You might hit up various lounge suit-worthy events on a monthly basis, but it’s more than possible that you’ve never actively pursued men’s lounge suit attire. However, as it turns out, you’ve been abiding by the men’s lounge suit dress code all along. That’s because men’s lounge suits are basically the kind of stylish two-piece suits you already have in your wardrobe. The most common representations are single-breast and neutral in colour, with peak or notch lapels, though lounge suits come in all shades, materials and variants, just like regular suits. Hence, to the question: what is a lounge suit? The answer is: well, it’s basically a modern, comfortable suit. See? We told you that you’ve been wearing one all along!

Even though it has origins going all the way back to the simplified dress codes established by Britain’s King Charles II in the 17th century, the modern lounge suit didn’t really take off until about 200 years later, in the late 19th century. That was when the rigid sartorial standards of the Victorian era loosened up to make way for comfortable, stylish menswear. The modern lounge suit was thus born, touting a distinguished and flattering aesthetic, but nevertheless comfortable fit (at least when compared to the Victorian era get-ups that came before it). As more or more men took to the corporate world throughout the 20th century, the lounge suit–also known as the business suit when darker in colour–became their apparel of choice.

Given how the lounge dress code for men entails fairly broad parametres, there’s accordingly a variety of styles and colours to choose from. Our advice is to stick to the fashionable basics, meaning a tailored two-piece suit made of materials like wool, linen or cotton depending on the climate. In the colour department, think neutral shades like navy or charcoal if it’s a night time affair, while lighter (but still neutral) colours such as cream and grey additionally suffice during the day.

If you’ve come this far, and for some reason think the men’s lounge suit dress code doesn’t require a tie, then you either haven’t been paying attention or we simply haven’t driven the point home. To put it plainly: wearing a tie is (more or less) not optional. Make it a silk tie in a strong colourway, or in a sophisticated print that matches the remainder of your outfit. Stick with a four-in-hand or half-Windsor knot, and stay away from full Windsor knots. Bow-ties are to be likewise avoided.