# wearing a suit 4x per week, how many suits?



## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

In hearing about my next job, sounds like I'll be wearing a suit about 4 times per week. 

How many suits could a gentleman get away with owning, provided that the wardrobe already includes one navy blue, one medium grey solid, one charcoal grey solid, and one tan solid suit? Climate will be seasonal, with hot summers and mild winters (probably in the northeast USA).

Thanks!


If this question has already been answered, please direct me to a search by the appropriate key words. I though Will addressed this subject on his blog, but couldn't find it browsing the 2007 topics.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

What part of the Northeast? (as someone who lived in Charlotte, I started calling the DC area the NE instead of the mid-atlantic).

I would say the bare minimum would be 3 3-season suits and 2 cold weather suits(assuming it's a place that's hot more often than it's cold). Not ideal, but minimum.

This would require that you get a good suit brush (i.e. a Kent...they're cheaping ordering from their website that ships from the UK than from a store that carries them here in the US). And at least once a week put your suits in a steamy bathroom (or steam them if you have a steamer).


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## qasimkhan (Sep 24, 2003)

I would say 2 suits, bare minimum. This assumes you have at least 5 different shirts (i.e. of different colors and patterns) and 5 ties that go with all shirts and suits. As long as everything is conservative (i.e. not memorable from day to day by your colleagues), 3-season, and goes with everything else, you have 50 different outfits. 

You can get by with this. You can rotate the suits so that they get a day or rest, and you have enough shirts to wash and iron them on the weekend. Of course, you'll want to add as time goes by, if you continue to wear suits four days a week. But 2 suits is enough to get you started.


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## iammatt (Sep 17, 2005)

If it is really hot in the summer, you will probably need three warm season suits. What you have already is probably fine for the rest of the year. Much of it depends on the robustness of the fabrics, you don't want to overwear something flimsy, so concentrate on more robust stuff, even for summer. Frescoes and linens wear very well and linen improves with wear, which is nice.


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## cgc (Jan 27, 2007)

Assuming your current suits are 'all season' then adding at least two hot weather suits as others suggest is a good idea. 

Wool and mohair blends make for nice hot weather fabrics. They tend to not wrinkle like linen and can be just as breathable. In my experience silk is pretty uncomfortable in hot and humid weather even if blended with linen.

Can you wear a blazer or odd jacket instead of a suit? A few jackets and trousers will expand your options nicely if that is indeed an option.


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## RJmaiorano (Feb 12, 2007)

I faced a similar question when traveling, deciding on how many suits to take to accommodate for a four day work week (4 days of suits). I decided on taking three suits (all variations of charcoal) and I so far I've liked my decision. Personally I would recommend 3/4... with the bare minimum being 2.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

thanks for the good advice! actually, there is a good possibility i'll be either northeast OR mid-atlantic, now that i think about it. I've got about a year to make sure the wardrobe is right, as i don't want end up buying something cheap or of lesser caliber to get by when i get there and have so many other expenses. 

Although I've stocked up a lot on sportcoats for my current job, church and events on the weekends, possibly fridays if allowed in that work environment, etc. but here is my actual business wardrobe so far--

navy blue 2 button 9oz wool serge suit

navy blue 3 button 10oz pinstripe wool suit (less conservative but not too gaudy or flashy i think)

medium grey 'aquaspider' 3 button wool suit (i'm guessing mid to lighter weight?)

charcoal grey medium weight (probably a 10oz) wool 2 button suit

tan 'aquaspider' 3 button wool suit (same cloth as aquaspider above)

charcoal grey with grey pinstripe (actually looks fairly conservative) wool and cashmere 2 button, winter weight

grey herringbone with faint blue pinstripe wool 3 button suit, I'm guessing a Fall weight


Any advice or ideas on what I might get this year (colors, patterns, cloths), to make my wardrobe as versatile as possible and not have too many repeats at work? thanks, guys!


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Huntsman of Savile Row recommends that a suit be worn only once a week. Eight suits, 4 summer weight and 4 medium weight (12/13 ounces) would be your minimum. Your list suggests that you need to invest 2 or 3 fall/winter weight suits.


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Six or seven year rounder ones and maybe a couple of summer weight ones after a while.

