Suit fit check

[kubatu77]

Would appreciate feedback on a suit I tried on today for a summer wedding I'll be in. It's a J.crew unstructured cotton suit. It feels comfortable and I'm happy with it, but I don't have much experience with suiting, so I wanted to see if this looked okay. Pictures: one, two.

The inseam in the pictures is a little shorter since that's all they had in the store. If I go with this suit, I do plan on getting it tailored more, but there were two main things I wasn't sure about:

1) The jacket doesn't fulfill the cupped hand trick, but I'm not sure if that method is from when boxy, traditional fitting suits were in style. Is the length okay?

2) There's some creasing on the chest when I button the suit. Not sure if that's because of the lighter cotton material which may be more prone to that, or if it indicates the suit being too tight? It doesn't feel that way, but I'm just not sure.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jan Capek]

When assessing a suit, my criteria are (in order of relevance):
1) overall impression + how it wears (what mood, level of professionalism, personal style etc. the complete picture evokes, plus comfort of wear)
2) craftsmanship (construction, fused vs. canvassed, amount of handwork, fabric etc.)

The consensus here will likely be that the suit is a size too big, and I would not argue. (You should have posted a photo wearing this and a size smaller). For this particular one, I'd consider some alterations, esp. in the mid-section area.) At the same time, this is a leisurely spring/summer suit (does it have linen or some artificial component in it?), and as such need not be (indeed should not be) snug. As long as you understand never to wear this to a formal event or a first few (introductory) business meetings, I say why not. What matters is how you wear it.

 

[thomas_finney]

Hey Kubatu! I wouldn't worry about the length, you're in a pretty modern zone with this fit and does not need to be addressed... When it comes to the fit issue in the chest its good to remember that vertical lines and folds mean its too big, horizontal lines and folds mean it's too small. In your case the chest is too big, I would agree with Jan that it's probably a full size. However, the point to point looks decently close and may be too small on the next size down. I would suggest sticking with the size you've got, taking in at the chest and waist a bit and reducing your point to point by 1/4" or so... Hope this helps!

THOMAS FINNEY
www.thomasfinney.com
@thomas_finney

 

[Anachronist]

I agree with Jan Capek. This suit is a tad too big ... you see it especially in the excess material in the shoulder area (which cannot be properly cured with tailoring) and the waist (which would need taking in) and the slightly too long sleeves (which could be shortened). If you add up the alteration costs I'd recommend continuing the search for a better fitting, i.e. a more fitted suit (you are slender and don't need the excess fabric... an enviable state to be in). The light color of the suit is also not necessarily the best choice for a first suit, as they are less flexible (light colors are typically perceived as summer attire and clearly casual only)... I'd probably go with a blue or navy suit to start with.

 

[kubatu77]

Forgot to respond here, but thank you for the feedback everyone. I'll check out the next size down and make a decision from there. I agree that the suit isn't the best choice for a first suit - navy or charcoal gray would probably be best for the first time - but I'm a groomsman, and the groom requested light gray. Thanks again!

 

[AWV]

One cardinal rule for future off-the-rack (OTR) purchases: Thy shoulders MUST fit! Length and width can usually be addressed by a tailor.

It's hard to gauge from your pictures but you might be able to go a size down. The jacket needs considerable work, tapering the torso and perhaps raising the sleeves a half-inch. I'd also taper the pants for a more refined look.