Things To Consider When Buying A Suit

After losing ground to the casual Fridays approach, suits are finally making a comeback.
Men’s suits survived the long hiatus and are now being embraced in the workplace; yet, judging from the questions we are receiving, they are presenting challenges to some men who have simply forgotten the basic “do’s and don’ts” of wearing a suit.
For those wanting to shed the casual look and get back to business wearing a suit, here are a few tips to follow:
* Single-breasted suits are always appropriate, and come in a variety of styles, including the classic two button, as well as the more contemporary three- and four-button styles. The three-button suit is very popular right now, but all are fashionable. On a single-breasted suit, the bottom button should always be left undone. On a three-button single-breasted suit, you may choose to button the top two buttons or the middle button only.
* A suit should lie smoothly and comfortably on your body, and should not pull across the back or the chest. The collar should lie flat against your shirt collar without any gaping between the two.
* Color has made its way even into the most professional, tailored outfits, but should be added with care. The best way to add color is with a tie or a colorful dress shirt, while taking a conservative approach to the suit itself. This way, your suit will travel with you across seasons, and you can make easy updates by keeping up with trends on the less expensive and more rapidly changing fashion items.
* Loosening your shirt collar and tie looks sloppy, not trendy. Edgy new looks are pairing T-shirts and sweaters, which is great if that is the look you want, but if you are going the traditional route, then do it right. This also means wearing a long-sleeve dress shirt.
* There are many ways to tie ties, and the width of the knot you choose should be proportionate to the width of your collar. The necktie should have a small indentation under the knot when tied properly, and the tip of the tie should just cover your belt buckle.

The following is a reprint from about.com and worth a quick read.

Men’s suits: An ill-fitting suit can be seen from miles away and has a damaging effect on your image. So getting the right fit in a suit and having it tailored is rather important, that is if you have any concern about how you might come across in an interview, to a client or to your peers. The first thing to do, if you haven’t already, is get properly measured (which any reputable retailer can do for you). This includes: neck, shoulders, sleeves, chest, waist and inseam. Once you know your size you are free to hit the dressing rooms. And when you do go shopping for men’s suits, keep these things in mind:

Choosing a Fabric Let’s get one thing clear, unless you have a closet full of suits and want something different, worsted wools are your best bet for a suit. These include gabardines or mid-weight corded wools. You will often find suits that say “Super 100” ( most of all our suits are 120 or above) which are very popular these days–all this means is that the yarn has been twisted more often than the usual 60-80 twist wools. Either way they are considered mid-weight. And good fabric will spring back without wrinkling after it’s squeezed. Just remember that worsted wools wear well and are typically good year-round depending on where you live.

Fit of Your Trousers Make sure that the waistline of your trousers is comfortable and that you can stick two fingers into the waist while you’re wearing them. And as far as pleats are concerned, it’s usually a personal preference. However, as a general rule, pleats are better for those with larger tummies and not a good idea for those who are thin. This is because a flat front trousers accentuate your tummy if you have one and pleats help cover it up. And conversely, pleats make a skinny guy look even skinnier, and not in a good way.

The Hem on Your Trouser Nothing says sloppy more than a pile of fabric at your ankle. Your pants should reach your shoes and have a slight break. Cuffed or uncuffed is your choice, but keep in mind that cuffless makes you look taller if you happen to be a little shorter and cuffs looks better on someone with long legs. Cuffs also appeal to a more mature consumer.

The Length of Your Sleeves Make sure your sleeve length is right on, otherwise you will look like you borrowed someone else’s suit. If the sleeve covers your shirt cuff, it is too long. It should just reach the base of your thumb, revealing a half inch to an inch of your shirt cuff—very classy.

The Waist of the Jacket The jacket should fit easily across your stomach. The traditional American cut suit with two buttons, which has been a mainstay for many years, is being replaced by suit jackets which are more fitted and have three and four buttons. However, the classic two-button style remains popular, and some two-button jackets offer a fresh twist with higher button placement similar to the three-button style and is often more flattering. Whether your preferred style is classic or modern, look for fitted waistlines that enhance the shape of your body.

The General Fit of Your Suit: When it is all said and done, you should be able to stretch and bend easily in your suit. Make sure that you that you have free movement of your arms. As a test, bring your arms out straight in front of you, and also try sitting in a chair and pretend you are working. You should always be comfortable.

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Posted by Eric on Feb 5 2009 Filed under FASHION, SELF HELP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry