Style-Conscious Men Part 1
Just returned from France and Italy, and I was re-inspired by the European fashion. So men, we need to step out of the box and start becoming more fashion conscious.
A large majority of men believe a suit is just a suit. And, for the other small percent of us who know the difference; know that there is more to a suit than meets the eye. A suit can represent a lot about who you are, your personal style, professionalism, and you’re over all confidence.
Now, Europe has some fantastic fashion, and as American men we can definitely implement some of their ideas. We will start with the fit, which is the most important.
Details, Details, Details:
Here are some important tips to think about and apply to your suit you already have, or keep in mind for the next suit you intend on buying in the future.
Your Suit needs to fit you (not your brother), but you. Everyone is shaped differently, and it is important to have your clothes fit your physique. This is especially true when it comes to your suit, since this is an article of clothing that personifies a since of importance and professionalism. One important tip one can take away from European fashion is that they are very conscious about the fit of their clothes. A European suit is truly a more fitted suit. Understandably, most American men are not accustomed to that type of fit, but you can still have a suit fit you, and not just a piece of nice fabric that just hangs off of you.
So, lets start from the top with the jacket and work our way down.
The Jacket: 2 to 3 button preferable, single or double vents, most common is the notch lapel, the peak lapel is more formal.
The shoulders on the suit jacket are truly the most important. There is always padding in the shoulder, but you do not want to have too much padding. The padding needs to be enough to where it holds the shape of the shoulders, and make sure the padding is well stitched and not glued. Also, the seam of the shoulder needs to sit where your shoulder bone ends. It should not end before that for sure, but on the flip side of things you might need to have the shoulder seam extended a little past the shoulder bone to compensate for the extra muscle. The seam of the shoulder is where the rest of the jacket is made from. Ideally, I would suggest getting a custom made suit to insure the fit of the shoulders and the rest of the suit, but if you choose to go with an off-the-rack suit you might want to consider going down a size or two from what they usually suggest. Just try on the two different sizes and notice the difference.
Details: Become aware of how the jacket sits on your shoulders. Whew, and that is just about the shoulders.
The length of the sleeves is always a debatable topic. European gents sometimes have their sleeves more trendy. Meaning, they show more cuff of the shirt. Now, you can implement that on your suit if that is your preference, and that is an easy alteration if you want to try that fit. But, you need to have at least one suit hat has a classic length sleeve for interviews, or more professional situations. A classic length will show about a quarter of an inch of cuff.
The shape of the jacket specifically pertaining to the mid-section is also another defining point. A well made jacket will follow the contour of one’s mid-section. Now, a lot of jackets that are seen; especially in Europe will have the mid-section of the jacket curved inward, which allows the jacket to be more fitted and it will show the shape of the individuals physique. But, remember everyone is shaped differently. Again, getting you proper measurements taken for a suit or alterations done will allow you to see the shape of what your suit should be.
The length of the jacket is very important. Did you know if you get a custom tailor-made suit you could change the front length of your jacket? Well, you can! The front length or full length of the jacket is from the trapezoid area, which is where the neck and the shoulders meet. Then the length extends down to the tip of ones thumb. This is a classic length where the length covers ones buttocks, and rise. However, if you would like a trendier jacket such as some Europeans wear then you can shorten the jacket where it will give the individual a more fitted look. The length will depend on your height, weight, and personal preference. But, I would not take it above the bottom of the buttocks. That would be too short!
Next week, I will go into the bottom half of how a suit should fit.
