This post originally appeared on Smile Like You Mean It. Reposted here for your enjoyment.–cg
Buying a good suit is something akin to purchasing a work of art. You can no more tell a man exactly what kind of suit he should get than you can tell him exactly what he should be hanging from his walls. There are too many styles and genres from which to choose, and every man’s preferences will be different.
However with the right training and a keen sense of style, you can tell good art from the stuff hanging in the Holiday Inn. Similarly you can tell the difference between a man wearing a suit and the suit wearing the man.
First and foremost, it’s a matter of choice. Fabric, cut, lapels, vents – these are all decisions that need to be made. Since suggesting what you should buy depends on a number of factors, from body shape to the occasion, it’s difficult to make specific suggestions as to which suit is right for you. Owning your own shape and your own style will go a long way to figuring out what you can pull off.
So in general, I’m going to go ahead and suggest that, especially if this is your first suit, you should be buying a single-breasted, two-button wool suit with notch lapels and a center vent in the jacket. This should serve you well at most occasions and through most seasons. If you’re a slimmer gentleman you can take a look at a European cut; otherwise stick with the classic American. But no matter what you decide to go with, the most important thing to remember is what I would urge you to keep in mind with your entire wardrobe: fit.
Especially if you’re not familiar with your jacket size, try them on in ever decreasing sizes until you find the one that’s obviously too small for you – then get the next one up. Make sure your shoulders are being hugged, and there are no protruding shoulder pads. You shouldn’t be able to fit more than a fist’s worth of space between your jacket and your body, but should be able to button without straining. Your pants should only have a slight break, and should fit comfortably around the waist.
[Side note : the sales guy is not always your friend. He’s looking to make a sale, not make you look good. Know what you are looking for, and then stick to it.]
Then comes the ever important final step: tailoring. If the place you’re buying your suit from doesn’t have an in-house tailor (or you don’t trust theirs for some reason), take your new purchase to someone reputable. Tell him you want a quarter inch of shirt cuff to show on your sleeves, and if necessary have him alter your pants or take in your jacket. Remember: he’s not a miracle worker, so do everything in your power to get it right out of the store. Under no circumstances should a tailor attempt to reduce shoulder pads or alter a waistline any more than one inch either way.
I hope this simple guide will be a good starting off point for you. If you need any more specific advice for your situation, don’t hesitate to send me an email. I’d love to help you find your work of art.
Photo credit: FromTheNorth
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is well written Caleb. I also posted this on C-Mac’s blog but I still don’t know if I feel comfortable enough to walk into a suit store and pick something out with any degree of confidence. I’m concerned it won’t be wool single breasted with notch lapels model like you describe, and that it won’t fit right. I have no idea. But I do agree with you about the importance of a suit that fits right.
(That said, I’m reading Warren Buffett’s biography right now and he was famous up through his 40s of wearing poorly fitting suits that appeared to have come off the bargain rack. So I’m not SUPER concerned that it’s just the clothes that make the man… cause you know, I’m as awesome as Warren Buffett I guess?)
There’s no need for worry. Most suits you find will be your two-button single breasted variety, because that’s what’s in style right now. So as long as you don’t let a sales clerk talk you into something else (which he or she shouldn’t if you tell them that’s what you want) you’ll be fine.