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How to dress like a gentleman- A guide on the fitting of the suit worn by a true english gentleman
FIT
Fit is the top priority in the acquisition of a suit, An ill-fitting suit is a miserable object, no matter how
sumptuous the cloth or correct the style. Only, it is more complicated than that. Perfect fit is not the
point- indeed, it would be in most cases a profound embarrassment. Rather, the object is to sculpt
upon one’s less-than-perfect torso a set of raiment that aspires to a particular ideal.
Tailors do not talk of style and fit , but of ‘line ’ and of ‘balance’, which means the hang of the jacket
and the way it moves-effortlessly- with the wearer. These are the qualities that distinguish the craft
tailored suit and which for generations have drawn men of distinction and discernment to Savile
Row.
Matters have been muddied of late by great advances in industrial suit manufacture, aided in part
by computer technology, and by the proliferation of high-profile ‘designer’ labels. One should bear
in mind that in buying a designer suit. One is buying a style and a taste – a name- that may or may
not be appropriate, while possibly paying as much or more than it would cost to have a suit hand-
crafted for oneself alone.
With a bespoke suit , the choice of material is unlimited and one can indulge personal whims in
styling and detail, under the close supervision of and expert cutter able to make the best out of the
circumstances of one’s particular build. Physical defects can be whittled away by clever tailoring,
and attributes emphasized. Finally, a bespoke suit is built to last , Some of the Duke of Windsor’s
suits were hand-me-downs from his father, George V, and are estimated to have lasted 60 years.
Against this, it takes commitment and time and is in a sense more of a gamble that purchasing
something tangible , off the rake. One is dealing here with a person and not a machine . There can
be a conflict of minds, leading to disappointment, and seeking out the right tailor is quite as onerous
as picking the right solicitor or doctor.
Savile Row has bee the arbiter of male elegance for the deter part of 200 years, its influence
reaching out to the entire world (indeed, the Japanese word for suit is sebiro), but not in isolation.
Of several contesting styles, the American and the Italian are most prominent. The difference in
each case lies in the shape of the shoulders, for upon this everything, literally, hangs.
Savile Row shoulders are soft and not particularly large, with little padding, and jackets have a
distinct waist. A Characteristic is the ‘blade’, a clever fullness at the shoulder blades perfected by
Scholte,a Savile Row colossus of the early 20th century, allowing greater movement while
contributing to a flattering Y-shape silhouette.
The American style is based on the sloping ’natural’ shoulder and is epitomized by the straight-drop
‘sack’ look worn by New York and Boston nabobs for half a century. Italian style has tended towards
extremes, such as short, tight jackets, but since the 1970s it has become hugely influential due in
the main to the drive and influence of designer Giorgio Armani, whose so-called deconstructed style
with lighter fabrics and less padding and meticulous tailoring influenced a move to a looser, softer
line,
Within the compass of the tow or three-piece, single or double-breasted classic suit, the wearer has
considerable latitude of choice in such matters as pockets and vents and trouser dynamics, ‘Double-
breasted’ signifies and overlap of fabric in the jacket front, as against the simple fit-to-the-buttonline
single-breasted jacket. It is much more subject to stylistic exploration than the more common single-
breasted.
Flap pockets are appropriate for business suits and are combined with a breast welt pocket. Patch
pockets are more sporty; patch pockets with box pleats are the most casual. The width of the lapel
is a frequent victim of fashion’s whim. A range of six to twelve centimeters will always stay ‘correct’.
Town suits are traditionally in worsteds or flannel, country suits and sports jackets in tweed or
flannel, but there has never been such choice in cloths, cottons and linen, and in blends that
intrigue, The move to lighter construction was accompanied by the development in Italy of very light
worsted Super I00s while new weaving techniques have made possible lighter tweeds and a
comeback of the tweed suit.
Black and white evening wear flatters all men because of the effect of its dramatic contrast, and the
rule holds with colours in general. Gentlemen should shy away from shades that approximate their
own colouring and look for the greatest possible contrast to their complexion. Greens and blues are
generally most flattering to Caucasian skins and most certainly to the fresh-complexioned. A pale
complexion is best set off against dark suiting.
Dark and thinly striped materials will help to ‘slim-down’ a portly figure, while thick stripes have the
opposite effect. Light, or checked material gives ‘bulk’ to a thin person. Short gentlemen ’gain’
height by having the waist of the jacket tailored high, or by having the pockets raised; placing the
pockets lower than normal has the opposite effect. Wide lapels suit taller men. Narrow lapels appear
to broaden a narrow chest. The tricks of the trade are endless. A good tailor knows them all.
