How Your Suit Should Fit: Everything You Need to Know

How should a suit fit?

Most people don’t know how to select a suit or tuxedo with a proper fit. It isn’t uncommon to spot a jacket hanging too low during an official function. The immaculate and sophisticated dressing is an unspoken but fundamental rule of every formal event. If you want to make a good first impression and feel comfortable, good sizing is key.

When in doubt, take advantage of our Free Home Try-on so you can do a fitting in the comfort of your home.

This fit guide will take you through all the intricacies of a perfect suit sizing. By the end, you’ll understand why proper suit fit matters, where a suit jacket falls, and what to look for to determine that your attire measurements are up to par.

How Should a Suit Fit?

The Importance of a Properly Fitted Suit

Whether it’s your first time suiting up or not, it’s essential to note that the most vital aspect of your suit is the fit. While most attention is typically showered on ladies, men should also dress the part. A suit fit is the greatest determinant of how you’ll look and feel once you wear it. As a result, the right fit will make you exude a confident demeanor during social interactions.

If you have been invited to a wedding, finding the correct suit for a wedding guest with a great fit is essential. You don’t want to feel constricted during movement. A custom-made suit with a perfect fit doesn’t feel tight around your body. It allows room for a moment while ensuring your shirt and pants stay in place. A great suit fit also makes it easy to accessorize. Just make sure to pair the right colors.

A proper fit gives you a tall, slim profile and a clean-cut look that most people aim for. Meanwhile, a bad suit fit will make you uncomfortable and look awkward. First impressions can make or break your social capital, so you must always put your best foot forward.

The first step is finding a well-fitted suit. Learn how to get fitted with Generation Tux.

The Anatomy of a Suit: Key Components

Familiarizing yourself with the components of a suit is handy when discussing with your tailor. It helps you provide detailed requirements of the design you want.

Did you know? With Generation Tux, you can build your own suit.

You also get to know what to look out for when shopping for nice suits that are ready-made. Understanding the anatomy of a suit can elevate your style to new heights.

Jacket

A suit jacket is the end-all-and-be-all of the suit. It’s the first part of your attire that people notice. You, therefore, need to ensure that it checks all the boxes regarding sizing and all the features mentioned below.

Collar

This is one of the highlights of a well-tailored jacket. The interlining fabric wounds its way across your nape to contour around your neck. The collar should sit just above your collarbone. Even though it seems simple, tailors take meticulous care to stitch collar designs excellently.

Lapels

These fashionable fabric flaps help add character to your jacket. Lapels also make accessorizing more fun and dictate its formality. The notch design is the best option for a daily go-to lapel, as it is highly versatile. The peak lapel is best suited for high-profile events, while the shawl-style accessory is an elegant piece perfect for black-tie functions that are tuxedo preferred. Make sure to choose a lapel that suits your body shape.

Buttons

The design and placement of the buttons can make or break your look. They are the ‘wow factor’ in every suit design and help tie together the look. If you aim for a sleek and modern look, you should settle for single buttons when wearing a single-breasted jacket. Styling it with three closures will help you achieve a more traditional look.

Pants

You can’t ignore the suit pant style when shopping for a suit or tuxedo. Flat-front trousers are an excellent option for a clean-cut, modern look. They are easy to style and mean business. Pleated pants incorporate a visually appealing, ageless fashion that never goes out of style. Remember, tuxedo pants aren’t fitted with belt loops, so a proper width is key.

How Your Suit Jacket Should Fit

An ill-fitting suit jacket is one of the most common reasons you may feel uncomfortable wearing it. It may either be too small or too large. There are a few key areas you should focus on to select an excellent suit jacket fit.

Sleeve Length

A jacket with a perfect fit should have sleeves whose hem falls just above your wrist bone. You should see about half an inch of your shirt’s cuff. Any significant sway from these estimations can make you appear wearing a borrowed coat. No one wants that. Choose a good sleeve length to enjoy a perfect jacket fit.

Jacket Length

Most men wonder how a suit jacket should fit. Your jacket length should match your height and the stretch of your torso. Ideally, the coat’s bottom should fall just below your butt. A longer coat can make you appear shorter than you are, while a shorter one will make you look sloppy.

Collar Fit

Does your collar rest perfectly on your shoulder collar and align seamlessly with your lapel? Then it’s a good fit. If it doesn’t, then the suit jacket is probably too big. The presence of folds under your collar means the coat may be too tight.

Jacket Closure

You should be able to comfortably fasten your suit or tuxedo buttons without appearing too loose or snug. If two of your fingers can get in between your shirt and jacket, it’s likely too big. On the other hand, if your tuxedo coat creases when buttoning up, it means it’s too tight.

