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From cassock to cumberbund - 400 years of the suit

When did the suit begin appearing in men's everyday wardrobes? And how has it changed, or been changed by, society? A new book covers all four centuries of this enduring element of men's fashion. Dress historian Professor Christopher Breward is the author of "The Suit: Form, Function, Style." The suit, he says, "denotes truths that are greater than a basic meeting of cloth, scissors and thread."

(Photo: A group of schoolboys at Eton College watch the Wall Game on St Andrew's Day, 30 November 1928. Credit: London Express/Getty Images)

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2 minutes