Suit (clothes) - Definition and Overview

A suit, also known as a business suit, comprises a collection of matching clothing consisting of:

a coat (commonly known as a jacket)

a waistcoat (optional) (USA vest)

a pair of trousers (USA pants)

Though not part of a suit, a shirt and tie very frequently accompany it.

Originating in formal 19th century middle-class modes of dress, suits traditionally clothe males. However, imitations of the male uniform have also become common in formal attire for females in the workplace and elsewhere: in this case a matching skirt may substitute for trousers.

The uniform impression of a suit, often appearing in standard configurations such as pinstripe suit or suit and tie, may carry connotations of staid respectability, unadventurous conformism and narrow-mindedness.

An alternate use of the word as a references to management staff in corporations as "suits" may express contempt for the perceived absence of autonomy seen as imposed on members in a uniform elitist bureaucracy. It may also be a comment on the perceived amorality or even immorality of those who work for corporations.