I clearly remember the day the xSuit 3.0 arrived for me to begin testing a couple of weeks ago. I was wearing one of my favorite pairs of stretchy, super comfy bike shorts. I thought for sure there would be a stark, almost unfair difference between their fit and feel in comparison to the xSuit's. But there wasn't. And though I certainly haven't sampled every sartorial splendor from Hong Kong to Milan to Saville Row, I'm willing to bet that anyone who has would agree that this thing lives up to its hype as "the world's most comfortable suit." But even beyond that dubious yet seemingly fitting claim, it's a versatile outfit for business and travel for other reasons, as well.
How the Fabric Feels
The (obviously man-made) material is thin, smooth, soft and stretchy. In another life, it could've become a warm-up or jogging suit. It's not nearly as heavy as a traditional sweat suit. And because of its light weight and stretchiness, it feels and sits on the body nicely. Even the pocket liners are super soft and silky. But beyond having a nice hand all around, it's pretty durable, as well. And those two factors combine to make a great-looking suit that keeps its shape while feeling like a second skin.
Water and Stain Resistant
Other than just wearing the suit, how would you test it? Well, since the xSuit 3.0 claims that it's able to repel water and stains, I had to see for myself. So first, I had my daughter spray me with a hose. And sure enough, most of the water beaded up and either ran right off or was easily brushed off. So instead of being completely soaked (as if I had been wearing a wool or cotton suit), it was just a little damp. Then I tried pouring orange juice and syrup on it (inside a section of one of the legs, just in case), and those liquids each similarly beaded up and ran off just fine. So I upped the ante, smearing on jelly and ranch dressing. After rinsing off each, I saw no evidence of stains, though I could still faintly smell the foods. So I employed the suit's other super feature: I washed it. I threw it into a cold wash in the machine with some of my other clothing, let it air dry for a day, and now it looks and smells just dandy.
Travel-Friendly
Similar to how you don't actually put gloves in your car's glovebox, you would never just fold a regular suit into a suitcase. You would either have to bring along a separate garment bag or have one of those Rollaboards or checked bags that contains a special suit compartment and that's essentially just a sideways garment bag. But the lack of wrinkling and its ability to be washed makes the xSuit 3.0 great for travel. You don't have to worry about "overwearing" it or spilling anything on it—and you can actually pack it with your other clothing if you don't just decide to wear it while you're on the go. I just wouldn't load it down with a bunch of heavy gadgets. Sure, a mobile, some earphones and a wallet would be just fine. But to keep the form-fitting look and feel of it intact, I'd take along a smart-looking tech tote as a companion to avoid cramming the xSuit's pockets with more than just a few small gadgets.
Super Comfortable
A standard sizing guide translates your measurements in inches or centimeters into what size you should order. But not having bought a suit in a while or having a measuring tape handy, I utilized xSuit's virtual Fit Advisor widget. I put in my height, weight, age and a few personal assessments about the shape of key body areas. It suggested I get a size 42 jacket, which I did. And it fit great. The cut is more European feeling than boxy or stiff. And the sizing seems pretty straightforward, though mileage may vary based on whether you prefer a tight, right-on or relaxed fit.
Not only did I wear the xSuit 3.0 for hours at a time—dropping the kids off at school and doing work at home—but again, I really wanted to put it to the test. So I actually wore it while exercising on an elliptical—something, to state the obvious, I'd never even think of doing in a traditional suit on a 70-plus degree day here in Hawaii. Other than the fact that it was a fairly warm day and I probably wouldn't have chosen to wear a long-sleeve outfit while working out, the suit held up just fine. In fact, strangely, when I focused on the exercising itself, I almost forgot I was wearing a suit. My nonscientific assessment is the fabric doesn't breathe as well as natural fibers, but it also didn't at all feel sticky or stuffy.
Especially given the range of motion required by the machine, it seems like this off-beat stunt speaks volumes to the suit's solid construction and amazing flexibility. More specifically, the suit owes much of its durability to the fact that rather than being sewn together with thread, the pieces are fused together using a proprietary process with a special heated tape. Affixing the garment in this completely unique way is also what allows it to be machine washable.
Should You Buy the xSuit 3.0?
Spending almost $500 on a suit might seem a little extravagant, until you change your vision of what a suit is, along with when and how often to wear it. If I were living in and around New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas or another urban setting, I could see getting a ton of use out of this suit. I'd probably wear it a couple of times a week to meetings, conferences or when going out on the town, perhaps even splitting up the pants and jacket to create additional outfit combinations. And in general, because the xSuit looks great even close-up (as opposed to like a sweat suit shaped like a real suit), I'd don it on date nights, to a wedding and maybe even to that quarterly board meeting. But, hey, if you look at this amazing, dynamic piece of fashion and don't see the value, well then suit yourself.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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