Avoid These 12 Suit Mistakes! (Worst Menswear Errors)

Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we'll cover 12 of the worst mistakes men can make while wearing suits so you can avoid them and look timelessly stylish. 🎵 The Gentleman's Gazette theme song 🎵 If you're a regular viewer of the Gentleman's Gazette channel, it will come as no surprise to you that we're big fans of wearing suits. We believe that wearing a suit is a great way to make a good first impression, feel more confident about yourself, and generally put your best foot forward in a variety of situations. With that said, though, a suit can be tricky to wear well. As we've said many times before, whether you've purchased a suit off the rack or had it made specifically for you, the most important thing to get right is fit. If you're unsure of what a good suit fit looks like, though, we've got you covered with our two-part series on how a suit should fit here. With that most important aspect out of the way, though, today's video will cover 12 other mistakes men make when wearing suits that will, overall, make them look sloppy, amateurish, or as though they don't know the finer points of menswear. Of course, we're here to help men look their best in any situation, so let's list off these 12 mistakes so that you can avoid them in the future. Most men are likely going to have the highest amount of experience with ready-to-wear suits, so we'll start there today. Of course, there are still other mistakes to be made if your suit has been made for you, but we'll get to those later on in the video. For a menswear aficionado, there are few better feelings than getting a brand new suit home for the first time, ready to wear it as soon as you can. But before you do, there are a few things you need to take care of to make sure you're walking out the door looking your best and that leads us to our first mistake today, which is leaving in the stitching. Many suits are sold with so-called tack stitching at various points, mostly found on the jacket, though it can also be found on the waistcoat for a three-piece suit. This tack stitching is present for a number of reasons. The first is to show that the suit is indeed new and hasn't been purchased or worn by someone else. The second is to hold it in shape over time as suits, like any garment, have a tendency to relax a bit over time as they're hanging. Once the suit has been purchased by you, however, you should remove this tack stitching. Usually, it's going to be in a contrasting color from the body of the suit to stand out more. This isn't meant to be a style design feature and though there are certain suits that will incorporate thread of a different color for design elements, think of decorative buttonholes, for instance, you shouldn't be removing this stitching. So, once you've gotten your new ready-to-wear suit home, get out a small pair of scissors or a seam ripper and look for tack stitching in these key areas. First would be the sleeves where the cuff is held together. Next would be pockets, including but not limited to the breast pocket, waist pockets, ticket pocket, and pockets on the waistcoat. Stitching on the back vents, which may be present for both single and double-vented jackets. Over the lapel buttonhole to keep it shut before it's worn, in which case you'll see a deliberate pattern of cross-stitching over the top of the buttonhole and across the shoulder seams of the jacket. Once you've taken the stitching out in these key areas, the suit will look like it's truly yours rather than like you stole it off a store mannequin and are now wearing it out and about. And while you've got your scissors or seam ripper handy, we can also cover our second closely related suit mistake today, which is leaving on the tags. Now, we're not talking here about the swinging tags that have the branding, size, price, and barcode on them. Hopefully, you've already taken these off. Instead, we're talking about the sewn-on tags, which are commonly going to be found on the jacket's sleeve. These tags are made of fabric and either printed or embroidered with things like the company's logo, what type of cloth the suit is made from, or which mill provided the cloth for the suit. It's worth noting that not every ready-to-wear suit has these sorts of tags on it, but many do and it seems as though many men are unsure just what to do with them as you can often see men leaving these tags on their suit jacket sleeves. Well, you've heard it here definitively, take off those tags. They're essentially just there for branding and information purposes. So, once the suit is yours, there's really no need to leave them on. Removing these tags will result in a more refined and sophisticated look, but leaving them on actually speaks to a broader suit mistake, which is our number three pick today. This would be thinking that the brand name of your suit matters more than how it actually looks on you. It's no secret that brands put plenty of time and money toward advertising. After all, it's all about those dollar bills. So, it's only natural that when looking for a new suit, it can be a little confusing as to where to spend your money. Of course, some brands are going