GO 3F

ZZ Top sang it best: Every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp-dressed man.

But according to a recent survey, men are pretty gaga about looking good as well.

Almost 70 percent of men in a national survey conducted this fall by Global Strategy Group for DNR, a retail trade publication, said they love a suit, the standard of any well-dressed man since its 17th-century debut.

Take away the pinstriped suit and Al Capone was just another thug. James Bond minus the white tux is no more than a fictional spy. And Bogie in anything too far from a tailored tweed was just an actor with a funny first name.

A suit has the power to elevate the wearer from plebeian to a man of power, at least on the surface. But even dressing that seems so simple —- suit styles only shift every decade or so —- still has its complexities.

“There is a cardinal rule that men have learned in the past few years … that a suit is not just a suit,” said Nick Sullivan, fashion director for Esquire magazine, which recently issued the “Handbook of Style” (Hearst Books, $14.95). “The biggest problem facing American men is fit. A lot of guys will go out and spend a huge bonus on a $5,000 suit and think they’ve solved their sartorial issues for life, but if it doesn’t fit exactly perfectly, it may as well have cost $500.”

On the other hand, a suit that costs less than $500 and fits like a glove is the deal of the century.

The problem is (and this is where women know the routine) off-the-rack suits, even from top designers, come in different sizes but not different shapes, Sullivan said.

With nearly one-third of men surveyed owning three to five suits, any ill-fitting selection can prove an expensive mistake.

But unless a man is prepared to go custom or venture into the slightly below custom world of made-to-measure, off-the-rack may be the only option. For anyone on a limited budget, it is definitely the only option.

Esquire routinely searches for suits with great construction, shape and cut at a nice price, and each year it has a harder time finding them, “but there are brands that can knock out a really, really good suit,” Sullivan said, citing specialty retailer Banana Republic.

In recent years, several brands have offered ready-to-wear suits in the same classic fabrics custom tailors might use and that incorporate bespoke details such as hand-finished button holes. The result is a suit with a hallmark of bespoke if not the actual workmanship, Sullivan said.

So if the off-the-rack suit fits, wear it, and don’t worry about the price. Because the only thing better than a sharp-dressed man is a sharp-dressed man with money to spare.

FIND A PERFECT SUIT

What Esquire magazine experts say to look for when suiting yourself:

Natural shoulder: Keep it fairly natural —- too much padding makes the suit look like it’s wearing you.

Notched lapel: A small, high notch right on the collarbone is the mark of a killer suit, a minor detail that makes your off-the-peg suit look closer to classic bespoke.

Deep navy, wool cloth: It’s dark enough to appear professional but also lighter and classier than rather dour black. Lightweight wool stands up best to repeated wearing and can be worn year-round.

Fitted waist: The jacket should have some fit to it in the waist area to give your body a more dynamic shape.

Simplicity: The more streamlined the details, the more widely you will be able to wear it.

Trousers: Flat-front trousers are considered more modern, but pleats will be a touch more forgiving should your waistline expand over time.

Source: “The Handbook of Style,” by the editors of Esquire magazine, copyright 2009 by Hearst Communications, Inc.