For
some four hundred years, suits of matching coat, trousers, and waistcoat have
been in and out of fashion.
From a tight knot of streets between Piccadilly and Regent Street, London
called Savile Row, the suit has conquered the planet. You see it everywhere in every possible variations in the
choice of the style, the garments and the details.
Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man ? From
the sharpness of James Bond's 007 to the
forcefulness of a politician addressing a rally , the suit has come to be
recognized as a symbol of power, influence and respect. There is saying that a well tailored suit is
of women what lingerie is to men.
For the savvy sartorial gentleman
however, fit, flexibility and fluidity are non-negotiable. Though they look restrictive and uncomfortable
especially with the shirts and neckties, men's suits were created for comfort
and are made to emphasize a man's best features. Most men wear their suits far
too big and some far too small. It takes a professional tailor and a keen eye
to make a sharp looking piece.
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OSWALD BOATENG
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How to tell if a suit fits
Contrary to popular belief, the weird arm stretching exercise
that guys do to test for comfort is not an indicator of proper fit. Although comfort is key, men’s suits weren’t meant
for jumping jacks. The right fit can come at any price point; but every suit,
no matter how much it costs or perfect it initially appears, should require at
least a little tailoring.
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OSWALD BOATENG AND CLIENT PUFF DADDY
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Shoulders: when
you try a jacket on, you are really checking to see if it fits in the
shoulders. The seam should rest naturally on the shoulder. lean against a wall:
if your jacket touches first. It is too big.
Armholes: If your
armholes are too low, your whole suit will move when you stick your arm out.
Opt for the modern, less boxy high armhole cut.
lapels: be
conscious of the ties you'll be wearing with your suit, lapels should
correspond with tie width.
Buttons: If your
buttons look like their pulling, the jacket is too small. If you pull the
bottom of the V straight out, it shouldn't come out more than about 2 inches.
If it does, it's too big.
darts: To avoid a
boxy silhouette, your suit should dart in at the waist. Even on a pre-darted
suit, you should have your jacket tailored to fit your body. The thinnest point
should be around the jacket's main button(top on a 2 button, middle on a 3
button)
Sleeve length: The
back of the sleeve should just meet the bump on the pinky side of your hand,
and should allow 1/2" of shirt cuff to show.
Jacket Length: With your
arms at your side, curl your fingers up. Your jacket should be resting in your
hand. A suit jacket should cover most of your pants zipper and all of your
butt.
Pant length: Suit
pants will rarely fit off the rack. They're cut long, intended to be tailored.
Opt for a modern, straighter cut that will create a sleek silhouette, instead
of a frumpy, baggy one.
Break: Where the
pants fold when they meet your shoe is called the "break", The pants
should have one break at the bottom, and the leg should stop halfway down your
shoe. This is known as "medium break". While a personal preference,
short is high fashion, and is hard to pull off, and too much break can look
baggy.
Pleats: Flat
front shown here, but if you opt for pleats, you must wear your pants on your
waist, not on your hips, otherwise they will bulge.
Shoes: The one
thing everyman should own is the black lace ups. Real dress shoes have leather
soles. Choose a substantial sole to anchor your weight. Your dress shoes should
be as contoured as your suits. Say no to square toes. Black lace ups are the
most dependable and versatile shoes you can own.
Picking the Right
Suit for your Body:
Getting the right suit fit can make you look sleek and sophisticated
instantly. They can be made to enhance the broadness of the shoulders, elongate
the body and smooth away the bulges many portly gentlemen may be hiding in
their bellies.
The Bulky man:
- ·
Wear
lightweight fabrics
- ·
use dark
colors: black and navy are always complimentary and classy
- ·
make it
solids or vertical stripes
- ·
take two
on the jacket: The two button jacket ia now the norm and designed to work for
all body types and wont draw attention to your bulky frame
- ·
Avoid
double vented jackets as you dont want unnecessary attention on your backside.
The Tall, Skinny man:
- ·
Add
weight with heavier fabrics
- ·
Stay with
lighter colors such as greys and avoid vertical stipes
- ·
Own a
three button jacket
- ·
Buy pants
with a regular rise in the crotch area
The Short man:
- ·
Avoid loud patterns
- ·
Rely on
vertical stripes as they elongate the body and are the next best thing to a
shoe with a higher sole.
- ·
make it
one button or two
- ·
Go for
double vents
- ·
buy pants
with low rise
Trends in men’s suits include sharp lines, close tailoring
and shorter hems. Yes, the fitted suit offers guys an updated, sophisticated
take on a look that’s traditionally left unaltered. And now that the fitted
suit has emerged on the scene, guys willing to take a risk should embrace these
trends and demonstrate their fashion-savvy skills.
Now that you know how a suit should look on your body and
what type to buy, check back next week for the Nigerian menswear designers who
offer bespoke and ready to wear suits.
For more style information and tios follow me on
twitter:@IAmAsake and Instagram:ASAKE
credits
www.askmen.com
www.agoodman.com.au
www.economist.com
Antongiavanni Nicholas: "The Suit" Harper Collins
Publishers.
Photos from Tumblr and Pinterest.
