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)
for men, a pair of trousers (USA pants), or for women, a skirt or trousers
A suit is generally accompanied by, for men, a shirt and tie, or for women, a blouse.

History of the Suit

The suit is the traditional outfit of men in the Western world. The modern suit did not appear until the late nineetenth century, but its origins can be traced back to the revolution in men's dress set by Charles II, king of Great Britain in the 1660s. Charles, following the example of the court of Louis XIV at Versailles decreed in 1666 that at court, men were to wear a long coat or jacket, a waistcoat (originally called a petticoat, a term which later became applied solely to women's dress), a cravat (ancestor of the modern necktie) a wig, and breeches or trousers gathered at the knee, as well as a hat for outdoor wear. Although it is hard to see the outline of the modern business suit in the elaborate and brightly-coloured court dress of the seventeenth century, the basic pattern outlined above has survived for more than four hundred years with some adjustments, notably the abandonment of wigs and knee breeches after the French Revolution, the invention of the modern necktie in the late nineteenth century, and the gradual disappearance of waistcoats and hats during the last fifty years.

What we call the modern suit was originally a nineteenth-century American innovation in dress: seeking a casual alternative to the long, heavy frock coats then considered appropriate business dress, men began to wear lighter coats cut just below the waist when not engaged in business. This "sack suit" (now called a "lounge suit" in Great Britain or a "business suit" in North America) would be worn for formal occasions by lower-class men, and for casual occasions by upper-class men. Gradually it replaced the older frock coats until it became accepted as appropriate business wear after World War I. A formal version of the suit, called a tuxedo or dinner jacket was popularized at the same time, helping to doom the older tailcoat and morning coat worn as parts of formal wear (see evening dress, tailcoat, morning coat). The waistcoat or vest was worn regularly with the suit until World War II, but is rarely seen today.

As women entered the working world in large numbers over the past fifty years, business suits for women have become increasingly popular. These are imitations of the male uniform and have become common in formal attire for females in the workplace and elsewhere: in this case a matching skirt may substitute for trousers.

Over the past half-century, the wearing of men's suits has become far less common than it once was and is now restricted almost entirely to formal and business activities. During the 1990s, many businesses in North America adopted casual dress codes, beginning with "casual Fridays" and then extending to the entire business week. Although many workers have applauded the relaxation of dress codes, suits are still required wear for formal business events such as board meetings. As well, the abandonment of an uniform dress code has led to considerable confusion over what is considered appropriate business wear. More recently, some business have reinforced the wearing of suits, although they will never be as common as they once were. It is also worth noting that the phenomenon of casually dressed workplaces is still uncommon outside North America.

Like the frock coats they replaced, business suits seem to have become too formal for an age of casual dress. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that they will disappear entirely, and even the most casually dressed man should own one for such occasions as weddings, funerals, court appearances, and job interviews.

According to Anne Hollander's book Sex and Suits (ISBN 1-56836-101-7), the origin of the suit was in European medieval armor, which "replaced the naked human frame with another one that made a close three-dimensional, line-for-line commentary on it in another medium." Furthermore, "plate armor required an undergarment made by a linen-armorer, a close-fitting padded suit that outlined the whole man".

Perceptions of the Suit

The uniform impression of a suit, often appearing in standard configurations such as pinstripe suit or suit and tie, can carry numerous connotations. In business settings it can communicate respectibility and taste. In different milieus, the connotations of corporate life that the suit represents conveys unadventurous conformism. Extreme variations on the suit can convey the opposite (for example, many pimps wear exaggerated versions of suits containing various hues, patterns, etc.).

An alternate use of the word as a synechdoche in 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.

The political and social dominance of Europe in the world during the last century has led to the adoption of the suit as appropriate business and formal wear in almost every part of the globe. Refusing to wear a suit, therefore, can be a symbolic rejection of European dominance in some cases. For instance, some political leaders reject wearing business suits in order to send a message that they do not conform to Western patterns. The most notable example was probably the late Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung, who usually appeared in public wearing a suit of his own devising, nicknamed the Mao suit. Other alternatives to the suit include national or tribal dress for African and Middle Eastern leaders, or military fatigues like Cuba's Fidel Castro.

Traditional Suit Etiquette

(Note: The following is a general guide for wearing a suit in a professional or respectful manner. Casual wear is at the discretion of the individual.)

Double-breasted suits are always kept fully buttoned. For single-breasted suits, when standing, all buttons except for the bottom one are fastened. In the case of three-button suits with lapels that roll over the top button, the top button should not be fastened. Under no circumstances fasten the bottom-most button of a single-breasted suit jacket. To prevent "bunching," the single-breasted jacket should be completely unbuttoned while the wearer is seated.

