I walk in my favorite suit shop with a client, we schedule a salesperson and go grab a coffee. Minutes later, our designated helper approached and asks us: “What are you looking for?”. The answer is a little obvious, since we come to this specific type of shop. But the real question is: do you know how to buy a suit? This article aims to tackle factors a customer needs to take into account while choosing their new best friend, such as cut, fabric, fitting, size and why not a little bit of styling inspiration? Follow The Curator and learn everything before your next suit shopping!

First things first: The three Fs

The Fit

If you have a smart wardrobe, or if you want to be a smart and sustainable buyer, every item you include in your collection has to fit right, feel right, look right, and serve the right purposes. This way you benefit the max from everything you have. So, it is logical to start by the FIT when buying clothes, and suit shopping is not different. When we talk about fit, it is not just about the number (or letter) that suits you.

By definition, a suit is a combination of a jacket and a pair of pants/trousers made of the exact same fabric. They are usually sold together, at the same size (for instance: you can not have a jacket sized 50 and pants sized 52, by default). So, you will want to pay attention to the following aspects of fit for both the suit and the matching pants:

Jacket: Shoulder Fit

The shoulders present one of the most visible elements of a suit jacket, after all, they are just bellow eye level and are the broadest part of most men's upper body. If your jacket doesn’t fit your shouldes, it gets very obvious for everybody. To have a jacket that fits you perfectly, you need to avoid wrinkles, that receive a different name here.

When it comes to the fit in a suit jacket's shoulders, you're really looking at two different things: **rumplings** and **divots**. They are both caused by too much fabric that create bumps and curves. The rumplings happen in the part of the shoulder between the top of the arm and the base of the neck whilst divots hapen at the top of the arm.

The perfect fit jacket should go in line perfectly with your shoulders, not one inch less or more. The bumps on the shoulder area should be avoided, because that indicates the jacke doesn't fit your shoulders or that it is damaged.

Jacket: Collar Fit

Aside from the ones that strangle you, you should also avoid collars with a gap: when they sit far off your neck.

Jacket: Torso Fit

The trick to knowing whether the jacket is too tight or loose is to button up and check:
If you can fit a full fist inside the buttons, it is too loose (first image).
If a shape similar to an X is formed on the center, it is too tight (second image).

Jacket: Overall Lenght

The perfect lenght for your jacket is measured when you stand straight and keep your arms to your sides: it needs to reach to about the knuckle of your thumb. Aside from that, the jacked ideally covers the bottom curvature of your buttocks. Tall men should avoid a super long jacket that goes beyond the buttocks to not look shorter.

Your sleeves should reach your wristbones. This is a forviging detail, though, and you can add or remove a centimeter if your jacket is off-the-rack, which is not possible for jackets with working buttons or a bespoke suit with functioning surgeon cuffs.

The sleeve pitch is the angle that the sleeves are attached based your neutral posture andarm position. To find out, you must stand perpendicular to a full-sized mirror, check where your arms naturally rest and figure out the right sleeve pitch.

Pants’ Fit: Waist and Seat

Measuring the waistline and the buttocks accurately is the secret to start finding your perfect pair of pants. Most of them can be adjusted by centimeters, in or out, but don’t push it further. A larger waist can cause excess fabric around the seating area, and if they are too tight… well, you know what happens next time you jump on your bike (valid mostly for the Netherlands residents).

Pants’ Fit: The Break

The term “break” in pants refers to the fold in the fabric that occurs at the bottom of the pant leg as it rests on the shoe. This fold disrupts the clean line of the pants drape. The amount of break is a matter of personal preference and affects both the visual style and fit of the pants. Factors like the taper through the lower pant leg and the inseam length contribute to how much break the pants exhibit. Keep in mind that this information is based on traditional lace-up dress shoes. Loafers, with their lower shoe back height, can impact how much sock is exposed and where the bottom hem of the pant leg falls.

If you manage to avoid these problems with fitting, the next step is find a suit matches your proportions and any small details and adjustments are taken care of accordingly.

The Function

Now that you know everything about fit and found out your size, let’s go to the second F of our Suit Equation, the Function! Your suit not only does it have to fit you properly… it also has to represent you in your best possible, which means that you need to have a solid purpose for this very special garment.

Are you buying it for a specific purpose? Which is? Is it a business suit, a party suit, for summer or for winter? Whatever it is your need, you must have it in mind while shopping. This is very personal, and for The Curator, having a suit that serves multiple purposes means to achieve the highest score of your functional/smart wardrobe.

The world of suits reveals a spectrum of styles. From the sharp elegance of slim-fit suits to the ceremonial grandeur of tuxedos for gala events, passing through the fashion statement that a double-breasted can bring, the variety caters to every need. Your choice must not only match the occasion but also reflect your personal style. Learn a little bit about some types of suit and how they are mostly worn to have a starting point during your next shopping session:

Types of Suits

Single-Breasted:

A timeless classic. Known for the single row of buttons, it is the most worn type of suit. The single row can have up to three buttons. Our hacks for single-breasted suits are:

If your has more than one button, always leave the last one unbuttoned.
The fewer buttons the jacket has, the more casual the suit is.
The lapels for single-breasted suits can be peak, notch or shawl.
This type of suit slims down your waist, drawing attention away from the stomach.

Double-Breasted:

This type of suit comes with two parallel vertical rows of buttons, from either side of the blazer. This suit can have from four to eight buttons, being six the most common type. These are The Curators remarks about these suits:

Like the single-breasted suit, it's essential to always leave the last button unbuttoned.
The double-breasted suit is more worn for formal occasions or as a fashion statement.
If you want a slimming effect, this is your suit. It highlights your shoulders and makes you appear leaner and taller.

