Fit is the most important component of a man’s suit. If you have to choose between fit, fabric and style, fit is the most important, hands down. You can buy the finest fabric in the world, have it sewn by the best tailors on Saville Row, but if the suit doesn’t fit, it won’t look good.

We begin the process by taking approximately 25 measurements when the customer is at ease and relaxed. Stress can cause a person to stand more erect than normally which results in inaccurate measurements.  We then use a series of try on jackets and pants to gauge which style is most appropriate for your body type and gives you the ultimate comfort.

Next, we observe and note your particular features and make the necessary adjustments to the pattern. It’s these visual observations that are crucial to interpreting the actual numbers of the measurements. This is where experience plays a major role, and differentiates the “men from the boys”.

Some of the crucial characteristics we pay close attention to in the JACKET are:

POSTURE

When the posture is stooping the jacket will flair out in the back. With overly erect posture the jacket will appear to hang longer in the back than in the front. It is critical that the collar of the jacket hugs your shirt collar which in turn hugs your neck properly in the back. There should not be a gap between the back of the neck and the jacket. This can often happen when there is a stooped or head forward posture.

CHEST

A prominent chest will cause bulging or “breaking” of the lapel and necessitate a chest dart. Flat chest will cause excess fabric to appear under the arms and around the armhole, and the jacket will bunch at the collar.

SHOULDER

High shoulders will cause a roll to develop below the back of the collar between the shoulder blades, while sloped shoulders show a diagonal of breaking at the back.

LENGTH

As a general rule for a more traditional look the back of the jacket should cover the buttocks and for a more modern look it should reach mid buttocks. Although this is a general rule, there obviously must be some exceptions depending on what looks best on your body.

SLEEVES

Sleeves should allow 1/4 inch of shirt sleeve to show. When you bend your wrist so that your palms are facing the ground, the jacket sleeve should rest about 1/4 inch above the top of your wrist, allowing for the small amount of shirt to show. As a general rule; there should be approximately 4-4.5 inches from the bottom of the jacket sleeve to the end of the thumb. The sleeves should also be rotated correctly into the sleeve hole so as to avoid breaks and divots in the sleeve.

ARMHOLES

Armholes should be positioned so as to allow for comfortable movement of your upper body. You should opt for a higher armhole but not too high that it digs into your armpit. The concept is seemingly counterintuitive, however if the armhole is too big and long it does not hug your arm correctly and will be very uncomfortable for you to move or raise your hands.

BOTTON STANCE

The button position should be right above the navel, a position which properly balances the upper to the lower body of the suit. It also allows for the right amount of shirt and tie to be visible. In a two button suit, the bottom button should not be closed, hence the button stance is measured from the top button.

Although seemingly easier, measurements of TROUSERS are very important  and experience is vital here as well.

SEAT

Whether a buttocks is flat, broad or protruding will be a governing factor in choosing the model that would be best suited for the client. The goal is to have a smooth flow of the fabric over the seat and avoid extra draping or pulling of the fabric around the seat. To determine which model would be best suited for your body we have sample pants of different models and sizes to visually see and for you  to actually feel what would look best and feel the most comfortable.

HIPS

It is important to guage where the pants fall on the hips and if one hip is higher than the other. This can throw the proportions of the pant off. Some men like to wear their pant lower in the front than in the back and certain measusrements are necessary to accomodate this fact.

LEG

Measurements of the thigh and the calf are vitally as important as the upper measurements of the trousers. If the thighs are bulging or very muscular, it is important to notate these facts so that there will be a proper proportion to the appearance of the whole pant. Bold leggedness can be excentuated if the proper model is not chosen. And of course for the client who wants his trousers tapered, we can go from a 19″ leg width on the bottom  (size 34 waist pant) to a 14.5″ leg providing all the pant measurements are in sync proportionatly.