None to be worn on consecutive days.


I would suggest build up to that as quickly as you can then one every nine/twelve months t add variety and allow the dispatch to the fire of the odd one. Try to increase your quality level each time.


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## Tim Correll (Jul 18, 2005)

Bishop of Briggs said:


> Huntsman of Savile Row recommends that a suit be worn only once a week. Eight suits, 4 summer weight and 4 medium weight (12/13 ounces) would be your minimum. Your list suggests that you need to invest 2 or 3 fall/winter weight suits.


I thought that medium weight fabrics ranged from 10 to 13 ounces with lightweight fabrics being any fabrics that are any amount lighter than ten ounces.

Correct me if I am wrong, but heavyweight fabrics are any fabrics that are any amount heavier than 13 ounces, right?

I also thought that the H. Huntsman website said that a man should have ten suits, five that are ten ounces or heavier and five than are nine ounces or lighter.

When I get a job, unless the place where I get a job has casual Fridays or casual Fridays and weekends, I will wear suits to work five days a week.

Therefore, I will buy twelve suits, six that are each made out of the ten ounce 100% super 120s worsted wool fabrics in The Holland and Sherry Target Collection (Book HS525, which is now my favorite group of fabrics on Earth by far), each one worn from November through April (the coldest months of the year in Southeastern New York State since the beginning of the 21st century).

With each of these six suits, I will rotate the same suit (rotate the same suit meaning refrain from wearing the same suit for the whole week) once every six weeks.

The other six suits will each be made out of one of the nine ounce 100% super 120s worsted wool fabrics in The Holland and Sherry Super 120s Summer Target Collection (Book HS136, which is now my second favorite group of fabrics on Earth by far), each one worn from May through October (the warmest months of the year in Southeastern New York State since the beginning of the 21st century).

With each of these six suits, I also will rotate the same suit (again, rotate the same suit meaning refrain from wearing the same suit for the whole week) once every six weeks.

Due to your extensive knowledge about Savile Row tailors, I would go so far as to say expertise, of Savile Row Tailors (and the fact that you live relatively close by to Savile Row in London, England-in Glascow, Scotland in the UK to be exact) that you have been generous enough to share with your fellow AAAC members here on AAAC on many occasions:

Being that William Westmancott offers to travel to personally visit clients at their home or in their place of business, does he only do this for clients of his in Europe outside of and in the UK?

Or, would William Westmancott also be willing to travel personally to visit his clients anywhere in the world (including the Smithtown area-specifically, the hamlet of St. James in the Smithtown area-of New York in Suffolk County on Long Island in Southeastern New York State outside of New York City) and at what frequency and additional cost to his far away clients if he does do so?


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## Tim Correll (Jul 18, 2005)

*Contrary to what everyone else here is recommending.....*

I recommend five medium weight (10 to 13 ounces) suits bare minimum for November through April to start with five lightweight suits (nine ounces or lighter) bare minimum for May through October three to six months later.

Being that you are only going to wear suits to work four days a week, with two sets of five suits for each of the two six month timeframes mentioned above, you can refrain from wearing the same suit in each set of five suits to work in a timeframe of one week once every five to six weeks (which, as I stated before, would be rotating the same suit once every six weeks).

However, to give each suit enough time to hang on the hanger in the closet to rest (which should be done for a minimum of two days; one week is best by far, IMO) to increase the suits longevity.

I also recommend that you buy a Kent brush and a Jiffy steamer so that after you get home from work that you can make time to rub down the suit with the Jiffy steamer, if there are any wrinkles, even if there is as little as one wrinkle the smallest and most minor wrinkle and rub down the suit and make time after you get home from work, to rub down the suit with the Kent brush, regardless of whether or not your suit has any wrinkles in them.


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## etp777 (Nov 27, 2007)

Having one more suit than you expect to wear every week will also allow you to wear suit to less expected things like say a wedding without having to wear any one suit more than once in a week.


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## brioni007 (Dec 3, 2007)

*Suit wear*

I would agree with the once a week rule. Then I would change the rotation day on each suit. If you wore your blue suit on monday then you would wear it again on Tuesday.


