- The shoulder is key. It can vary quite a bit between Italian, British and American suit construction. Make sure that whichever style of shoulder you choose hugs your shoulder with the seam, not ending, falling short or overreaching your own shoulder.
- Whether you prefer a roomier jacket or a slimmer cut, you should not be able to fit more than a fist between your body and the jacket when buttoned.
- With jacket lengths getting shorter, personal taste comes into play. However, the standard jacket is the right length when you can grasp the bottom of the jacket with straight arms, its hem sitting between your palm and the start of the fingers.
- A great suit rests in the details and these are not always the ones we see. Working button holes on the cuffs are also a mark of quality. Keeping the one closest to your wrist unbuttoned will underscore this.
- Buttoning becomes less clear in the world of four- and five-button jackets. Traditionally, however, a two-button jacket should be buttoned only at the top button, a three-button in the middle and a double-breasted jacket should be fully buttoned.
- Jacket and shirtsleeves should be adjusted so that a quarter of an inch of shirt cuff shows at the wrist.
- For a wider-leg flat-front trouser, the proper hem is straight. It should not be a cuff. The bottom of the pants should stop one inch above the sole of your shoe, creating a small break at the ankle.
- Proceed with caution if you want to experiment with the new cropped style trouser that exposes an inch of ankle. The cropped hem works with most narrow-cut pants, especially if they’re a flat-front style. A cuff is optional. Should you choose a cuff, it will look better if it is much wider than the standard 1&1/4 inches, but it shouldn’t be more than 2&1/4 inches. Invest in some great socks for this look, they will definitely be on show.
- When selecting a dress shirt, consider proportion. If you are wearing a slimmer suit, look for a shirt that fits closer to the body to prevent a bagging effect under your suit.
- From spread to micro, there are more than a few shirt-collar choices available now. Remember to maintain proportions with your choice of tie knot. A full Windsor knot will fill the wider space created by a spread collar, while a four-in-hand knot is consistent with a smaller collar.
By Holt Renfrew's Fashion Office