The Right Fit for Suit Pants

Several fundamental rules of suit etiquette remain constant even when styles evolve. Sticking to these guidelines ensures you’ll never wear ill-fitting suit pants.

The Trousers Seat Is Not Too Tight or Saggy

It’s common to see a suit pants pulled too tight on someone’s derriere. But one thing is for sure: it doesn’t look cute. They also shouldn’t sag. Your trouser should seat smoothly on your butt.

Avoid Elephant Ear Pockets

Your trouser pocket should lay flat against your hips. If they pop, it means there is an issue with your suit pant fitting. Unfortunately, this problem is challenging for most tailors to fix. Your best option is to go the custom-made route.

Beware of The Dreaded 90’s Bankers Look

A suit pants fit should flow smoothly around your thighs and slightly narrow down as they move towards your ankles. They should have a clean-cut finish, with the hem falling perfectly on the top of your shoe. Your suit pants should have a slight break, and it should only appear at the front.

The Role of the Tailor

Tailors are an excellent alternative to ready-made clothes, ensuring you can find a suit that fits. They can customize an off-the-rack suit or sew and stitch it from scratch.

Clients also take their garments to the tailor for resizing and repairs. Alterations can be made to adjust a bad suit fit to your exact measurements and make a suit bought from a shop or online store fit well.

Common Fit Issues and How to Address Them

Commercially made attire has many challenges in terms of sizing. Most of them are ill-fitting suits and require some adjustments. Thankfully, a good tailor can make alterations. This ensures you enjoy a proper suit fit.

Baggy Trousers

Baggy trousers tend to snag on the back of the shoe. The best way to solve the issue is to take them to a tailor for either hemming or re-hemming. Tailors can also easily take it in if it is too loose.

Wrinkles and Bunching

This typically happens around the collar area when the suit jacket is too tight. It may also wrinkle or bunch if you have high shoulders. The best solution is to tailor it to match your build.

Too Tight

Suit jacket buttons shouldn’t gape. If they do, it means that it’s too tight. An X line at your jacket’s buttoning point also signifies that it’s too small. You must alter it at the shoulders or waist to enjoy a better fit.

The Different Types of Fit Suits

Most men wonder about their options when shopping for attire for official and casual events. There are two main types of fit suits in today’s fashion market.

Slim Fit

This is your best option if you like a snug feel when wearing a suit. It has a close semblance to the Italian and European cut-style attire. A slim-fit suit often comes with a blazer that bears fitted shoulders. This attire provides one of the best fits, perfect for a semi-formal wedding dress code.

Classic Fit

This suit’s cut is more liberal. A classic fit is forgiving and offers more room for flexibility and movement. It’s a fantastic suit look ideal for a man who likes keeping with tradition.

Suit Etiquette: Button Rules and More

Even though most men don’t know, there are rules to follow when buttoning your jacket. Suit etiquette goes a long way in helping you leave a positive impression, especially for official events. Every jacket has a specific method for fastening it, depending on its style.

A suit carrying one button should always stay fastened to maintain balanced proportionality. But you can open the closure when seating to avoid wrinkles. You should never close the lower button of a two-button suit jacket. However, its top button should always stay fastened unless you’re sitting down.

When wearing a three-button suit, the rules slightly change. You should always fasten the middle button when standing, the lowest one should always be open, and the top button can be either secured or left open.

Additional Tips for Achieving the Perfect Fit

When it comes to men’s fashion, very few pieces offer a sophisticated look and provide a touch of class like a timeless suit. Here are some notable aspects you can pay attention to achieve a perfect fit.

• Make sure your jacket suit shoulder aligns perfectly with your own. This is the first thing you should inspect when trying out a suit, as it is hard to tailor. You need a natural shoulder appearance to obtain a great look. Buying the wrong fit can result in a huge inconvenience.
• You should see at least half an inch of your shirt cuff to determine if a suit is good. On the other hand, the shirt collar shouldn’t leave a gap at the nape of your neck as it will mean it’s too big. If the fabric bunches, it means that the suit is too small.
• Always consult a fit guide. This can help you determine if a suit is your ideal size.

Conclusion

Rocking a suit with a proper fit isn’t an impossible task. Simply ensure that your jacket and pants fall on the right part of your body. Fit makes a big part of your suit. You must dress the part in every formal event.

This attire can be pricey, and you may not be able to splurge on a good one. But you can also hire services that specialize in suit rental for weddings. You can get a nice fitting suit or tuxedo from a trusted brand like Generation Tux. A good suit fit will go a long way into making you a crowd magnet. After all, no one wants to be seen with a shabby fellow.