly standard business attire) whilst in winter or autumn you may as well be wandering about with your knackers out for all the warmth and insulation that a business suit provides. Spring is probably the only time a business suit is actually appropriate, but even then if the sun's shining you have the same problem as in summer, and if it's not (which is all the more likely here in the U.K) you get the same problems as in winter (also they are in no way, shape or form waterproof, which begs the question; how the hell did they become our national costume?) tl;dr: Seriously, fuck business suits.

Well. A. The jacket is not intended to go over a sweater, so of course it's too small. and 2. The jacket looks as though it was too small in the first place, or perhaps you've grown too large. When people say that suits are uncomfortable, it's generally because they've bought the wrong suit. $200 (£160.84) suits are ALWAYS uncomfortable.

As a concert musician, I completely agree! And I also have to wear a tuxedo (just as awkward for free movement). Padded shoulders and layered collars are the bane of fiddlers everywhere. (Not to mention black wool plus spotlight results in a stuffy, sweltering experience) All the tailoring in the world doesn't correct the 'raised arm' issue. I know some people who took to wearing jackets all the time so that when concert time came, they would be accustom to the awkwardness. The design needs an overhaul.

I quite like suits. When I want to feel nifty and neat, I'll put on a suit and walk about. I DO agree that it can be quite restricting when you move, if you've closed the jacket. However, I prefer three piece suits, i.e suits with vests, and I find it tends to look better with the jacket unbuttoned, since otherwise it conceals the vest. That way, you can still move your arms with relative ease while also looking smarteand neat. I can put my wallet in my suit trousers, my phone in my inner pocket, my keys in my back pocket, random slips of papers, notes, receipts etc in the side pockets, a handkerchief in the breast pocket, and everything will be fine. I can't carry around a digital camera without ruining the look, but then, I don't really carry a camera with me in my daily life. It also has, I find, a slight psychological effect on me to wear a suit. I find that my entire posture changes when I put on a suit. Not because I am restricted or confined by the suit and forced to stand like a mannequin, but BECAUSE I am wearing something that makes me feel that I look smart and neat, I won't stand with slouching shoulders, a hunched back. It imbues and exudes confidence and strength. And this is something I really like. So, no, Mr. Lindybeige, I will not rebel against the suit. I will continue to wear it, not for your sake, not for the sake of my peers, but because I like wearing suits! So there!

I think the most significant reason for the business suit's long fashion reign is probably simply related to it's having been in style during the advent of the 20th century. Information spread ever quicker and easier, and more people on average became aware of things they would never have had otherwise. Thus, popular ideas were able to imbed themselves into an even greater extent of the world's population, rooting those ideas in even deeper. New innovations are also therefore influenced by those same ideas much more easily. More original ideas have to convince an even larger market if they even want to even stand a chance of getting anywhere, compared to the days where many of those populations were relatively isolated and thus easier markets.

A correctly tailored suit worn with a dress shirt is incredibly comfortable.

This is a good proof point for why one shouldn’t wear a cheap suit that doesn’t fit your body.

I wear a suit every time I have an excuse to! They are just so comfortable, and I think the distortions when I raise my arms look good. Also, I snatched mine from a bus lost and found (not on the bus, by the way, but where they park for the night.). It looked expensive, and fit me perfectly, so why not?

welcome to t shirt land, Silicon Valley, usa

i'm a tailor i love suits i wear them for ME and not someone else i find it extremely comfortable to wear suits and i also think they look absolutely stunning...

It seems to me that the modern suit evolved from much. much more practical clothing. The jacket was once an actual jacket, it kept you warm, and it was much looser. What probably happened is as clothes changed, more "traditional" people decided that the new styles were not acceptable at formal events, so people kept their old clothes around for these types of gatherings. Over time, people only wore suits to formal events, so comfort and practicality became less important, while making it look good became the most important part of the design. If you look at old colonial clothing, you can clearly see the same setup that we use today: a jacket, a shirt, sometimes a vest, and pants with a leather belt.

