LITTLE ROCK — Q. I am a big guy, just under 6-foot-3 with a 43-inch chest. I don’t always qualify for “big and tall,” and even when I do, I find it difficult to get a good fit off the rack. Do I need to go the custom route to get a suit that fits?
A. There are noncustom options. And a perfect suit is like money in the bank. It is always there when you need it. When you are unsure of what to wear, it’s the one you reach for, the one that works every time to give you an extra dose of selfconfidence.
I have always believed there are only a few good reasons for a man to go the “custom suit route.” One is if he is swimming in money; another is if he already owns a closet full of the basics and has a yen for some offbeat design or fabric he can’t find; and the most common is if he has an unusually shaped body that does not fit into a ready-made suit without major alterations. A professional athlete might fit any or all of these restrictions. For the average man (or slightly larger) who just wants a great fit, you probably do not need to have a suit custom made.
Finding a suit with a perfect fit off the rack is not the same as buying a shirt or sweater online, especially if you are in any way “a difficult fit.” The process involves several steps: 1. Finding a first-class store; 2. Finding a knowledgeable salesman; 3. Taking the time to actually try on a few options; and 4. Being willing to pay for any necessary (and even only slightly necessary) alterations.
Here’s a point to keep in mind when suit shopping: Not every store stocks sizes from “extra-short” through “extralong.” Most stock “regulars” and “longs,” but many do have “shorts” and “extra-longs” (very few have “extra-shorts”). Make some exploratory calls and save yourself a trip to a store that does not stock the basic size you need. Men’s suits are available in the following approximate size categories (and even those vary from one manufacturer to another):
Extra-short — under 5 feet 4 inches;
Short — up to 5 feet 7 inches;
Regular — 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 11 inches;
Semi-long — 5 feet 11 inches — a rare size that only such stores as Paul Stuart carry);
Long — 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches;
Extra-long — 6 feet 3 inches and taller.
Since you are close to 6 feet 3 inches tall, you are on the cusp between a “long” and an “extra-long”; in the past you may have had to find a men’s store that stocked “extralongs.” But today, styles have changed: Everything about the men’s clothing silhouette is cut trimmer and even a shade shorter. At first glance you might think the jackets you see are too short. My guess is that these days you might fit in a “long” from a fine store and not have to seek out a store that has “extra-longs” or a big and tall establishment. At any rate, it would certainly be worth a try. If a “long” is not perfect, try an “extra-long.” Remember, it’s my long-standing recommendation that you should “learn to trust your mirror.” It’s always wise to try on a few different makers and models, and I recommend you try on a couple of sizes as well. Check yourself out in a three-way mirror. That way you will be sure.
Note: It’s seldom that suits fit right off the rack. Getting the right fit begins with a jacket that is exactly correct in the shoulders and across the chest, and trousers that are correct across the seat. A competent tailor can alter other elements, but those aspects should be right from the start. (Whether you have a “long torso” and how high or low you wear your trousers are also factors.) I know many a man who has seriously considered the significant expense of a custom suit and then won’t invest the minor expense of a tailor for an off-the-rack suit. His excuse: “The fit’s close enough.” It really is not. Spend it!
When you’re dressing in the morning, you spend time and give thought to what you will wear that day. But once having decided, you should not have to think about your clothes for the rest of the day. It’s true, buying a suit involves time, money and thought. But once you have it, the perfect suit is just that ... perfect.
Send questions for Male Call to:
lois.fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile, Pages 43 on 03/04/2012