- “Edwards, let's put it on. (James Darrell Edwards III: Put what on?) The last suit you'll ever wear.”
- —Zed telling Edwards to suit up in order to become an official member of the MiB.
Black Suits were the primary uniform for Agents of the Men in Black.
Description[]
All their clothes including the jacket, pants, underwear, ties, socks, and leather shoes are all black while the dress shirts are white. These suits are worn so that when they neuralyze a victim, they won't leave any lasting impression or image. These suits were described as "the last suit [an MiB agent] will ever wear", and in the films and television series, these suits are always worn and the agents are all seen wearing them at all times. MiB agents also wear specialized Predator 2 Ray-Ban sunglasses to protect them from their own neuralyzer flash. These sunglasses became popular in the franchise, and sales of these glasses in the market increased over time.
In the films and T.V. series, the MiB have a wide array of disguises that they, and visiting aliens, wear either for their undercover purposes, or for the aliens hidden in the city. Their main purpose though is to make sure that no civilians will ever know aliens are "walking among them", and for the aliens not to spook any civilians.
There are specialized suits that MiB agents use in field missions and investigations. Hazmat suits are seen in the second film, where the agents wore them when investigating Serleena's spacecraft.
Dress Code[]
All agents on duty are required to dress in proper attire. Agents of all species and all genders dress in a similar fashion with their outfits being provided by the Men in Black and custom fitted to the agents' measurements.
Black Suit Jacket[]
Agent M being measured for her custom suit jacket
Agents wear an all black two-piece suit. This suit comes in the form of a black human suit jacket and black human trousers. This is the most common piece of wear that all agents are supplied with. The jackets are all custom-made to fit the sizing of the agent.
The suit jacket features a notch lapel, a two-button front closure, chest pocket on the left breast, two front flap pockets, four non-functional sleeve buttons, and is double vent. The jacket is also fully lined with a wool outer fabric.
Agent J's tailored suit jacket placed in his locker
Other than proper attire, agents may also utilize their suit jackets for have items and materials hidden from the public eyes. Agents have been known to place their sunglasses in their breast pocket or have their neuralyzers in their inner jacket pocket.
Between 1998 and 2002, a second jacket was worn by agents. This jacket slightly resembled a Chinese tradition suit jacket. However, this style was discontinued and agents reverted to the tradition two-button jacket.
Dress Shirt[]
Agent M and Agent H wearing dress shirts without suit jackets
Dress shirts are worn by all agents within branch buildings and on the field. The shirts are usually white button-up dress shirts with a well-made collar. Similar to the black suits, dress shirts are all custom made within the Men in Black and made to fit specific agents' measurements.
Male and female agents of all races and species have their dress shirt fit to size and resemble an Earth human's button-up shirt. The dress shirts are white with cotton fabric and are a tailored fit. The shirts include a point collar, long sleeves, one breast pocket, and button front fastening.
Agents usually fully button their shirt to allow for a black tie to be worn with the suit. However, some agents have been known to remove the necktie and not fully fasten their dress shirt. These situations where agents may have a more informal appearance is permitted when agents are either undercover or are in certain weather condition.
Agent H with his top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned
The dress shirt is rarely modified outside of having the sleeves rolled to fit for hot climates. Agents also rarely utilize the breast pocket due to how they have a suit jacket over their shirts during most of their assignments.
For many years, the dress shirt remained the same. However, sometime after Men in Black Headquarters was under the leadership of Agent O, the dress shirts changed by removing the breast pocket and having them more slim fit with the formality remaining the same.
Black Trousers[]
Agent J stating he put his pants on
Agents must wear black trousers both in office and on the field. The black trousers accompany the black suit jacket attire and is part of a two-piece suit for agents. Similar to all clothing made for MiB agents, trousers are custom-fitted for the specific wearer. Male and females agents of many races and species wear black dress trousers within branch offices and in the field. The trousers are wool in fabric, just like the jacket, and custom-made to fit the wearer.
Agent black trousers all contain a zip fly with button tab closure, flat front, belt loops, two side pockets, and two back besom pockets.
Trouser pockets may be utilized by agents in a limited quantity. It is preferred that agents do not place any objects in their pockets to both maintain professionalism as well to reduce the possibility of having their possessions stolen from their pockets.
Black Tie[]
Agent J tying his striped black necktie
Black neckties are worn by Men in Black agents. The ties are worn to complete the look of a suit as well as complements the suit jacket and trouser attire. If agents are wearing their suits that resemble human clothing, all agents also wear similar black neckties with the same specifications. Due to this attire being an accessory, all specifications for all neckties are identical.
All black neckties are of a striped pattern with 2.36" width and are silk knitted. The neckties are also real neckties and are tied behind and around the collar of the agents' dress shirt.
In some situations, neckties are optional and may be untied or unworn from the agents.
Black Shoes[]
Standard laced black dress shoes worn by agents
Black shoes are worn by all agents of all genders. Male and female agents are seen usually wearing black oxford shoes while female agents may also wear black stiletto shoes, black heeled lace-up boots, or high-heeled dress shoes.
