How often does a ready-to-wear purchase turn out to need a trip to the tailor? This happens because the shape and proportions of the body do not match the standard patterns in the shops. Add to that the “thirst” of sales assistants to sell sizes that do the customer no favours, in a bid to clear old stock. For an inexperienced man, this makes things enormously harder. Not everything a man can get into actually fits him, even if he has a sporty build. The hundreds of clients we have dressed so far can confirm it. How should a garment sit to flatter its wearer? This article answers that question.

1. The jacket: which signs show it fits?

A jacket that covers the seat stands a good chance of being the right size. Shorter, and it “cuts” into the torso; longer, and it “eats” into the legs. The jacket collar should sit flush against the shirt collar. A gap between them means the jacket is too big. At the waist, the mirror should show that hourglass effect. If it does not, the jacket is too loose and needs taking in a little. Conversely, if it is too tight, the creases at the waist form an X, which is never wanted. Either way, the look is compromised. Finally, the shoulders of the jacket should end at the natural line of the wearer’s shoulder, to avoid the “naval epaulettes” effect.

2. The shirt: how can collar and sleeves be checked for proportion?

The collar of a shirt should not cling to the neck. One finger should slip between neck and collar and move freely. That is the right measure. The shirt collar should rise above the jacket collar (for symmetry with the shirt cuffs). Jacket sleeve length is an old problem: sleeves are always too long. In a natural standing position, the shirt cuffs should not show more than 2 centimetres beyond the jacket sleeve. The cufflinks should allow the arm to move freely. The watch should sit comfortably under the cuff.

3. Trousers: how can one tell the seat is right?

The seat of the trousers should not sag. Trousers should not look loose; they should feel easy. At the fitting, it pays to sit down in them: the hem should rise slightly above the shoe. Once the wearer stands, there should be no more than a slight break where the trousers meet the shoe. “Concertina” trousers (with multiple folds at the hem) are a clear sign they need shortening by a tailor.

4. The tie: how can length and knot be judged?

The tie should reach the trouser waistband, or the belt buckle if a belt is worn. The knot should not choke the wearer, but nor should it let the top button show. There are more than fourteen ways to knot a tie today, but the size of the knot matters. It should fit perfectly into the triangle formed by the collar.

5. The overcoat: why should it be one size up?

An overcoat, topcoat or jacket worn over a suit must be one size larger than the suit. The sleeves should reach exactly to the wrist, no lower. The shoulders and back should “fall” perfectly straight, just like those of the suit jacket.

6. Shoes: how is the right size chosen?

Someone once said that modern man spends two thirds of his life on his feet, so his shoes had better fit. The right size depends on the design of the shoe. A sneaker and a dress shoe will not fit the same way. The biggest mistakes occur among men with orthopaedic conditions. Men with flat feet should always opt for shoes with special insoles that support the arch. Men with a high instep, on the other hand, are better served by lower-cut loafers, or Derbies and Oxfords on a high last. These tips are not to be neglected, or the condition may worsen.

The fit of the jacket, shirt, trousers, tie, overcoat and shoes, then, deserves the care of any gentleman who values his image. The motif becomes clear up close, and the material only reveals itself to the touch. Measure, however, shows from across the room. So it pays to know one’s measurements well before any clothing purchase. And when the shops fail to meet those needs, we have an idea: our contact form, followed by a coffee in our showroom.