Want Clothes With Perfect Fit? Follow These 10 Guidelines!

It’s one of the first rules in menswear: fit is king. But what does good fit actually entail? This guide is meant to be a general introduction and overview of good fit within classic style. We will cover the basics of fit, with advice that you can apply to a variety of garment types.

Our suggestions are based on the conventions of classic style. So, depending on your personal style, you may break a few of these rules. But, we think that everyone, no matter what their personal style, will benefit from at least being familiar with them because.

1. Do Not Confuse Size and Fit

While related, size and fit are not the same thing. Size refers to the scale and dimensions of the garment. Size can be given in actual measurements like the circumference of your chest. Often used to determine your suit size or as relative sizing like undershirts and sizes small, medium, and large.

Ultimately, even measured sizes can vary from brand to brand. So, do not be surprised if you are one size with one company and another size with another. You may have different sizes even within the same company but in different lines.

Fit refers to how garments in both alterable and unaltered ways conform to your body, essentially how well the garment fits into your body. Selecting the correct size can help you achieve a good fit. But, because they are generic metrics set by the vendor, it is possible that the sizing of some brands will not allow for a good fit to your body’s dimensions.

If this happens, do not be discouraged it just means that the brand is not the right fit for you. Raphael, for example, has uneven shoulders, so even off-the-rack shirts in his correct size do not have the best possible fit. So, experiment with different brands to find a sizing system that works for your body, and you have completed the first step in achieving the perfect fit.

2. Get Your Clothes Altered

In most cases, a well-sized garment will fit comfortably on your body, but will not necessarily have the ideal fit straight off the rack. This is where alterations come into play. Alterations refer to a variety of changes you can have made to a garment. These changes will help it fit to your body better.

With many garments, it’s assumed that some alterations will be made. Many trousers, for instance, are sold unhemmed because it is understood that the legs will be taken up to account for your height, your desired cuff type, and break refers to the folds that occur when the trouser legs meet the shoe. When you see jackets and sport coats will need to be adjusted to match your arm length. Conversely, due to the relative cost and the cost for alterations.

It’s generally a better idea for shirts to have the best possible fit off-the-rack or made custom. It is important to remember that while your alteration tailors can do one to improve your overall fit, they aren’t wizards or fairy godmothers. In a separate guide, Preston breaks down how a tailor can and cannot alter a suit, but you can help your alterations tailor out by adhering to our next guideline.

3. Get The Best Fit From The Start

When trying on any garment, paying attention to both how it’s sized and how well it fits your body will make achieving the ultimate perfect fit considerably easier. First, find clothes that comfortably fit on your body without me constricting or falling off.

Then, pay close attention to how those clothes look on your body. Do they drape in a pleasing way? Do they appear natural and elegant on your body? Do they flatter your figure? We highlight exactly what you need to look for to determine good fit in our suit, shirt, and trouser fit guides.

As with sizing, the way some garments are cut may just not fit your body or may require expensive and extensive alterations that may not be worth the trouble. In those cases, you’re usually better off trying to find a different garment; one that more naturally fits your body, requires less work. It’s like they say, “Well begun is half done,” “A good fit from the start is a work of art,” “Get the right fit or you should quit,” “Start with good fit, and that’s what you get?” I’ll workshop those.

4. If it’s not comfortable, it’s not a classic fit. 

When attempting to determine if a garment is your size, comfort will often be a major consideration. If something pinches at the waist or bunches at the legs, you’ll usually take it as a sign that the size is wrong. The same principle applies to fit. A well-fitted garment will naturally lie and drape across your body in an elegant way, but it should not constrict or bind your body to give the false impression of a better shape or figure.

A waistcoat is not shapewear. While an expertly altered suit can do a great deal to flatter your figure and make your body look its best. You should do so in a way that’s comfortable and unobtrusive. If your clothing fits in a way that purses creases into your bare skin, constricts your movement, or causes pain in any part of your body, it isn’t well-fitted.

A classically-fitted garment will always sit comfortably on your body, helping you look and feel your very best. If something is awkward, uncomfortable, or hurts, it’s a sign of a problem. 

5. Dress For The Body You Have

Major consideration and comfortable fit is being honest about your body type. Just like jamming a size-12 foot into a size-8 shoe will not make the foot smaller, trying to force a 40-inch waist into size-32 pants won’t make the waist smaller. Doing so, however, will make it patently clear that the garment does not fit correctly, making your overall fit appear worse. Fortunately, a well-fitted garment will do the opposite, making your body look at its very best.

The key is to dress for your body type. This means selecting clothing styles, cuts, and fits that work with the unique qualities of your body.

As an example, consider Preston and myself. Clothes for Preston’s slender frame will look clingy and unappealing on me, and clothes that work for my body would be billowy and blank on Preston. Again, we’re not just talking about size here. Clothes in our correct sizes, but cut for someone else’s body won’t have a good fit. That just illustrates the incredible power of altering clothes because a realistically fitted garment will feel more comfortable, be more functional, and look better, not an aspirational garment that is just sitting in your closet, taking up space. 