All shoes are provided to the agents by the Men in Black. The shoes will always be black in color and will be in the shoe size accustomed to the wearer. Due to the nature of the work, the Men in Black prefer their field agents to wear comfortable and flexible footwear for the possibility that they may be in situations that require running or fighting.
Agent M wearing black heeled lace-up boots
Female agents working within branch offices may also wear black heeled shoes or stilettos if preferred. Due the some positions requiring the agents to be stationary within buildings, a different set of professional footwear is permitted.
Female agents working on the field may also wear black heeled lace-up boots. Due to the possibility of agents being in dangerous situations, female agents have a choice of their footwear as long as they are able to perform their duties on the field.
History[]
Agent K's Suit 1st Generation[]
Kay started off with the primary MiB suit in 1969 and would continue to wear it in later years. In 1997 during the battle with Edgar the Bug he was swallowed by the giant cockroach in order for him to retrieve his gun which the bug had eaten. He blew the bug from the inside and his suit along with Jay's were covered in entrails. The suit would later be dry cleaned but Kay discarded it after deciding to leave MiB and had Jay neuralyze him so he would reunite with his wife. In 2002 Kay rejoined the MiB and wore the suit again which he would continue to wear to this day.
Agent J's Suit 1st Generation[]
Jay started off with the primary MiB suit after joining MiB in 1997. During his first battle with Edgar the Bug when Kay blew him up from the inside, the suit along with Kay's were covered in entrails. The suit was later dry cleaned. Jay would wear a new suit after being replaced as head operative for the MiB but later discarded it and would go back into wearing his primary MiB suit. In 2002 the suit was wet after he and Kay were flushed from the MiB Headquarters but it was later dry cleaned. In 2012 during a battle with aliens in a Chinese restaurant Jay would be sometimes be covered in their entrails and the suit would again be dry cleaned.
When Jay time jumped to 1969 to prevent Kay's death he would suffer damage to his suit during a battle with Boris the Animal but would avoid the damage by time jumping back to the beginning of the fight. He still wears the suit to this day.
Agent J's Suit 2nd Generation[]
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Agent J's 2nd Suit
After Kay's retirement, Jay wore a new suit which lacked a tie and the white dress shirt. The black suit also looked different from the primary MiB suit. Instead of Ray-Ban sunglasses he wore different design ones. He would later discard the suit and would switch back into wearing the primary MiB suit.
Agent L's Suit 1st Generation[]
Elle had started off with the MiB in 1997 following Kay's retirement. Her suit consisted of the same white dress shirt and black tie like the primary MiB men's suit. She even wore the black pants instead of a skirt like most of the female agents, but wears black high heels instead of leather shoes. Elle would later discard the suit after leaving MiB in 2002 and Jay neuralyzed her so she could go back to her former life.
Hazmat Suits[]
Hazmat suits are used by the MiB to investigate alien activities and to clean and remove alien activity.
Disguise Suit []
A specially made suit employed by the MiB in the T.V. series. Unlike other disguises which are big bulky, and immobile, this suit was made to create a faster and quicker desired disguise with a push of a button. Agent J used this in the episode "The Sonic Boom Syndrome". With a push of a button in his tie, an alien disguise engulfs Jay and hid his true form from the aliens.
Heat-Resistant Suits []
The suits that the MiB agents used in the T.V. Series. First seen in the episode "The Dog Eat Dog Syndrome", these suits were worn for the purpose of protecting the agents from any heat-omitting weapons and environments. The first suit worn were more like the traditional disguises aliens and agents wore. Agent K and Agent J later used a more concealed suit, where they are seen as a transparent tight suit. In Episode 4 of Season 2, the alien Drekk did not know that the protagonist was wearing these suits until he dipped them in a big container of molten metal. The suits protected the agents from Drekk's heat-ray powers, without letting Drekk know they were wearing them.
Stealth Suit[]
A cloaking device first seen in Episode 5 Season 1. Like what the name says, it is an invisibility suit, resembling a wetsuit, capable of making its wearer invisible, be undetectable by both senses and radar, and emit no signatures. The wearer can also adjust the way it is cloaked so that someone he intends to can detect and communicate with him. It was first worn by the assassin, but although invisible, Agent K soon detected him. Agent J managed to score a direct hit on its wearer but found too late that there was no one in the suit and it was merely a decoy. It was soon put into the MiB possessions and first worn by Agent K.
Trivia[]
- In the Will Smith Men in Black music video the background dancers are wearing the MiB primary suits. They are also extras dressed in the suits investigating alien technology.
- In the Will Smith The Black Suit's Comin (Nod Ya Head) music video the background dancers again are wearing the primary MiB suits.
- Rapper Pitbull wore a primary MiB suit for the Men in Black 3 music video Back In Time.
- Frank the Pug was wearing a primary MiB suit when he temporally became Jay's partner but Jay told him to discard the suit. Frank would be seen wearing the suit in the video game Men in Black: Alien Crisis.