워낙에 떨어지는 패션 감각에, 주변에 수트관련 조언을 해줄 사람도 마땅치않은지라. 앞으로도 이런 자료는 필요할 것같아 스크랩 형식으로 남겨둠.
1. Beware of the sales guy
He’ll tell you whatever you want to hear—that everything looks great
on you, that the store’s tailor can fix any suit. And you can almost be
guaranteed his sense of style will be different from yours. For all
these reasons, you need to know as much as possible about how a suit
should fit and what kind of suit you’re looking for before you walk
through the door. Remember, you’re the boss, not him.
2. Know why you’re buying a suit
Are you hunting for a suit that you’re going to wear to the office
once or more a week? (If so, keep it dark and classic.) Or are you
looking for a suit you’ll wear a few times a year to weddings and
funerals? (Black or navy is a safe bet.) Is it a suit you’ll wear to
job interviews? (If so, you want to be well dressed but not better
dressed than the guy interviewing you, so nothing too pricey.) Or is it
the kind you’d wear with sneakers and a T-shirt, or wear just the
jacket with a pair of jeans? (Think designer, not Brooks Brothers or
Hickey Freeman.)
3. Start at a department store
When you’re ready to start shopping, grab a friend who won’t
hesitate to provide you with a blunt opinion, and head to a store like
Barneys or Saks or Bloomingdale’s. You’ll be able to view a variety of
brands instead of just one. Once you’re inside, do a lap of the suit
floor by yourself. See what styles are carried—what grabs your
attention. Look at prices. Ask for a salesman when you’re good and
ready.
4. Know your size
It sounds obvious, but it’s not. The most crucial element of a suit
is its fit, and not many sales guys understand how a suit should fit
or, more specifically, how you want yours to fit. Before you step into
a dressing room, get a handle on the various components of a suit…
Shoulders:
The suit’s shoulders should hug yours; shoulder pads should not
protrude beyond your own shoulders. If you stand sideways against a
wall and the shoulder pad touches the wall before your arm does, the
suit is too big.
Chest:
You should be able to easily button the jacket without it straining.
Conversely, there shouldn’t be too much space between the button and
your chest—no more than a fist’s worth.
Length:
When your arms are hanging straight down, you should be able to cup
your fingers under the sides of your suit jacket. However, these days,
with shorter suits in style, some jackets reach only about an inch
beyond the cuff of your suit sleeve.
5. Start thinking about the number of buttons
Now you need to think about the style of the suit itself. The first
thing you need to consider is the number of buttons on the suit. This
will determine a good deal about the cut and fit. Here are some basic
pointers:
• The three-button suit became the dominant look in the
1990s; it now seems to be the standard young man’s choice. Instead of
opting for one of those high-cut versions, look for one with a
roll-over lapel—one in which you button the middle button, encouraging
the soft lapel to roll over the top button.
• For years the two-button suit was the go-to conservative,
Capitol Hill getup. Now every fashion label imaginable is designing
two-button suits, except they’re making them more streamlined and
modern. This cut is what’s most in style right now.
• If you’re looking for something rakish, a bit more high-style, try a one-button suit. It’s not for everyone, but if you can pull it off, it’s a sleek look.
6. Think about the vents on the back of the suit jacket…
• A center vent is all-purpose; it is both modern and traditional. You can’t go wrong.
• Side vents (left) are more European; a bit more suave.
• A ventless jacket is just plain wrong. It says you think it’s still 1986.
7. …and the type of lapel
• A notch lapel—what you see on most business suits—is the standard. You’re always safe with a notch lapel.
• A peak lapel is more old-school and elegant. And now it’s enjoying a comeback with the high-fashion crowd. It makes a statement.
8. Now head to the dressing room
If you’re not wearing a dress shirt and dress shoes, ask for them; a
good store should be able to hook you up. Then, find the three-way
mirror and size up your suit. And not just the jacket. Consider the
pants, too: They should be comfortable, and the rise (where the pants
sit on your waist) shouldn’t be too high or too low for your taste. If
you don’t think the pants fit right, try on another suit.
9. Know what a tailor can—and can’t—do for you
Here are the areas you should direct your tailor’s attention to:
• Shoulders: If your suit doesn’t fit in the shoulders, it’s
not going to fit anywhere else. Salesmen will tell you they can reduce
or reshape the shoulder pads—don’t listen to them.
• Pants: If the pants are an inch or so too tight or too
large in the waist, a tailor can usually fix them. But if it’s more
than an inch, you’re asking for trouble.
• Jacket: A tailor usually will need to alter the length of
the sleeves. Insist that you’d like a quarter inch of shirt cuff to
show. The sides of a jacket often need tapering so they contour to your
torso. And check out the collar: Many times there is a roll in the back
of the suit jacket, up near your neck. A good tailor can correct this
10. Pick it up
When you return to get your suit after it’s been altered, always try
it on again. Often, it will need another tweak or two so it fits as
perfectly as you want it to. Congratulations, you’ve bought a suit.