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A well-made suit that fits impeccably is an instant ego booster. Unfortunately, there are millions of men walking around in bargain-basement looking, ill-fitting suits with a low self-esteem to match.
I consider suits to be the most important clothing in a man’s closet. They’re also often the most poorly chosen. I recently met Guy Voglino, merchandising manager of Brooks Brothers, who shared his vast knowledge on key points men should be aware of when shopping for tailored clothing.
Brooks Brothers has been creating fine tailored suits since 1818. The brand is also a favorite of television star Stephen Colbert, who often dons a Brooks Brothers suit on his Comedy Central show “The Colbert Report”.
The company operates a “Good, Better, Best” program to cater to guys with varied budgets, with suits opening at $595 retail. Don’t let the price tag scare you off. A suit is an investment piece, and much care and consideration should go into a purchase.
It’s okay to have a few less expensive suit separates, but in certain situations, it’s imperative to be on top of your suit game. One well-made suit can get you far and make you feel like “the man”. Not to mention that many women find a man in a good suit incredibly sexy.
The Hallmarks of a Well-Made Suit
• A guy is wearing a good-fitting suit if he feels as if he’s not wearing a jacket at all.
• Jackets should hit the front of the shoulder, and lie comfortably against the chest.
• Working button holes are simply a styling point, yet they call out that you own a well-made suit. And because you must pay extra for them ($150 at Brooks Brothers), they show you appreciate details.
• There’s a lot of talk about Super 100s, Super 150s, etc. when it comes to fabrics. Know that the higher the number, the finer and more delicate the fabric, and the more expensive the suit.
• Every man should own at least a navy suit and a blazer, and work from there in building their tailored clothing wardrobe.
• We recommend our customers clean their suits once a season. If you have to clean them more, you need more suits.
Fit Points
Button stance: The button stance is an important fit point. You measure stance from the top of shoulder to the first button. Once you start playing with button stance, it shifts the balance of the suit.
Shoulder: If the shoulder is wrong, the jacket hikes back when you move, which I see a lot with guys. We sew the shoulders by hand from front to back, with seven interior layers. It allows parts to move independently, and you get comfort with movement.
Collar: The collar should fit snug around the neck. Railroad stitching (on the back of the collar) reinforces the area and helps the collar mold around the neck and retain its shape.
Chest: You don’t want the lapel to lie flat—you want a slight “roll.” That’s what the canvas chest piece inside the jacket is for. Many dry-cleaners mistakenly press lapels flat. Some suit makers skimp on the chest piece, using a combination of synthetic materials. Our chest piece is half canvas and horsehair, which comes from Italy, and is comprised of several layers. Horsehair is very resilient. It creates the shape, and doesn’t collapse onto the wearer. The chest piece is usually measured from the shoulder to the first button. We extend the Brooks Brothers chest piece all the way to the lapel, and this is also where others cheat.
Pants: We have a band roll on the waistband which extends all the way to the tip of the waistband. This roll gives shape to the waist. It’s also important for pants to have generous pockets to prevent holes, and this is where some skimp to save money. You must pay attention to areas where there’s great friction. Our suit trousers have crotch fabric covers. There’s lining down below the knee, and we finish and surge all seams.
Styling Points
• When it comes to three-button suits, follow the “sometimes, always, never” rule: The top button sometimes, the middle button always, the bottom button never. It’s acceptable to wear either the top and middle button, or the middle button only.
• The decision on pleat, double pleat and plain-front pants are to your discretion. We are noticing plain front pants increasing business.
• I’m seeing resurgence in side vents, where as before, it was seen as stodgy. Center vents and no vents are seen as a more modern look.
• We try as much as possible to use natural and organic materials. And we don’t skimp on fabrics. We use silk threads, Bemburg lining (nylon is actually made from the exterior of the cotton plant). Organics tend to blend better with other organics.
• A “sack suit” is a 3-button suit that looks like a two-button.
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