Wearing the right suit can transform your personality – you look good and feel great as well. However, there are only a handful people who are lucky enough to fit perfectly into readymade suit and jackets. For others a little alteration can help them get the perfect fit. This is especially important of you are planning to buy a suit off-the-rack. So anyone looking forward to buy a suit must get an appointment with the tailor and plan accordingly.
But in order to ensure you get perfectly tailored suits, you must work with the right (read efficient) tailor and communicate with him clearly about your expectations. Make sure you prioritize comfort above everything and choose a suit accordingly. Though a lot of things have changed when it comes to formal suits, there are many people who still haven’t adapted to the modern fit. So it is important that you choose a style that makes you feel comfortable.
In order to get the best fit, here are some important things that you must consider before getting the suit tailored.
The Length
The length of the suit can be altered according to your requirement, but it can be very risky. In case the length is shortened too much, the balance of the garment might be compromised. Moreover, the spacing of the button holes and pockets cannot be altered, so the wrong length might make the entire suit look tacky. You must also remember that the length can only be shortened, so if you are tall enough choose a suit that has the right length. All the other factors can be taken care of.
Make Sure the Shoulders Fit Perfectly
The shoulders of the suit must lie flat on yours and it should end where your shoulder ends. The seam that connects the shoulder and the sleeves must lie on the shoulder bone. If they fit too tightly then the suit is too small; and if they are sagging it is too big for you. In both cases you will see wrinkles or lumps on the sleeves which make you look clumsy. So be very careful.
Shoulders are the toughest areas to adjust once they are stitched, so it is never recommended to buy suits with sagging shoulders. Even the best tailors would hesitate to alter the shoulder area and even if they do, there are chances that the integrity of the suit will be compromised.
Get the Sleeve Length Right
When it comes to the sleeves the “half-inch of linen” is the rule of the thumb. In most cases, you will need to alter the sleeves since for 70 percent people one arm of the suit is quarter inch longer than the other, according to Ryan Grayson, the co-founder of Windsor Custom. Moreover, you must make sure the sleeves flow with the contour of your arms – avoid suits with sleeves that are make your arms look billowy.
Here are some sleeve alteration factors to consider:
- Lengthening/ Shortening the Sleeves: The correct length of the sleeves is one that shows off 1/2″ to 3/4″ of the shirt cuff. However, you can break the rule and get your sleeves lengthened so that they end just where your thumb starts. In case you want to lengthen the sleeves, it can be done only to certain limit. This depends on the amount of fabric available under the cuff or near the shoulder.
- Slimming/ Widening the Sleeves: The sleeves should be slimmed or widened to an extent that allows free movement of the arms.
Unlike the shoulder alteration, altering the sleeve is much easier and it gives your suit a polished look. Things can get a bit difficult if there is a button hole on the sleeves, but never mind. An experienced tailor can handle it with ease.
Get the Collar Right
For the perfect look, you must make sure the collar fits perfectly. This is one thing that won’t be visible to you, but everyone around will be seeing it. The difference between a well-fitted collar and a poorly-fitted one is that the first one rests against the collar of your shirt, which in turn rests against the back of your neck. If there is a gap between the suit collar and that of the shirt, you need to get a better fit.
Whether the collar is tight or loose, both can mar you look, so you need to get the suit altered accordingly. A tailor can generally take care of this, but if the gap is too large things can become a bit difficult. So, until and unless you have a tailor whom you can trust blindly, it is recommended that you buy a suit with the right collar.
Conclusion
Whether you are buying a suit or getting it stitched, it is necessary that you remember all the above points. Getting the right look is very important, especially if you are donning a formal suit. In case, you need alterations to be made, make sure the tailor is proficient enough to do justice to the suit.
Get a fit as close as possible to your natural stance, the other things will be taken care of.