Fit is the top priority in the acquisition of a suit, An ill-fitting suit is a miserable object, no matter how
sumptuous the cloth or correct the style. Only, it is more complicated than that. Perfect fit is not the
point- indeed, it would be in most cases a profound embarrassment. Rather, the object is to sculpt
upon one’s less-than-perfect torso a set of raiment that aspires to a particular ideal.
Tailors do not talk of style and fit , but of ‘line ’ and of ‘balance’, which means the hang of the jacket
and the way it moves-effortlessly- with the wearer. These are the qualities that distinguish the craft
tailored suit and which for generations have drawn men of distinction and discernment to Savile
Row.
Matters have been muddied of late by great advances in industrial suit manufacture, aided in part
by computer technology, and by the proliferation of high-profile ‘designer’ labels. One should bear
in mind that in buying a designer suit. One is buying a style and a taste – a name- that may or may
not be appropriate, while possibly paying as much or more than it would cost to have a suit hand-
crafted for oneself alone.
With a bespoke suit , the choice of material is unlimited and one can indulge personal whims in
styling and detail, under the close supervision of and expert cutter able to make the best out of the
circumstances of one’s particular build. Physical defects can be whittled away by clever tailoring,
and attributes emphasized. Finally, a bespoke suit is built to last , Some of the Duke of Windsor’s
suits were hand-me-downs from his father, George V, and are estimated to have lasted 60 years.
Against this, it takes commitment and time and is in a sense more of a gamble that purchasing
something tangible , off the rake. One is dealing here with a person and not a machine . There can
be a conflict of minds, leading to disappointment, and seeking out the right tailor is quite as onerous
as picking the right solicitor or doctor.
Savile Row has bee the arbiter of male elegance for the deter part of 200 years, its influence
reaching out to the entire world (indeed, the Japanese word for suit is sebiro), but not in isolation.
Of several contesting styles, the American and the Italian are most prominent. The difference in
each case lies in the shape of the shoulders, for upon this everything, literally, hangs.
Savile Row shoulders are soft and not particularly large, with little padding, and jackets have a
distinct waist. A Characteristic is the ‘blade’, a clever fullness at the shoulder blades perfected by
Scholte,a Savile Row colossus of the early 20th century, allowing greater movement while
contributing to a flattering Y-shape silhouette.
The American style is based on the sloping ’natural’ shoulder and is epitomized by the straight-drop
‘sack’ look worn by New York and Boston nabobs for half a century. Italian style has tended towards
extremes, such as short, tight jackets, but since the 1970s it has become hugely influential due in
the main to the drive and influence of designer Giorgio Armani, whose so-called deconstructed style
with lighter fabrics and less padding and meticulous tailoring influenced a move to a looser, softer
line,
Within the compass of the tow or three-piece, single or double-breasted classic suit, the wearer has
considerable latitude of choice in such matters as pockets and vents and trouser dynamics, ‘Double-
breasted’ signifies and overlap of fabric in the jacket front, as against the simple fit-to-the-buttonline
single-breasted jacket. It is much more subject to stylistic exploration than the more common single-
breasted.
Flap pockets are appropriate for business suits and are combined with a breast welt pocket. Patch
pockets are more sporty; patch pockets with box pleats are the most casual. The width of the lapel
is a frequent victim of fashion’s whim. A range of six to twelve centimeters will always stay ‘correct’.
Town suits are traditionally in worsteds or flannel, country suits and sports jackets in tweed or
flannel, but there has never been such choice in cloths, cottons and linen, and in blends that
intrigue, The move to lighter construction was accompanied by the development in Italy of very light
worsted Super I00s while new weaving techniques have made possible lighter tweeds and a
comeback of the tweed suit.
Black and white evening wear flatters all men because of the effect of its dramatic contrast, and the
rule holds with colours in general. Gentlemen should shy away from shades that approximate their
own colouring and look for the greatest possible contrast to their complexion. Greens and blues are
generally most flattering to Caucasian skins and most certainly to the fresh-complexioned. A pale
complexion is best set off against dark suiting.
Dark and thinly striped materials will help to ‘slim-down’ a portly figure, while thick stripes have the
opposite effect. Light, or checked material gives ‘bulk’ to a thin person. Short gentlemen ’gain’
height by having the waist of the jacket tailored high, or by having the pockets raised; placing the
pockets lower than normal has the opposite effect. Wide lapels suit taller men. Narrow lapels appear
to broaden a narrow chest. The tricks of the trade are endless. A good tailor knows them all.
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