Mr Lindybeige, as a 20 year old that has to attend formal events a few times a year, a good suit (one that fits well) is quite comftable. Nothing agaisnt you, but for example, I suspect you have padded shoulders in that suit, and while they make your shoulders look better, they're the cause for most of your uneasiness. Most likely it's too tight in the back hence why you can't move straight. Either that or the fact that a pullover is too thick to be worn with a suit. But then again, that's just my opinion, I personally do like to wear a suit (not frequently, as that's frankly just too much), but it does feel nice

A tailor made to fit you or bespoke suit jacket does not behave the same way and off the rack coat does. They really are much more practical and comfortable but much more expensive. Also wearing a waistcoat with a suit gives you more pockets and utility and fills in that gap in the centre. The modern three-piece business suit is the direct descendent of the Elizabeethan and later doublet hose and cape. I am an historical clothing specialist and make such things so I had to learn all about them. Great fun!

The business suit was designed for men who wanted to show that they did no physical labor, so they had their tailors design a garment in which it was impossible to perform any kind of actual work beyond carrying a ledger book across the room. (Of course, if there was occasion when a ledger had to be carried, a clerk was ordered to carry it.)

I've had that same complaint about the sleeves for a very long time. The modern suit jacket/blazer is just a terrible design and it really needs to go. I've forsaken mine in favor of a nice vest. With a good shirt, there is no impairment of my ability to move, and it looks a lot more dashing than a jacket. When you see the vest you think, "that guy's dangerous!". Just think about it. Han Solo wears a vest, as did Crocodile Dundee, and Marty McFly. Vests are for heroes!

All these complaints concern poorly made suits - a really good suit will barely move when you do and will not restrict movement. The problem is they cost £3000.

YES, i know exactly what shuld become the new norm. bathrobes! they are comfortable, they are warm (if you tie thme correctly) they look genus and they easy to put on. i mean in japan its ok to wear bathrobes i think i dont know. batrobes are best

I'm not British, but this is now my favourite video on the Internet.

This entire video could have been reduced to Lloyd saying one sentence: "My suitjacket is too small."

I used to wear Tweed jackets quite a bit during the winter months. I always liked them because they were usually cut looser than a business jacket and didn't have many of these issues with fit. I also attached a button under the lapel and opened up the button hole so that it could be done up.

Dude... that thing doesn't fit you because: a) you're wearing a sweater under it; b) it's not your size.

Rewatching this in early 2021, probably a REALLY good time to try this out with all the work-from-home happening

I do not mind suits, but I have to admit that your criticisms are totally valid.

It will take another century for people to understand that this is true.

Step 1: find a suit that fits you Step 2: Don't wear a thick sweater under it so your suit that fits you looks and acts like it fits you Now you no longer have most of those problems

the truth is, nowadays, its usually the poor people who wear suits. Its usually the recent graduates or bank tellers, etc. If you go to a night club and you see a guy in a suit, he's more likely just trying to come off as someone serious I would say most of the modern self-made millionaires all wear casual clothes. The extremely successful lawyer I used to work for, who wore gym shorts to work, always said "I dont care how clients judge me, I want them to judge me by the results of the case". I remember long time ago I came to an interview at some law office. I didnt wear a suit because it was so hot. First thing these weasels tell me "you come to a law office for a job and you arent even wearing a suit?"... I am like thinking, first of all, its a $15 per hour job. Second, no clients will see me. Third, all the google reviews online say your office is a professional scammer. The whole office was just a bunch actors. They put on their suits but know nothing about winning cases. Their sole job was to give the impression that they're professionals

Is it that pertinent, I ask, to criticize the practicality and comfort of the garment when the specimen you've chosen is too small for you, especially when you decide to don a thick woollen sweater underneath. Even without moving, your sleeves are wrinkled and the breast of the jacket is pulling sideways. The two pictures below show James Cagney, a gentleman who does not seem to have nearly as bad a problem as yourself with the fit and drape of his suit. Perhaps the garment is not the issue. nexxtlevelup.com/wp-content/uploads/G_MEN-10-e1360161569146.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/feraud/G%20Men/G_MEN-41.jpg

I think it's stuck around cause it makes us look good. Broad shoulders and thin waist. They are super uncomfortable though.

lets just go with Hoodies, they are tremendously comfortable, you can move freely in them, they got build in pockets you can actually put stuff in, they got hoods which are also build in that you can adjust to the weather conditions, its easy to put them on and if it gets too warm you just open the zipper and roll back your sleeves and if it gets cold you close it and put the hood on your head which you can also close also they can look quite nice if you dont buy the cheapest and baggiest one you can find i love these things, way better than sweaters, but i also own a suite which i have worn like... 5 times tops... and that thing was like 350 bucks

Japanese for business suit is 背広(sebiro). Taken apart, the first character 背 means back and the second 広 means wide. A business suit makes your back look wide.

I remember the pants I had in an army, with huge pockets hanging on the side of my legs. Those were really invaluable, the amount of things I could stuff in them was just amazing!

An interesting phenomenon happened in Hawaii where it’s bloody hot. To greatly oversimplify, every decided that “aloha shirts” (or Hawaiian shirts) would be the new formal outfit

The jacket would fit much better if you got rid of that stupid thick sweater.

Like most items of high status European clothing, the business suit is specifically designed to hinder its wearer. Real important people do not have to do anything at all, and wearing practical clothing means you might be one of Those People who actually has a real job and makes money by doing real work, and that would be most unseemly, wouldn't it? Gentlemen don't work! They sit around letting the smallfolk do all the work for them, and they wear ridiculous jackets to show that they don't have to burden themselves with work.

I am quite happy to find that other people hate that shitty piece of garbage clothing as well.

I wore a suit for years as a business consultant, and it was awful. Since about 2000, in America, only politicians, corporate executives, and talk show hosts wear them.

Lloyd, I enjoy your videos, but I must disagree with you on this. The simple problem you seem to have is that the suit jacket you are wearing does not fit you. It is far too small.

Absolutely. I refuse to dress up for anything, and yet people frequently tell me how good of a look I have, despite simply wearing what I find both comfortable and practical for exploring about the mountainous woods and, based on the colors I wear, also hiding in them.

I love suits, they just make a person look very smart and elegant.

I'm an attorney, I'm obligated to wear business suits daily. I rather like them, but I don't button the front. However impractical, they help me get into my role and help others accept me in it. Very useful.

Thank you for saying what I've been thinking since I was a small child.

THANK YOU Lloyd for sharing my grievances with suit jackets. I despise them, they're uncomfortable, difficult to move in, and are a general hassle.

A waistcoat is easy to pack.

why would you wear something that's not bullet resistant?

Also bad: - the shirt buttoned, to the top to the top & uncomfortable or silly-looking if not exactly the right size; and white to show the dirt better; - trousers held up by a belt: if one is spreading at the waist, difficult to to keep up; and where to put belt? above the bulge can involve a fly zip several feet long; below the bulge can lead to a great overhang, and across the middle of bulge can be difficult to keep in place. A friend of mine has been told by his doctor that his belt is damaging his intestines; - the smart shoes can also be uncomfortable & impractical. So the whole jacket, trousers, shirt, tie & smart shoes is a combined pain.

I've worn fitted suits, and have had none of these problems.

a true gentleman would never raise his arms in such a ridiculous fashion... that's what servants are for.

We was and we are still obliged to wear suits in school, so you can only imagine how i hate them. We really need cloaks.

I love suit jackets. They're super comfortable, perfectly adjusted for normal movement (how often do you need to bring your elbow to shoulder height? If you're doing manual labour, yes, don't wear a suit). And, they are warm! But not too warm. Just the right item for Autumn, if it's 5-10 centigrade. But if you'd gone on to explain how so many action movies put the hero in a business suit because it looks cool, then have him do quite a lot of running, jumping and fighting in it, and that's ridiculous, yes. I'd agree with that.

You can't expect a suit to feel comfortable, if you stick a thick sweater underneath. Sweaters, unlike waistcoats were never meant to be worn with a suit jacket. The biggest problem about suits, is that they're mostly purchased ready to wear, not custom-made. this doesn't exactly promote good fit.

