There’s nothing more frustrating than wasting time and energy searching through stores for the perfect suit—only to walk away with one that feels like a compromise. In this article, I’ll explain the 6 reasons why this keeps happening to you.
Just like you, I’ve been through this. I hoped that trying other stores or taking suits to a tailor for some minor adjustments would fix at least some of the compromises. But if you’re a man who cares about his image, you’ve probably realized that what you see in the mirror when wearing these suits is far from the perfect image you envision—and you keep asking yourself why.
So, here are the 6 reasons:
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Body anthropometry
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The pattern
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The size
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Standardization
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The materials
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The price
Let’s go through them one by one.
1. Body Anthropometry
This is a fascinating topic—and one that rarely gets the attention it deserves. Anthropometry is the study of human body measurements and proportions. No two people are exactly alike (trust me—I have an identical twin…), and certainly not large groups of people who could all wear the same garment. Every person is unique, and every body needs clothing tailored to its individual shape.
More than that, the human body is not symmetrical. One shoulder is usually lower than the other, one bicep may be larger, one arm slightly longer, a leg slightly curved, and so on. The point is: everyone has their own unique body pattern.
2. The Pattern
From a commercial standpoint, it’s impossible for clothing manufacturers to create an infinite number of patterns. Each brand has its own templates to speed up production. That means a size 48 suit from brand X won’t fit the same as a size 48 from brand Y.
Every brand wants a pattern that fits as many people as possible, which is why suits differ from one label to another—and why you struggle to find the perfect one.
3. Size & Standardization
Then comes the next challenge: sizing standards—S to XXXL or 38 to 56+. Why do these exist? Simple: mass production. It’s not cost-effective for a ready-to-wear (RTW) brand to make 200 size 48 suits with different lengths and measurements.
Even if someone falls into a given size on a chart, small variations always exist. Even half a centimeter matters—it’s visible, it’s noticeable, and it affects both your appearance and comfort.
Take the example of uneven shoulders. If one shoulder is lower, the sleeve on that side will look longer—even if both sleeves are actually the same length. This is one of the many ways that standardization can distort fit.
And unfortunately, this standardization shifts the problem from the producer to you, the buyer. I’m not blaming anyone—I’m simply describing real situations I’ve seen. Some clients were told they had a “defect” when trying on standard suits. For example, someone with more muscular arms might be told they are the problem—when in fact, the real issue is the standard garment.
4. Compromise in Exchange for Price
That’s how we end up with a compromise: you accept a less-than-perfect suit, in exchange for a lower price. And to lower the price even more, most suits in Romanian stores are not made from 100% natural materials. Other elements (like lining, buttons, interlining) are also lower in quality.
Let’s be honest: quality always costs—and maybe that’s how it should be. Trying to save money often costs more in the end.
5. The Materials
Most RTW suits are made from blends of wool and plastic (usually polyester)—the kind of suits we all see on the racks in shopping malls. Yes, there are brands that offer 100% natural fabrics, but in Romania, they are few and far between.
Polyester may look like wool, but it definitely doesn’t feel like it. Wearing polyester is like wrapping yourself in plastic—no thermal comfort, poor breathability, and it fades over time.
Wool, on the other hand, is soft, drapes nicely, feels great on the skin, allows it to breathe, returns to shape after resting, doesn’t fade, and lasts significantly longer.
