If there’s one thing harder than developing a muscular physique, it’s finding a suit that fits an athletic build.
How a suit fits is the single most important factor in determining how a suit looks.
But the problem is that the men’s fashion world tends to oscillate between two trends, neither of which is ideal for guys with an athletic body type:
On one end of the spectrum are slim fit suits, which tend to make guys with a strong, athletic physique look like a sausage stuffed into its casing.
On the other end are standard fit suits, which are looser and less form-fitting.
They make guys with wildly different body types look pretty much the same, which isn’t ideal, because all the excess fabric prevents people from noticing that you have a more athletic shaped physique.
The good news is that a small handful of brands have (finally!) stepped in to fill this gap, and have started offering athletic fit suits that help guys with a more muscular build look great when it’s time to suit up.
To help you find the right fit for your physique, in this post I’ve rounded up a handful of the best athletic cut suits on the market, each of which will help you look sharp at formal occasions, business meetings and any other event that calls for a suit.
The (Absolute) Best Men’s Athletic Suits
Breaking Down the Best Suits for an Athletic Build
At a Glance↓
You can read about our top picks below, but here’s a quick summary of our findings:
Overall Best Athletic Fit Suit:
State & Liberty
Best Regular Fit Suit for Athletic Fit Guys:
Bonobos
State and Liberty
Athletic Fit Stretch Suit
Notable Features:
- Specifically designed for athletic, V-shaped upper body
- Made from stretch fabric
- Dozens of colors and styles available
Why It’s The Best for Athletic Guys:
Founded by two former hockey players who were fed up with how poorly most menswear fit their frames, State and Liberty got its start making athletic fit shirts before moving into suiting.
They’re easily the best option for athletic guys because they’re one of the few brands offering an off the rack suit that’s specifically designed with strong body types in mind.
Their suit jacket combines extra space in the chest with a slim waist, allowing fit guys to show off their V-shape while still looking sophisticated and formal.
Down below, the athletic fit pants come pre-tapered, providing plenty of room for strong thighs while narrowing in the calves, resulting in a svelte cut that still leaves plenty of room for guys who don’t skip leg day.
In addition to the tapered fit, their suits are made from four-way stretch fabric that provides way more ease of movement than a typical suit, and they come in a huge variety of colors and styles, including both shawl collar and notch lapel options.
Bonobos
Jetsetter Stretch Suit
Notable Features:
- Available in slim, standard or athletic fits
- Wide variety of colors
- Also available in three fabric options: Stretch Wool, Italian Stretch Wool and Corduroy
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
The Jetsetter is another great suit for athletic guys because it’s designed with muscular frames in mind.
Bonobos sells their suits as suit separates (meaning you can buy the jacket and pants as individual pieces, instead of one package deal), and gives you a ton of variety to choose from.
With the Jetsetter, you can opt for either the slim, standard or athletic fit blazer, while the pants actually give you four options: tailored, slim taper, slim or athletic.
It’s rare to get that much variety from a brand that sells off the rack suits, and even rarer to find one that caters to athletic guys.
And it’s especially handy because, with the possible exception of professional bodybuilders, most athletes’ bodies aren’t perfectly proportioned.
A speed skater with big legs and a svelte torso might want athletic fit pants and a slim blazer, while a hard gainer who can’t quite get his legs to grow might opt for the athletic cut blazer and slim pants.
The Jetsetter gives you the option to pick and choose, which makes it easy to find a comfortable fit.
Indochino
Hemsworth Suit
Notable Features:
- Made to measure
- Fully customizable
- Bespoke-level tailoring for more affordable price
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
The main difference between Indochino and other suit sellers is that they specialize in making custom suits that provide the perfect fit.
Instead of picking the chest or shoulder sizes you think will be closest to your body shape, you start by picking one of their suit ranges, then input your exact measurements to get a suit that’s specifically made to fit your body.
That’s especially helpful for fit guys who want people to know they’ve put in the hard work at the gym, because it gives you the ability to customize parts of the suit that usually come standard.
For instance, one measurement they’ll ask for is the circumference of your upper arm, so you can still give people access to the gun show without taking off your jacket.
While any range can be customized, the Hemsworth is a classic and versatile cut that – perhaps not surprisingly – makes a particularly good starting point for guys with strong frames.
In addition to getting the perfect fit, you can also customize all the other little details that make a suit stand out at formal events, including everything from the jacket lining and lapel width to the vent style (personally I always opt for side vents when given the choice), pocket flaps and more.
Related Resource ↓
Check out my full Indochino review to learn more about their custom-fitting process, and the kind of suit that you get as a result.
