Key Takeaways:
- The Devil's Advocate uses tailoring as a visual narrative device - the wardrobe shifts deliberately from light southern suits to dark corporate New York dressing as the character's moral decline progresses.
- Brown shoes are required with a brown suit. Black shoes worn with a brown suit is a leather coordination error regardless of the rest of the outfit.
- A Prince of Wales check suit with structured shoulders and a tapered waist creates a strong masculine silhouette that works across body types.
- A below-the-knee overcoat in black or camel is the single most effective finishing layer for a formal suit and transforms the overall look.
- Peak lapels add authority to a jacket. Pairing them with a round-neck underneath creates a stylistic contradiction that only works with high confidence.
The Devil's Advocate suits and what they tell us about 90s power dressing
The Devil's Advocate suits are some of the finest examples of late 90s fashion ever committed to film. No other legal thriller from that decade makes you want to straighten your tie and reassess your entire wardrobe quite like this one. It is a film about ambition, temptation, and moral compromise - and the costume design reflects every beat of that journey through tailoring alone.
The premise is simple enough. A hotshot Florida lawyer lands a job at a powerful New York law firm run by a boss who turns out to be considerably more than he first appears. What follows is a slow, stylish descent told as much through clothing as through dialogue. Costume designer Sarah Edwards understood exactly what she was doing. The wardrobe is not decoration - it is character development, stitch by stitch.
What makes the film's tailoring so compelling is how deliberate the shift feels. Light, approachable, southern. Then sharp, dark, corporate. The colour palette moves in one direction only, and it mirrors the protagonist's slow corruption with uncomfortable precision. That is the power of men's formal wear when it is used with intention rather than afterthought.
For anyone serious about understanding 90s power dressing, structured shoulder suits, or the visual grammar of corporate lawyer tailoring, this film is required viewing. It is full of lessons - some deliberate, some accidental - and we are going to work through every one of them. There is a Prince of Wales check suit that deserves its own feature, a peak lapel jacket that commands every room it enters, a shoe crime that cannot go unpunished, and a pair of overcoats that will make you want to stride rather than stroll. Let us get into it.
Kevin Lomax's Florida lawyer look and how classic menswear colors set the scene
Kevin Lomax's Florida lawyer look and how classic menswear colors set the scene
Before the dark suits and the New York skyline, there is Florida. And Florida has a dress code of its own. The film opens with a lawyer who is good at his job, knows it, and dresses accordingly - but for the world he is currently in, not the one he is about to enter. Light grey to beige tones, a tropical weight wool that handles the southern heat with ease. Classic menswear colors for a classic southern professional.
Tropical weight wool is worth knowing about. It is lighter and more breathable than standard suiting fabric, which makes it the correct choice for warm climates. Linen is the other obvious option, but wool holds its structure better through a long day in court. Either way, the principle is the same - fabric choice should always respond to environment. Wearing a heavy everyday suit in Florida heat is as much a style error as wearing a linen jacket to a January board meeting in New York.
What the opening wardrobe communicates is subtle but precise. This is a man who is successful by the standards of his current world. He shops well, he dresses well, and he probably stands out in most rooms he walks into back home. But the clothing is approachable, not intimidating. Genuine, not performative. There is no corporate armour here yet - just a man comfortable in his own skin and his own town.
That is exactly what good corporate lawyer tailoring should do at any level - reflect the environment accurately. A light grey suit in a Florida courtroom reads as sharp and authoritative without being out of place. The same suit in a Manhattan law firm would read as underpowered. Context is everything in men's formal wear, and the film establishes that principle in the opening minutes without a word of explanation.
The brown herringbone sports coat and Prince of Wales check suit that define his transformation
The transition from Florida to New York does not happen all at once. There is a middle ground, and it is dressed beautifully. A brown herringbone sports coat worn over a t-shirt with a pair of jeans - relaxed, smart, and exactly the kind of sharp casual that most men never quite pull off. It still carries traces of that country gentleman ease, but there is something harder underneath it now. Big city energy starting to bleed through the seams.
Herringbone is one of those patterns that never puts a foot wrong. It adds texture and visual interest without shouting about it. Subtle enough for a business setting, characterful enough to work in a casual context. A herringbone sports coat thrown over a t-shirt and jeans is one of the most reliable smart casual combinations a man can reach for - and the brown colourway keeps it warm and grounded rather than corporate.
But it is the brown Prince of Wales check suit that really stops the film in its tracks. This is sophisticated dressing done right. The check pattern is subtle, the drape is excellent, and a clean white shirt underneath keeps the whole thing from becoming too busy. Structured shoulders, a tapered waist - that V-shaped masculine silhouette that makes a man stand tall regardless of what he is actually working with underneath. It is the kind of suit that has genuine gravitas.
