The Best Suits for Athletic Guys: Ultimate Guide | BOXROX (2024)

Welcome to the ultimate guide to the best suits for athletic guys. When it comes to finding a great looking, comfortable, and high-quality suit, we understand that the struggle is real for athletic guys.

Average, high-street suits are created for average physiques. Off the rack suits are designed for skinny legs, narrow shoulders, a weak chest, and a total lack of any upper body v-taper.

Since you are already reading this then you clearly work hard for your athletic physique. You are not an average guy. You need a suit that will accentuate your hard-earned physique, not hide it with ill-fitting tailoring.

This article will help you finally find a top-quality stretch suit that fits well, performs with excellence, and makes you look great during any occasion. From work to weddings, date nights to formal dinners, these alternative suits will accentuate, not distort, your athletic physique.

Firstly, check through the following points and which ones apply to you. Identifying these aspects of your physique will help you select the right clothing.

Best Suits for Athletic Guys: Signs of an Athletic Physique

If you have built powerful shoulders through sports such as weightlifting, swimming, American football, climbing, CrossFit and/or general physical work then this comes across as a surefire sign of an athletic physique.

Broad shoulders are often the first characteristic people instinctively associate with a muscular physique.

This leads neatly into the next sign, having a V-shaped upper body. This results from the combination of the above point with a slimmer waist. Culminating in the highly desired V-shaped upper body.

As an item of clothing, the blazer was initially designed to extend the shoulders and create an illusion of power through the symbol of the V-tapered torso. Essentially it was a way to create that silhouette for people that did not already have it. Since you already possess it, without having to fake it, then the suit jacket you choose needs to be a better alternative for athletic figures.

A well-defined chest further extends the V-taper and adds muscle mass to the front of the torso. Working on your bench numbers, grappling in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or calisthenics workouts all build a barrel chest that is sure to contribute to increasing difficulty in fitting into regular sized shirts.

A muscular torso is further accentuated by a thick back. Strong lats, traps and rear delts cannot be faked, and serve as a reminder of hard sessions with deadlifts and pull ups. Those slabs of muscles do not come easily.

Flat abs and a strong core again contribute towards the silhouette of the V-shaped upper body. The lack of a belly will help to make the shoulders look even broader.

Finally, strong legs and arms do not generally fit properly into traditionally designed t-shirts, shirts, blazers, and pants. A baggy suit is rarely a good look, and athletic limbs are notoriously difficult to dress, so this is one area where great quality stretch suits are a huge advantage.

Why Do Athletic Men Struggle to Find Suits that Actually Fit?

We explored the signs of an athletic physique above, but exactly why does a great physique so often result in a poorly fitting suit.

Broad shoulders and a larger upper body mean that shirts are often oversized. The size that fits the shoulders will invariably be too long, too baggy or both. This is augmented by the characteristics of a muscular back. The added mass forces the athlete to wear a size that is too large for their lower torso, resulting in a boxy appearance.

Bigger squat numbers, increased sprinting power and general athleticism results in thicker quads and calves. This makes regular fitting or tapered suit pants incredibly uncomfortable. We found these stretch suit pants to be the perfect antidote to having to upsize into baggy, ill-fitting high-street alternatives.

To overcome these challenges, many men with athletic builds opt for made-to-measure or custom suits, where the garment is crafted based on their individual measurements.

Additionally, one brand has started offering top notch quality suits with more athletic or slim fits to cater to a broader range of body types.

Welcome to State & Liberty.

State & Liberty: The Best Suits for Athletic Guys

State & Liberty was created to provide athletic guys with high quality, stylish and perfectly fitting suits and dress clothes.

Alongside hundreds of thousands of everyday gym goers, they also work with thousands of professional athletes from the UFC, NHL, NFL and other sports who represent the company.

“Although professional athletes make up a small portion of our customer base, we have been fortunate to have support from so many athletes and we are proud every time we see our gear being worn on the biggest stage.”

Represented by Professional Athletes

Here is a small selection of the athletes that wear their dress clothes.

• Christian McCaffery – San Francisco 49ers
• George Springer – Toronto Blue Jays
• Aiden Hutchinson – Detroit Lions
• Alex Newhook – Colorado Avalanche
• Will Grier – Dallas Cowboys
• Brandon McManus – Denver Broncos
• Chad Henne – Kansas City Chiefs
• Foye Oloukun – Jacksonville Jaguars
• Jake Ryan – Green Bay Packers
• Mitch Marner – Toronto Maple Leafs

Other notable mentions include Daniel Cormier from the UFC Hall of Fame, professional golfer Wyndham Clark, Olympic track sprinter Jeff Porter and the Olympic Wrestler Myles Amine.

Performance, Style and Fit

State and Liberty utilize performance-oriented fabrics in their dress clothes. These fabrics include blends that offer stretch, breathability, comfort, and extreme ease of movement.