Twillory
Performance Suit
Notable Features:
- Japanese 4-way stretch fabric
- 15 color options
- Pants available in either tailored or trim cut
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
Twillory’s Performance suit isn’t specifically designed for fit men with V-shaped torsos, but can still work great for guys in good shape.
Like most off-the-rack suits, they’re available in three different lengths – short, regular or long – and standard chest sizes ranging from 36 to 50.
But it’s made of Japanese four-way stretch material, which is pretty form-fitting and flattering.
So as long as you get the right size, it will nicely hug a well-chiseled physique without looking too tight.
In addition to the stretch, the suit is available in 15 different color/pattern options, and the pants come in either a tailored or trim fit, both of which give you a well-fitted modern look without being too tight.
XSuit
XSuit 4.0
Notable Features:
- 8-way stretch fabric
- Machine washable
- Resists stains and odors
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
XSuit bills their flagship stretch suit as “more comfortable than your tracksuit,” and having tried one myself, I can honestly say they’re not wrong.
While a lot of brands on this list make suits and slim fit shirts using four-way stretch fabric, XSuit’s material features eight-way stretch, which makes the suit feel more like something you’d wear to the gym than to special events.
The result is a stretchy suit that nicely hugs a fit body, giving you an overall appearance that’s suited up and business-ready, without looking too stiff or stuffy.
Suitsupply
Made-to-Measure Suit
Notable Features:
- Custom made to your exact sizing
- Ability to hand-pick other key details
- High quality fabrics and a wide range of color and pattern options
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
Until recently, Suitsupply wasn’t the best option for fit guys with strong builds.
When they first debuted, the European-based brand offered North American men the chance to get a super high quality suit made from the same kind of Italian wool normally reserved for luxury brands in much higher price ranges.
The only problem was that they offered standard suit sizing, meaning you were stuck with whatever size pants happened to come with the jacket that fit you best.
Fortunately, they’ve expanded their offerings a lot since then, and now offer a custom suit option that competes directly with Indochino.
In addition to getting a suit that’s custom-made to fit a more muscular or athletic frame, you can also customize all the other little details that will help you make a lasting impression, and even add a waistcoat to make it a three piece suit.
Haggar
Travel Suit
Notable Features:
- Affordable option
- Wrinkle resistant
- Sweat-wicking
Why It’s Great for Athletic Guys:
Haggar certainly isn’t the highest quality brand on this list, but for fit guys on a budget, it’s still a solid option.
Their travel suit isn’t specifically designed for muscular men, but it’s designed with Haggar’s “tailored fit,” which leaves enough room to fit strong frames, but still has a tapered shape that prevents you from looking like a shapeless blob of fabric.
(With that said, your best bet with this one is to choose your usual size and then get the suit tailored in order to get a good fit.)
It’s made from 100% polyester, which helps wick sweat and prevents it from wrinkling, so it’s a good option if you travel a lot, or just want to avoid the hassle of having to get your suit steamed and pressed.
Now that You’ve Found the Best-Fitting Suits…
…it’s time to Ditch the Slim-Fit Shirts
Pretty much everything I said above about the differences between slim fit vs athletic fit vs regular fit suits applies equally to shirts.
So once you’ve found a high quality suit that properly fits your frame, the next step is to complete the package by pairing it with a dress shirt that’s specifically designed for athletic guys.
To help find the perfect fit, check out our round up of the best athletic fit dress shirts, which combine an athletic cut with technical fabrics that stretch well and wick sweat.
More Resources ↓
More Men’s Suits and Style Advice Irreverent Gent:
- How to Buy Your First Suit
- How to Shop for Men’s Clothes
- The Definitive Guide to Semi Formal Attire for Men
- The Best Suit Brands for Men of Every Shape, Size & Budget
- How to Look More Handsome and Attractive
- The (Absolute) Best Athletic Fit & Machine Washable Dress Shirts for Muscular Guys
- The Best Athletic Fit Dress Pants for Men
- The Quickest, Most Effective Way to Measure Your Sleeve Length
- How to Create a Personal Style Profile
- How to Measure Your Pants Inseam
- In Review: Alain Dupetit’s (Suspiciously Affordable) Suits
- The 21 Best Shoes to Wear with Shorts
- From Alexander McQueen to Ermenegildo Zegna: The Most Expensive Fashion Brands in the World
- Where to Buy Your Wedding Tux
- The Most Comfortable Stretch Suits for Men
The Recap
Summary
State & Liberty’s athletic fit suits are easily the best option for athletic guys because they’re one of the few brands offering an off the rack suit that’s specifically designed with strong body types in mind.
