Tips For Tailoring

For this edition of the Bunk Bed Monthly, I thought it might be helpful to give my take on basic ‘fit’ rules to bear in mind when purchasing a suit or having a garment altered.

These are somewhat routed in tradition, but also influenced by how we’d fit a suit with Fratelli’s house style in mind.

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Tips For Tailoring

The Shoulder

Ideally, go soft — meaning without padding/ minimal padding, unless for extremely formal occasions. This will help give the suit a more flattering and natural silhouette.

Sleeve Length

Traditionally, your sleeve should end where the base of the thumb joins the wrist when your arm is down by your side.

If you wear single cuffed shirts, I’d opt for 1.5cm shorter than what’s recommended above, so that you’re showing a bit of shirt cuff. It adds a nice colour break.

Don’t worry about where the length sits when your arms are in the air, assume you’ll take your jacket off when dancing and generally aren’t goose-stepping about the joint.

Jacket Length

The jacket should finish about 2cm above the bottom of your seat (arse) when you’re standing.

If you like a more continental look, you can go a touch (2cm max) shorter than this. However, if you’re generously proportioned in the rectal region, avoid this. The jacket will skirt and you’ll look like a French maid.

If you’re into that, crack on (pun intended).

Trouser Waist

I think most people should wear their trouser about an inch higher than they currently do.

Wearing the trouser just below the belly button or covering the whole of your hip bone is a good rule of thumb. You’ll avoid excess stretching at the waistband and will feel more comfortable when you sit.

Plus, you won't be having to readjust your trousers every 5 minutes.

Trouser Taper

If you can stand up without your trouser grabbing on your calf or quad, then they’re probably ok.

This comes down to personal opinion, the style right now is definitely more of a loose fitting trouser. I still think tailoring should have an element of gracefulness so I’d recommend leaving the baggy trouser look to grandad.

Trouser Length

We wrote a piece on trouser length recently. If you missed it, don't worry. You can read it here.

If you fancy getting deeper on any of these points, book a consultation now.

Thanks for tuning in.

Ollie