to carry a certain weight to their name because of a reputation for quality when it comes to suits or anything else. And for that matter, testing quality of these well-known brands, you can take a look at our Is It Worth It? playlist here. But, when it comes to purchasing a suit, the way that it looks on you in regard to both the fit and the overall appearance on your frame is going to be paramount. To put this into context, a suit from Ralph Lauren may be prestigious because of the name but if it fits you poorly or doesn't work with your overall aesthetic, it's going to look worse than a lesser or non-name brand suit that fits you well and works with your style. A closely related point here is our number four pick, which is thinking that the quality of fabric or construction is going to matter more than how the suit fits. You're probably sensing our overall theme today, which is to say, don't let obsession over tiny details get in the way of larger questions of good taste like these guys did, for example. That's a wonderful suit. Don't tell me, don't tell me, let me guess. Valentino Couture, uh-huh. Looks so soft. Your compliment was sufficient, Louis. Of course, the material your suit is made from is an important aspect to consider as, for example, a suit made from synthetic materials may be hotter and breathe less well, whereas a suit made from natural fibers is going to be more breathable and more comfortable, generally speaking. What we mean to say here is don't let the suit's fabric be the deciding factor on whether you buy it or not. And by the same token, there are many suits available on the market which boast construction details that have historically been associated with bespoke-level craftsmanship with things like working cuff buttons, hand-stitched Milanese buttonholes, and curved barchetta pockets. But, these are all examples of construction details which can now more readily and frequently be found on ready-to-wear suits, as well. Details such as these do require more time and effort to achieve, but at the end of the day, they are just details. Because these elements were historically associated with garments that cost more money and took more time, it can be tempting to think that if you show off these kinds of details, people may think your suit is more expensive. But again, focus on the fact that, overall, fit is most important. And continuing along with this fit discussion, our number five mistake today is believing that no alterations are going to be necessary for your ready-to-wear suit. The benefit of ready-to-wear suits is right in the name. They are supposed to be ready-to- wear right off the rack. But, in fact, this is only true to a general degree and it's a misconception to think that there are no alterations that will be necessary once you buy one of these suits. Humans, of course, are naturally asymmetrical with things like one arm or one leg longer or shorter than the other and shoulders that don't sit perfectly level. Overall, we can be tricky to fit things to. Meanwhile, ready-to-wear suits are designed on symmetrical blocks designed to fit the widest amount of people possible. After all, it's easier for a retailer to make one basic suit shape and simply scale it up or down based on a few measurements like chest size or waist size. So, while you may be lucky to find a ready-to-wear suit that does generally fit you well right off the rack, you should still consider getting some alterations done in a few key areas, if nothing else, like the length of the sleeves, length of the trousers, and a bit of waist suppression on the jacket. We've covered what alterations tailors can and can't do successfully in this video but, overall, keep in mind that it's generally a good idea to take your new ready-to-wear suit into the alterations tailor just to check up on these few key areas, if nothing else. With that said, let's now move on from ready-to-wear suits and discuss custom next. The word custom can mean many things when it comes to clothing and suits in particular. For the purposes of today's video, though, we'll take the word custom to mean anything that isn't immediately available to purchase and wear but, at the same time, isn't being made by a bespoke tailor. To be more specific, then, this section will cover made-to-order suits such as those that can be made with Suitsupply's online create-your-own tool and also made-to-measure suits where your measurements are input into a database and an existing pattern is altered based on those measurements. Firstly, here, keep in mind that custom suits can still have the same problem areas as ready-to-wear suits because, after all, they are still based on ready-to-wear patterns. The difference, then, is that you're going to choose a few key aspects like the fabric, lining, or buttons, as well as some stylistic details like the pockets or lapels. Even when you receive your finished suit, you'll still want to look into getting those key alterations. When it comes to mistakes specifically for custom suits, then, we'll begin here with our number six mistake overall, which is having too much choice. When it comes to having an element of control over the look of a suit, the temptation