The Menswear of Suits: Louis Litt Edition

Are you ready to get Litt up? Here is our latest installment of our ongoing analysis of the menswear of the characters of Suits, the best-loved tv series featuring some of the least-loveable lawyers in the world.

Dastardly, vulnerable, and quixotically loveable Louis Litt takes his suits seriously. Why, they even feature in his holiday greeting cards. He manages to give the impression of having been born in a suit, he probably wears a suit to bed instead of pajamas, and he would, if committed to a hospital, wear a suit at all times including during his own surgery. And he’d bitch at the surgeon for cutting it open, too. He’s already decided what suit he’ll be buried in, because of course he has. He’s got a Brioni put aside for when he makes senior partner, like a teenager who buys a wedding dress hoping someday to wear it.

Although he is not above surprising fashion choices, as long as the suit remains in place.

He’s a man unafraid to combine a grey plaid suit with a mauve wavy abstract tie, a combination which could induce vertigo if stared at for too long.  But, being cunning Louis, that was probably the whole idea.

Pattern-on-pattern? Louis Litt is not afraid of a little fashion risk. Here he pairs a broad, high-contrast striped shirt with British spread collar with a blood-red and gold foulard tie. He layers colours like a pro. He can also work stripes-on-stripes like nobody’s business. Look at him here, rocking a windowpane plaid suit, strongly graphic tie, and spotted pocket pouf. Tricky. Intimidating. Aggressive. Bold. Yet, somehow it works, just like Louis. 

Louis’ everyday look is a mid or dark grey suit with a white shirt and blue or grey tie, but as the episodes pile up and so do the bodies of Louis’ victims, he gets progressively bolder with his looks, introducing colour, pattern, and more contrast, thus more status. Taking Mike’s scalp at the firm put some blood in his icy veins and he’s been asserting himself more and more in his fashion choices. 

In terms of accessories, he’s no slave to the matchy-matchy tie and pocket square thing, nor to the boring “always a white cotton pocket square” thing. He makes significantly more daring tie choices than the other men at the firm, although he has a fondness for slightly washed out colours which lessen their impact.  They are significantly wider than Mike’s ties, and are always dimpled impeccably. His watch is the size of a dinner plate, of course, for extra noticeability. Louis does not like to be overlooked.

His favoured cut is classic, impeccable, and un-flashy, although his suits do display rather a lot of shirt cuff. He sticks with a two button, notch-collared number with horizontal flap pockets and two vents, and the collar is a little higher than usual, which has the unintended effect of drawing attention to his belly like a big arrow pointing at it. He wears his pants too long, giving him a slightly comic look. Hugo Boss is his favourite label, and shirts from Zegna, Canali and Armani. Always, always with the spread collar, which is at least one endearing trait he’s consistent about.