There’s more to wearing a suit than simply just choosing one in your size It’s the attention to detail and the glove like fit that will make it look, and feel, like it was made for you. We share some top tips for wearing a suit well and how to accessorise for maximum impact.

Top Tips for Wearing a Suit

• If the suit is for more formal, business purposes, choose a double button, notched lapel.
• To ensure a good fit, the shoulders of the suit should hug your own shoulders. You should also be able to slip your hand between your chest and the buttoned-up jacket. Imagine you were getting something out of the inside pocket. Can you reach it without unbuttoning your jacket?
• The suit jacket is the staple of the suit and should be just long enough to cover your pants zipper and your bottom.
• How many buttons does it have? With a two button suit, the top button should fall at or above the navel. If it’s a three button suit, the middle button should fall at or above the navel.
• The last button is just for show. Keep it open.
• The sleeves should be long enough that just about an inch of your shirt cuffs are showing. Incidentally the shirt cuffs should not be so long that they go over your hands.
• The suit lapels can either be wide or thin. A wide is for a more classic and traditional look, thin creates a more modern look.
• When you sit down in a suit, always unbutton it. This will save you causing damage to the suit by popping a button or ripping a seam.
• Before you wear your new suit, be sure to remove the stitching on the vents and the label from the sleeve. Never remove stitching on the pockets to put things in them! This will damage and cause your new suit to become out of shape
• When it comes to colour, if you want a dark/plain suit, choose charcoal or grey rather than black unless you are buying the suit for a funeral.
• Baggy trousers are an absolute no! They should be slimmer fitting and the bottom of the trousers should reach the tops of your shoes – no shorter, no longer.

Shirts

If you are wearing your suit without a tie, choose a smaller shirt collar. Make sure there is no gap between the shirt collar and the suit jacket – this indicates a poorly fitting jacket.

Probably the most important rule, for keeping that suave and sophisticated look – if you tend to sweat, make sure you wear something under the shirt!

Accessories

What you wear with your suit is equally important when it comes to perfecting the look. The number one rule here is to not go overboard on accessories. As well as tips for wearing a suit well, let’s take a look at the things that can make a big difference:

Belts

Your suit belt should be thin and the same colour as your shoes. While we are on the subject of belts, don’t wear belt and braces! Suspenders should be warn in place of a belt.

Ties

The tie you wear should always be darker than the colour of your dress shirt. Unless you are going for a mono contrast for example. If you wear a tie bar it should not be wider than the tie. When it comes to the tie width, it should match the width of your lapel and should reach the waistband of your trousers or the top of the belt buckle.

Pocket square

If you opt for a pocket square for a more polished look, make sure it isn’t the same colour or pattern as your tie. If it’s a dark suit, you are advised to choose a lighter colour lapel.

Socks

You can wear whatever socks you want colour wise. They can show a bit of personality however, make sure they are long enough that your leg isn’t exposed when you sit down.

Shoes

Consider the style, the colour and the type of shoes that should be worn with a suit. Dress for the occasion. It is possible to wear smart sneakers with a suit and pull it off but for a formal occasion, choose between a brogue, a Derby or an Oxford and be sure to pair the colour of the shoes to the colour of the suit. The darker the suit, the fewer options you have. Not much will look right with anything other than black for example. Tan and brown shoes are a more popular choice however now and tend to go with a whole range of colours. They work well with blues, greys and neutral tones.

At Salters of Rugby, we are committed to helping you perfect the look whether its for your very own wedding day or a formal interview for that job you are seeking. Pop in and have a chat and let us help you create that dapper look!