Tailor reveals the ‘red flags’ to avoid when picking out a suit

As September marks the perfect month to find a new job, and with autumn weddings on the horizon. I’m getting in touch with expert comments from the team at Slater Menswear on the essential criteria to consider when it comes to picking a suit that will impress.

Declyn Cooper, Head of Tailoring at Slater Menswear, has outlined the following ‘red flags’ to avoid when it comes to helping you finding the suit of your dreams – including how to tell if a suit jacket is incorrectly buttoned.

His full onsite commentary is available to view here: https://www.slaters.co.uk/style-inspiration/style-guides/common-suit-buying-mistakes 

1. The suit jacket is incorrectly buttoned 

The way you button your jacket can significantly impact the silhouette of your suit, which can cause you to feel that a suit doesn’t look right when, in reality, it could be exactly what you’re looking for.

 “The consensus is that you should never button the lowest jacket button. If your suit blazer has three buttons, it’s fine to button the first two, but the third should be left undone. Similarly, a two-button jacket should be left open at the bottom,” says Declyn. “So, what if your jacket only has one button? In that case, it’s fine to button it when standing — but remember to unbutton it when sitting down.”

2. The chosen fabric is wrong

Suits are available in a wide variety of fabrics, from more budget-friendly synthetic fibres to natural materials. However, it’s important to remember that not all materials are created equal, and in fact, not even all suits of the same fabric offer the same quality. Choosing the right fabric can take your suit to the next level and create a put-together look that’s sure to impress.

“Slater Menswear suits are often made of a polyester blend,” Declyn explains. “Polyester is an extremely durable material. It is stronger than natural fibres and can withstand abrasions, tearing, and stretching. It’s also resistant to stains and retains its shape well, so you know you are getting a suit that is going to stand the test of time.”

3. The jacket length is wrong 

The wrong jacket length can ruin the aesthetics of your entire suit, so it’s crucial that you choose the right fit to avoid having a jacket that awkwardly rises every time you lift your arms.

 “Testing the length of your suit jacket is a very simple process. Let your arms hang directly by your side, and measure where the bottom of the jacket falls in relation to your hand. The correct fit should sit at the knuckle of your thumb — any longer or shorter, and the length is wrong,” Declyn says.

 “While some are lucky and can find the correct length already available on the rack, others may need to take their jacket to a seamstress for alterations to achieve the correct length.”

4. The sleeve length is wrong 

The length of your sleeves is all too often overlooked when shopping for a new suit, but this can result in an ill-fitting blazer with a far less impressive silhouette.

 “Ideally, half an inch of shirt sleeve should be visible from the end of your jacket sleeve. If more than half an inch protrudes, the sleeves are too short. Alternatively, if no shirt sleeve is visible, your jacket sleeves are too long,” Declyn explains. “We want some shirt sleeves to be visible to accessorise them with cufflinks, which otherwise wouldn’t be seen.”

5. The tack stitching and tags aren’t removed 

“Tags are usually sewn into the suit jacket somewhere on the sleeves or the breast pocket. They are often attached with two threads—one at either end — making removing them with a regular pair of scissors easy,” Declyn explains.

 He adds, “Tack stitching is used to keep the suit looking its best during transit, often holding pockets closed or joining the coattails on a jacket. This makes suit care easier, reducing the risk of severe creases. These stitches are easy to miss but are very quickly spotted by others when you’re wearing your new suit at an event. To remove them, use scissors or a thread trimmer and pull the loose threads from the garment.”