{ Fashion } – The Proper Fit of a Men’s Suit

I think all women can agree that men look their best when they are wearing a suit. There’s something so charming, so sophisticated and so polished about it…it screams confidence. And we all know, confidence (among all things) is what attracts women the most. A confident man stands out from the crowd.

However, there’s absolutely nothing confident (or attractive) about a man who wears a suit that doesn’t fit him properly. That’s just sloppy. And it screams, “I don’t care” even if deep inside you actually do. And is that the impression you want to make when you head into that interview? Or client meeting? Or to your friends and girlfriends/wives? I don’t think so.

So, to help you guys out a little bit, I’ve put together a few tips about suit fitting. Before we start though, I must stress that a good tailor is truly the answer to all of these issues. So please, prior to investing in a good suit (or ANY suit), make sure to invest in a good tailor first. The tailor is who is going to transform your suit into a million bucks.

The picture above gives you some pretty amazing tips, so please use it as a guide!

Tip 1 – First and foremost, we must begin with your measurements. Make sure to correctly measure (or have your tailor measure) your neck, shoulders, sleeves, chest, waist and inseam. With those measurements in mind, you’ll see that finding your proper suit size will be much easier. Regardless, you’ll still need to have your suit tailored. Every body is different, and every suit will need adjustments, even if they are small ones.
Tip 2 – Shoulders. The seam of the jacket shoulders should rest naturally on your shoulders. Meaning that it should not be shorter or longer than your shoulder line. You can test this by leaning against a wall. If the jacket touches the wall first, it is too big.
Tip 3 – Sleeves. Make sure the length of your sleeve is right, otherwise you’ll look like you’re wearing someone else’s jacket. The sleeves of your jacket should NOT cover the cuff of your shirt entirely, if it is, then it’s too long. An inch or half of an inch of your shirt cuff should be showing.
Tip 4 – Trouser Fit. I find that this is one of the most common problems, and also one of the most personal ones. God knows when my husband does his trouser fittings, it can take hours – each to their own. But the main guidelines are the following: Your trousers should be comfortable, so make sure you can fit 2 fingers into the waist while you’re wearing them. Baggy pants look sloppy, and will make you look bigger in areas you do not want, so opt for a straight cut instead (Italian designers are masters at this) for a more polished and modern look. It’s impossible to find a pair of trousers that will fit you perfectly right off the rack. Trousers often are made to be tailored, so make sure the hem of our trousers is made correctly. The hem (cuffed or uncuffed) should reach halfway down your shoes, and should have only one “break,” or in normal language…one fold.
Tip 5 – The Jacket. Boxy is not good. God, no! So have your jacket tailored to be a bit slimmer, more fitted to your body (but not too tight), with a slight curve right around the buttons/waist. The jacket should also be long enough to cover most of your zipper and (cough, cough) your behind.

Hubby putting on his custom- made tuxedo on our wedding day. Tuxedo made by Brioni.

And there you have it! So now that wedding season is coming up, I hope to see the men dressed in suits that fit them properly. Imagine how great they would look!

Until next time!