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How much movement in a suit?

Dinky89484

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How much should I expect to be able to move while wearing a suit? While it's obvious to me that I won't be playing sports or anything of that magnitude in my suit, I'm not however as clear as to how much free room and movement I should have in my suit, especially if the suit is supposed to be a perfect fit.
 

Blackhood

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Wll a perfect, bespoke suit, tailored and altered to perfection should give you almost totally unrestricted movement. If you mean ready to wear then you should have about *_____________* this much room to move.
 

Metlin

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It really depends on the suit and style in question. Most suits I own allow for a good amount of movement; but I do have a few of the more Euro-styled slim fitting ones that are more restrictive.

Mostly, it's around how much I can move my arm with my suit buttoned. I fly a lot, and in the past, I've reached for the storage space with my jacket buttoned, only to have the button literally pop out because I tried moving "too much". Some of the more padded jackets tend to be more restrictive in the shoulder area compared to the natural shoulder ones.

And quite honestly, your suits will never be as "free" as some of the more casual options.
 

Dinky89484

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So should I opt for a very tailored fit and sacrifice movement? The reason I ask is, I'm probably more of a 37R. Going down to a 36R works but it'll probably fit almost exact and going up to a 38R won't necessarily look awful but I'd definitely have more movement.
 

Douglas

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In my bespoke suits, I can pitch from a full windup. When I am wearing OTR, I can only throw from the stretch, using a slide step, and I have to change my release point a little.
 

Beatlegeuse

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Originally Posted by Dinky89484
So should I opt for a very tailored fit and sacrifice movement? The reason I ask is, I'm probably more of a 37R. Going down to a 36R works but it'll probably fit almost exact and going up to a 38R won't necessarily look awful but I'd definitely have more movement.

I think it all comes down to your level of comfort and how you feel in the 36R vs the 38R. If you feel uncomfortable in the 36R, you won't feel confident, it will show through in your disposition, and people will notice. Don't worry about trying to squeeze yourself into a smaller suit if it doesn't feel right.
 

George

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You should be able to whizz your arms around propeller style.

Make sure you counter-rotate your arms for stability though
 

bigbucky

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Most RTW will have lower armholes so it's going to be more restrictive

Unless it's bespoke it probably won't look good swinging your arms around but who needs it to?
More important is how it looks when you're standing at the bar
 

Dinky89484

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That is true. I guess a lot of movement does depend on how high the armhole is. I just don't want to stand and look good. Occasionally I will need to move around. Last thing I would want to happen is to go for a hand shake or a hug and be restricted.
 

bigbucky

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I just get wheeled around Hannibal Lecter style.

I think you're overthinking this.
If you feel restricted when you go for a handshake the suit is too small.
But if you give a hug the suit is going to move. That's just the nature of a suit.
It can't fit perfectly throughout all ranges of motion.
 

amplifiedheat

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Armhole size is part of the equation, though it probably gets more press than it deserves. Fullness across the shoulder blades is essential. The rarely-seen action back (a.k.a. bi-swing back) also would be welcome.
 

Dinky89484

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Watched an online video interview with Simon Spurr today (because I was researching about his suits) and he actually commented that there's a little misconception about suits and movement. People thing the suit needs to be bigger or baggier to have more range of motion. He suggest that it's the opposite. If the suit fits you like a glove and is an overall tighter fit, it becomes more "one with the body" and movement becomes easier. Kinda interesting. He designed for YSL, RLBL/RLPL, and CK.
 

NOBD

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I like to play football in my suits.
 

Metlin

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Originally Posted by NOBD
I like to play football in my suits.

Don't you mean soccer, you heathen?
 

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