‘A well-tailored suit is to women, what lingerie is to men’.
The above quote isn’t far from the truth. However, there is nothing as unflattering as an ill-fitting or shabbily worn suit. Suits are all about elegance and style, and an overlong sleeve or sagging shoulders just don’t convey that.
A suit is perhaps the most complicated piece of clothing that men can wear. And the elegance of the suit is all in the little details. It is of paramount importance that a suit is worn impeccably if it is to have the desired effect. Here are some rules that will make you look slick in a suit.
Suit Wearing Rules
The last button of the suit must always be open.
The last button on any jacket is there just for style. You do not need to button it. Doing so would make you look odd and out of place.
The last button of the waistcoat should open.
It is the same as the jacket. The last button is for purely aesthetic purposes. There is no need to button it.
Unfasten all buttons of the jacket while sitting down.
Doing this could ruin your suit. It might make your buttons pop out. Make sure that you unbutton while sitting down.
Button the shirt at the top.
To look perfect your shirt should be well-tailored and should fit you well. This means that buttoning the top button of the shirt should not choke you. If it does, go for a different shirt.
The shoulders of the suit should be tailored for your shoulders.
This is perhaps the mark of a well-tailored suit. A loose jacket will ruin the look completely. A tight suit doesn’t look good either. Slim fit suits might be a rage these days, but if the jacket is too tight for you, it is seen and doesn’t make a good impression. Therefore. Make sure that the suit hugs your shoulders nicely. Also, another test for your jacket is that your hand should just slip between your jacket and shirt.
Shoes should complement the suit.
It is necessary to choose shoes that match the color of the suit. You can choose brown or tan shoes for brown suits, black shoes for blue or black suits. But never go for brown shoes on black suits or vice-a-versa.
Pay attention to your socks.
Socks are quite important to the elegant look. When you sit down, you should not show skin around your legs. Make sure your socks do that. Also, leave the white socks in your wardrobe while dressing for fancy occasions. You can wear patterned or dark-colored socks at such times.
The tie should be just the right length.
A tie should ideally end just before the belt buckle. You should tie your knots accordingly.
The waistcoat should end at the belt.
A well-fitting waistcoat ends at the belt. It pushes in your stomach for an elegant look.
Suspenders and belts together are redundant.
Suspenders do the job of holding up your pants, same as the belt. Wearing both is redundant, and most importantly, noticeable.
Cuffs should not cover your hands.
It is a mark of a well-tailored suit. A suit that covers your hands is just plain shabby.
Pay great attention to the tie knot.
A too-large tie knot looks odd, while a too-small knot makes it unnoticeable. Therefore go for a full Windsor or a half Windsor knot.
Avoid the gap between the shirt and the jacket collar.
A gap between the two collars means that the suit is ill-fitting. This a noticeable feature and must be avoided at all costs.
The jacket should be long enough to cover the zipper of the pants.
A well-tailored suit is long enough to cover the zipper of the pants.
Wear an undershirt if you get sweaty underarms.
Very important for those who have active sweat glands. Make sure that you wear an undershire, as swety underarms are a huge turn off. Most importantly, make sure that the undershirt is not seen.
Make sure that you follow all these rules. If even one is broken, it is always noticeable, even if people might not be able to pinpoint the problem. If you have followed all the rules, you will surely get the classy elegant look rendered by suits.