The Prince of Wales check is a pattern worth understanding. It sits in that rare category of designs that manage to be both interesting and restrained at the same time. It reads as confident without being loud, and it works across a wide range of settings from business meetings to smart social occasions. A Prince of Wales suit with the right construction - structured shoulders, clean lines, good drape - is one of the strongest single investments a man can make in his wardrobe. This film makes that case better than any style guide could.
Brown suit black shoes rules and the style mistakes hiding in plain sight
That brown Prince of Wales check suit deserves every compliment it gets. The structure is right, the pattern is right, the silhouette is right. And then the shoes arrive and undo a significant portion of the good work. Black shoes with a brown suit is one of those combinations that comes up repeatedly in men's formal wear conversations - and not in a good way. The rule is not complicated. Brown suit, brown shoes. Full stop.
The issue is not simply aesthetic preference. It is about tonal coherence. A brown suit sits in a warm colour family. Black shoes are cool, hard, and carry a completely different visual weight. They pull the eye downward and create a disconnect that the rest of the outfit cannot compensate for. Dark brown Oxfords - even a rich tan in the right context - would have grounded that brown suit perfectly and let the quality of the tailoring do its job without distraction.
Then there is the brown leather satchel. And here is where the situation becomes genuinely confusing. Your leathers do not need to match precisely - a slight variation in shade is perfectly acceptable and often looks more considered than a perfect match. But pairing black shoes with a large brown leather bag creates a visual argument that has no clean resolution. The eye keeps moving between the two conflicting leather tones and never settles. Pick a lane. Brown shoes, brown bag. Black shoes, black or dark leather bag. Consistency is not restrictive - it is what makes an outfit read as intentional.
To his credit, the tie situation gets resolved quickly. The initial weak tie - doing nothing for the suit, adding no authority, no presence - gets replaced with something considerably stronger and more confident. A tie should work with a suit, not just sit on top of it. It needs to carry weight, both literally in terms of fabric and visually in terms of colour and pattern. A strong tie with a well-constructed suit signals that the man wearing it understands how the pieces fit together. That shift, small as it seems, marks the moment New York starts winning.
Al Pacino outfits and the peak lapel jacket that owns every room
Al Pacino outfits in this film operate on a different frequency entirely. Where Keanu Reeves' wardrobe is a story of gradual transformation, Pacino arrives fully formed - dressed for a man who has already won every room he has ever walked into and fully expects to win this one too. The first outfit we see him in is a party look, and it is worth examining closely because it does something most men find genuinely difficult. It dresses down without losing an ounce of authority.
A brown peak lapel jacket over a round-neck black t-shirt or sweater. That is the combination. And on paper it sounds straightforward, but the execution is everything. The peak lapel is a significant detail. Where a notch lapel reads as approachable and versatile, a peak lapel carries inherent swagger. It points upward and outward, it broadens the chest visually, and it signals that the man wearing it is not particularly interested in blending in. Paired with those classic big structured shoulders, the silhouette is pure 90s power dressing at its most unapologetic.
The brown and black pairing works here in a way it notably failed to in the shoe situation discussed earlier. The contrast is deliberate and bold - a rich brown sport coat against a black base creates depth and visual interest without tipping into chaos. The key difference is intentionality. When brown and black clash accidentally, it looks like an oversight. When they are placed together with confidence and clear contrast, it reads as a considered choice. That distinction matters enormously in men's formal wear.
The one reservation worth noting is the combination of peak lapels with a round-neck underneath. There is a mild contradiction at work - peak lapels belong to the more formal end of jacket construction, while a round-neck sweater or t-shirt is about as relaxed as a base layer gets. A notch lapel would have kept the casual register more consistent. But this is Pacino, and confidence at that level overrides most sartorial objections. The lesson for everyone else is that if you are going to wear a peak lapel jacket guide principle in a casual context, make sure the rest of the outfit - and your bearing - is strong enough to carry it.
Men's overcoat styles and the finishing touches that complete a corporate lawyer wardrobe
New York in this film delivers exactly what you would hope for on the outerwear front. Two below-the-knee overcoats - one black, one camel - and both of them are a reminder of what men's overcoat styles can do for a look when they are done properly. These are not afterthoughts thrown over a suit on the way out the door. These are finishing touches that transform good tailoring into something genuinely commanding.
The below-the-knee length is the detail that matters most here. A shorter coat cuts the silhouette in half and loses the sweeping authority that a longer overcoat delivers. When a coat falls below the knee, it creates an unbroken vertical line from shoulder to hem that makes the wearer look taller, more deliberate, and considerably more imposing. It is the kind of outerwear that makes a man stride rather than shuffle - and that is not a small thing when you are trying to project corporate authority on a Manhattan street.
