How the suit should look

To follow are some hints on the various parts of the suit, and how they should appear when fitted properly.

The jacket: should lie smoothly over your shoulders and across your back, and should look proportional to your physique. The length of the jacket should cover up your entire backside (your butt).

Jacket sleeves: should end at the point where your hands meet your wrists and show 1/2 inch of your shirt cuff. Higher armholes may help your suit to drape better on your body, but they should never feel tight or binding. Make sure that you have free movement of your arms. As a test, bring your arms straight out in front of you.

The collar: should hug the back of the neck without buckling or pulling. 1/2 inch of your shirt collar should show from under the suit's collar.

Shoulder pads: if you have them, should help the suit to hang properly and help you achieve more of a "V" shape. For guys with narrow shoulders, pads might help you look more masculine, but they should never be too bulky or obvious, nor should they be so wide as to diminish the appearance of the head. The shoulders of a jacket should frame the head for a balanced presentation.

Lapels: should lie flat to your chest, and should never bunch up or buckle.

Vents: are in the flap of cloth below the waist at the back of the jacket that covers your backside (your butt). You can have one, two, or no vents depending on your body type. If you have a large backside, two vents are advisable; if you have a very flat backside, you can opt for no vents. The idea is to not have the back of the jacket stretching across your butt.