Buying Mens Tailored Suits - The Basics
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Buying a suit can be a minefield if you are not sure what you are looking for. In this article I aimed to outline the basic things to keep in mind when buying a tailored suit. A suit is a good investment and it is worth taking time to insure that you get the basics of buying a suit correct.
Fabric
When choosing a suit it is important to choose the correct fabric. The fabrics can be divided into two main types. Those made of wool and those that are made of other suit fabrics. I will start with the wool fabrics. The three major types are Flannel, Tweed and Worsted. Flannel is a corded wool that is hard warring but can be a little hot in the summer. Tweed, is the heaviest of the wool fabrics and it is far to warm and heavy for a modern suit. A tweed is fine for going hunting in but not much use for a life in the city. Worsted wool suit is the mid weight of the wool suit and is perfectly suited to a modern suit cut. It will be hard warring but not to warm and is a good choice for an everyday business suit.
The suits that are not made of wool tended to be constructed out of two other types of material, either linen or variations of polyester Linen suits are fine for the summer and if you don't want to use it much! Linen doesn't travel well, its creases more than you mother laws forehead and is very difficult to keep clean. Polyester is cheap and looks it, yes its hard wearing but it will feel like you are wrapped up in plastic because in effect you are!
Style of Jacket
The basic distinction in bespoke suit jackets is between a single breasted jacket and a double breasted suit jacket. A single breasted jacket has a single row of button on the front, normally two or three sometimes even four. These buttons fasten in a straight line and are at the centre of the suit jacket. A double breasted suit jacket has two sets of buttons, again normally two, three or four and fastens further across the front of the jacket. Single breasted jackets are currently much more in vogue that double breasted suits. Most off the peg suits are single breasted.
The other main issues with your suit jacket, once you have decided on the basic style, is the cut of the shoulders and the length of the sleeves.
The shoulders of your suit are important. A soft shoulder without padding is what you should be looking for. Padded shoulders in a suit look so dated and are not cool. The make you look like a throw back to some terrible 1980's film. Classic soft shoulders in the London Cut never go out of fashion and will make your suit last the test of time.
Your suit sleeves should show about half an inch of shirt cuff when your arms are down by your side, also about half an inch of shirt collar should be visible about your suit collar. The common mistake is too buy a suit that is too long in the sleeve as it tend to feel more natural to have some give in the suit when you cross your arms. Unfortunately you will look like you have borrowed someone else's suit and if you don't get this right and the impact of the suit will be lost.
Trousers
The overall look of your suit can still be ruined if your suit trousers are the wrong length. It is easy to check that you have the correct length for your trousers. Put the trousers on with a pair of formal footwear.com">shoes (not trainers!). When you are standing straight, the trouser legs of your suit should rest on the tops of your shoes and the crease should be about three inches above this point. Suit trousers should only really be kept up with a set of braces as a belt will ruin the flow of the suit. So it is worth checking to see that the trousers have the correct attachments for braces.
Hopefully following these tips will make it easier for you to buy the correct suit that will serve you well for many years to come.
Tony Heywood ©
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