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## iammatt (Sep 17, 2005)

To me feeling the heat in summer is the worst. Winter is never a problem as long as you can throw on a few layers. Concentrate on summer stuff.


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## lichMD (Jun 30, 2005)

*Suits*

I live in New York, and built the following wardrobe up with our weather in mind.
I wear a suit 3 days a week and sports coat/blazer twice a week.
I have 3 flannel suits that get only episodic use in our increasingly mild winters, one charcoal, one medium grey with a slight brown pinstripe, one navy pinstripe.
I have 4 summer weight wool suits (9 oz or lighter from Scabal, Piana and Barberis), dark tan, medium blue, light grey windowpane and a dark french blue pinstripe. Two linen suits and 1 seersucker.
I have 12-3 season suits and 9 odd blazers.
I use a Kent brush on each suit after use and jiffy steam after every 2 uses or after one use if wrinkled or used for travel. 
I built this wardrobe up over a period of 3-4 years and add 2 suits or 1 suit and a blazer a year.

To the OP, I find that 3 season suits with the appropriate outer wear keep you plenty warm in the winter, with out making you overly hot once your in the office.
For the warm summers at least 3 suits and 2 odd blazers should be enough.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

iammatt said:


> To me feeling the heat in summer is the worst. Winter is never a problem as long as you can throw on a few layers. Concentrate on summer stuff.


True 'nuff. Also, summer gear seems to get dirty faster, needs more dry cleaning as a result, and will wear out faster for those and the more obvious reasons. If you're building a wardrobe and haven't graduated to the heavy worsteds advocated on the London Lounge, go close to 50% summer suits, and the balance in medium-heavy 3 season wear.


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## lichMD (Jun 30, 2005)

Concordia said:


> True 'nuff. Also, summer gear seems to get dirty faster, needs more dry cleaning as a result, and will wear out faster for those and the more obvious reasons. If you're building a wardrobe and haven't graduated to the heavy worsteds advocated on the London Lounge, go close to 50% summer suits, and the balance in medium-heavy 3 season wear.


I agree with you, though a good steamer will save you from unnecessary trips to the dry cleaners, especially if you give your suits a good brushing.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

I've never had to wear a suit four days a week, but I have been required to wear a coat and tie, be it suit/sport coat/blazer, every day. When I did I always had five outfits. For example, three suits, a blazer, and a sport coat with coordinating pants. I guess if I had to wear a suit everyday I might have had five suits, if possible.

This way I had on a different jacket and pants every day of the week. I then had at least two different shirt/tie combinations for each suit or jacket. That way there would be a minimum of two weeks between my wearing the exact same thing twice. This gave me a different look each day with a minimum of wear on the clothing.

Cruiser


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

*'aquaspider'?*



The_Foxx said:


> ...'aquaspider'...


I never heard of 'aquaspider'. I had to look it up:

https://www.esquire.com/style/obsession-of-the-month/ESQ0407-APR_AQUA

Is this it? If you can wear this for business then you must be in one of the glamour industries.


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## printemps2001us (Dec 20, 2007)

Personally, I don't like to wear the same thing twice in one week, so I'd have minimum 4 suits suitable for year round wear. I'd probably add one or two seasonal suits (maybe one flannel and one poplin).


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## ColeFieldHouse (Aug 26, 2005)

The_Foxx said:


> In hearing about my next job, sounds like I'll be wearing a suit about 4 times per week.
> ...


Just to make sure, you'll be moving to this job location, correct? Five suits per week is easy when you live in the city of your employment and hard when you don't.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

ok-- so, looks like general opinion is that I probably need to think about another 2 suits minimum. given what I already own, any advice as to pattern/ color I might consider? suits of around 9 to 11 oz wool are my favorite by far, but probably need to expand as advised.

besides a tan suit, what else might be good for summer wear (NO linen! I can't go to work lookin like a wrinkled schlump)

here are the maintenance tools I have so far:

Trouser press

Clothes brush (similar to kent, inherited from a great uncle. soft horsehair bristles)

Travel steamer (which I use at home quite a bit, to steam out any wrinkles from the day's wear)


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## iammatt (Sep 17, 2005)

Linen is a love or hate cloth. I think that wrinkly looks good, but others might disagree.