Black and camel are two of the most reliable classic menswear colors for overcoats, and for good reason. Black is authoritative, severe, and pairs with virtually every suit in a corporate wardrobe without requiring any thought. Camel is warmer, slightly more approachable, and works particularly well over mid to dark grey and navy suits. Between the two, you have most formal weather situations covered. If a man were to own only two overcoats in his lifetime, these would be the correct two to choose.
The broader point here is one that applies across all of men's formal wear - the outer layer is not a separate decision from the suit underneath. It is part of the same outfit. A strong suit weakened by a poor overcoat is a missed opportunity. But a strong suit finished with a well-cut, below-the-knee coat in a classic colour? That is the complete picture. The Devil's Advocate gets this right, and it is one of the reasons the tailoring in this film holds up so well against late 90s fashion trends that have aged considerably less gracefully elsewhere.
Custom tailored suits inspired by The Devil's Advocate and 90s power dressing
Everything this film gets right about tailoring comes down to one principle - clothes built with intention for the man wearing them. The structured shoulders, the tapered waist, the considered colour palette moving from light to dark as the stakes rise. That level of precision does not happen by accident. It happens when a suit is built around a specific person with a specific purpose in mind. That is exactly what we do at Westwood Hart.
Whether you are drawn to the brown Prince of Wales check suit that stops the film cold, the dark corporate power of the New York wardrobe, or the bold peak lapel construction of Pacino's party jacket, every one of those looks starts with the right fabric and the right cut. Our online configurator gives you control over every element - lapel style, shoulder construction, fabric weight, colour, lining, and everything in between. A business suit built to your measurements, your environment, and your aesthetic rather than an industry average.
The Prince of Wales check alone is worth the conversation. It is one of those patterns that rewards a closer look every time - subtle at a distance, characterful up close, and versatile enough to move from a boardroom to a smart dinner without missing a step. We carry it in multiple colourways, and every one of them can be built into a suit with the structured shoulder construction and clean waist suppression that makes that silhouette work so hard on screen.
If the tailoring in this film has made you think it is time to invest in something built properly around you, head over to our configurator and start designing your suit today. No soul selling required.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wear a brown suit with black shoes?
Brown suit black shoes is a combination best avoided. Brown suits sit in a warm colour family and require warm-toned leather to maintain tonal coherence. Dark brown Oxfords are the correct choice, and a rich tan can work in smarter casual contexts. Black shoes pull the eye downward and create a visual disconnect that the rest of the outfit cannot resolve. The same principle applies to bags and belts - keep your leathers consistent in tone with your suit colour.
What makes a Prince of Wales check suit a good investment?
A Prince of Wales check suit sits in the rare category of patterns that are simultaneously interesting and restrained. It reads as confident without being loud, works across business and smart social settings, and holds its relevance regardless of shifting trends. Paired with structured shoulders and a tapered waist, it creates a strong masculine silhouette that flatters a wide range of body types. It is one of the most versatile patterned suits a man can own.
What is the difference between a peak lapel and a notch lapel?
A notch lapel is the standard jacket lapel - versatile, approachable, and appropriate across most formal and smart casual settings. A peak lapel points upward and outward from the collar, adding visual width to the chest and projecting considerably more authority and swagger. Peak lapels are traditionally associated with double-breasted suits and black tie, but they work on single-breasted jackets too. They are a bolder choice and reward confident wearing.
What length should a men's overcoat be?
A below-the-knee length is the most authoritative and flattering option for a formal overcoat. It creates an unbroken vertical line from shoulder to hem that reads as powerful and deliberate, adds visual height, and completes a suited look rather than simply covering it. Shorter coats cut the silhouette and lose much of the commanding presence that makes a well-chosen overcoat worth wearing in the first place.
Which overcoat colours are the most versatile for a formal wardrobe?
Black and camel are the two most reliable classic menswear colors for formal overcoats. Black pairs with virtually every suit in a corporate wardrobe without requiring any coordination thought. Camel works particularly well over mid to dark grey and navy suits and adds warmth to the overall look. Between the two, most formal weather situations and suit colours are covered. If you are building a wardrobe from scratch, either of these is the correct starting point for outerwear.
How does tailoring reflect character in The Devil's Advocate?
The wardrobe in the film functions as a visual narrative running parallel to the script. The protagonist begins in light, approachable southern suits that reflect his genuine, uncorrupted character. As he moves to New York and deeper into moral compromise, the fabrics get heavier, the colours get darker, and the silhouettes get sharper. By the time the transformation is complete, the clothing alone communicates everything the audience needs to know about where the character has ended up. It is costume design used with genuine intelligence.