Choosing the right suit

With Christmas parties just around the corner, many of you will be looking for the perfect suit for the night. To help you pick the right suit for your shape, we spoke to Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler – Founder & Owner of the London based menswear brand, Charles Tyrwhitt.

As Tyrwhitt says “a suit should make a gent look smarter, stand taller and feel more confident,”so while there are plenty of options for good off-the-peg-suits ,getting it right still requires some time and effort. With this in mind Tyrwhitt.has shared his Suits for all Sizes guide:

The Bigger Gent
Many men’s shirts have a roomier fit to accommodate the larger frame, as do some suits for the more strapping sort. However, there is nothing worse than a suit that fits correctly around the middle but extends well past the knuckles in the sleeve (a common gripe for larger chaps). The key thing to remember is that you should steer clear of anything that makes you appear larger than you already are; give three-button jackets a wide berth, choose a one-button jacket instead. This way you can show more tie, thus breaking-up block colour ways which can make you appear larger. Look for a store that offers bespoke tailoring service which will help the mighty man get everything in proportion and achieve a slick, sharp overall look.

Broad Shoulders
When choosing the right suit jacket for broad shoulders, you should remember that the waist area unfortunately suffers all too often. It is a common sight to see a broad gent sporting a suit jacket that accommodates his generous shoulders, but is far too baggy through the middle. Again, using a bespoke tailoring service will work towards avoiding this pitfall. Bear in mind that getting the right shoulder fit in a suit jacket is arguably the hardest thing to achieve in terms of suiting, so it is worth considering alterations for your off-the-peg buy. A skilled tailor will get the shoulder fit just right whilst nipping in the waist of your jacket just enough to produce a harmonious silhouette.

Long Arms
Achieving a smart look when you have longer than average arms shouldn’t be too arduous; a tailor will be able to properly adjust the length of your jacket sleeves in no time at all. As a rule, you should show no more than a ¼ of an inch of shirt outside your jacket sleeves, as anything more than this will make the sleeves appear too short. No shirt sleeve peeping out looks just plain odd, and should be avoided at all costs.

Muscular Builds
A common mistake that the built bloke makes is opting for a skin-tight suit to show off his fine physique. This is not only unnecessary but also perilous as he will only end up with a suit that is far too tight. If you are lucky (or dedicated) enough to be Herculean in build then this should come across in the way you hold yourself; not in the tightness of your smart attire. Perhaps consider buying your suit as two separate pieces- a jacket and trousers independent of each other- as this will allow you to choose a jacket large enough for your chest, arms and back without having to buy trousers which are too big for your slighter bottom half.

Shorter Men
The watch-word for diminutive dandies is “proportion”. Less-than-lofty lads ought to keep everything in proportion: sleeve, trouser and jacket length should all be exact in terms of measurements as this will work towards you looking the part. Furthermore, it is important to know what to avoid when dressing correctly for your height; bypass fashionable short jackets (the preserve of the more statuesque squire) and just say no to shorter trousers (a la Thom Browne) as these simply will not work.
In a nutshell, it is about being honest with yourself; knowing your size and shape, your pluses and negatives and your limitations.