Perfection is the enemy of good, and sometimes you can get away with “just” good if not a little less. But other times… the fit is it. Some elements of men’s clothing can be fudged a bit in terms of fit, while others should be spot on (or you risk regretting it later). Here are 10 of the most common elements of fit for men’s clothing, ordered from what you should make every effort to have fit just right, to those areas where you’ve got a little more room for error.
I wear pants no break/slight break, but I just hate it when you sit and the pants go too high up the leg.
1st world problems. ….
You knew what you were getting into lol.
I know the importance of making sure suit jackets/blazers fit correctly in the shoulder, but my tailor does a very good job altering them for me. However, I must say it’s not a big adjustment she makes, often taking off 1/2-1 inch since I’m between a 42 and 44.
Seems a lot of people are in between sizes. Maybe they ought to make odd sizes instead of even.
I don’t quite understand the claim that people are “in between sizes” when there is no standard for sizes. My suits and jackets range from a 36 to a 40, some Rs some Ss, and all fit me well/similarly. Unless of course you only buy from one maker.
Same, but it bothers me more when I’m walking and it feels like I’m showing about four inches of ankle. (Doesn’t help that anything remotely slim-fit gets caught on my calves and rides up as I walk.)
This!!
Not sure I totally agree with the shoulders statement, at least from a shirt standpoint. I’ve never had a shirt that fit poorly in the shoulders unless it was just completely the wrong size. I say the body of the shirt makes the most difference. I’ve worn plenty of shirts that are too small in the neck or sleeves and still pulled them off, but maybe that’s just my body type.
For jackets, however, the advice on shoulders being #1 is right on.
I believe the most difficult part of tailoring or buying a suit is not mentioned. The break or length of the pant relies on the tapering of the pant itself. If you have no break and the pant is not tapered then the pants look like floods when you walk.
That’s why god made colorful socks.
It wasn’t really a serious statement because if sizes are odd numbered, there’d be just as many people who’d be in between sizes.
I’d definitely do some reordering to this list.
Shoes are definitely a #1 – if you mess this up, it could look bad because you’re walking funny, not to mention the damage it can cause to your feet and even your back. It’s also where even off a little can be a problem.
Shoulders should still be up there as a #2, because there really isn’t anything that can be done about them. Shoulder fit on a shirt isn’t nearly as important, since it’s not that noticeable unless your an inch or more off.
Sleeve length is pretty critical to a decent fit. Especially with the contrast between jacket, shirt and skin, you want no skin (above the wrist) and just a little shirt.
A too large/small shirt neck can look really bad, especially if you wear a tie. You might be able to get away with a half inch either way with it buttoned and maybe a full inch larger if you leave it unbuttoned.
I’d move jacket length way down, because you can get away with a lot more variation in length and being close is usually good enough.
Break and jacket/shirt waist are really a preference/fashion thing – I think you can really get away with more variability here.
The three biggest mistakes I see on the web: 1) jackets too short, 2) Jackets and pants too tight and 3) jackets sleeves too short. In real life it’s the opposite. Go figure.
Shoulder fit gets a lot of attention (as it should), but I think a lot of guys skip over the fit of the chest in tailored clothing. Like shoulders, it is pretty much impossible to change. A loose chest will have vertical “drape” lines by the shoulder, and a too-tight chest will bow or buckle. Very important to get this right.
haha indeed.
This. I’m a fan of colorful trouser socks.
Agreed about needing some taper. It looks so silly when straight fit pants are cropped short, like wide hoops around thin ankles.
The leg opening is so important (and too wide for smaller men, at least in many brands).
Duken, If you like to wear pants this way then you should wear some fancy socks that you don’t mind showing off, that’s what I do. Add a dash of color to your suit with some bold patterns or class it up with more refinement. I actually prefer less break because I enjoy crossing my legs and seeing my sweet socks.
I thought about trying for go to hell socks, though for work I try to be conservative and try to match socks with my pants. So maybe they’re used only in weekends, or some casual social event.
My suits are all a bit snug now due to all my gym time :/