6 style slip-ups to avoid when choosing a suit

It should be a relatively straightforward sartorial statement, but there are half a dozen no-nos which men who wish to dress to impress need to be aware of, finds Katie Wright

EVERY man worth his sartorial salt knows that a suit is the ultimate style statement. Whether two-piece or three, single-breasted or double, wool or tweed, a tailored jacket and trousers will never go out of style, and a good-quality suit is always a sound wardrobe investment.

Trends may come and go, but whatever the colour, cut or fabric, it’s important to find the right fit and follow a few styling rules to ensure a smart look.

Here, tailoring expert Laz Tyrekidis, below right, talks us through six common suit mistakes – and how to avoid them.

1 Choosing the wrong size

“Whether it’s too big or too small, an ill-fitting suit looks cheap – no matter how much you paid for it,” said Laz, advising that the key is to try on a few sizes to begin with. “A well-fitting suit should follow the natural curves of your frame, with no wrinkling or excess fabric, and allow for reasonable movement. Make sure to check for these signs when trying on suits in store, and always choose a style and fit that will flatter your body.” 2Keeping

“Forget what you might have heard - if your cuffs are on show, this does not mean your blazer is too short,” Laz said. “In fact, visible cuffs are a giveaway sign that separates the expert from the novice. When you are standing with your arms relaxed by your side, about half an inch of your shirt cuffs should remain exposed. This is a slicker, more polished aesthetic that style-savvy gents go for.” 3 Leaving your pockets stitched up Tailoring pros know that most off-the-rail suits come with stitched up pockets, vents and labels attached to

your cuffs covered

blazer sleeves. Leaving these stitched is “probably the biggest tell-tale sign of a suit novice,” said Laz. “A common mistake lots of gents make is to not unstitch these stitches before wearing their suits. This school-boy error will affect the way your suit fits, so ensure everything is unstitched before wearing.” 4 Think that a blazer should be fully buttoned? Think again. “This can actually create an unflattering silhouette, cause your blazer to gape and generally look poorly fitted,” said Laz. “Instead, the bottom button of suit blazers and waistcoats should always be left undone – this will ensure your suit flatters your shape and will actually look smarter than fastening every button. Similarly, every blazer button should be unfastened each time you sit down.” 5 Matching your pocket square to your tie “Avoid the temptation to match your pocket square colour or pattern to your tie,” Laz said. “A true fashion connoisseur knows that his pocket square should be in a secondary colour. Match your pocket square to another colour in your suit. This will create a slick, high-end feel.”

Doing up all the buttons 6 Ill-fitting shoulders

Jacket shoulders are an important indicator of fit, so pay special attention to this area when choosing a suit. “The shoulder seam of your blazer should sit where your shoulder ends and your arm begins,” said Laz.

“Should your jacket be too big or too small, this will create bulges or wrinkles in this area, highlighting the bad fit and making you look dishevelled, or as though you borrowed your suit from someone else.”