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Every man buys a suit at some stage. Whether it be for weddings, funerals, work or formal occasions. We give you the lowdown of what to look our for and what to avoid.
Before even looking, know what the suit is for. If its for work, best stick with the dark color ones - they hide you're lunch drippings better. For formal occassions such as weddings and funerals have a look at black or dark navy suits. If its for heading to the nearest designer pub, try designer boutiques for your suits. A word about sales assissants - Even though we're think their fantastic creatures who deserve our love and attention, they are employed to sell. Not to tell you there is a better, cheaper suit two doors down. Or that the tailor will actually not be able to fix that seam tear. So take their words as sales words. The best strategy is to bring a friend who will tell you bluntly that the suit is horrendus and makes you look porky. Particularly if you find saying 'no' difficult. The suit is composed of two main pieces -the coat and the pants. There are three main 'cuts' (the fit of the suit). The full cut is more suited to the gentlemen that eat too many dinners. It hangs straight down rather than tapering at the waist. The European cut tapers at the waist for a more fitting look. Slender or athletic types are more suited (get it?!) to this cut. Finally the American cut is a mix of the above - a meeting in the middle.  Its best to take a quick look at a large number of suits before actually trying on any. Some suits will appeal immediately to you, and the more you browse the more you'll find out what you like and what you want to avoid. Suits have different styles such as pin-striped, two button,four button, double-breasted, double-vents or single vents. Take time to decide which features you like. Just like every other item of clothing, styles in suits come and go. For 2008, three piece suits made a brief appearance, along with charcoal pin-striped suits. The main colors for this year are slate grey, navy and black. Note: No white suits!
Some of the key areas to check for when buying suits -  The fit - The suit should not hang off you. The shoulders of the suit should extend no further than you're own shoulders. The sleeves should extend just beyond the wrist when your arms are by your side. Roughly an inch of your shirt should be visible, both at the collar and at the hands. The jacket should follow the contours of your back. Particularly for tall men, this means no loose material 'hanging' off your lower back. The jacket should extend approx. half way down our butt, and no more. If you are picking a suit with vents (slits at the rear of the suit) they should not naturally fold inwards. Larger men are best suited to having one or more vents. Slender men should choose jackets with no vents. Button the jacket and sit - ensure it does not crumple up. Bend over and bring your hands together as if you were hugging someone. The jacket should not feel tight on you're back.
Stitching - Checking the stitching is a good way to tell the quality of the suit. Check for neat, clean and almost invisible stitching, particularly around the lapels of the suit. Shoulder pads - These give men the more ideal 'V' shape. They make us look fit and muscular and thats no bad thing. Check that the suit has them unless you are toned better than Rambo. Waist - Don't go too tight. The pants should be comfortable. Tight pants will make you look fat.  Pleats - These are on the pants. Avoid if you are skinny.
Cuffed - A cuffed pants makes the suit heavier and thus makes the wearer seem shorter. If you are skinny consider cuffed pants. Heavier gentlemen should avoid them. Cuffs can normally be removed or added by a tailor. Length- the pants leg should cover the top of the shoe. Check when you walk that you can see no leg or excess sock! Design - Tall men should generally avoid pinstripes and try to emphaize horizontal lines. Double-breasted suits are more suited to taller guys. They add bulk to the suit and make the wearer more proportioned. Finally when buying the suit try not to forget the shirt and tie. They are part of the suit and old shirts and bad ties can ruin a perfectly good suit. Make sure you have a clean, well pressed shirt that complements the suit. The tie should be in perfect condition. Suit prices can range from 100$ (avoid) all the way up to an average of $1000 for a custom fitted suit. Some men swear by fitted suits and the way they make you feel. But just because you are buying 'off the rack' doesn't mean you should end up with a cheap, ill-fitting suit. Be prepared to spend time looking. All the effort you put in to finding a correct fitting suit will pay off. If you can't find a perfect fitting suit, be prepared to have it altered for you. Alterations at a tailors will cost about $30 and is money well spent. In most cases the shop should alter it for you - free of charge. When you get home after the wedding/party/meeting, avoid the urge to just leave your suit lying around. Hang it properly (on a wooden hanger) and out of the way of everyday dirt and grime. Get it dry cleaned regularly. You will prolong the life of a suit by taking care of it. A good suit can be worn for years (though not everyday!) so take good care of you're investment. |
