Every man should own at least one suit, there’s no two ways about it. If you’re going to buy a suit, then you might as well make it worthwhile. Buy something that fits exceptionally and won’t break the bank; splurge a little but make sure you can afford to be able to wear it outside of the house.
For obvious reasons, a bespoke suit is the ideal option, nothing beats the perfect cut in a fabric you can feel good about. Until now, it’s never really been a feasible option because of the time and cost involved. Knot Standard is changing all of that.
Buying a ready-to-wear suit isn’t necessarily a bad option, we’ve all been there! Prices are reasonable and you can choose from the latest styles, but now you can do all of that with a custom suit, too.
Regardless of which route you go down, there are some important things you need to look for.
Choose the right fabric:
Fabric is the first thing you would pick out for a tailor-made suit, so do the same with a ready-to-wear.
A 100% wool suit is definitely the best way to go because wool is natural, breathes well, and is also extremely stylish. Here are some other fabrics you can consider when choosing a suit.
NON-WOOLS
Linen is great for the summer because it’s lightweight and stylish, however wrinkles and stains easily and is difficult to travel with.
Polyester if cost is an issue and there’s no way you can stretch you budget to something better. It won’t wrinkle, but it also doesn’t breathe well.
Microfibers enhance the washability of a suit, is breathable and water repellent. Many lower-end suits are made of microfibre fabric.
Spandex. Very small percentage of spandex or Lycra will give your suits that stretch factor we all love.
WOOLS
Tweed Generally heavy and warm, not flattering for heavyset or overweight men
Flannel is the heaviest of non-tweed wools, great for winter suits, but not ideal for a first suit.
Tropical Wool is perfect for summer suits because it’s lightweight. Requires frequent dry cleaning and more prone to wrinkles, so not necessarily the best material for a first suit.
Worsted wool is the ideal fabric for a first suit Durable and hard wearing Can be worn year-round Depending on the weave, can be used for lighter and heavier suits
Blends our very favourite blends are wool/silk and wool/cashmere blends. Suits don’t get better than this!
The Jacket
These are all things that are guaranteed to fit when you buy a bespoke suit from Knot Standard, so as long as you choose a suit style you like, you don’t have to worry.
SINGLE vs. DOUBLE BREASTED
You can choose between a single or double-breasted jacket. A double-breasted jacket folds over itself in the front, while a single breasted one doesn’t.Double-breasted jackets are generally more formal; however, you will see many menswear designers and retailers pairing double-breasted jackets with a pair of jeans to dress it down.
COLLAR
Generally, your collar should hug the back of your neck without buckling or pulling on your shirt. Your shirt should stick out an inch from the back of your collar. Again, this is something that will be customised according to your measurements if you order your suit through Knot Standard.
SUIT LAPELS
Lapels are the extension of the suit’s collar, which fold back against the chest. Both a high and low notch are OK, as long as they are flat on your chest, discreet and don’t buckle. Make sure the stitching is as invisible as possible.
ARMS & SLEEVES
Your sleeves should end where your hand meets your wrist and your shirt sleeves should be a quarter inch longer than your suit jacket. Knot Standard has a fool-proof way of getting the perfect fit, you just have to follow the instructions online.
BUTTONS
· Choose a 1- 2- or 3 button jacket; presently, a 2-button jacket will do for most men and situations
· 1-button jackets are better suited for men with slimmer physiques
· Today, 3-button jackets appear dated, but the Knot Standard designs are modern and contemporary, so nothing you have to worry about with one of our suits.
Suit shopping made easy
Suit shopping should be relatively easy and we hope these tips make it even easier. The Knot Standard suit shopping experience is simple and affordable. We have online advisors who can help you through your purchase experience every step of the way. Visit www.KnotStandard.com