Advice: choosing a suit, wearing a jacket and brands to know

The jacket is THE centerpiece of the costume: choosing it wrong is enough to destroy the look of its wearer. Therefore, it is important to master certain prerequisites before purchasing it...

We will therefore determine the key elements that you absolutely need to know. Structure, size, codes, we go through the jacket with a fine-tooth comb and tell you everything!

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SUIT JACKET?

1. THE GOOD SHOULDER

It's about the most determining point of the appearance of the costume. They deserve all the more attention as they cannot be retouched a posteriori.

When trying on a suit, you have to make sure that the shoulder seam of the jacket coincides perfectly with the end of ours. This means that the seam must be exactly where the shoulder breaks , and not gaping above the gap.

Regarding the padding , watch out for overly padded shoulders: the upper structure of the jacket must be in harmony with your silhouette.

If you need to dress a strong or muscular physique , you have the option of wearing so-called “Neapolitan” shoulders.

Clear difference above between a classic shoulder on the left and a Neapolitan shoulder on the right.

The Neapolitan shoulder (spalla camicia in Italian) has no padding and is very typical of transalpine elegance. Conversely, the shoulder "con rollino", the roll of which is ensured by a cigarette, reflects English mastery in this area .

2. A BENDING NEITHER TOO LOOSE NOR TOO STRONG

Fitting is how the jacket will fit the natural curve of your bust. This is an essential point which determines the fit, particularly on the sides and back.

This effect is made possible by bending pliers , lines visible at the ribs where the excess fabric is tucked inside.

Be careful: a bend that is too light tends to make you float in your jacket, while a bend that is too strong tends to constrict you and give the impression that you are suffocating.

In short, the perfect shaper is the one that highlights your silhouette without being too tight .

To check that the fit of your jacket suits your body shape, you can make the following observation:

• from the front, the sides of the jacket must make a nice curve without creating breaking folds,
• in profile, the back of the jacket must follow the arch of your back without bending at the level of the buttocks.

If, while testing, you notice that the fit of your favorite jacket is not suitable, there is still the solution of alteration.

In this regard, remember to close your jacket when you stand, but only the first button! It's a good habit to get into: it's as much about aesthetics (the silhouette is slimmer when the jacket is buttoned) as it is about decency (in certain environments, keeping your jacket open when you're standing can be perceived negatively ).

3. CHOOSE YOUR POCKETS

There are several types, let's look at that...

• Patch pockets consist of a piece of fabric sewn to the outside of the garment on three edges, leaving the last one open.

• Vest pockets are made by cutting a slit in the fabric, hiding the bottom of the pocket inside the garment. The work is finished with piping , a strip of fabric turned over on itself.
• The double-piped pocket is an evolved variation of the previous one, where both sides of the opening are finished with piping. Flap pockets, for example, have double piping, which allows the flap to be tucked in and hidden in the pocket.

4. THE LAPELS OF THE SUIT

A backhand is defined by its thickness and the nature of its notch. It's a small detail that has a big impact on the final style of the jacket.

Over the years, trends have evolved, with lapels being very narrow in the early sixties and very wide in the seventies.

In the same way, the peak lapel has almost disappeared in favor of the notch lapel, before re-emerging in recent years.

When choosing your jacket, try to get the set that seems most harmonious to YOU. If this doesn't resonate with you, look at the men wearing suits around you, on public transport, or even on TV.

Notice how the proportions, thicknesses and distances are associated with each other. By getting your eye used to it, you will progress and quickly become an ace at detecting imperfections on a jacket. A lapel pleat that is too thick, a tie as wide as a lapel... so many details that make all the difference and will make you jump to the ceiling.

5. FULL, HALF-COVERED OR HEAT-BONDED COVERING?

A jacket that looks good is a jacket that holds up. To do this, there are several construction methods.

THE TRADITIONAL METHOD

This method consists of trapping a so-called “tailor” canvas between the right side and the back of the bust of the jacket.

On the other hand, it is the only one that allows you to achieve a perfect fit and an exceptional lifespan .

THE HEAT-BONDED JACKET

In order to drastically reduce the manufacturing time and manufacturing costs, the textile industry has developed a technique which consists of directly gluing the canvas to the fabric.

Although the customer has an immediate benefit on the purchase price, the jacket fits less well and the heat-sealed has a limited lifespan - rarely more than one or two seasons, especially if you wear it often.

