For some people, suits are back. For some people--particularly in the boardrooms and corner offices of the biggest companies--they never went away.

　　對某些人而言，西裝又時興起來了。而對那些在大公司董事會議室和經理辦公室里的人們來說，西裝從來就沒有過時過。

　　The old saw "clothes maketh the man" is as much of a truism as ever. Today, as always, a well-made suit is not just a crucial business accessory; it also sends a subtle message that distinguishes the wearer as a person of discretion, taste and, in many cases, as someone with many zeroes in his annual bonus package.

　　“人靠衣裝”這句老話仍然是條真理。今天和從前一樣，一套做工考究的西裝不僅是商業人士最重要的行頭，還能巧妙地表現穿著者的地位和品味，而且在很多時候還能體現其收入的豐厚。

　　What suits don't do to the same extent they once did is reveal the wearer's background. In our sartorially egalitarian age, one doesn't need to be a blue blood or an Ivy grad to occupy the corner office or know the name of the best tailors. The result is that suits have become less a uniform than an expression of individual style. If you're conservative in outlook, the odds are you will dress that way too. Like to be a bit more flashy? Most likely, so are your clothes.

　　然而與以往不太一樣的是，西裝不再那么明確地顯示穿著者的身份背景。在這個穿著上講求平等的年代，人們不一定要出身名門或畢業于常春藤名校才能入主經理辦公室或說得出最好的裁縫的名字。因此，西裝更多地成為一種個人風格的體現，而不僅是制服。如果你是個觀念保守的人，很可能在穿衣上也保守。想更引人注目嗎？很可能你的衣服也會艷麗奪目。

　　What has also changed is the way men buy suits and the occasions to which they wear them. Around the turn of the last century, men of all backgrounds and careers wore ties and a suit pretty much everywhere. These days men are more selective about when and where to dress up or dress down. A board meeting? Wear a suit. A business lunch? Ditto. A corporate retreat in Tahoe? Not if you don't want to look like the hotel manager.

　　人們買西裝的方式以及穿西裝的場合也都發生了變化。在20世紀末，各行各業的男士差不多在各種場合都穿西裝打領帶。而如今男士們對何時何地盛裝打扮或穿著隨便有了更多的考慮。開董事會？穿西裝。商務午餐呢？還是西裝。要是在塔霍湖參加公司組織的休養呢？如果你不想看上去像那兒的酒店經理，就別穿西裝。

　　Suits are also becoming hip. Design houses like Gucci, Prada, Yves Saint-Laurent and others are coming out with suits that are definitely more appropriate for nightclubs than the boardroom. The idea is to appeal to younger customers who rebel at the thought of wearing a necktie, let alone a day job, but still have the money to spend on a $1,500 suit.

　　西裝本身也越做越時髦了。像古琦、普拉達和圣羅蘭以及其他一些服裝設計公司推出的西裝絕對更適合去夜總會而非進會議室的時候穿。這樣做無非是想吸引較為年輕的顧客，這些人是談領帶色變，更別提要他們一整天都打著領帶了，但他們卻買得起1,500美元一套的西裝。

        Which Suit Is Right For You?

　　哪款適合你？

　　There are three key elements that go into choosing the Best Men's Suits: price, style and quality. Choosing the right suit presents a closet-full of challenges and opportunities to those faced with building a wardrobe. From suit silhouettes, pricing and fashionable obsolescence to pant fronts, button counts and lapel widths, there's much to consider.

　　選購理想的西裝時有三要素：價格、款式和質地。對那些需要購置全套西裝的人來說，選購合適一款意味著無盡的挑戰和機會。從服裝的款式、價格、式樣新舊到褲子前部的做法、紐扣數及翻領的寬度，要考慮很多問題。

　　Suits can be broken down into three basic styles: European (i.e., Italian), British and American. Many designers cross cultural lines, such as Bronx native Ralph Lauren.

　　西裝大致可分為三種基本樣式：歐式(及意大利式)、英式和美式。許多設計師跨越了這種文化界限，像生于紐約布朗克斯區的拉爾夫·勞倫就是其中的一位。

　　For tailoring options, the bespoke suit is the finest. Bespoke suits are created by highly skilled tailors and artisans to fit your every inch. They may take up to five fittings and six weeks of work to complete, and starting prices run upwards of $3,000.

　　從裁剪上來講，定做的西裝是最好的。定做的西裝是由技藝高超的裁縫和手藝人按照你的尺寸量身定制的。他們做一套服裝可能需要經過五次試穿，花六個星期才能完成，價格要在3,000美元以上。

　　Off-the-rack suits are the least costly and the most convenient option, provided you're happy with the fabric and fit. But these days many suit makers also offer a "made-to-measure" alternative that allows customers to choose the fabric, styling options and details before allowing a tailor to take measurements and forward the order to the factory. A semi-finished suit is then returned to the store for fitting and finishing.

