The Fit of a Man’s Suit

It goes without saying that a man in a well-fitted suit is one of the finer things that life has to offer. No one can resist the allure of someone coming your way in a well-tailored suit. In order to pull of this charm, though, the wearer has to make sure that his suit is fitted properly and adorned well.

So what exactly is a well-fitted suit? Although there is no one specific suit that looks good on every man, there are some rules that everyone can follow. First, make sure the suit fits well.

• The shoulder pads should sit on the shoulders. If they come past your shoulders, your suit is too large.
• The collar should fit snugly around the neck not slide back.
• The jacket fits smoothly, not wrinkle or strain across the shoulder blades and the waist is well indented to shave off pounds.
• If you feel constricted in your suit, it’s probably too small. You want the suit jacket to be snug yet comfortable enough to slide a flat hand under a closed button at the waist and under the waistband of the trousers.
• The front of the jacket should fit flush against the chest and not stand away from the pecks.
• The one or two flaps at the back of a jacket need to lie flat not curl up.
• The top button of a two-button jacket, or the middle button of a three-button jacket, should fall at or right above your belly button.
• Traditionally, when you rest your hands at your sides, the bottom of your jacket should hit just at or below the curve of your backside. Some updated jackets cuts are shorter and go with a tapered leg.

These tips will help you find a suit that fits you. When you have found one, make sure to dress it up nicely! Remember that your shoes and belt should be the same color (and that color should flatter your suit), you should also always unbutton the bottom button of your jacket, and a quarter-inch to a half-inch of your dress shirt should peek through your jacket sleeves. When you wear that well-fitted suit, try dressing it up with a sleek tie and a pocket square (that does not match the pattern of your tie, and accents your suit) and you’ll be looking sleeker than a fresh cut diamond.

Contact London Image Institute at (404) 255-0009 to learn more about our image consultant training.