You want to look for weaves that are open as opposed to closed weaves like twill. Gray and blue in lighter shades both are good for summer. Cotton can be good as well, but it wears slightly warm and wrinkles.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

The Foxx, you are used to heat, living in Tucson. What you really want to think about is how humidity is going to affect you. We tend to forget about that here.


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Audi S5 TC said:


> Due to your extensive knowledge about Savile Row tailors, I would go so far as to say expertise, of Savile Row Tailors (and the fact that you live relatively close by to Savile Row in London, England-in Glascow, Scotland in the UK to be exact) that you have been generous enough to share with your fellow AAAC members here on AAAC on many occasions:
> 
> Being that William Westmancott offers to travel to personally visit clients at their home or in their place of business, does he only do this for clients of his in Europe outside of and in the UK?
> 
> Or, would William Westmancott also be willing to travel personally to visit his clients anywhere in the world (including the Smithtown area-specifically, the hamlet of St. James in the Smithtown area-of New York in Suffolk County on Long Island in Southeastern New York State outside of New York City) and at what frequency and additional cost to his far away clients if he does do so?


I split my time between Scotland and London. I am a customer of Huntsman rather than Mr Westmancott. You should contact him via his website to discuss his willingness to travel.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

Orsini said:


> I never heard of 'aquaspider'. I had to look it up:
> 
> https://www.esquire.com/style/obsession-of-the-month/ESQ0407-APR_AQUA
> 
> Is this it? If you can wear this for business then you must be in one of the glamour industries.


I guess that is it, although I haven't noticed the two Isaia suits as feeling any different than my other wool suits. and no, I'm not in any type of glamour industry-- those two suits are a solid tan, and a solid mid grey-- nothing flashy at all.

Huntsman of savile row? nope, out of my price range I'm afraid!! I'd love to own one of their RTW suits though, saw those in their london shop and was impressed with the quality and handsewn buttonholes.

Wayfarer, I agree-- humidity might be a killer where i'm likely headed. I just spoke with a good friend who worked in DC for many years, and he noted that he kept a fresh suit and undershirts at the office, because by the time he had walked to work he'd soaked whatever he'd worn to work that day! That makes me think adding another suit for summer/ warmer spring temps should be nice but not of any super-high quality.

I like the idea of a light grey suit, or maybe (as matt and my friend on the phone suggested) a lighter shade of blue. he mentioned a 'marine blue,' a color i'm not yet familiar with.

So, maybe a lightweight, light grey suit by corneliani or canali (on sale / sierratradingpost, etc.) with flat front trousers to combat the heat and humidity and some time of lightweight blue suit, in a shade lighter than navy?


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## iammatt (Sep 17, 2005)

Something like this is a good place to start:



It is just a shade lighter than navy.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

thanks! I might look into that marine blue for a lightweight suit for warmer weather. I'll keep looking for a light grey suit as well.

all advice very helpful, and appreciated!


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

The_Foxx said:


> Wayfarer, I agree-- humidity might be a killer where i'm likely headed. I just spoke with a good friend who worked in DC for many years, and he noted that he kept a fresh suit and undershirts at the office, because by the time he had walked to work he'd soaked whatever he'd worn to work that day!


Is he from a cold weather part of the country or something? From vacation time in AZ I'd say I'd take a DC summer over an AZ summer any day of the week (I'm from DC). If you are going to be in DC, that's south enough to bring your seersucker.


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## alaric (May 23, 2005)

marlinspike said:


> Is he from a cold weather part of the country or something? From vacation time in AZ I'd say I'd take a DC summer over an AZ summer any day of the week (I'm from DC). If you are going to be in DC, that's south enough to bring your seersucker.


"But it's a dry heat..." Tucson Chamber of Commerce.:icon_smile:

alaric


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

*I Thought It Was The Pattern!*



The_Foxx said:


> ...I'm not in any type of glamour industry-- those two suits are a solid tan, and a solid mid grey-- nothing flashy at all...


On closer examination of the photo in the article on Esquire website I can see that the suit has beads of water standing on it -- I had thought that was the pattern! My mistake!


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## maxnharry (Dec 3, 2004)

I had Chan make a suit out of H&S crispaire fabric. It wears well in the DC summer. Suggest you look at something like that.