Ties should be darker than the wearer's shirt. The bottom of the tie should just touch or just go over the top of the belt buckle. The shirt collar should not be the button-down variety, although this guidleline is frequently ignored.

Acceptable colors for belt and shoes are brown and black. The belt and shoes should match one another. The belt's buckle should be silver or gold. Other metallic objects worn with the suit (such as cuff links, tie bar, tie tack, watch) should match the belt buckle. Where watches are concerned: the more formal the occasion, the thinner the watch. In the most formal situations, the watch should be kept in one's pocket. Shoes should not have rubber soles. Rather, they should be made of leather. Some companies also make dress shoes with wooden soles.

Socks should match the pant leg. This makes the leg appear longer, as well as minimizes the noticeability of a too-short pant leg. If it is not possible to match the pant leg, socks may match one's shoes. However, it is more correct to match the pants.

The classic conservative shirt colors are light blue or white. The classic conservative suit colors are navy blue, grey, and charcoal. Black has only recently gained acceptance as a suit color, and still is not considered particularily conservative. The most formal type of dress shirt worn with a standard suit is a shirt with French cuffs, which use cuff links (or the lesser known silk knots) to close, but this type of shirt is optional, and essentially up to the preferences of the wearer.

Catsuit

A catsuit is a skin-tight one-piece garment with sleeves and long legs, and sometimes with feet or gloves, sometimes with a hood.

Unlike a unitard, its use rarely involves sports, and it may be made of leather, rubber, PVC, or velour instead of spandex.

It is identical to a unitard in construction, but the term 'catsuit' tends to be preferred in fancy-dress costume or erotic contexts.

Drape suit

Drape suits are a 1950s British variation of the 1940s American Zoot suit but redesigned to resemble the male fashions of the Edwardian period of British history. They were worn by Teddy boys.

Flight suit

A flight suit is a full body garment worn while flying an aircraft, such as, commercial airliners, military aircraft and gliders. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as be practical and durable. A military flight suit may also show rank insignia.

Fursuit

Fursuits are animal costumes typically associated with the furry fandom. They range from simple tails and ears to full costumes often cooled by battery powered fans. Closely related to mascot suits, they allow the wearer to express another side of themselves. Owners can spend less than $100 to many thousands of dollars on one fursuit, depending on complexity, design and materials used. Often times these items are sold at conventions, or online by either commission or auction. Many furries make their own using several online tutorials or newsgroups.

Fursuit-wearing reasons
A person who wears a fursuit generally falls into one (or more) of five categories.

Job or charity work
Those who do fursuiting for a job, or to bring attention to an event or charity. This can include mascots, but not all mascots are furries. Many are hired through an agency to represent a character, while others bring their own constructions to an event instead. There are also several volunteer fursuiting groups across North America that either ask or are asked to entertain at various social functions. Some groups even set up their own charitable events or perform on the streets to passersby.

Conventions, parades, exhibitions
Those who do fursuiting for parades, exhibitions, or conventions. Oftentimes these are of a fursona who they are expressing. It is roleplay of a sort. The fursuiter may consider themselves to be expressing who they really are, or doing some exploration of who they are. This group may also wear their suits to a furmeet (smaller meetings usually among friends in an area, they may happen very rarely or every week depending on the group and location). Hallowe'en is a prime holiday for them to show off their suits in a more public setting.

Role-playing
Those who fursuit for role-play reasons. Various LARPers create highly elaborate costumes and/or fursuits for their characters. Half suits (arms, legs and a mask or makeup) are usually created for role-playing games, though some have created full-body suits. These suits wear elaborate clothes and costumes of their own, depending on the theme of the game.

Sexuality
Those who fursuit for sexual reasons. A small sub-set of the furry fandom does consider a fursuit a sexual item. This view often gives a misconception of what a fursuit is and is used for. A large number of furries do not condone these actions, or if they do - only in private and will never exhibit their work. Most fursuits sold are not made for any sexual activity, and generally hinder it due to the construction.

Spirituality
Those who fursuit for reasons of expressing their inner feelings. Some people, often therianthropes, also fursuit for reasons of expressing what they feel is their inner animal self. Most of them try to make their suits as realistic and lifelike as possible.

Jumpsuit

Jumpsuit is a term for a one-piece garment originally used for skydiving, hence the name. It has later come to be used as a common term for any one-piece garment with sleeves and legs and has from time to time had its place in fashion.

