Suit Buying 101: Getting the Right Fit

One of the first steps in buying a suit is finding the right fit. Here are a few things to remember when looking for a suit that will fit comfortably and look great.

Remember that suit jackets come sized based on the measurement of the chest. A simple measurement around the thickest part of your chest will get you the right size most of the time. If you’re familiar with terms measuring jacket length like short, regular or long, but don’t know which you need; take a look at this easy guide.

• If you’re under 5-foot-5: You’ll need a Short
• If you’re between 5-foot-6 and 6-foot: You’ll need a Regular
• If you’re 6-foot or more: You’ll need a Long
• If you’re between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-9: You’ll need an Extra Long

Using these guidelines for sizing, you should be able to find a suit on the rack that will work for you. But, if you’re an uncommon fit or if you want something made for your fit, you may want to consider getting a tailored suit.

If you want a suit personally sized for you, Shelton Clothiers’ Downtown Memphis location offers in house, expert tailoring. That means that we can offer you personal service in finding a quality suit that will fit great and look even better.

Their are generally two types of tailored suits: Made to Measure and Full Custom.

Made to measure means that we already have the materials and pattern ready to go, and we can construct your suit based on your size and measurement. This is the more common method we use when tailoring a suit.

A full custom suit is for a customer that either has an extremely irregular fit or wants something that’s completely unique to them. Full custom means that your suit will be built from the ground up and will be one-of-a-kind. However, a full custom suit will have a much higher price tag and take longer to make.

Remember that personalized fitting is a process. It’s common to have a second fitting if we don’t get it just right. If you’re a difficult fit, patience pays off. After your first custom suit is right, additional garments will be much easier to make.