THE SEMI-COVERED JACKET

Halfway between these two methods, semi-canvassed jackets are fitted with a tailored canvas which is limited to the upper part of the jacket.

This is the type of construction that you will find most among the mid-range brands that we recommend. It constitutes a good compromise between the two methods: more longevity and a more careful drape than with thermo, with a lower price compared to traditional interlining.

WHERE TO BUY A MEN’S SUIT?

Rejoice, stylish and good quality suits have never been more accessible than today. This should continue to evolve in the right direction as long as men remain demanding in terms of cuts, textures and finishes.

To complete this overview of men's suits, here are some houses that offer relevant suits in terms of quality/price ratio.

1. SMALL BUDGETS UNDER 200 EUROS

At the bottom of the scale, we find Zara and Devred (around €150) who make well-cut suits.

Let's keep in mind that these costumes are reserved for people who cannot afford to wear more and that they are not not suitable for regular use .

The Célio Club, Brice, Jules and others can be interesting if you find them on sale because they easily come at ridiculous prices to dress very small budgets. Again, don't expect miracles...

2. A SUIT FOR LESS THAN 350 EUROS

This is an offer on which it was extremely complicated to find anything convincing until a few years ago. Fortunately, more and more brands are now making efforts to offer quality in this range. Beautiful materials, correct heat-sealing or even semi-canvassing: it is in this price range that we can start talking about a “good suit”.

For example, we can cite Atelier Mesure (Paris): is an excellent gateway to tailor-made suits because François-Xavier is full of kindness and good advice. It’s really quite an experience! He takes good care of the people we send to him, and they regularly give us very good feedback. Prices range from €650 to... infinity. It has a unique range of offers in France, since it offers 9 different workshops depending on your budget and your requirements (for example, there is the choice between Asian or Italian interlining).

• Richard James in Savile Row (London): simple, effective, not overpriced for a beautiful suit (less than €1000). The tailor offers fully canvassed suits at reasonable prices, with refined cuts and discreet materials that are very appreciable in a professional context.
• Ozwald Boateng in Savile Row (London): with an almost unique price of €1,300, Ozwald Boateng offers some of the most successful cuts on the market, in often very elaborate materials. We like it a lot, but be careful: not everything is appropriate for a professional context. Avoid suits with too original details (such as buttons on the lapel). Also pay attention to the slightly garish colors, very appreciated by the brand.
• Husbands offers one of the best quality/price ratios on the market in the very high end for around... €1,400. Yes, it's a hell of a sum, but here we are dealing with a quality that would be sold for double or even triple elsewhere (at Brioni or Hermès for example). It's the perfect timeless costume. The brand also offers a half-measure offer.

• Maison Scavini , where Julien, the tailor, demonstrates pedagogy and extraordinary humility. From €1,600 for a small, handcrafted costume. More expensive than Gilles Masson, but well suited to those looking for more traditional inspirations. Note that it also offers a very nice half-measure offer made in Eastern Europe, starting at 875 euros. A very rare thing for the price: the costumes are fully canvassed.

5. THE LIMIT IS THE SKY: FROM 2,500 EUROS

Here you enter a very particular universe: that of high quality or very luxury brands.

While it may seem unreasonable to spend so much money on a suit, it is worth remembering that it is a long-term investment that can prove profitable .

We can cite Brioni , Kiton , Cifonelli , Smalto (of which we love the lapel notch typical of the house) and Tom Ford (although a large majority of the models can be worn in the office).

Above: fashion designer Francesco Smalto during the Men's fashion shows on January 28, 1996 in Paris.

If you have this budget, you can also order your first custom two-piece from Henry Poole in London or, if you prefer more fluid suits with a pronounced Italian style, at Sartoria Ciardi in Naples.

THE FINAL WORD

There you are, you now have all the cards in hand to evaluate the quality of a jacket, choose it according to your body type and wear it according to your tastes.

From the most casual to the most sartorial, there is something for all tastes and all budgets.

And you, which brand do you prefer to wear? And with an unlimited budget, where would you go? Tell us about it in the comments!

You know us, the flat iron-on suits that buckle at the first rain, very little for us.

This is why we have developed an entire collection in semi-traditional or full interlining, always with our favorite sartorial finishes.