When I started my career in the clothing business, I had a small wardrobe and minimal cash to work with.
My mentor in the trade shared with me the advantages of purchasing a second pair of matching suit pants with the purchase of the 2 pinnacle suits in a man’s wardrobe: the navy solid and charcoal gray solid.
It was great advice 18 years ago, and it’s great advice today.
In addition, it makes good sense to purchase one extra pair of matching pants for each of those suits.
Here’s why…
Average Life of a Pair of Pants
As long as I have been in the clothing business, I have yet to receive a phone call requesting the replacement of a coat belonging to a suit.
However, I have had hundreds of calls asking about the possibility of replacing the pant belonging to the suit.
Generally, you arrive at your office and your suit coat gets placed over the back of a chair, on a hanger behind your door, or a coat rack. Outside of breakfast, lunch and dinner mishaps the jacket remains relatively unscathed.
But your suit pants are worn all day through morning commutes, business meetings, lunches, business after-hours, evening commutes, sliding in and out of the seat of your car, office chairs, restaurant booths, etc. You get the picture…
4 Advantages of Buying a 2nd Pair of Matching Suit Pants
- Economics – for the price of a second pair of pants, you add another suit to your wardrobe.
- Longevity – like rotating the tires on your car, this additional pant will allow you to rotate a fresh pair of pants. This way, each one will have even wearing, and the fabric will have time to breathe and rest.
- Travel – if you do overnight travel for business, it allows you to pack one suit with additional matching pant, 2 shirts (1 white, 1 blue), 2 ties (1 red, 1 yellow) and a pair of shoes. That will enable you to conduct business for 2 days.
- Style – if available, try ordering one pant in a pleated style and the other in a flat front style. That way, you can give yourself 2 different fashionable looks.
Where to Buy Men’s Separates
These are the best online stores to buy matching suit pants from:
Navy & Charcoal Gray Suit Pants
While I don’t recommend buying an extra pair of suit pants for every suit, I firmly believe that the 2 foundational suits that every man needs — no matter your trade — are: one navy solid suit and one charcoal gray solid suit.
These should be the first two suits that you buy and the two you should always replace when needed before any other.
And to complement your basic business wardrobe, you should also buy one additional pair of matching pants for each — your navy suit and your charcoal gray suit.
I’ve been in the men’s clothing business since 2000. My specialty is custom-tailored suits and shirts, as well as men’s accessories.
