A common problem we continue to see here at Buffalo Dandy are men wearing suits that are too big for them. While these days there are a variety of fits available for a suit, whether it be classic, slim fit, etc, when buying a suit you should make sure that it actually fits the way it's supposed to. This is where asking for a little help from either a sales clerk or a good tailor is invaluable. As well as outlining a few key areas to focus on, we've also included a handy illustrated guide for reference below.
Shoulders
The most obvious sign of whether a suit fits or not is in the shoulders. Your suit should contour the natural line and shape of your body, especially the shoulders. If the suit is too small, the seam of the shoulder will protrude outward. If it's too big, the seam will create a "lip" effect where the extra fabric hangs off the shoulder. Finding that sweet spot is the first step in finding the suit that fits. When getting measured for a suit, it's sometimes not a bad idea to try a size smaller that your actual size. This will help create a more tailored look without a trip to the tailor; however, you'll want to consider some of the
The most obvious sign of whether a suit fits or not is in the shoulders. Your suit should contour the natural line and shape of your body, especially the shoulders. If the suit is too small, the seam of the shoulder will protrude outward. If it's too big, the seam will create a "lip" effect where the extra fabric hangs off the shoulder. Finding that sweet spot is the first step in finding the suit that fits. When getting measured for a suit, it's sometimes not a bad idea to try a size smaller that your actual size. This will help create a more tailored look without a trip to the tailor; however, you'll want to consider some of the
Closure
Moving further down the suit is the closure button. Obviously if you can't button your suit jacket, it's too small. But also beware the dreaded X lines that can be caused if you can button your jacket. Just because you can actually button your jacket, doesn't mean that it fits correctly. Many of us while wanting to get a more fitted look will choose a jacket that is cut slim on the sides but puckers when you move. This is where a good tailor is most important. Buy a jacket that fits in the shoulders, then have the sides taken in so that it fits closer to your body without being too tight. Naturally, if there is a lot of leftover fabric in the body, the suit is too big. Again, this is where people make the mistake of buying a size too large for them thinking it will be comfortable when really, it just looks ill-fitting.
Moving further down the suit is the closure button. Obviously if you can't button your suit jacket, it's too small. But also beware the dreaded X lines that can be caused if you can button your jacket. Just because you can actually button your jacket, doesn't mean that it fits correctly. Many of us while wanting to get a more fitted look will choose a jacket that is cut slim on the sides but puckers when you move. This is where a good tailor is most important. Buy a jacket that fits in the shoulders, then have the sides taken in so that it fits closer to your body without being too tight. Naturally, if there is a lot of leftover fabric in the body, the suit is too big. Again, this is where people make the mistake of buying a size too large for them thinking it will be comfortable when really, it just looks ill-fitting.
Sleeves
Moving further still down the jacket are the sleeves. The rule of thumb regarding sleeve lengths is you should have 1/2" of shirt cuff showing past your jacket. For this reason, again, a tailor may have to shorten or lengthen your sleeves and this is why most jackets don't have functioning button holes. Once you have the perfect sleeve length, I would recommend having functioning sleeve buttons put in as this is a great subtle touch to a jacket that only a select few will notice. One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing the countless men walking around in "expensive" suits with the sleeves dangling over their hands with no cuff in sight. For me it's just one of those things that wrecks a suit. One other thing worth mentioning about jacket sleeves is making sure they're not too large in the biceps. A tailor can easily slim those up for you so again, it doesn't look like you're drowning in your suit.
Moving further still down the jacket are the sleeves. The rule of thumb regarding sleeve lengths is you should have 1/2" of shirt cuff showing past your jacket. For this reason, again, a tailor may have to shorten or lengthen your sleeves and this is why most jackets don't have functioning button holes. Once you have the perfect sleeve length, I would recommend having functioning sleeve buttons put in as this is a great subtle touch to a jacket that only a select few will notice. One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing the countless men walking around in "expensive" suits with the sleeves dangling over their hands with no cuff in sight. For me it's just one of those things that wrecks a suit. One other thing worth mentioning about jacket sleeves is making sure they're not too large in the biceps. A tailor can easily slim those up for you so again, it doesn't look like you're drowning in your suit.
Trousers
Lastly we come to the trousers which is another common problem area when it comes to making sure a suit fits correctly. Because jackets and trousers are usually sold together by size (a 38 jacket with 32 pants for example) not everyone falls into these sizing guidelines and often times you can end up with pants looking too big just to fit your jacket or vice versa. This where a good tailor (notice the trend here) is essential and you can have the pants slimmed down or the sides of your jacket taken in if you need a larger coat to fit the pants. Thankfully retailers like J.Crew and H&M allow you buy suit separates so you can combine sizes to find the perfect one for you if you're looking to avoid a trip to the tailor. Another area I would say 80% of the time still gets over-looked is the break of the trousers. There should be a slight break at the bottom of your pants. No break if you're going for a high-rise look which is fine during the summer to show off some ankle, but should only be used with a tapered ankle. What you don't want and should be avoided at all cost is a large amount of bunching at the bottom of the leg. This is one of those things that will ruin the look of a suit every time and is easily fixed. Decided whether to go with a cuff at the bottom or not, just make sure you've nailed the length.
Lastly we come to the trousers which is another common problem area when it comes to making sure a suit fits correctly. Because jackets and trousers are usually sold together by size (a 38 jacket with 32 pants for example) not everyone falls into these sizing guidelines and often times you can end up with pants looking too big just to fit your jacket or vice versa. This where a good tailor (notice the trend here) is essential and you can have the pants slimmed down or the sides of your jacket taken in if you need a larger coat to fit the pants. Thankfully retailers like J.Crew and H&M allow you buy suit separates so you can combine sizes to find the perfect one for you if you're looking to avoid a trip to the tailor. Another area I would say 80% of the time still gets over-looked is the break of the trousers. There should be a slight break at the bottom of your pants. No break if you're going for a high-rise look which is fine during the summer to show off some ankle, but should only be used with a tapered ankle. What you don't want and should be avoided at all cost is a large amount of bunching at the bottom of the leg. This is one of those things that will ruin the look of a suit every time and is easily fixed. Decided whether to go with a cuff at the bottom or not, just make sure you've nailed the length.
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