I like wearing suits. Lloyd's problem appears to be that his suit doesn't fit him well. wearing it over the jumper probably doesn't help. get thee to a seamstress

I hate suits and although I've worn them in the past, some years ago I threw the ones I had out and vowed never to wear one ever again. I also hate those comical long pointy jester shoes that seem to be the prevailing 'fashion'! It wouldn't surprise me to see bells attached anytime soon, as the latest 'trend'!

I find suits very comfortable if well fitted.

That is why you should wear the suit with a vest. That way you can unbutton it and move better.

Lindy you are excellent and I agree.... But if you want to point out how a suit hangs and moves on the body take of the massive jumper first.

Your suit isn't fitted right, your shoulder should not ride up when you lift your arm. Its too small for you.

The only suit I've ever worn was my scool uniform. Last worn in 1997.

How about we all wear what WE like, and not what everyone else expects.

It's perfectly possible to move about while wearing a well fitting suit... however a well fitting suit is either impossible to find or needs tailoring. Even then it's pretty horrid compared to just a smart shirt.

you're really not supposed to wear a sweater under your suit coat. might fit better without it.

I agree with you, Lindy. I find dress clothes in general to be uncomfortable and an annoyance. Now, some people say, "Why don't you get it tailored made?" Because I'm not going to spend money on an outfit I barely wear in the first place. It would just be much simpler not to bother all together.

James Bond and the Men in Black do it just fine. xD

Suits are the absolute worst and im very certain that their impracticality is the reason for them being popular. Im often baffled when i see footage from early 1900 and it seems as though the only clothing someone could possibly even conceive was suits. You even see homeless people wearing torn up suits, or people doing manual labour in oversized suits. Why was everyone so averse to even considering making clothing that would serve purposes? Also, while not a problem with old baggy suits, owning modern suits is incompatible with biology. If you put on or lose a single pound, the suit wont look good, or straight up wont fit you anymore. Ridiculous. The fact that people go through life without feeling the need to question simple things like this makes me unbelievably angry

I agree with everything you say here

Peacoats share a lot of these issues, but to a far less extreme degree. For example, you can actually flip the collar and button the lapels all the way up for warmth, if necessary. Some people may bawk at you for being warmer than them, but that's when you get to tell them that those buttons were historically there for a damn good reason.

The modern form of the city suit was invented by posers (Brummel and D'Israeli), and then taken up by people for jobs you do not actually move much in (and certainly don't raise your arms). Country suits are far more practical, usually made of tweed, in three pieces, and with far more movement (in order to blow birds out of the sky :-D ).

You are now my personal hero for saying this! I have been hating these suits ever since I was first forced into one. I now have a rather nice formal Kimono which I wear to weddings and such instead. Down with the suit and it's ridiculas impracticality!!

Those pockets are what women have to deal with in pants with GOOD pockets

Suits are awesome, at least for a British climate. They're mildly warm(in a layered way, which makes it easier to adjust to changing weather), reasonably good at protecting you from mild rain, festooned with pockets(and contra your belief, useful ones, at least for businessmen - I keep dozens of cards and pens and such in mine), they look nice, they pair well with dress shirts and ties, and they're quite comfortable and practical if properly tailored...which yours clearly wasn't. Where I live, summers get too hot for suits to make sense - I haven't worn one since April, except to show off at a few meetings. But in England, where 75 degrees is a mythical land, they're perfectly sensible.

Better idea for a national costume: For the English we can go back to dark age style clothing with a Seaxe at the belt or something similar. :p

I think it may have been in the old British comedy series "Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width ", where one of the tailors says to the other " Suits aren't there for the people; they're there for the tailors to MAKE for the people!" We are still suffering the effects of a tailors' conspiracy! (Well, some of us are. My first (and last) tailored suit was for my wedding in 1973 - purple Victorian Frock Coat and flares (worn with white lace jabot, and purple suede shoes with platform soles) Ah! the Good Old Days!

