I like my pasta al dente and my suits al corpo — to the body and perfectly snug. Extra slim suits might not be delicious, but they’ll certainly make you look appetizing, if you’re into that kind of thing.
One of the best feelings in the world is putting on a brand new suit and feeling it hug your body in all the right places. It’s a sensation that makes you feel taller, stronger, and just overall better looking… though some may still disagree with that, but who cares — you’re looking sharp!
I’ve been lucky enough to work with three amazing brands recently who each sent me one of their extra slim suits to try out for myself. Saks Off 5th, Express, and Combatant Gentlemen all make a damn good suit, perfect for any kind of professional, semi-formal, or other dressed-up occasion. Each comes with its own intricacies that make itself unique, but they all look and feel great when worn.
Here’s what I can tell you.
Saks Off 5th — NHP
NHP stands for “New High Performance,” speaking to the well-dressed, on-the-go athletic bodies of the world. The NHP line from Saks Off 5th incorporates a wrinkle-free fabric and is great for packing and traveling because it won’t be ruined while in transit.
This suit is called an extra slim fit, and I can definitely attest to that. I had to go one size up in the jacket and the pants but the larger size fit perfectly. The jacket is perfectly spacious in the shoulders but nice and fit through the torso, with great definition.
This particular suit is advertised as black. While I steer people away from black suits with the exception of weddings and funerals, this neat windowpane plaid is a great way to make a statement and rock a dark suit. / NHP Suit: $599 for jacket and pants, SaksOff5th.com
This Look:
Suit — Saks Off 5th NHP
Shirt — Express
Sweater — J. Crew
Boots — Wolf & Shepherd
Journal — Shinola
Shades — Randolph Engineering
Money Clip — I-CLIP
Watch — Kenneth Cole
Bracelet — DEMIR
Express — Performance Stretch Suit
Express recently added a line of extra slim suits to their regular lineup that previously only featured a (semi) slim fit. The addition is far more modern, giving a nice silhouette to a body and giving more slender men an option to buy.
Like in the name, the Performance Stretch performs very well! It’s flexible and breathable but still fits well all over. I’ve always had an issue the the bottom taper of their pants, but the extra slim pant is on its way to perfection. Like the NHP extra slim suit, I had to size up, but only with the pants for this Express suit.
My favorite thing about this specific suit — the color. Is it grey? Is it blue? Who’s to say! Use it as both. / Performance Stretch Suit: $426 for jacket and pants, Express.com
This Look:
Suit, shirt — Express
Shoes — Taft
Socks — Prince + Pete
Beard Cream, brush — Cremo
Watch — Back Bay Watch Co.
Bracelet — DEMIR
Pocket Square, tie bar — The Tie Bar
Combatant Gentlemen — Mezzanine Slim Fit
This is a brand I was turned on to recently, and I’m very happy about that. Combatant Gent offers great quality menswear at almost unbelievably affordable prices. It’s all great looking, it feels amazing to touch and on the body, and did I mentioned it’s insanely affordable?
Though this isn’t called an “extra slim,” I still found going up in size very comfortable. It’s going to require a small amount of tailoring, but the fit will be 100% perfect once that’s complete.
My Combatant Gent suit is a timeless navy that’s elevated with the small check print. It’s perfect to wear with black or brown accessories and can be used all year! Take a look at the Combat Gent site and you’ll see that this is a brand unlike many others you’ve encountered. / $220 for jacket and pants, CombatantGentlemen.com
This Look:
Suit, shirt — Combatant Gentlemen
Shoes — Ace Marks
Socks — Jack Wills
Tie, tie bar, pocket square — The Tie Bar
Watch — Burberry
Shades — Ray Ban
Beard Balm — Cremo
Bar — RX Bar
Coffee — La Colombe
Bracelet — DEMIR
