What Are The Common Mistakes Men Make When Buying Suits?

Despite the internet, not many people understand the true history, value and potential of a good suit. The amount of readily available information on how to wear and fit a suit is few and far in between. Here are some of the most common mistakes men make when wearing a suit.

Wearing An Off-The-Rack Suit And Not Having It Tailored

The less experienced may buy a suit straight off the rack and wear it as it is. Many buyers think a suit off the rack is how a suit is supposed to look, and they shouldn’t mess with the style. This is a big mistake. Mass production and the concept of ‘one size for all’ came into existence during the First World War, when the uniform production had to be sped up to keep up with demand. Before that, when you needed new clothes, you’d go to a dressmaker to have it made, which meant that every garment was perfectly fitted every time. Off-the-rack suits are meant to be altered to fit each individual person and their shape and size. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, stop taking any fashion advice from them.

Buying The Wrong Size

Many large-sized men like their suits to be loose fitting. They buy their clothes a little bigger than they need, thinking they can hide their insecurities in the extra fabric. In fact, this has the opposite effect on big guys. Big suits make them look bigger than they actually are. Thin guys also often buy a bigger suit, thinking it will make them look filled out, when in fact they look like they are propping up a tent. There are also the guys who buy suits slightly too small, trying to look fashionable, thinking that this is the way suits are supposed to fit. However, suits in a catalogue or on Instagram are styled according to the look the fashion company wants, and are usually too small for the men wearing them, or they have been pinched in by pegs to look smaller. In reality, these suits would probably split as soon as the men lifted their arms or tried to sit down. Wearing perfectly tailored suits should make you look like you are in better shape than you actually are.

Too Long Or Too Short

There are times we’ve all seen pants bunched up at the hem, or jeans turned up a few times, because men don’t know that their pants can be shortened. There are also those who wear their trousers shorter, because the shorter length is in fashion right now. However, without tapering the width of the trouser legs to balance out the proportions, they look like schoolboys who have outgrown their trousers. Similarly, when the sleeves on the jacket are too long, they can make the wearer look especially short, ruining the look of a perfectly good suit. If the sleeves are too short, they look equally badly dressed.

Ill-Fitting Business Shirt

Many guys do not put enough thought into the business shirt, so when they take off the jacket, the look falls apart straight away. Too often, the shirt is too big, too long, too wide and not properly ironed. The sleeves get rolled up because they’re too long, or to appear as if you are ‘getting into business’. When in fact, rolling up your sleeves in the office actually steps down the formality of a look straight away, making you look stressed out and overly casual. It’s best to keep this look for the weekends, when wearing a casual shirt paired with casual pants. The business shirt is an essential part of your outfit and needs to be perfectly tailored for the same reason as your suit. The sleeve length should be just right, so you don’t need to roll them up. The torso of the shirt should be well fitting for a clean and tidy appearance. If it’s too tight, the buttons will pull at the front. If too loose, the shirt will look like a parachute.

I’m Going To Lose Weight

Often people use the excuse: ‘I don’t want to alter it now, as I’m about to lose some weight’. In answer to that, we suggest they focus on how they look and feel in that moment. Do you want to feel good in a well-fitting suit, or do you want to feel miserable and useless for not having lost this weight yet? Forget about always losing another two kilograms – embrace your body now. Ill-fitting clothing makes you look in worse shape than you actually are. As mentioned above, a well-tailored suit will make you look like you are in better shape than you are. Imagine the difference you will feel when you are not wearing a suit that is a bit too tight or too loose.

Wrong Suit For The Wrong Occasion

Understanding dress codes is a very important element of dressing well. It can be embarrassing when you show up to an occasion wearing the wrong outfit. We’ve all seen that guy catching a bus after work who was wearing chinos with a velvet tux jacket. It may be a stunning-looking jacket, but a tux jacket is best left for black tie events, not for everyday work. And if you choose to turn up for a business meeting in jeans and a t-shirt – thinking that you are a young entrepreneur and don’t need to dress up – if the clients don’t know you, they will think that are you are being disrespectful and are inexperienced. Is this the first impression you want to make? Making sure you wear the correct attire will help you feel more comfortable in your surroundings, look more cultured, and give you more confidence.

Wearing Worn-Out Clothing

Hole in the trousers; buttons missing; rip under the arm – you might think that people won’t notice, but they do notice. You should either get it mended or throw it away. Don’t wear it as it is and hope no one else will notice. Good personal grooming speaks volumes to your professionalism, self-respect and general personal hygiene.

Chasing ‘Fast Fashion’

No explanation needed. ‘Fad clothing’ or ‘fast fashion’ is expensive, wasteful, and it only lasts one to two seasons. Buying quality clothing that are classic and timeless will pay for itself over time. Fashion trends come and go, but a tailored fit never goes out of style, especially when wearing quality clothing that has been made with care. It feels good knowing that you are wearing your favourite suit, which fits like a glove, and it makes you look and feel amazing. No doubt, you’ll receive compliments every time you wear it.

Too Many Accessories

It’s best to keep your accessories to two or less. It’s hard to pull off multiple accessories without looking like a magician or a hustler. Coco Chanel famously said, ‘Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off’. Understated elegance speaks volumes compared to wearing too many accessories, which may come off as gaudy. Classic items such as a vintage watch and silk tie will complement every outfit.