Uses of jumpsuits

For skydiving – the origin of the jumpsuit.
As a fashion item.
For sports, e.g. skiing and motorsport (auto racing and motorcycle racing).
Stage clothes worn by various singers, e.g. Elvis Presley.
As an easy way of dressing children, especially in the winter time.
In aviation and space flight. They are good for use in zero gravity/microgravity, because they don't float around like other garments and stay close to the body.
Jumpsuits are also often seen in science fiction, because they are futuristic clothing.

Advantages and disadvantaged of jumpsuits

Advantages
You never have to worry about how to combine your clothes, since the jumpsuit is the one piece of clothing you need.
Since jumpsuits have an unbroken line from the neck to the foot of the body, it gives a slimming impression which is flattering for most people's bodies.
Getting in or out of a jumpsuit can get very quick.
Jumpsuits are usually comfortable.

Disadvantages
As the jumpsuit has to fit the whole body, it has to be designed for the whole body. When chosing a shirt and pants, you can pick out the size that correctly fits your upper body, and another that fits your lower body, but with the jumpsuit you can't mix and match like that, and a poorly fitting jumpsuit is a problem because it can restrict your body movements. This makes it harder to pick out a good fitting jumpsuit off the rack.
A jumpsuit can be a problem when going to the bathroom.
Jumpsuits haven't really been in style since the mid to late 1970's.

Related garments
A jumpsuit is very similar to a coverall (also called overall or boiler suit), but is usually more tight-fitting, even if it is not as tight-fitting as a catsuit, which is another related garment. Another related garment, is the Flight Suit, so named because it is made for wear by military flight crews; Pilots and Co-Pilots, among others...

Here is one...

Mao suit

The Mao suit is the western name for the style of male attire known as the Sun Zhongshan suit or Zhongshan suit (???, Zhong1shan1 zhuang1, or ???, Zhong1shan1 fu2), named after Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) who introduced it shortly after the founding of the Republic of China. In accordance with the Chinese tradition of changing the style of dress for different dynasties, Sun Yat-sen instructed that a new form of clothing be designed for the new republic. The Western name comes from its popularization by Mao Zedong.

Origins
Incorporating elements of German military dress including a turndown collar and four symmetrically placed pockets and based on a form of attire popular with contemporary Chinese men in Japan and Southeast Asia, the Zhongshan suit was an attempt to cater to "modern" sensibilities without completely adopting Western styles whole cloth. Instead of the three hidden pockets in Western suits, the Zhongshan suit had four outside pockets to adhere to Chinese concepts of balance and symmetry. Over time, minor stylistic changes developed. The suit originally had seven buttons, later reduced to five.

After Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925, popular mythology assigned a revolutionary and patriotic significance to the Zhongshan suit. The four pockets were said to represent the Four Cardinal Principles cited in the classic Book of Changes. The five center-front buttons were said to represent the five Yuans (branches of government) cited in the constitution of the Republic of China and the three cuff-buttons to symbolize Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People.

Historical Development
In the 1920s, civil servants of the Chinese government were required to wear the Zhongshan zhuang. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the suit became a symbol of proletarian unity, and was regularly worn by Communist party cadres until the 1990s when it was largely replaced by the Western business suit. The Zhongshan or Mao suit remained the standard formal dress for the first and second generation of PRC leaders such as Deng Xiaoping.

During the 1990s, it began to be worn with increasing infrequence by leaders of Jiang Zemin's generation. In informal occasions, most older cadres will wear panama shirts and most younger cadres will wear polo shirts. By the early part of the 21st century, the Mao or Zhongshan suit has been rarely worn even in formal occasions. The infrequent occasions in which it is worn usually involve situations in civilian party officials wish to demonstrate control over the military. On Taiwan, the Zhongshan suit was infrequently seen after the 1970s.

One-piece swimsuit

A one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece swimsuit used by women when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool. The one-piece swimsuit usually covers the genitalia, the breasts and all of the front of the body in between. A special type is however the monokini, which is made in one piece but does not cover the breasts.

Styles of one-piece swimsuits:

maillot
tank suit
pretzel suit
plunge front
halter-neck
monokini

Before the invention of the bikini, virtually all swimsuits where in one piece and in older days men used similar swimsuits that covered equivalent areas of the body.

Sweat suit

A sweatsuit is a suit, hence the "suit" part of the name, that has a thick material usually made of cotton and polyester. A sweatsuit can be worn on many different occasions, but is commonly associated with sports. Sweatsuits are also worn during exercising, hence the "sweat" part of the name. Sweatsuits were most worn in the '70s and '80s, but are still popular today.