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MEN’S TAILORING
BY MATT HAMBLY, ASSOCIATE STYLE EDITOR, MEN’S HEALTH
This month, Matt Hambly has teamed up with McArthurGlen Designer Outlets to launch
their Autumn/Winter 2017 ‘Must Haves’ campaign focusing on this season’s key pieces. In this
special feature, Matt showcases his top picks and gives readers advice on men’s tailoring.
With more choice of fit, fabric and styles than ever, men’s tailoring
is as strong, and striking as it’s ever been. Here’s how to look your
sharpest this party season.
The suit’s greatest strength - that sense of smart uniformity- can also
be one of its biggest drawbacks. Walking into the office to find you’re
one of seven, all wearing a two- button, navy blue suit can be a little
disheartening. Less uniformity, more anonymity.
But it needn’t be like that, especially if you use some of this year’s
biggest tailoring trends to your advantage. They might seem a
little outlandish at first but with judicious application (a little goes
a very long way where suits are concerned) you can make a stylish
impression for the right reasons.
The first thing to do is look for a point of difference, something that
no one else will be wearing. It could be a checked suit (of which there
are plenty of good examples this season) or a suit with a tiny fleck of
colour woven into the fabric, it’s these touches that will set you apart
from the crowd without looking like you’ve tried too hard.
Being bold with the fabric you chose, but making sure you get the fit
right will pay dividends. Begin with the jacket. Does the sleeve-head
sit right on your shoulder? Do you have room to move with it on?
Does the jacket feel like it fits correctly? These are things to consider,
so don’t rush when you’re trying a suit on.
Next, the trousers. It’s a good idea to bring the shoes you intend to
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wear with a suit with you. In most cases the trousers will need to be
taken up. Try them on with the shoes and find a length that works
for you. Just skimming the top of your shoe is a good benchmark. Go
lower if you’d feel more comfortable but never higher. Ankle swingers
can make your legs looks, and by extension you, shorter.
If a complete suit is not your thing, tailored separates (an elaborate
way of saying a jacket and trousers) is an option worth exploring.
Make sure that the two deliberately don’t match. Two shades of navy
blue that are almost right will look like a mis-match, as opposed to
something really out there- like black tuxedo trousers and an orange
tuxedo jacket, which will look deliberate. It might sound a little
adventurous but bright, jewel-like colours are proving popular as
people look for a way to stand out, especially if you’re attending an
event that has a ‘black tie’ or formal dress code.
Party wear has loosened up a great deal over the last five years and the
once strict rules have been relaxed, so have some fun. But remember,
the same guidelines for fitting a regular suit apply to formalwear as
well. There’s just a few subtle tweaks that it’s worth making. If the
party is strictly ‘black tie’ then seek out patent black dress shoes. A
bow tie and cufflinks are also useful additions. A regular tie and shirt
will give you the appearance of someone who’s come straight from
the office. And if you’re already making some of the effort, why not
go all the way?
As mentioned before, if you’re looking to make an impression in a
suit, uniformity is fine, but individuality is even better.