It’s all about the three-piece suit

It’s that time of year again when pupils in Clare’s primary schools are preparing for one of the most important days in their young lives so far, their First Holy Communion. Carol Byrne spoke to Kathy McMahon about this year’s trends in Communion wear for boys and girls.

WITH First Holy Communions just around the corner, boys and girls are getting ready to recite their prayers and to receive the sacrament.

As one of the most important days in a child’s life, the perfect dress and outfit is something that is not thought about lightly.
For the girls, the style and cut of dress hasn’t changed much over the years but for the boys, this year marks a shift in the traditional trend towards the three-piece suit.
For many an eight-year-old, this will be the first time they will don a suit and whether their idol is James Bond or Westlife, this year they want to look the part.
Speaking to The Clare Champion about trends being set by the First Holy Communion boys, Kathy McMahon of Young World on Abbey Street, says the boys are all about the suits this year.
“The suits are definitely more popular this year. They are going for the shirt, tie, blazer, waistcoat and pants. Some are still going for a more casual style, with the chino jacket and check shirt or casual blazer. We would have always had customers looking for the suit for First Holy Communion but they seem to want the full three-piece suit more so this year,” she said.
The search for perfection in what to wear for this special occasion according to Kathy can be just as important to the young boys as to the young girls, with a variety of styles of suit and complementing combinations to choose from.
There is a range of shirts and ties available to accompany suits of every style from pinstriped to double breasted suits as Kathy outlines.
“From the classic Oxford blue, to turquoise and reds, bright colours in the shirts are in this year. Lilacs and baby blue shirts are also popular, while others are going for the white striped shirt or linen shirt,” Kathy explained.
It’s not all about the suit, however, and other boys are choosing a more casual look, with many going for a beige khaki colour that can be coupled with a chino trouser and either a check or plain shirt.