L. Paul Cline Oct 1, 2013

Casual clothing that doesn’t drape over the body with proper fit doesn’t portray the air of professionalism needed in most business settings.  So let’s take a look at the appearance of proper fit and how to get it.

Clothing Length
Trousers, jeans, shirts and the occasional jacket all need attention to length as well as overall fit.  Trousers should fall far enough to “break” on your shoes.  The cuff or hem should rest on top of your shoe, but it shouldn’t flow with a lot of extra fabric there.  Jeans can be a little longer than trousers because a little bunching on a narrow cut spreads out better over the leg.   You may not be able to get the proper length off the rack so be sure to ask if the store will make any needed alterations as a free service or purchase these items from a professional tailor who will make sure the fit is right for you.

The waistband of your trousers should be at your natural waist which is usually the narrowest point of your torso.  Jeans and many modern cut casuals are generally made to fit a little lower than your natural waist.  This is not a problem if your waist is smaller than your chest, but if the opposite is true the lower-cut trousers may need rethinking as they may not stay up properly.  A nice pair of suspenders may solve the slipping problem if you aren’t opposed to that look.

Sleeves on long-sleeved shirts should cover your wrist bone whenstanding with your arms at your sides.  Check the shoulder too.  Theshoulder seam should be at your shoulder not on down your arm.  Jacketsleeve seams should also be at your natural shoulder, but the sleevelength should allow about ½ an inch of your shirt cuff to show.  Youroverall shirt length should be enough that it will stay tucked when youhave to reach over your head.

Clothing Tightness
A guy’s clothing should fit in such a way that it leaves just enoughslack to allow you to move with ease and comfort.  Many men in Americahave gotten used to wearing clothing that is really too large.  Looseclothing doesn’t make larger men look better, but if you have beenwearing loose fitting clothing going down in size may feel awkward atfirst.  You don’t want to go tight but some of you may need to try onesize smaller to get a better looking fit – you really won’t feelrestricted and the improved appearance will be rewarding. 

We’ve talked about shirt length, but shirt girth also needsattention.  Getting neck and sleeve length may be easy to achieve butthe girth may balloon on your torso, so you may need to go to a slim cut or a custom made shirt to get all the right elements.  It is alwayswise to find a good tailor that can provide you with custom clothing orcan make the adjustments often required on off-the-rack items.

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