Stepping outside in any moderate or major city in the Western world opens up a man to a world of better-dressed people. There’s a reason People of Wal Mart does better out in the sticks, and this means the men who live in any sort of urban setting can’t get by with simply wearing a well-fitting suit.

A lot of men will opt in to bolder patterns, brighter colors, or trendier cuts at the tailor. While all of these have their merit, they tend to convey a sense of fashion more than one of power.

So how do you step up your style game without looking like you just walked out of your favorite #menswear Tumblr blogs? Get a three-piece suit.

The beauty and power of a three-piece suit is in its formality. Since the sexual revolution of the 60′s our world has become increasingly casual. Part of that was spurred by the rebellion of different movements like punk rock in the 80′s, grunge in the 90′s, and the ubiquitousness of hip hop since then. However, living a casual, no-one-should-judge-me-by-the-way-I-look lifestyle is no longer an act of the rebellion. All of the rebels of the past were successful in incrementally destroying the formality of the world their parents grew up in.

You read this site because you disagree with the way the world is now. You may be a nihilist who’s happy to take advantage of societal decline, a traditionalist who’s holding onto any rock he can find in the storm, or a reactionary who wants to take the best of both worlds and create something in your own image. Either way, you’re a rebel and one of the most effective ways to rebel against a fat, casual, sloppy society is by embracing the masculine dignity that comes with a little bit of formality.

With a three-piece suit you’re not just limited to wearing all three pieces together all the time. My experience has been that the most effective form of sartorial rebellion is dressing up a level higher than the company you’re currently keeping. With a three-piece suit, you can still wear just the trousers when everyone else is in jeans, the trousers and vest when everyone else has on a shirt and tie, the trousers and jacket when everyone else is in business casual, or all three pieces when you’re surrounded by suits. Having all three pieces gives you the versatility to always communicate that you’re not ashamed of being a level above what everyone else aspires to or expects from you.

For more three piece advice consider reading the SWAG up Three piece suit post