　　如果你對面料滿意且穿著合身，買成衣不失為最劃算和最省事的方法。但是近來許多西裝店也提供“量身定制”服務：顧客可以先選擇面料、款式，提出一些具體要求，然后再由裁縫量好尺寸交由工廠制作。在做好之前，半成品西裝會送回店里給顧客試穿并最終完成。

        Style Vs. Fashion

　　款式還是時尚

　　Once you get into stratospheric price levels, it makes sense to ask yourself whether you're making an investment or buying a fashion item. Both have their pluses and minuses. While an immaculately rendered and classically tailored suit may last ten or 20 years and never go out of style, it'll hardly get you noticed in a crowd. Meanwhile, slick fashion suits will have you looking like a rock star, but only for a couple of years.

　　如果西裝的價格高得驚人，就有必要問問自己究竟是在投資還是花錢趕時髦。當然兩者各有利弊。一套無可挑剔的傳統西裝也許能穿10年20年也不過時，但它卻很難讓你在人群中凸顯出來。而一套華而不實的服裝能讓你儼然一副搖滾明星的派頭，但只能流行幾年。

　　"The choice between fashion and longevity is a very personal one," says Michael Bastian, men's fashion director in New York. "The best strategy is to play with them."

　　紐約的男士時尚顧問邁克爾·巴斯蒂安說：“要時髦還是要持久完全是個人的事，最好的辦法就是別太當回事兒。”

　　Indeed, playfulness is one of the defining characteristics of the latest generation of suit buyers. "Suits are definitely back, but in a more personal way," says Bastian. "The younger guys are treating suits more as an integrated part of their wardrobe--pairing jackets or pants with less traditional elements for distinctly personal looks. If they wear a tie now it's because they want to, not because their suit needs one."

　　的確，最新一代西裝購買者最顯著的一個特點就是抱著玩的心態。巴斯蒂安說：“西裝的確又開始流行了，但更個性化。年輕一代更多地是把西裝當作衣櫥里的必要部分，為了突出個性他們會把夾克或褲子和不那么傳統的元素配著穿。如今他們打領帶是因為他們想打，而不是需要與西裝配套。”

　　That same philosophy is gradually making its way into corporate culture. When it comes to a wardrobe, there's no longer the same emphasis on distinguishing between going to work and socializing. Your business wardrobe shouldn't be just navy and gray suits anymore, and your social wardrobe shouldn't be just corduroys. Wherever you're going these days, you're doing business, and you need to feel good about what you're wearing at any given moment.

　　這種理念也逐漸滲入了公司文化。說到衣櫥里的衣服，人們已不再強調職業裝和便裝之間的區別。職業裝不應只有藍色、灰色西裝，便裝也不該只是燈芯絨的。如今你不管到哪兒都是在忙生意，所以隨時需要對自己的衣著感覺良好。

        Building A Wardrobe

　　如何打理衣櫥

　　Then there's the matter of how many suits to own. If your company has a one-day-a-week casual policy, you'll need at least four suits to rotate, plus a fifth in case someone calls a meeting on Friday.

　　接下來就是該擁有多少套西裝的問題了。如果你上班的公司實行每周一天著休閑裝的政策，你至少需要四套西裝來倒換，另外還應再備一套西裝，以防有人在周五召集會議。

　　Joseph Rosenfeld, an image consultant, recommends that men get started with a three-suit foundation: one dark blue, one dark gray and one black or, if you can't get away with that, dark brown. From there you can branch out into a blue with a Glen plaid, a gray with pinstripes and perhaps some individualistic lighter tones. Men are fickle, and eventually they get bored or tired. Adding a new suit or two now and then makes them feel powerful and good about themselves.

　　形象顧問約瑟夫·羅森菲爾德建議男士們最起碼先要買深藍、深灰和純黑三套西裝，如果你實在受不了黑色的，深棕色也行。在此基礎上你可以再買一套藍色花格呢的、一套灰色細條紋的或者是更個性化的淺色調西裝。男人變化無常，早晚會感到厭煩。所以時不時地添一兩套新衣服會滿足他們的權力感，并使他們自我感覺良好。

　　In the end, looking sharp in any suit is primarily a matter of color, proportion and individual style, and the best way to get the right suit for you is to find a good salesman and stick with him.

　　西裝能否穿得漂亮主要是由顏色、比例和個人風格決定的，而要給自己選對西裝最好的辦法就是找一位有眼光的店員，然后就跟定他。