One of the biggest problems guys struggle with when it comes to buying a suit, is actually knowing if it fits well or not. Finding the right color or pattern is easy, knowing if you look like James Bond or Budget Bond is the problem.
There is a lot more to fitting a suit than just finding the right size pants or a shirt that fits nicely. We’re here to break down the small intricacies and details that you should pay attention to when you are buying your first, or next suit.
Suit Jacket
The jacket of your suit is the most important aspect of the entire look. It is the first thing people will look at and is the first thing that will grab peoples attention. It has to be perfect, or your entire look will be off.
Length
The length of your jacket will determine how balanced your torso appears compared to your lower body. The jacket should end mid-crotch if you are under 5’9”, and mid to lower crotch if you are taller.
Finding a jacket that is the right length should be the top priority. A tailor can shorten a jacket a bit without messing up the style and proportions too much, but they can’t lengthen it, therefore find a jacket that is the right length or very close to it. Rather too long than too short.
Shoulders
The fit of the shoulder is one of the most common mistakes when fitting a suit. There is a very easy way to tell if the shoulders fit correctly, but it is easy to mess up with the fit and look if you don’t take this easy step.
You want the seams of the shoulders to end at the point where your shoulder starts to curve down. The shoulder shouldn’t be wrinkled, have any material gathered together or have any divots.
Whether you have big, broad shoulders, or more rounded shoulders, the seam should still end at the same place. If your shoulders are more rounded, you can put add some padding to straighten them out.
Sleeves
Fitting the sleeves is a bit easier, but you should be wearing a work shirt while doing it. The sleeve of your jacket should end about a quarter of an inch above your shirt sleeve. You just want a small amount of your shirt cuff showing.
Collar
Making sure the collar of your jacket fits nicely is quite easy. The collar of your jacket should fit gently against your shirt collar, which sits on the back of your neck. No huge gaps between the layers.
Armholes
The armholes of your jacket should obviously be big enough for your arms to fit through, but not so loose that the sleeves hang. The bottom of the armholes should sit an inch under your armpit.
Suits aren’t designed to have a huge range of motion, so if you can’t swing your arms like you would in a t-shirt, it doesn’t mean your suit is too small. You are wearing formal wear, not something you wear to the gym.
Buttons
The buttons are, once again, pretty easy to get right. The top button should sit about an inch above your belly button, and never below it. As long as you keep it above your belly button, within that 1-inch range, you should be fine.
Body
The body of your suit is the overall look of the jacket. First off, when the top button is done up (never the bottom button) it should fit against your mid-section. Not too tight and but too loose either.
Once the button is done up, the jacket shouldn’t pull and crease outwards from the button, this is a sign of the jacket being too tight. It also shouldn’t hang and be too baggy ‘ it is meant to be a fitted jacket, not a baggy winter coat.
If you find a jacket you like but it’s a bit too big, that isn’t a huge problem. A tailor can fix most of the problems you may have. Rather buy a jacket that is too big than too small, you will give a tailor more material to work with and you will get the jacket you want.
Suit Pants
The pants of your suit are sometimes overlooked. Not that guys forget to put them on, they forget that how they fit is incredibly important. Maybe not as important as your jacket, but they can, and will, make or break your entire suit.
Waist and Seat
The waist of your pants should sit comfortably just above your hips, with no need to wear a belt. They should be tight enough to not wear a belt, but not so tight they become uncomfortable.
The “seat” of the pants, or the butt area, should be snug, but not so snug that it feels like your pants will rip, but there also must not be a bunch of loose material. Unlike wearing jeans, suit pants must not sag, ever.
Tightening the seat of the pants can be done by a tailor. It will be quite expensive, It would be easier to find pants that fit right off the rack and not ones that need adjusting.
Legs
To ensure your pants have the right size legs, you should be able to grab about an inch of material on either side of your thigh. If you can grab more than that, you can have a tailor taper the pants so that they narrow towards the bottom.
Cuff & Hem
Every time you buy a new pair of pants, the first thing you should do is get a tailor to hem them to create a break. The pants should have a slight break, which will create a more fitted and sleek look.
If you are unsure of what a break is, this article will help you understand a break and the anatomy of a well-fitted pair of pants.
You can also spice your look up a bit by adding some bright patterned or colorful socks, They are a great way to add some flair to your suit.
Fitting a suit can seem like a daunting task at first, especially when you start seeing all the aspects that go into a perfectly fitted suit. All you have to do is follow our simple pieces of advice, and you will become a suit connoisseur in no time.