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## cgc (Jan 27, 2007)

The_Foxx said:


> So, maybe a lightweight, light grey suit by corneliani or canali (on sale / sierratradingpost, etc.) with flat front trousers to combat the heat and humidity and some time of lightweight blue suit, in a shade lighter than navy?


Who makes a really lightweight and breathable RTW suit? A lot of makers have paper thin worsted (BrooksCool for example) which are still pretty stuffy in the humidity. I found some very light and open weave wool/mohair Polo trousers this past summer, but I don't recall seeing a suit in the same fabrics. I recommend fabric like that for those that don't like the wrinkles and creases of linen, but still want a very cool garment.

Do any RTW use 'fresco' fabric?


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

marlinspike said:


> Is he from a cold weather part of the country or something? From vacation time in AZ I'd say I'd take a DC summer over an AZ summer any day of the week (I'm from DC). If you are going to be in DC, that's south enough to bring your seersucker.


Both parties in question currently reside in Tucson. Humidity is really something we forget about until you end up somewhere with both heat and humidity.


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

if its the mid atlantic may i suggest a light top coat? possibly a gabardine?
if its farther north like n.y. how about an overcoat? and rubber overshoes,and a muffler, and a hat?
i dont mean to frighten you.


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## Tim Correll (Jul 18, 2005)

iammatt said:


> Something like this is a good place to start:
> 
> It is just a shade lighter than navy.


Maybe it is just me, but that looks like indigo or a lighter shade of Navy.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

Orsini said:


> On closer examination of the photo in the article on Esquire website I can see that the suit has beads of water standing on it -- I had thought that was the pattern! My mistake!


**laughin** too funny! I guess I would have thought the same thing! I really don't think the aquaspider suits are anything close to water-resistant, from what I've experienced tho.

Brookscool, hmm....sounds interestin. I might check that out as an inexpensive option for the steamer-months. I should research fresco and crispaire cloth possibilities as well, I think. all great suggestions!

a tailor-- I'm actually pretty good on colder weather items, as legacy-items from my time in Chicago I think. wool-cashmere black overcoat, a few pairs of nice gloves, the essential burberry trench, and even a grey Cervo fedora for the snowy or light rainy days. pretty sure I have some rubbers around somewhere, although I'll def want to have a pair on hand when I move out thata way.

My buddy suggested some seersucker, but I'm thinking that might be a little dandified for the "new guy." I might look for an inexpensive seersucker sportcoat for weekends or biz casual days, though.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Wouldn't a blue suit of a lighter shade look like something out of the 70's? Something in a medium blue-grey pick-and-pick like Cary Grant's famous suit in North By Northwest would be a nice colour, but as far as I know, that type of fabric can only be made in a tighter twill weave.


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## cgc (Jan 27, 2007)

The_Foxx said:


> Brookscool, hmm....sounds interestin. I might check that out as an inexpensive option for the steamer-months. I should research fresco and crispaire cloth possibilities as well, I think. all great suggestions!


I would recommend a 1/4 lined coat for the summer. No matter how breathable the fabric is a full lining is not going to let any moisture out or the breeze in. The last BrooksCool suits I looked at were fully lined and super lightweight worsted, which makes for a hot yet very flimsy suit in my opinion.


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## The_Foxx (Dec 21, 2003)

would this be an example of a blue suit, that is a shade or two lighter than navy? or does it just look like navy blue?

https://imageshack.us


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

The_Foxx said:


> would this be an example of a blue suit, that is a shade or two lighter than navy? or does it just look like navy blue?


I wouldn't call this navy at all, but rather a dark grey with a blue tint. It's a very nice colour, actually. Navy is very rich and very dark. A tint or two lighter than navy would have much more blue. One night last week Jay Leno was wearing a suit in what you might call a light navy or darker royal blue. I didn't care for it at first, but it grew on me throughout the show and it really worked well with his complexion and grey hair.


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## Lauriston (Dec 17, 2007)

When I spent most of the year traveling with my previous employer I only had the room for 3 suits in my luggage and felt like that was the minimum amount of suits appropriate for a 2 month stretch of time.


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