to go wild can be strong like the proverbial kid in a candy store. But, just because you can choose a bold color or pattern, a fancy fabric, or other stylistic details doesn't necessarily mean that you should. Indeed, one of the joys of having a say in the creation of a suit is your ability to make sure that you're doing the simple things well. Although it may be tempting to go for a wild design, we would suggest that you stick with a classic suit design that will stay stylish for years to come, at least at first. On that note, you can take a look at our video on how many suits a man should own here. Another made-to-measure suit mistake is our number seven pick today, which is not following the provided measurement guide, specifically when you're buying suits online. In the same way that no two ready-to-wear suit brands are going to be identical, the same is true for made-to-measure suit brands. You may think that all you need to do is simply measure yourself in a few key areas once and then you'll be able to order from any brand easily, but in fact, different brands don't measure things in the same way. Some brands are only going to require a few measurements while others are going to require many more. And there's also the question of the method in which the measurement is taken. As an example here, let's look at a key one, that being sleeve length. This can be measured in a straight line from shoulder to wrist, from shoulder to elbow, then to wrist with your elbow bent, or from the middle of your neck, across your shoulder, and down your arm to your wrist, among others. Confusing, right? Of course, you're likely going to get different measurements with each different method, so a measurement that's good for one brand may not work for another. So, if you're ordering a made-to-measure suit, you should follow the specific measuring guide provided by that brand. If you have questions or concerns, it's a good idea to reach out to the company to check that your methodology is correct and that you have an accurate measurement because, after all, the result otherwise will be a poorly fitting suit. And as a bonus tip here, we'd suggest having someone else take your measurements for you as trying to measure yourself will pull your body out of its natural resting position and may throw off key measurements. On that note, for some general measurement tips, you can take a look at this video, which is all about buying suits online, here. Our eighth mistake today is expecting a perfect fit, which is to say that many men will choose to upgrade from a ready-to-wear suit to a made-to-measure suit, expecting that it will have the same quality of fit as a bespoke garment but without all of the additional hassle that goes into that process. The truth, though, is that buying a made-to-measure suit is a bit like using a calculator. If you don't provide the correct inputs of information, you're not going to get the answer that suits you. And one of the risks with buying a made-to-measure suit is that even if your measurements are input accurately, there's no guarantee that the suit is going to fit you properly or at least as expected. This is because many made-to-measure companies don't carry out a fitting so that the suit you receive is the finished item and it may not fit you in the way you desired. On a positive note, though, many more made-to-measure retailers are improving their customer service and fit guarantee these days and some, where they're able, are offering in-store fitting and alterations. With this said, though, even after an in-store alteration, you may not still have an exact fit as I experienced in our suit supply video. Now, let's move up the sartorial ladder again and discuss mistakes related to bespoke suits. The first one here is our number nine mistake today, not listening to your tailor. A good tailor is going to be well-trained in the art of making clothes and often, this training will have lasted for several years at a time. And although each tailor has their own particular style that they're going to cut and make, their overall goal is always to make you look your best. Of course, there are limits to what your tailor can and can't achieve and, indeed, asking them to construct something for you that isn't in their house style may result in them refusing your commission as, after all, they do have a reputation to uphold as well. Ultimately, though, their training is to assess your body structure and create the perfect suit for your needs. So, even if you go to your tailor with a specific look in mind, following a discussion, your tailor is probably going to have a few suggestions to make for how the design could be altered. A tailor's suggestions are given to benefit you because, after all, they will have a good deal of knowledge about what's going to suit you best. Now, we're not saying that you should always blindly follow your tailor, especially if you do have menswear knowledge of your own, but remember that their suggestions are made for your benefit and they are backed by years of experience. Let's move on now to our tenth mistake today, which is standing unnaturally when being measured. There's a common misconception out there that when