MENS TAILORED CLOTHING 101 part I : for suit virgins

What to look for in a suit.

Let me open this by saying…if you’ve never bought a suit or sport coat seek a professional salesperson that is well trained in sizing, fitting, and measuring; nothing looks more ridiculous than a jacket too big or too tight on someone. Get properly measured and find a garment that fits. Here are the three main measurements that should be taken when figuring out what size you are:

chest measurement.

overarm measurement.

waist measurement.

The Shoulders.

In a suit, the upper part of the jacket starting from the chest up to the collar, is where the majority of the construction and labor is put into. So finding a jacket that FIRST fits your shoulders is key. Depending on the model and size, this will determine how much tailoring you would need to make the garment look good.

Pants.

Now suits are already paired with a corresponding pant size, typically you subtract 6 from the jacket size and you’ll get your waist size i.e. 42R Jacket - 36 waist. Now with most European designers you would subtract 7 or maybe even 8 depending on the fit & model. Now humans are built in all different shapes and sizes and sometimes suits off the rack won’t cut it, then I would suggest finding an amazing Made to Measure program (will get in more detail later) different from being custom-made but you’re still given customizing options. It’s basically the next best thing.

 Alterations. 

In a perfect world, you’d try on a suit and only need the pant to be hemmed, but that usually isn’t the case. This is where having a good tailor that knows your taste and understands the contours of your body, comes into place. All suits are meant to be tailored, so if you’re going to invest in buying a suit, make sure the tailor you’re entrusting with your garment understands what you need and how you want to look. If you don’t have a tailor, word of mouth is the best way of finding one or doing some research online. Trust me, it’ll be worth it. 

Ultimately…

Looking for a suit is a trial and error process. With all the different brands and models out there, nothing fits exactly the same. So have fun with it.

happy suit shopping.

fashion . food . faith

-wulf