how come business suits/shirts are roomy/loose fitting?

[atoms]

Ignorance, and it's various incarnations.

 

[Kiwi Man]



Most guys tend to wear more roomy suits IN GENERAL, not just in business environments. Why? My guess is that it's because they don't know much about how a suit should fit, and they buy their suits off of the rack. OTR suits are made to fit as many people as possible. People are getting fatter and fatter, so the suits are cut bigger to match that (even the more expensive brands) When you don't know how a suit should fit and you buy otr, you get the guys that you see in your office.

It is sad, but it is true.

Roomy shirts and suits are (in my opinion) caused by 3 things.  1, guys think that wearing a roomy shirt or suit hides their belly or moobs.  2, nobody has ever told them how a suit or shirt should fit so they think that the OTR size is just how things should fit.  3, they may believe that more room = more motion or more comfort.   

I'm a bigger guy but I have learned that having my clothes either tailored or bespoke gives me a much better appearance than sloppy over-sized clothes, and I have also learned that properly tailored clothing can fit closer but allow a greater range of motion than OTR clothes. 

I personally believe that is the reason.