A Single-Breast and a Double-Breast Suit.

Slim-fit:

The name is self-explainable, a slim-fit suit is tailored to be slimmer, to hug your body. Different from a suit that is too tight for you, a slim-fit offers room for movement. This suit is narrower around the chest and shoulders, especially on the waist, and ends with a narrow-fitted leg. The main characteristics of a slim-fit suit are:

Great for men with a thinner build or more athletic build.
Close-fitting, narrow around chest and shoulders, narrow legs.
Accentuates natural body shape.

Modern Fit:

Modern fitted suits are somehow similar to the the slim fit. The cut is slimmer than a regular-fit suit, but not as slim, which makes it far more versatile.

We could call this kind of fit a hybrid of a regular and slim fit.
This suit has more room than the slim-fit suit, and combine elements of regular and slim.
It is versatile and can accommodate a wider range of body types.

**Regular Fit:**
A regular fit suit is one that is not too tight or loose. It fits comfortably around the shoulders and chest and is slightly wider in the waist and hips.
A regular fit is good for men who want a classic look without any bells or whistles.
If you have several suits, a Regular Fit might work always a backup plan.

The Fabric

Although underestimated, the fabric is as important as the fit and the function when buying a suit. Aside from scoring some massive savings for our planet when we read labels, we learn how to take better care of our clothes so they can live longer. At The Curator, we respect the environment and we believe in a more sustainable way of doing fashion. Nevertheless, the fabric directly impacts the comfort level of the garment.

Suit fabrics range from fully synthetic materials, which are more affordable, to luxurious wool, cashmere, and silk blends that can cost hundreds of euros per meter. We gathered five types of fabrics for your better understanding. Read along and find a solution that can please eyes, your comfort and your wallet:

Wool

Comprising the majority of fabrics for suits, wool fabrics are often classified using the “Super” grading system. This system refers to the number of times the wool is twisted during production. The higher the Super number, the finer the cloth and the more luxurious it feels. The Super 160s and 180s, for instance, may feel as luxurious as liquid silk against your skin, but they are less durable than standard fabrics. Suits made from these materials are not meant for everyday wear. If you’re fortunate enough to own a suit in the Super 160s range or higher, consider wearing it no more than once a week. Hanging it on a good coat hanger allows the fibers to set and return to their natural shape. Choosing a wool suit also involves considering its environmental footprint. Wool comes from sheep, a renewable resource. It’s biodegradable, unlike synthetic fabrics derived from non-renewable resources. Its production has a smaller carbon footprint compared to synthetic fabric manufacturing, contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.

Cotton

Cotton makes for an excellent suit if the fabric is carefully selected. It is an excellent choice for warmer months because it is breathable than wool. Cotton allow air circulation, keeping you comfortable. The drawbacks of cotton suits is that they wrinkle easily and fade more readily than wool. Regular ironing or steaming may be necessary to maintain their appearance. Unlike wool, cotton is not stretchy. Over time, your suit may change shape and not curve around the body as well. Cotton comes from plant-based fibers and is biodegradable. However, its production can be water-intensive and involve pesticide use. Cotton suits will have more value for money, so if your budget is tight, consider getting a high-quality cotton suit instead of an average-quality wool suit for the same price.

Linen

Similarly to cotton, it is also a great choice for a summer suit due to its air circulation. Linen can also wrinkle easily and wear out faster, aside from naturally having a shabby appearence because of its fibers. The fabric is usually more casual than wool. The downsides are it is not stretchy, it is more expensive and it tends to billow instead of draping close to the body. The production of linen is also sustainable, since it is biodegradable and made of plant-based fibers.

Silk

Silk suits offer a smooth and lustrous appearance, making them an excellent choice for formal events. With its lightweight nature and natural temperature-regulating properties, silk is ideal for warm weather, ensuring both comfort and sophistication. This material feels lighter and more comfortable than water-absorbing cotton or heavier wool. It's more popular in places where silk is rather abundant, like Asia and the Middle East. Besides being a natural, biodegradable, and long-lasting fabric, silk appears to have a larger environmental impact when compared to other natural fibers. According to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition's Higg Index, silk has a worse environmental impact than synthetic fabrics.

Artificial Fibers/Synthetics

Synthetic fabrics like polyester, rayon, and acetate are man-made and generally more affordable. However, their tight weave makes them less breathable and less comfortable to wear. Suits made from synthetic fabrics often have a stiff, shiny appearance that differs from higher-quality materials. Due to fabric stiffness, synthetic suits are typically made using the ‘fused’ method. Unfortunately, this results in a rigid look, as the suit doesn’t conform well to the body. Synthetic materials have drawbacks environmentally, since the production process for synthetics can be energy-intensive and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Synthetic fabrics also take a long time to decompose in landfills because they are not biodegradable and when washed, synthetic fabrics release microplastics into water supplies, posing risks to ecosystems and human health.

In the elegant world of suits, where fabrics weave stories of style and craftsmanship, we’ve explored wool’s timeless allure, the casual charm of cotton and linen, and the sleekness of synthetic materials. As you step into your next suit, be it slim-fit, double-breasted, colorful or classic black, remember that it’s not just about threads and buttons—it’s about confidence, character, and the art of tailoring. So, whether you’re donning a classic pinstripe or a daring pattern, wear it with pride, and let your ensemble speak volumes.