The commitment to the highest standards of craftsmanship extends to all the details. These include uniquely chosen linings such as the “Boylston”, characterised by its classic navy background punctuated with white polka dots. The cuffs, stitching, and tapered fits all ensure that the final presentation of each suit looks nothing short of stunning.

Source: Stevie D Photography

Another great touch from the brand is that you can schedule a virtual sizing consultation with their sizing specialists. To book a sizing appointment in-store, please visit their locations page to find the nearest place for your convenience.

State & Liberty Athletic Fit Stretch Suit

So, let’s get down to brass tax and take an in depth look at a specially selected State & Liberty suit.

We have selected the navy Athletic Fit Stretch Suit for this purpose.

This suit is meticulously fashioned from a high-performance fabric blend renowned for its stretchiness.

Lined with the same fabric as their dress shirts, both the blazer and pants are lightweight and breathable.

The distinctive athletic fit, a signature of the brand, is tailored to complement individuals, like you, with an athletic physique.

I am always wary of stretch fabrics as poor-quality items can often stretch too much and lose their original form. This is not the case with State & Liberty. I found that the blazer and trousers both fit well and maintained their fit with no loss of shape at all.

Features

• Fabric: Nylon / Cotton / Spandex Performance Blend
• Blazer design details:
• Single-breasted, two-button
• Medium notch lapels
• Lightly padded shoulders
• Standard Pockets
• Brown buttons and button hole stitching
• The “Boylston” Navy with White Polka Dots lining
• Double vent
• Stretch pant design details:
• True athletic tapered fit
• Hidden soft-stitched hemline with excess fabric to adjust length
• Extreme 4-way stretch for comfort and durability
• Low maintenance and wrinkle-free

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What to Look for When Choosing the Right Suit

Buying a suit is an important decision, and several considerations can help you find the right fit, style, and overall look for your physique and aesthetic preferences.

Here are some key factors to keep in mind when purchasing a suit:

Fit

Make sure that the buttons on the blazer close comfortably across your chest. The jacket should allow your body to move, however it should not look baggy or oversized. On the other hand, the closed jacket should not be too tight across your upper body.

Make sure that the seams of the shoulders sit flush in line with the natural edges of your shoulders. This is an area of tailoring that is incredibly difficult for Men with athletic physiques to get right. Regular off the rack jackets will be far too small to fit your naturally larger and broader shoulders.

For the sleeves, the arm should end at your wrist bone, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the shirt showing from underneath.

Style

Here you have multiple options to choose from when it comes to the fabric, colour, lapels and whether you want a single or double-breasted jacket.

Single-breasted suit jackets are more versatile than the double-breasted option, which are generally considered to be more formal.

The stretch fabrics that State &Liberty use work well for both warmer and cooler weather. Opting for a black, navy or grey colour will ensure the suit will not let you down for any occasion.

The off white heathered bamboo offers a perfect summer suit, like certain shades of linen, while the chequered blue plaid or heathered blue with white windowpane provide additional visual interest for when you want to stand out.

Pants

Although this seems self-explanatory, there are a few points to consider if you want the suit pants to fit well. Ensure that they rest at your natural waist, with enough room for movement. The length should extend to just above the shoes for a classic and stylish demeanour.

If you have never tried the stretch fabric from State & Liberty, we guarantee that you will find the suit pants a pure joy to wear after years of ill fitted off the rack items. You will be able to move, sit, walk, and run with absolutely no problem at all.

Shoes and Belt

Your belt should match your shoes where possible. Black shoes with a black belt and brown shoes with a brown belt. Simple yet surprisingly effective.

How to Match a Shirt with a Suit

Once you have selected the perfect suit you will need to choose a selection of shirts to match.

Think about the relationship between the colour (and pattern if applicable) of the suit and the shirt. Simple, stylish suits can be dressed up with brighter or more elaborate shirts if desired, but white and sky-blue shirts are classic staples for work and other formal occasions.

Additionally neutral pastel shades such as light lavender, pink or even grey also work well with charcoal, navy and black suit colours. Solid colours are easy to match, and will accentuate the fit and style of the suit. They will help you look classy and stylish without appearing to try too hard.

Remember that these are only guidelines, and you should have fun with your own style. Let your own personality show through in the clothes that you wear.

Putting it All Together

The first rule of dressing well is to select clothes that fit properly. Sounds simple right? But as you are fully aware, this is much easier said than done.

Once you incorporate a few simple rules about colours and textures, choose great quality fabrics, and add your own personal style then you will finally be able to feel great in your next suit.

State & Liberty deliberately design their dress clothes for long term style. This makes their suits a true investment for the future. They transcend short term, superficial fashion trends in favour of effortless style that lasts.

As Oscar Wilde once eloquently wrote, “fashion is what one wears oneself, what is unfashionable is what other people wear.” He playfully highlights the importance of going your own way, of expressing yourself in the way you want to.

General shops cater for average people. You are not average. Remember that. When it comes to dressing well you should not be punished for being in great shape.

If you are sick and tired of having to wear poorly fitting suits, then State & Liberty are the answer that you have been looking for.

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