If you’re not a tailor or suiting expert, diagnosing a bad fit can be a little like WebMD’ing a stuffy nose: terrifyingly inaccurate.
It takes experience to understand what’s working about a suit and what’s not. If you do have a fit issue, the goal is fixing it without over-correcting, or making your outfit uncomfortable. But even if you rarely suit up, there are a few things you can figure out yourself—if you know where to look.
We’ve got the answers you need to recognize the perfect fit when you see it. (And for anything we don’t cover here, be sure to check out our FAQ page.)
Table of Contents
How much shirt cuff should show?
How is my shirt supposed to fit?
How are my pants supposed to fit?
How is my jacket supposed to fit?
What makes a good suit “good?”
Which suit is best for my height or body type?
How much shirt cuff should show?
The key is balance. Too much cuff looks sloppy, and too little makes your jacket sleeves look long.
Ideally, about ¼” to ½” of your shirt cuff should show below your jacket sleeve, leaving the perfect blank canvas for silk knots or a set of cufflinks to shine. Whether your shirt has standard barrel cuffs or formal french cuffs, you never want to creep into full-cuff territory. And don’t forget to keep your arms down at your sides when you check the fit.
How is my shirt supposed to fit?
We’ve all fallen victim to a baggy, weird dress shirt that ruins an otherwise perfect outfit. Covering a bad shirt with a suit jacket only delays the inevitable, so you need to make sure your shirt fits.
Start with the shirt’s collar. When it’s buttoned up, two fingers should fit comfortably between your neck and the collar. Any tighter, and drinking water becomes difficult (we hear this is a “necessity of life”). Plus, a loose collar looks sloppy and can cause your neckwear to sag.
The body of the dress shirt will be sized proportionately to its neck size, so if you need more room in the body, try a classic fit. If you prefer a tailored shirt body, opt for a slim fit shirt. Either way, avoid too much extra fabric.
Finally, check the sleeve length. Your shirt sleeve should end right where you hand meets your arm, a.k.a. the wrist. Knuckles are never invited to the shirt party.
As you can tell, there’s actually a lot that goes into choosing a shirt. Learn what to look for in our guide to tuxedo shirts.
How are my pants supposed to fit?
We trust that you know how your pant waist should fit—if it’s a little loose, try a belt or suspenders (or use the waist adjusters on tuxedo pants). If it’s too tight, you’ll need to try a larger size.
But the other aspects of the pant aren’t so cut and dried—particularly the pant length. If your pants are too short, you’ll see too much sock (“highwater”). If they’re too long, the leg fabric will pile up on top of your shoes—not a great look. For a modern look, the pants should only touch the tops of your shoes.
Finally, try out some dance moves—because if the seat and thighs of the pants are too tight, you can’t drop it low. This guy knows what we’re talking about.
How is my jacket supposed to fit?
Personal preference plays into the fit of your jacket, so it might be easier to understand what makes for a bad fit.
If the lapel billows out awkwardly or won’t lie flat against your chest with the jacket button fastened, your jacket is too tight and you’ll probably need a larger size. If the shoulders of the jacket hang out past your actual shoulders, or you can’t make out the shape of your chest or waist, your jacket is too big—try a smaller size.
If the jacket sleeves hang down near your knuckles, or the body of the jacket hangs down past your bottom, it’s too long. You’ll need a shorter jacket length, or at the least, a minor sleeve adjustment. The jacket body should end mid-rear, and sleeves should end at your upper wrist bone—any shorter, and your jacket starts to look like children’s clothing. If it is too short, try a longer length or get the sleeves let out enough to hit your wrist bone.
Whether it’s getting your jacket sleeve let out or having your pant length adjusted, learn how to get the results you need from a tailor here.
What makes a good suit “good?”
Creating a “good” rental suit is a big reason The Black Tux was created. Part of the problem with most rental suits—and a lot of fast fashion—is that they’re made of synthetic blends and polyester. These suits can look good on the rack, but show their quality at the worst possible time: while you’re wearing them.
Poly-blend suits don’t breath or insulate in the way natural fabrics do, locking in heat when you’re already hot and letting body heat escape when it’s cold. To make matters worse, a polyester jacket is typically made as inexpensively as possible, which means the layers you don’t see are fused or glued together. This translates to a boxy, stiff fit.
Our suits are made of 100% merino wool, a natural fabric that keeps you comfortable in any weather. Our jackets feature a full canvas layer that conforms to the shape of your body as you wear it, and the merino wool we use gives our suits and tuxedos a good, natural stretch. That means a more comfortable, better fit.
Which suit is best for my height or body type?
Everybody—and every body—is unique, so it makes sense that you’d want to consider your body type when choosing a suit or tuxedo. If you’re an “average” height and weight, you can pretty much wear anything, but what about those folks on the fringes?
Generally speaking, peak lapels elongate your frame—great for shorter or heavier-set people. If you’re tall, two-button suits can help balance out your (likely) longer legs. If you’re a slim gentleman, consider a narrow lapel style.
But when it comes down to it, getting the right fit is always more important than choosing one particular style. If you haven’t heard, getting the fit right is kind of a big deal to us.
Now that you’ve got your fit dialed in, read up on how everything should look: Your Style Questions, Answered.