When you come to buy a single-breasted suit, probably one of the first decisions you'll have to make is whether you are interested in a two- or three-button model. What should you look for? Which one is more fashionable? And which one can you wear for the longest amount of time? Don't worry, the answers are here.

Two-button silhouettes
Two-button, single-breasted suits have been the dominant silhouette in American suiting for the past 80 years. Unlike three-button models, these suits are more immune to the whims of fashion—that is, provided that you select a two-button suit in a more conservative, traditional material (navy, charcoal, solids, pinstripes, etc.). The two-button suit is often referred to as the "single-breasted" suit, as it is considered the basic model of the single-breasted suit design.

Many men like that a two-button suit allows them to show off more of a shirt and tie, although in recent years the top button of two-breasted models has been moving higher, bringing the silhouette closer to that of a three-button model. Many experts feel that old-style suits, with the buttons set low on the jacket, tend to accentuate the belly—and no one wants that.

Three-button silhouettes
Three-button suits gained popularity in the 1990s, and this trend continues today. Three-button suits tend to work better if you like to wear a vest with your suit, as less of the vest is shown beneath the jacket. And, FYI, the general rule when wearing a three-button suit is that you do up the top two buttons and leave the lowest one undone. Aside from being purely a matter of style, this also makes the suit a bit more comfortable, particularly when you're sitting down.

How long can you wear a suit?
Even two-button, single-breasted suits can't be worn forever. They eventually become dated, given the occasional shift of lapel width (wider to narrower) and “gorge”—the open chest area in the front of the suit that terminates with the top button (longer to shorter). Still, it is not reasonable to expect to have a suit for more than six or seven years and have it still look current.

Minding the details
Equally, styling details such as the vent design (whether side vent, center vent, or non-vented), trouser pleating (whether one, two, three, or more pleats, or flat or plain front), and even the width of the pant leg will all eventually look dated and make wearing a suit more than a few years more or less impossible. So pick a suit you love and don't just save it for special occasions—wear it as often as you can so you can enjoy it and get maximum use out of it while it's current.

Suit yourself
Functionally, two- and three-button suits work just the same. It used to be the theory that older, more conservative gentlemen favored two-button models, while younger men and more fashionable types wore three-button suits. Well, that simply isn't the case anymore as sales are split, and at the moment we seem to be in the middle of the cycle, each style with its own proponents. Ultimately the decision rests with you. Try them on with a discerning eye and simply suit yourself.