Grey seem to be the colour of choice for the coming season if trends spotted on catwalk shows are anything to go by. “Not too unusual for the cold weather collections you might think, but this season it’s the way it was styled from tailored to tracksuit bottoms that boosted it into trend territory: with as many other shades of grey as possible” said GQ.

So there you have it, if you only want to be trendy next season as far as colours and hues are concerned then you better get your hands on a grey suit. However,this post is about the most versatile suit you can ever lay hands on so hang on a minute before you close your browser.

First of all, allow me to break down the term “versatile” a bit when talking about garments. A versatile garment is one that is as broadly appropriate as possible so when you wear it to any occasion, you do not feel out of place. Did I hear you ask is that even possible? My answer is a resounding YES and allow me to elaborate.

When you buy a suit never do so in isolation. What I mean by this is always think of the accessories you’re going to wear it with ie shoes, ties, pocket squares etc. For me personally, the minute I see a suit that grabs my attention, I am already planning in my head what I am going to pair it with whether I wear it as a full suit or wear the jacket and bottoms separately. By so doing, I am making mental notes of the different looks I can possibly get out of it. Let’s be honest, no one wants to buy a suit that is only used for one and one purpose only. Well except you really have to for specific reasons or money is not an issue for you in which case I would say knock yourself out. But for the rest of us that needs to buy wisely, the above rules apply. Anyway back to the versatile suit build up.

Another thing worth considering when picking a versatile suit is the appropriateness of the colour for day and night wear. Can you comfortably wear your chosen colour for daytime activities such as a business meeting and also pull off the same suit for a dinner party?

Yet another factor to consider is how versatile the colour of your suit of choice is in terms of seasons. Majority of colours are only suited for specific seasons which you should be aware of. As much as I really like my yellow blazer that I wrote about in my Make a statement with colour post, I would be pushing my luck if I should wear it at the middle of winter.

Considering all the factors I mentioned above, the most versatile suit you should lay your hands on (if you don’t already have one) is a single breasted, two buttoned navy suit. This choice of suit is particularly important for someone who rarely has cause to wear one and so has only one. Basically this should be your first suit. I have to say a good contender would be a charcoal grey suit but as far as pairing, accessorising, and season appropriateness is concerned, the navy suit is a clear winner.

Because of the simplicity and the straightforwardness of the navy suit, you can afford to wear almost any colour tie, pocket square and indeed pin to go with it. With careful consideration to the shirt (or indeed jumper) and shoes you wear, you can get an entirely different look all appropriate for the occasion.

I hope I managed to get across my views on this but if yours are different, then feel free to tell me in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading this and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and twitter @cutsforhim for regular update.

Photography: Augustchild
Location: Lymington, England

The look
Suit: FCUK
Shows: Paul Smith
Tie and pocket square: TM Lewin
Socks: TM lewin