you're being measured for a bespoke suit, you should stand tall and straight as possible, just like a soldier. In true though, this is probably one of the worst things you can do while being measured. Why is this? Simply put, the measurements taken are going to be most accurate to whatever pose you're in when they are taken. So, unless you plan to be standing straight and stiff as a soldier all the time, the suit probably isn't going to have proper measurements and may be uncomfortable as a result. Instead, when you're being measured for a bespoke suit, remember to stand naturally. As we mentioned, your tailor should have a wealth of experience in fitting garments to different body types, so standing naturally and taking time to relax is going to be your best bet. And if you do have any genuine and specific fit concerns, be sure to share them with your tailor. In the same way that you would do so with your doctor or optician, if your tailor doesn't know about particular fit issues, they aren't going to be able to help you with them. Our penultimate mistake today, number 11, is sticking with one tailor for everything. One of the numerous benefits of going bespoke is that you can form a good working relationship with your tailor over time in a similar way to how you might do so with your barber. You'll develop a personal uniform of sorts over time and you can depend on your regular tailor to do this well. But, you shouldn't limit your field of view overall and you can keep in mind that different types of tailors will be best suited to different schools of tailoring. As a rule of thumb, an Italian tailor will create suits that are softer and more casual, perfect for seasonal or informal wear. Whereas, an English tailor will typically create a suit that is far more structured, good for more formal and business-like environments. So, it's a great thing if you've got a good working relationship with one tailor but remember that you don't have to be wedded to them for everything and if you're looking for a suit in a different style, you may want to consider a different tailor. Now, we've saved the most important for last today. What, in our view, is the biggest suit mistake out there? Number 12 is thinking that you're above others because your suit is better than theirs. Remember that style is subjective and what one person likes, another may not. And, of course, that's not a bad thing. After all, can you imagine a world where we all wore exactly the same thing all the time? No, thanks. Indeed, variety is the spice of life and as you should now be aware, there are myriad options out there when it comes to what type of suit you can buy. This is why we love sharing our knowledge to help educate others about potential pitfalls and mistakes that they can avoid. After all, everyone has to start somewhere, including us. So, even if your suit costs you an arm and a leg, is made with the most exclusive fabric available, or has many intricate styling details, that doesn't mean that you're above other people who don't have the same type of suit. Take it from this dapper gent in an English-styled suit to see what we mean. As Hemingway said, there is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility is being superior to your former self. In today's video, to illustrate some of the principles and mistakes that we went over, I am indeed wearing a suit but not one that is particularly special to any degree. It's a simple two-piece suit in a royal blue color which works well within my own personal aesthetic and matches well to other elements of my wardrobe and I'm not concerned with the fact that it isn't made from a luxurious fabric and that it doesn't have any particularly fancy styling details. I purchased it off the rack and it does fit me relatively well overall. I had the trousers hemmed to a specific length but there are probably still further alterations I could make to it like waist suppression or differences in sleeve length that we mentioned before. For an overall blue and yellow color feel, I've paired it with a shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt featuring a Prince of Wales check in blue and yellow on a white ground as well as several accessories from Fort Belvedere. These would include our gold-plated sterling silver eagle-claw cufflinks featuring Tiger's Eye as the stone, an ancient matter bow tie in yellow, red, blue, and orange in a diamond pattern, my two-tone shadow-striped socks in navy blue and yellow, my pocket square in a color we're calling antique gold ochre with printed geometric medallions in beige, red, and blue with a cream contrast edge, and my yellow dandelion boutonniere which is a relatively new design to our shop at the time of recording this video. My shoes are chocolate brown suede oxfords from Undandy to go with the overall feel of the outfit which is formal but not excessively so and to work with both the yellow color feel and the informality of the formal outfit, I've also inserted contrasting Fort Belvedere laces into the shoes as well. And, of course, you can find all of the Fort Belvedere accessories I'm wearing in today's video in the Fort Belvedere shop here. ♪ The Gentleman's Gazette theme song ♪