My 20’s so far have been a magical delusion of romantic comedies starring Hugh Grant, Matt Damon and the never-ageing Paul Rudd who have raised my expectations of how to dress smartly in a suit, confidently and smoothly.
But my reality has been a string of inadequately dressed men, who swagger in the local park in dirty tracksuit bottoms and fluorescent gym tops, in an attempt to follow a trend which can only be described as ‘going to the gym at 9, but tarmacking the motorways at 10’.
Every day I can’t help but swing from one extreme to another, starting each day delusionally anticipating a handsome man with a gorgeous face and a tailor-made suit, to then accepting my (also delusional) fate that there is no hope out there for anything above the sub standard effort that I’ve seen so far.
I know a full suit, everyday, would be too much to ask of these men who use 5-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturiser and aftershave, but now my sights are set I just can’t seem to shake them – and I know I’m not the only one.
OK, if I was expected to be dressed up to the rafters every morning I’d be fuming at the unattainable expectations. But, when I think about a wedding, a graduation or black tie event, my butterflies start before I’ve even found my own dress, and I blame Matthew McConaughey.
So, I pose the question, do you like a man in a suit? I’m really waiting for someone to be unimpressed by the figure-hugging, smart and sexy three-piece moment.
I tapped into the reasons why we are so obssessed with a man in a suit through Professor Ivo Vlaev from the University of Warwick
She said: “From a behavioural science perspective, the attraction to men in suits can be partly explained by what the suit symbolises in society.
Suits have long been associated with professionalism, reliability, and status. This isn’t just about the fabric or the cut, but the social and cultural signals a suit sends.
“They can enhance the physical appearance of men by structuring the shoulder and waistline in a way that promotes a more traditionally masculine silhouette—broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist.
“Evolutionary psychology suggests that physical traits which signal health, strength, or fertility are seen as more attractive, and while a suit doesn’t change genetics, it certainly dresses them up!
“So, in a light-hearted way, it’s not just the men who are making an effort to look sharp—it’s also our brains, doing the age-old dance of decoding potential partners through the lens of cultural and biological cues!
“A man in a well-fitting suit might just be the modern-day equivalent of a peacock’s tail. It’s not just about being dapper—it’s about displaying a plumage that speaks of capability and confidence without saying a word.”
Some say they prefer personality, some prefer looks, but here’s the selling point, to me, a suit delivers both.
When a man dresses like he means business (I mean, he could literally be on his commute to work), it offers such an impressive first impression and I feel like it triggers an immediate green flag within me.
The tailored-fit, straight out of a James Bond film look tells me there’s something sexy about a man who actually gives a shit, to speak quite frankly, and shows layers to a personality who has potential for class, a good eye for style and gives you glimmers into his standards.
I think that suits have a huge association with 90s romance, class and that cute self-deprecating man persona (Hugh Grant in every movie ever) and it’s what draws me in and so many of my girlfriends.
Expert insight: Professor Ivo Vlaev
University of Warwick lecturer and professor of behavioural science
