Dressing professionally goes hand in hand with wearing a well-fitting suit. But it is also important that you feel comfortable in the suit. At Suitableshop, your personal preferences are leading in the advice we give you. We are happy to give you tips on how to buy a costume that fits your needs and body type. Read on!
Our advice: let a specialist advise you when you are looking for a well-fitting suit. If you bought your suit in a big hurry at a department store, it often shows. A suit that is too big or too small or made of inferior quality just doesn’t look right. In this case, cheap is often expensive. Spend a little more time (money is not always necessary) and benefit from a suit that will last you a long time. When fitting a suit, you should pay attention to the following points:
1. Which suit cut fits your body best:
Do you have an average build, or are you athletic built? Suitable offers modern fitted suits, slim fit models and super slim fit models or skinny fit.
The term drop in a suit indicates the ratio of the pants to the jacket. The most common drops are 6, 7 and 8. Basically, the higher the number the slimmer the pants, in relation to the jacket. The number indicates how many inches the waistband of the pants is narrower than the chest size of the jacket.
- Drop 4: Occurring in the suits with a wider fit;
- Drop 6: The most common drop and standard in a regular fit;.
- Drop 7, 7.5, and 8: These drops are used in slim-fit suits..
It is important to note, that a “drop” is not a standardized size specification. No matter the brand, each suit model has its own size specifications. Therefore, it is possible that a slim-fit suit is already very slim in appearance and therefore needs an even slimmer pair of pants. For specific advice you can always contact one of our advisors in the chat or via email.
2. How should a suit fit?
There is a lot involved in a well-fitting suit. But how should a suit fit? We will explain below what you need to pay attention to. Pay attention to the shoulders, if they are too wide or too tight, it will look cheap. Other important points are the back, waist and the length of the pants.
3. How should the shoulders fit
The golden rule: the suit’s shoulders should not be wider than your shoulders. A suit is built up from the shoulders, so never just let them be adjusted. If the shoulder does not fit, try another size or fit, we are happy to assist you.
About the back of the suit
You may not see it yourself, but a well-fitting back is hugely important for the look of your suit. Basically, the back should run smooth, with a little slack at the bottom of the arm to leave some room for movement. If there is too much fabric left at the top, you can ask a tailor to have it removed. If, on the contrary, there is too much room at the bottom, then the back panel can also be tailored. Although ‘slim’ is the trend, the slits at the back should not be open. Then the fitting is too tight.
Collar of the suit in the neck
The collar should fit neatly in the neck. Make sure that you pull the jacket correctly over the shoulder and briefly put the collar in the neck. If the collar does not fit properly, then it is better to switch to another model.
How should a suit jacket fit around the waist?
The suit jacket should fit well around the abdomen without putting tension on the buttons. Etiquette teaches us that you should wear your suit jacket closed at various times. F.i., when being introduced to someone, when holding a speech and when entering a building or room. Then to make yourself more open in communication, open the button directly. The waist should fit your body neatly, both closed and open. Adjustments can be made easily by darning on the waist seams. By the way, at Suitable, we prefer a double split to promote fit and comfort. The so-called center-split (a split in the middle) often doens’t fit nicely. You’ll see that the split tends to stand open a lot. No split is not an option. Jacket too tight? No worries, almost all the jackets can be widened by 2-4 inches.
Length of sleeves: is it long enough?
How do you know if the sleeve is long enough? The sleeve length of a suit jacket or blazer is measured from an relaxed hanging arm. The sleeve then ends at the beginning of the mouse of the thumb. The shirt should then extend about 0,5 to 1 inch below the sleeve. The length can be adjusted depending on the position of the buttons and amount of fabric on the inside of the sleeve. In addition to the length of the sleeve, pay attention to the width of the sleeve and the inset of the arm. If there is too much tension against the armpit, it will not be comfortable while wearing. If you are blessed with larger upper arms (biceps), you will also need to feel if the sleeve is not too tight.
Pants of your costume
The pants of your costume are generally the ones you wear the most. It is therefore important that they fit perfectly. The waist of the pants should be ideal without the belt, the belt should be seen as an accessory, not a tool to help you fit your pants properly. You can easily see if the pants fit properly by checking whether the buttocks are tightly connected (should not be lubed) and the pockets close tightly. Are your pants too tight? The pants can be adjusted by giving the waistband some room.
Length and width of your pants
You can argue about the length of the pants, but our preference is to wear them halfway up the heel, as this will show off the shoe much better. At Suitable we have a wide collection of men’s shoes which are suitable to wear under a suit. Besides the length, you should take note of the width of the trouser leg. It should remain comfortable to sit in with a slim look.
