Suits Are Better Tech Than Modern Clothes
Suits are held up as surprisingly comfortable, durable “old tech” clothing when they’re well-tailored and made from quality fabrics, with advantages like breathable wool, structured fit, and practical pockets. Others counter that suits are expensive, high-maintenance, impractical for hot climates or physical activity, and mostly serve as status uniforms that feel socially out of place outside formal contexts. Across viewpoints, people converge on the idea that fit and fabric quality matter far more than the suit vs. casual dichotomy, and that modern mass-produced clothes often fail because they’re neither well-cut nor designed for easy alteration.
Comfort and Practicality
- Many find well-tailored suits and suit trousers extremely comfortable, often comparing them to pajamas and preferring them to jeans or tracksuits.
- Others see suits as the “antithesis” of practical clothing: hot, restrictive, fragile, anxiety-inducing around dirt, and unsuitable for physical activity or hot climates.
- Some say comfort depends on fabric, cut, and tailoring; others insist that loose casual wear (shorts, hoodies, yoga pants) is inherently more comfortable.
- Neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive commenters often cannot tolerate long sleeves/pants, making suits a non-starter.
Tailoring and Fit
- Broad agreement that tailoring dramatically improves comfort and appearance, especially for non-standard body proportions.
- Several note that suits are structurally designed for alteration (seams, darts, extra fabric), whereas many modern casual garments are not.
- Counterpoint: you can tailor jeans, T‑shirts, and other garments too; the core advantage is tailoring itself, not “suitness.”
Materials and Maintenance
- Wool suits (especially high-quality weaves) are praised as breathable, durable, and odor-resistant; linen is divisive (some love its coolness and durability, others hate its stiffness/wrinkling).
- Polyester is contested: some say it’s cooler and doesn’t absorb sweat; others say it traps odor and looks cheap.
- Dry cleaning and ironing are seen as significant downsides; some avoid suits for this reason.
Social Signaling and Culture
- Suits are widely framed as status symbols, uniforms of power, bureaucracy, or formality; many avoid them to dodge those associations.
- Others enjoy the compliments, perceived attractiveness, and “sharper” persona a suit confers.
- Some subcultures wear suits daily (e.g., certain religious communities); in other places, wearing a suit invites “condolences” unless it’s a wedding or funeral.
Pockets, Closures, and Gender
- Suit pockets (especially inner jacket pockets) are praised as highly practical.
- Women’s clothing is criticized for tiny or missing pockets; women’s suits often don’t fix this. Some women prefer bags over pockets.
- Debate over buttons vs zippers: buttons have better failure modes; zippers are faster. Experiences with zipper reliability differ.
Alternatives, Fashion, and Manufacturing
- Commenters propose custom-made casual clothes, robes, workwear, and sports clothing as better “tech” than suits for many use cases.
- Many expect a gradual shift toward personalized or made-to-measure mass manufacturing, but current logistics and labor models are seen as a barrier.