VintageGent’s Menswear Daily

Miscellaneous Fit Tips for Men’s Suits

Here are some miscellaneous fitting tips from here and there.  There are many different preferences out there as far as lapels, colors, and shapes.  Sensibilities also changed from fashion era to fashion era.  These tips will make a suit look like it fits you well, whether you are looking for a suit off the rack, or are looking for something more historical.  Sometimes the difference between looking “dated” and looking like you have great taste and prefer vintage clothing are tips to keep in mind like these.

• When buying a slim fit suit or skinny pants, tailor the hem to have little or no break.  Having a break makes a sleek line appear ill fitting or baggy.  Save the break for pants with a standard or wider leg.
• “Long” sizes are meant for gents who are 6′ 3″ and taller.  There are many men who are 5′10″ to 6′2″ who just assume they are a long, just because they are not a short.  Standard suits are meant to accommodate you, just make sure to order the correct inseam length. That will do it.  If you order a long that you don’t need, the jacket will hang down too long.
• The tip of your tie should not hang lower than your belt.  While the tie has rested everywhere from the stomach to below the belt in various times, having the tie land here will bring you into the modern era.  The exception would be those wide, art deco ties.  They are meant to be worn a bit shorter, but tying them longer would bring the look more up to date.
• Your jacket should reveal 1/4″ of the collar of your dress shirt in the back.  This is so when you sit or shift around, your suit won’t ride up over it.

• Watch the gap.  There should not be a gap in the back between the neck and the shoulders.  This means the jacket is too big. They say you should try on the sizes until you find the one that is a slightly uncomfortable, then try the next size up.  This works if you start larger and gradually go down.  You won’t always have this luxury of unlimited sizes with vintage suits but in modern suits it will work better.