Whether you're shopping for your first suit, or your closet is full of them, there's a few things to consider before purchasing one.

First and foremost, you want to be able to wear your suit more than once. It's fine to have a certain shirt or tie that's so unique, it rarely get's worn, but a good suit should provide versatility.

Secondly, a suit should be fitting for the weather. Yes, a classic wool suit will always look sharp, but it definitely won't feel comfortable when it's over 30 degrees outside.

Lastly, your suit selection should be well-rounded so that you can dress for any occasion. A suit for the office might not cut it for a fancy dinner party.

Before you go out and buy one sight unseen, make sure you have the essentials.

Here're our picks for the five suits every professional should own.

navy

A Navy

It is sometimes said that the navy blazer is man's answer to the little black dress. It may be more accurate to say that it is actually the navy suit. When it comes to formal occaisons, nothing is as timeless. reliable, and if worn properly, guaranteed to make you look good.

A simple, good quality, 2 button navy suit can be dressed up for a wedding, kept formal for a job interview, or worn as part of your everyday work armor.

A Charcoal

If every man's first suit should be navy (it should), then his second suit should be in grey. And while a light shade will look a touch too "summery" for the colder months, charcoal hits that all year round sweet sopt perfectly.

Whatever shade you go for, a plain grey suit is the ultimate wardrobe workhorse and has the advantage of being easier to dress down than navy, which can feel a touch too formal for a more casual evenening.

A Charcoal
A Pattern

A Pattern

Now that you own suits in standard colours, it's time to get something with a bit more character. A patterned suit like checked, plaid, or striped is a great third option because it'll stand out a little more than a solid colour suit.

Rule: If the pattern of your suit is very visible from afar, a glen plaid for example, stick with sold shirts and ties. If it looks solid from afar, treat it like a solid.

A Summer Suit

Wearing a suit in the summer - without mopping buckets of sweat from your forehead - demonstrates a knack for dressing well. and an understanding of fabric and colour that can go a long way.

Many lightweight materials and bright shades are on offer, but for your first summer suit opt for something half-lined or unlined made out of lightweight wool, cotton, or even linen in light grey, blue, or beige. That way you can look as smart as you do the rest of the year while feeling as comfortable as as you would in your t-shirt and shorts.

A Summer Suit
A Tux

A Tux

Unless you are fabulously wealthy or prone to winning awards, chances are black-tie invitations don't come your way more than a few times a year. But when they do, the whole point is to look and feel your absolute best by participating in a tradition that stretches back centuries.

That isn't going to happen by hiring something ill-fitting that a thousand other men have worn before - or worse, being the guy who tries to get away with wearing a dark suit at a literal black-tie event. Which is why at some point, the only sensible option is to invest in your own plain black dinner suit,get it adjusted so it fits you perfectly, and collect your Best Regional Sales Manager gong with style!

Navy Suits

Charcoal Suits

Patterned Suits

Summer Suits

Tuxedos