The right suit

The right suit is more than just a question of colour, cut and style mean far more. There is nothing like the guy who looks like a  low down pimp in an oversized pin striped number. I have to say, I've watched my share of stand up comedians in these atrocities, These guys have the money to get a really nice suite tailored but will opt for the sheets or drapes that were cut  and sewn by a visually impaired tailor.  So before you time warp yourself to the 1930s and buy a (ahem) "classic", here are some tips to keep in mind.

Image courtesy of Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Know what you are looking for and if you don't, do your research! Never let the Hulk (sales associate) dressed in a page boy's suit tell you how "good" you look! There is just too much of that going around lately!! If you pay attention, you'll notice he can barely move in that little thing and the veins in his neck are popping because of how tight the shirt collar is. Ridiculous. I digress. Track down a department store with a decent selection of suits or a tailor who carries a variety of styles and sizes.

Get measured so that you know what size you should be looking for. Unless you have time to kill fitting stuff you have no business trying, you'll probably want to streamline the process by knowing your size off hand. If you find your weight changes, it may also be a good idea to get measured periodically so you always have the right fit.

The suit should fit well at the shoulders and chest. The shoulders should not droop or extend beyond your own shoulders, if it does, the suit is too big. The chest should not be difficult to button as this would suggest it is too small nor should it be too loose. There really should be no more than a fist's worth between the suite and your chest. The bottom of the jacket should fit easily into our hands when they are down at your sides. A tailor usually will need to alter the length of the sleeves. Insist that you’d like a quarter inch of shirt cuff to show. Beware of sales men who tell you that the shoulders can be taken in, if it doesn't fit there it is simply is not going to fit.

Number of buttons is really a question of preference, unless you are looking at something that has four or more buttons down the center, then it's an absolute No! The same applies with vents in the rear of the jacket. Stay away from anything that has no vents. Absolutely!

Try on the whole suit Do Not try the jacket without the pants and a shirt and shoes. A good store or tailor should be able to let you try the suit with a shirt and dress shoes even if you didn't go with your own.

The rise of the pants which is the highest point on the pants, should fit well to your comfort and should not be too high or too low. They should fit well with a shirt tucked in. An inch or two can be fixed by a tailor, any more and your ship starts sinking.

Make sure to try on the suit when you go to pick it up. There are usually one or two more tiny tweaks that will need to be done before the suit is finished. Make sure you are prepared with a dress shirt and dress shoes when you go for your final fitting and collection of the suit.

B&T