Be as in love with your jeans, sweatpants, or flannels as you want, it's hard to refute the sumptuous feel of a finely tailored suit--as well as the statement of power that comes with it. For over a century the suit has dominated wardrobes, its simple form making it the go-to attire for boardrooms, churches, or cocktail bars--anywhere one wants to make an impression. But this ubiquity has allowed us to take the suit's history for granted, and its complex construction, symbolic power, and many shifting meanings have been lost to all but the most devout sartorialists.
In The Suit,...