Boys' suit separates, like men's suit separates, have some advantages over buying a traditional suit. When you need a suit jacket that differs in size from your slacks, suit separates allow you to purchase the exact size you need in both pieces. There's no need to suffer through an ill-fitting suit that comes with a jacket and slacks in the same size if that size doesn't fit top and bottom.
Advantages of Suit Separates
As boys' dress clothes go, suit separates allow them to:
- Wear the best fitting clothes: Not everyone wears the same size on top and bottom. Suits that come as a set don't take this into account. For a boy who may need a jacket to accommodate a stocky upper build, being able to purchase suit separates helps a great deal in getting a blazer and pants that fit him as needed.
- Wear the pieces separately: If a boy only needs to wear a sport coat, he can reach for his suit separate jacket and wear it with slacks other than what came with the suit. He can also wear his suit slacks with just a dress shirt or sweater.
- Having more than one pair of slacks: When buying suit separates, you may want to purchase at least two pairs of slacks to match the jacket. Because pants tend to wear out more quickly than jackets with traditional suits, the two pieces may not match exactly over time. With suit separates, you don't have to buy a second pair of slacks at the same time you buy the jacket; this can be done later, when the first pair of pants begins to show some wear.
Disadvantages
There are some disadvantages that come with boys' suit separates. You'll find that they come with the slacks pre-hemmed. Two- or three-piece suits that come as one unit usually have slacks with incomplete hems. This allows a boy to be measured (preferably with shoes on) and fitted so that his slacks fall at precisely the right place once he's dressed. Suit separates don't give you this same specificity in pant length; you'll find slacks already hemmed and cuffed, so if a boy is especially tall for his age, he may have trouble finding pants long enough when buying separates.You also may not find the variety of color or material in suit separates that's often available in a traditional suit. Suit separates don't often come in odd sizes, so if a boy isn't a standard size readily available in stores, it may be difficult to find pieces to fit him well.
Buy Boys' Suit Separates
Parents will probably want to shop in local department stores or children's boutiques when looking for suit separates for boys. Being able to try on clothing before buying makes it easier to get styles that fit right, and saves you the hassle of returns. Online retailers who stock suit separates include:
Be sure and check out a site's measurement charts to help you select the exact size you need. This may also involve measuring a boy's arms, chest, waist and torso, but it's worth investing a few extra minutes to get a jacket and slacks that fit.
Wearing Separates
Whether a boy wears his suit separates together or he wears the pieces at different times depending on the occasion, enjoy the versatility that separates offer. Just be aware of the disadvantages so that you're happy with whatever purchase you make. You may even find it helpful to have at least one traditional suit and one separates set in his wardrobe, for those few events when he has to wear something dressier than his favorite jeans and a tee.
