And building a wardrobe that works is no different.  But yours will also need stripes and even something of a change of pace to mix it up a little bit, like a subtle grey/blue plaid.  Before we get into creating the blueprint (or shopping list) for the core basics that make up a wardrobe's foundation, please check out last week's post on proper fit here if you haven't already seen it.

If you've ever looked at something in your closet that you rarely (if ever) wear and wondered why you ever bought it, today's post is for you and should help you avoid that mistake in the future. 

Adding new a new suit or two to the wardrobe can sometimes be a daunting proposition, and if you are just starting out, you've probably been let down by never having had someone actually lay out what makes a gentlemen's wardrobe.  That's what we'll be looking at today.

For some,  the problem may actually be color blindness.  Did you know that 1 in 12 men (and 1 in 200 women) are colorblind? A quick glance around your office will probably show you who that is.  If you happen to land in this camp, the information below will still be useful, but you may want to ask someone that isn't color blind for an assist.

**A quick disclaimer:  As of the date of this post, the foundation I'm laying out applies to the typical pre-Covid era in-office 5 day work week.  With the current hybrid scenario of sometimes being in the office and other times working from home, you'll need to adjust to suit your situation.

How many suits does it take to make up a "foundation"?  The general rule of thumb is to have one more suit in the rotation than there are days in the week that you wear one.  For the most common scenario where suits are being worn to the office Monday to Thursday with Business Casual on Friday, five suits will make up the foundation.

The core basics of a wardrobe that works (for suits) are as follows:

1. Solid Navy suit.  The solid navy suit has been a workhorse pretty much forever, and can also be used for semi-formal event as well as serving you well when worn as separates.
2. Solid Grey suit.  Kissing cousin to the solid navy suit, the solid grey (or gray if you prefer) is another all around winner. 
3. Navy striped suit.  Here's where I may lose some of you, but please just humor me for a minute.  The width and boldness of the stripe is up to you, but it should be chosen according to the position held, and the boldness of the individual wearing it.
4. Grey striped suit.  Same goes for the grey striped as it does for the navy.
5. Change of Pace suit.  Usually something in a lighter blue or grey with a subtle plaid or check in the weave.

With only these five suits in rotation, you'll wear each one fewer than 40 times per year on average.  We'll look at why that is important in a post down the road.

In the coming weeks I'll continue with foundation building covering shirts, and Business Casual wear.  Later we'll take a look at more advanced topics like formal wear, outer wear etc.

Did you take anything useful away from this?  Is there something I missed, and I should have addressed?  Hit me up in the comment section below!