I hate everything about suits. I always feel way over dressed and restricted whenever I put one on. People always tell me they look good on me etc but I'd imagine that's probably because it's so rare for anyone to see me in one haha.

Lets all wear t-shirts that have a tuxedo print, it gets the point across, I think, or we could wear Lloyd sweaters, because that would be good too.

1) You're wearing a cheap nasty suit jacket so obviously it will bunch up and look terrible whatever you do in it. 2) You're wearing a massive jumper underneath so obviously its all stretching out. 3) There is some truth that this isn't a practical outfit. However, it looks aesthetically flattering on a man (when done right of course).

I have long been an advocate of a return to draped clothing, not exactly like the Greeks & Romans, but in that vicinity. However, I do wear a business suit all the time, even though I don't need to. It makes such a difference in the way one is treated in public that it would be unthinkable for me to dress any other way. I do wear the kilt & accoutrements when attending Scottish events, but in their way, these are just as impractical as the standard business suit. The ancient Scots(& our dear cousins, the Irish) wore a loose tunic with a piece of tartan draped over it any which way, I wish it would come back, but to wear it today would be to go about in an obvious costume.

Well said Lloyd! Suits are neither warm , waterproof nor protective and are meaningless as a symbol of respectability since, to the best of my knowledge, no tailor exists who demands character references as a prerequisit to doing business. What's one of the standard accoutrements of the spiv, fraud or charlatan? An expensive suit: I rest my case. suites are a terminally devalued item of social currency. They are the sartorial equivalent of continuing to hit your thumb with a hammer because everybody else is doing it too.

I love wearing suits. And it's not impossible to tailor it in a way that doesn't make you look so bad any time you lift your arm. But you rarely have to lift your arms that high.

"I want all the reduced mobility of full plate armor but none of the protective value." Right this way sir.

Perhaps get one that fits or even take the sweater off. And if union jack underpants are the answer, what was the question?

Yes, you can't move or actually do anything in that kind of suit, and I suspect it's on purpose. For ever wealthy merchants/businesmen showed how futile it was for them to do anything as they would have slaves to do tasks in their place. Now that money is so much widespread, salary replaced slavery, but the principle is still the same: "Look what expensive useless stuff I can afford. Not only it is useless, but I can even afford it to impede the most basic body motions: I have chauffeurs, knaves, cooks, gardners, secretaries, and pay them to do what my suits prevents me from doing." People very often tend to imitiate people of higher social status, hoping they'll get acceptance in the corresponding social circles, and I suspect that's how the business suit spread step by step to a large part of the middle class (and the shift from a mainly agricultural and industrial economy to a tertiary economy allowed that).

There was a TV programme about Savile Row tailors where a tailor said about military jackets and not being able to raise your arms was because British officers were not ment to surrender. He also said that the 4 buttons on the sleeves are because a gentleman would roll up his sleeves unlike the working man who would remove his jacket.

I love your videos but i thoroughly enjoy wearing suits haha i like how they make me look and make me more confident

Fit is extremely important when it comes to suit jackets. Much more so than other clothing. A well fitted suit is comfortable and allows for good movement. But it's difficult and often expensive to get.

Oh glad I'm not the only one who hates suits!

My personal favorite combination of clothing is jeans and a flannel shirt. It's protective, warm, comfortable, usually has a decent amount of storage (pockets), and is very versatile. You don't even have to go with the plaid flannel pattern. I often times just go with plain black or green. Suits can only be versatile in the most trivial sense, not practical. I've noticed that default formalwear is becoming more casual with the introduction of jeans in a suit combination; and while the traditionalist in me is screaming no, I'm glad for it.

Woah, Lindy. You totally mangled that pronunciation of _sebiro_ "せびろ". It wouldn't be "sah-bih-roo". It should be more like "sey-bee-ro". Also note the "ro" isn't a simple "r" sound like you'd find in say, "ruff". You actually flap the tongue when pronouncing it. Thus, the Japanese "r" is actually more similar to the American English "dd" from words like "pudding" or "buddy". Just some information I felt I could provide. Carry on. :)