I believe that every guy at some point in their life will need to own at least one suit. Whether it is for a wedding, bar mitzvah, funeral or any other formal occasion a suit should be near the top on every guys list of must haves. This list will highlight the top 5 mistakes to avoid when buying a suit, regardless of how much money you are expecting to spend.

1. Poor Fit

The fit is number one on my list of common mistakes made when buying a suit. This is because the fit of the suit is more than anything else the difference between you looking incredible or a suit looking awful. It is because of this I have broken it down to 3 main areas to concentrate on when trying the suit on for size.

A. Shoulders

The shoulders really should be the first thing you check when initially trying on a suit. This is because the shoulders are one of the trickiest parts of the jacket to alter and is usually more expensive than it is worth to alter at a later date. The shoulder pad seam should rest naturally on your shoulder.

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If the seam is sitting high up along your shoulder bone, rather than at the end of your shoulder then it is too small. This will ultimately result in a ‘ripple effect’ caused by the material of the jacket being stretched.

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If the seam is sitting lower or longer than your shoulder then it is too big. Sagging of the shoulder pad or divots at the top of the sleeve are tell-tell signs.

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MMS&T Tip

When wearing the jacket lean up against a wall. If the shoulder pad touches the wall before your shoulder then it is too big. Your shoulder and the shoulder pad should touch the wall at the same time.

For a modern look opt for jackets with small shoulder pads. The fit will look more natural and avoid that look of an 80’s power suit that was so popular with your dad.

B. Waist

The thinnest part of the waist should hug your body and be in line with the top button of a two-button suit or the middle of a three. If done right, the waist should help encourage that ever sought after v shape silhouette to your body.

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If the waist is too tight it will create the ‘X’ effect. This is caused by pulling or stretching the jacket too much when fastening.

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When the waist is too wide you are likely to see the ‘Box effect’. This is where the jacket falls straight down from the sleeves without following your body shape. Ultimately an unflattering silhouette will be the result

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C. Length

The length of the jacket, sleeves and trousers are also a major factor to consider when trying a suit on for size.

Jacket

The jacket length should end about half way between the top of the collar to the floor. A good way to check that the length is right for you is to rest your arms down by your side. The bottom of the jacket should be in line with your knuckles. All of your gluteus maximus and most of your fly should be covered.

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If the length is too long it will result in your torso looking disproportionate to the length of your legs.

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Although the shorter jacket is popular at the moment, this rule should be followed for a timeless fit that will outlast any temporary fashion trend.

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Sleeves

Often overlooked, the length of the sleeves is also massively important.

The sleeves of your jacket should end where the base of your thumb meets your wrist and allow ½ an inch of shirt cuff to be seen.

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If the sleeve falls any higher, they can look comically short for you.

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If the sleeve length ends lower, they will reduce the amount, if any, of the cuff being seen.

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Trousers

When talking about the trouser length it comes down to the ‘break’. Essentially the break refers to how much your trousers will fold at the bottom of the leg. Now there are a few options available to consider.

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The safe bet is to always opt for a ‘medium’ or ‘half break’. This where the back of your trouser leg sits halfway down your shoe, creating one fold visible from the front. Unlike ‘fleeting’ trends, this will always be considered as the classic length for any man’s suit trousers to be. .

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The other option is to go for a shorter length, this is referred to ‘no break’. This is another popular trend at the moment, and can be very effective especially if you are opting not to wear socks. With the ‘no break’, the back of the trouser length ends at the top of the shoe and there is no fold visible at the front. Creating a cleaner silhouette and elongating the look of your leg it can be an interesting option. However any higher and can result in it looking like your trouser legs are too short.

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In my opinion, both the medium/half break or no break is fine. Any longer will result in your trousers looking too baggy and any shorter you will look like you are in year 9 but still wearing the same trousers you wore in year 7.

2. It’s Expensive So It Must Be Good

Often when buying a suit there is a common misconception that the more expensive a suit is, the better it is. This is not always the case and therefore, should not be the main factor considered when buying. I have seen many examples of high end, expensive, designer suits which because they were bought with a mentality considering that the label and price was a complete reflection of how good the suit is. Admittedly the more you spend the better the fabrics tend to be. And it is also true that you get what you pay for. I am yet to see a suit even worth considering for under the £100 mark.

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However, as I touched on with my first point, the fit is the number one factor to consider before anything else. With so much competition on the high street, there are many retailers offering the opportunity to buy a well-fitting suit at a competitive price. The material may not be as luxurious or may not last as long as the expensive option but if the price is that much lower then you will have the option of buying and replacing a number of well-fitting suits for the price of one designer suit. With fashion and trends changing from season to season, this can be a better option if you are on a budget yet still want to keep up to date. Don’t fall into the trap of buying something based on its recommended retail price… often the differences between the competitively priced suits and the premium priced suits are not as great as the price would suggest.

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I myself paid a small fortune for a suit a couple of years ago, was it worth it? have a look at my blog ‘The Time I Got A Tailor Made Suit  to find out what I thought.

MMS&T Tip

To check how well the suit is made try out the ‘stitch test’. This is carried out by holding either side of a seam and gently pulling apart. If the garment is well made then there should be no movement or ‘give’. Poor manufacturing can be concluded if the seam separates any more than one mm.

3. Unsuitable Material

When buying a suit you should have an idea of what it is you are wearing your suit for. I’m not going to go into depth about thread count, composition etc, but you should consider for what purpose you are buying the suit for and what material is better suited for it. Often a suit can be purchased which fits and looks great but is either too heavy, leaving the wearer uncomfortable and hot or too light, giving no protection from the cold.

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If it is a summer wedding or a work BBQ for example then lighter materials that breath is what you want. Linen and lightly woven cotton are best. A good tip to remember is that if you cannot see through the fabric when holding it against the light, then it is not well suited for warm summer weather.

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If it is for an event during the winter than thicker materials like wool or cotton is the best option against the probable sub-zero temperatures. Wearing a cream linen suit in December will not help against the cold and in all likelihood, turn embarrassingly transparent when you inevitably get caught in the rain.

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MMS&T TIP

Another factor to consider is the colour. Dark colours will absorb heat and by contrast light colours will reflect.

4. Rushing or Panic Buying

Ever heard of the expression “shop around”? One of the laziest mistakes commonly made is buying from the first shop you see. Admittedly it does take a bit more time but having a decent suit is a great investment which really should warrant a bit more effort. The fashion industry is such a competitive market with various shops battling it out for your attention. This is great for you as a consumer as different brands compete to offer great products for less. Whether it’s online or on the high street I would urge anyone who is looking for a suit to take your time and check out a few different retailers before deciding on your final choice.

MMS&T TIP

Give yourself plenty of time to find the right suit. Leaving it to the last minute will ultimately result in a lot of rushing around and when pressured, settling for a mediocre suit.

5. Forgetting to remove the stitching

When you buy a suit it will usually come with stitching that should always be removed. The outer dress pocket (where you put your pocket square) and the vents at the back of the jacket will often be sewn shut. This stitching is to help the suit keep its shape during transit and when on show in the shop. As soon as you have bought the suit you should use a sharp knife and carefully remove this stitching. Once purchased there is no purpose of this stitching apart from making you look a little stupid if left in.