Owning a suit and wearing a suit are different skills. Most men solve the first and never quite get to the second, which is why so many perfectly good suits look borrowed.
Wearing a suit well comes down to fit, button discipline, and about six small details that nobody explains and everybody notices.
Fit — the five checks
- Shoulder seam ends exactly where your shoulder ends. This cannot be altered affordably — buy for the shoulders and adjust everything else.
- Jacket sleeve ends at the wrist bone, showing a quarter to half inch of shirt cuff.
- Jacket length covers your seat entirely.
- Trouser break — slight or none. Fabric pooling on the shoe is the most common and most fixable error.
- The button test — with the top button fastened, you should be able to slip a flat hand between the button and your chest. Tighter pulls into an X.
Budget $80–150 for alterations on any suit. A $400 suit tailored beats a $2,000 suit off the rack in every photograph.
Button discipline
The oldest rule in tailoring, and still the one most often broken.
- Two-button jacket: fasten the top button only. Never the bottom.
- Three-button jacket: sometimes the top, always the middle, never the bottom.
- One-button jacket: fasten it when standing.
- Always unbutton when you sit. Always. Re-button when you stand.
- Waistcoat: leave the bottom button undone.
The bottom button on a jacket is vestigial — it exists because Edward VII stopped fastening his and the court followed. It has been decorative for over a century.
The six details
1. Remove the tacking stitches. New suits have loose white stitches holding the vents and pockets closed for shipping. Cut them. A surprising number of men wear suits with the vent still tacked shut.
2. Cut the brand label off the sleeve. The small tag on the outer cuff is for the shop floor, not for wearing.
3. Show a quarter-inch of shirt cuff. And a similar amount of shirt collar above the jacket collar at the back.
4. Match the belt to the shoes. Or skip the belt entirely if the trousers have side adjusters — the more elegant option.
5. Dark, over-the-calf socks. No skin visible when seated. Match the trouser, not the shoe.
6. A white linen pocket square. The cheapest upgrade available. See the fold guide.
Colour and when to wear what
- Navy — the most versatile suit colour. Buy first. Works day and evening, every season.
- Charcoal — the most formal of the everyday colours. Business, funerals, evening events.
- Mid-grey — good for daytime and summer, slightly less formal.
- Black — reserve for evening formal and funerals. It reads severe in a daytime business setting.
For which dress code calls for what, see cocktail attire, business formal and black tie.
Caring for it
Brush after every wear, hang on a wide wooden hanger, air for 24 hours before returning it to the wardrobe, and rotate between two suits rather than wearing one repeatedly. Dry clean two to four times a year at most — see how to wash a suit.
Frequently asked questions
How should a suit fit?
The shoulder seam should end exactly where your shoulder ends, the sleeve at the wrist bone showing a quarter-inch of shirt cuff, the jacket should cover your seat, trousers should have a slight break or none, and you should fit a flat hand between the fastened button and your chest.
Which buttons do you fasten on a suit?
On a two-button jacket, fasten the top button only. On a three-button, sometimes the top, always the middle, never the bottom. Always unbutton when you sit down and re-button when you stand.
Why do you never fasten the bottom button of a suit?
The convention dates to Edward VII, who stopped fastening his and the court followed. The bottom button has been decorative for over a century, and modern jackets are cut so that fastening it distorts the drape.
What colour suit should a man buy first?
Navy. It works in daylight and after dark, in every season, from business to weddings. Charcoal is the natural second suit, and mid-grey the third for daytime and summer.
Should you cut the stitches on a new suit?
Yes. New suits ship with loose white tacking stitches holding the vents and pockets closed. Cut them carefully. Also remove the small brand label stitched to the outer sleeve — it’s for the shop floor, not for wearing.
TL;DR
- Buy for the shoulders, tailor everything else
- Never fasten the bottom button; always unbutton when seated
- Cut the tacking stitches and the sleeve label on a new suit
- Show a quarter-inch of cuff, match belt to shoes, dark over-the-calf socks
- Buy navy first, charcoal second
— Mr.Wayne
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