6. Invest in Tailoring Before Investing in More Clothes

We’ve all seen celebrities or influencers with closets that are bigger than some people’s apartments. When it comes to classic style, quality beats quantity every time, and good fit is a great way to ensure great quality.

After you build out your initial wardrobe with the basic elements of classic ensembles, like our ten items of clothing every gentleman should own, you should focus on ensuring those items are perfectly fitted and altered before buying more garments. We promise you’ll get much better use from and look noticeably better in a single suit that is well-tailored than five suits that are poorly tailored.

To illustrate just how versatile a single, well-fitted, classically-styled suit can be, in a separate guide, Preston answers the question: “If you only had one suit, what suit would it be?” So, especially if money is tight, spend your money on well-fitting staples before branching out.

7. If your fit makes people stare, it probably isn’t classic.

When it comes to determining what fit works for you, a fit that complements your body and personal style is most important. But, if you also want to cultivate a classic style fit, we have some advice that goes all the way to the original menswear influence, Beau Brummell:

Essentially, Brummell is saying if your look is overly trendy or flashy, you aren’t a sartorial style master, your sartorial spectacle. And if that’s your goal, we say go for it, you beautiful peacock. But, for adherence to classic style, the more sedate fit is preferable to the outrageous. This means eschewing fits that are excessively baggy to show off how much expensive extra fabric you can afford, like the historical fits typical of Oxford bags or zoot suits, and fits that attempt to cut a trim and slender figure by being narrow and tight, typical of the super slim fits that are currently very popular.

At the end of the day, a flashy, modish, exaggerated fit is not typical of classic style, and dressing in this way can make you look like a trend chaser. We find that classic fits find moderation in all things, being neither too narrow nor too broad; and giving the impression that your clothes actually fit well on you, rather than looking as though you are desperately trying to fit into your clothes. Our next two guidelines deal specifically with how clothing should drape on your body according to the classic style.

8. If it bags and sags, it drags.

Ensure that your fit is proportional and flattering to your body. You should avoid any garments that fit in a way that protrudes, puddles, or sags. None of those words sound very attractive in general, so you don’t want them associated with your body. Instead, your clothes should lie fairly neat and flat against your body, highlighting your good features and comfortably structuring everything else.

Many men buy clothing that is too large, thinking it’ll be more comfortable, but your clothes can feel comfortable without obscuring your figure, and baggy fit won’t hide your excess weight if you’re a little heavy or make you appear bigger if you’re trying to bulk up. Oftentimes, in fact, it would only make those problems worse. So, concentrate on a classic fit that isn’t baggy or saggy. And these are tips for big and tall men and short men, respectively. Overly broad fits can also appear in more subtle ways, like the amount of fabric at the ends of your sleeves or trouser legs. 

Fortunately, we can tell how to get the perfect classic sleeve length or cuff break. Speaking of cuffs and sleeves,

9. Show The Right Amount of Skin, Shirt, or Sock

Beware that trendy fits with shortened sleeves and trouser lengths are not typical of classic style. As previously mentioned, an important aspect of fit is determining the ideal length for both sleeves and trousers. To approximate a taut, youthful appearance, an abbreviated fit is especially popular now that shows off a considerable amount of both sock and ankle and shirt sleeve or wrist.

Presumably, these short fits are to give the impression of an athletic figure. But, not only do they look to us like these clothes have shrunk, they’ll make most body types appear overly large or scrawny. If the tight trim look works at all, it only works for men with model builds.

We’re all about showing off socks because socks do so much to tie together an entire outfit, and showing some cuff at the sleeves helps to create some unique visual interest. But too much of anything is usually a bad thing, and that’s certainly true when showing off socks, shirts, or skin. And to keep things classy, Raphael, please put your trousers back on no matter their cuff length.

10. Fit Your Accessories

Did you know that many accessories that are sold aren’t really one-size-fits-all? It’s true. Manufacturers have fallen into the habit of marketing formerly sized accessories, like neckties, bow ties, gloves, and socks, as a one-size-fits-all because it’s simpler and more convenient for them to do so. This means, however, that these accessories become harder to fit certain body types.

For instance, if you have a skinnier neck, a standard necktie might hang too low on your body, or if you have a larger head, a standard bow tie might appear minuscule. Finding accessories that come in various sizes to suit different body proportions will allow you to ensure that your entire outfit has a harmonious, well-apportioned fit. Sized accessories also have important functional benefits. A proper fit for dress socks, for instance, is a major factor in how they stay up all day. 

We offer a series of guides on how to find a bow tie that complements your face shape and how to achieve the correct tie length. And if you’re in the market for menswear accessories that come in a variety of sizes and styles that suit every body type, head on over to the Fort Belvedere shop.

Conclusion

We hope that our tips were a perfect fit to serve you well. as you seek out the perfect fit that helps your outfits unlock their true potential.

How do you achieve your perfect fit? Let us know in the comments below.

Outfit Rundown

Today, I’m wearing a brown and white striped shirt with brown Chelsea boots and mustard and burgundy shadow-stripe Fort Belvedere socks, which you may find in our shop here.