suit for the skinny guy (that's not twenty something)

[Guest]

Hello everyone. I'm hoping for some advice on purchasing my next suit. Specifically what are your thoughts on the best cut and style of suit for the skinny guy. I'm 5'11 and 125lbs. Is a two button silhouette better than a three? I don't want a double breasted so that's out. I've heard that a thinner lapel is better, but don't like the look. It makes me feel like I'm wearing a little boys suit, on my frame anyways. Do I absolutely have to stay away from pinstripe, even if subtle? Thanks

[Guest]

The width of the lapels really depends on how wide your shoulders are.

Do not go for a skinny lapel unless you are aiming for something that is in fashion at the moment. I think glen plaid would be a good option for your size and height. Vertical lines have a lengthening effect and hence make you look a bit slimmer but I would not necessarily rule it out completely. If you are going for a pinstripe look maybe choose a lighter colour, grey or brown, rather than navy/black.

J

[Guest]

I'm about 6'1" and probably overweight at 145 or 150. I generally wear lapels of moderate, sometimes slightly greater width. And, while I tend to think that I might look better in chalkstripes, a navy SB with a fine and rich golden pinstripe is one of my favorites. I find that a slightly long suit coat, without a sharply defined waist, paired with trousers that have the slightest break if any at all, will help to reduce an impression of being skinny as a rail. If you go to a good, experienced tailor, his advice should prove very, very helpful (don't rely on a salesman!).

RWS

[Guest]

The width of the lapels really depends on how wide your shoulders are.

Do not go for a skinny lapel unless you are aiming for something that is in fashion at the moment. I think glen plaid would be a good option for your size and height. Vertical lines have a lengthening effect and hence make you look a bit slimmer but I would not necessarily rule it out completely. If you are going for a pinstripe look maybe choose a lighter colour, grey or brown, rather than navy/black.

J

I love the idea of a glen plaid. It just doesn't seem as versatile. I'm literally getting rid of my two existing suits and starting from scratch. I'm sorry I should have stated that. I will definitely will be looking into a glen plaid once I get the first one.

Any opinions about two or three button. I've heard that for shorter stockier gents it's better to go two button because the deeper v elongates. But others feel that the three button on my frame creates too much of a continuous line, not enough shirt to break up the line from top or bottom. ?

[Guest]

There are some great, big, dark, navy blue flannels with thick, widely-spaced, smudged chalk stripes which might add an appearance of breadth in themselves - if you have the nerve to wear them. They are not exactly loud but fairly striking and you would need begin the day by preparing the canvas of the portrait (as recently evocatively described by Alden) with fine, plain, white shirt, very dark, plain tie, plain navy socks and plain black oxford toe caps - it all depends on you whether you end up looking like a well-dressed plutocrat or a film maker's idea of Bugsy Seagal.

[Guest]

You will be much better with a 3 button front. Not only is the 3 button more elegant than the 2, your physique demands its use. Try to find one that is not set too high so you show a bit of shirt and tie. Your most important task is to find heavier fabrics like flannels, tweeds and heavy linens that add breadth. Look for striking patterns as well: herringbones, glen checks, thick chalks, windowpanes etc

Good luck

M Alden

[Guest]

You will be much better with a 3 button front. Not only is the 3 button more elegant than the 2, your physique demands its use. Try to find one that is not set too high so you show a bit of shirt and tie. Your most important task is to find heavier fabrics like flannels, tweeds and heavy linens that add breadth. Look for striking patterns as well: herringbones, glen checks, thick chalks, windowpanes etc

Good luck

M Alden

All good advice. I do appreciate it. I'm not really able to wear the heavier fabrics too often as I live in Los Angeles. I do love the windowpanes and glen checks which I will get either as a second suit.

It's quite difficult as it seems many in the know seem to have different opinions on what best suits certain body types. Length of jacket seems to be something that I've read should be shorter for someone of my frame and others claim longer. Lastly to avoid looking too gangly I shouldn't show too much shirt sleeve if any correct?

Thanks again,

Too thin for convenience

[Guest]

It's quite difficult as it seems many in the know seem to have different opinions on what best suits certain body types. Length of jacket seems to be something that I've read should be shorter for someone of my frame and others claim longer. Lastly to avoid looking too gangly I shouldn't show too much shirt sleeve if any correct?

Before I try to answer your question, let me make a comment on a theme that will be developed on the main Dressing Room forum. Politicians and marketers use polling as a method to understand public opinion. Polling has virtually zero use in the understanding of masculine elegance because most often you will know nothing about the experience or taste of those who are responding to your query.

You sound pretty confused and that is not terribly uncommon when one starts out in any new undertaking. The LL was created in part for young men like you who are curious and sometimes confused by the array of information provided by shops, sales reps, internet sites and well intentioned friends. Most of us had mentors growing up that led us through the maze of conflicting information with practical advice that was not commercially driven or motivated. But where do you find such advice these days? The LL can be a surrogate mentor only up to a certain point. At some point you will have to make choices, make errors and in doing so develop your own style.

The length of the jacket is not decided by one’s girth but by the relationship between the length of one’s torso and legs. If you have perfect balance between torso and legs you will wear a coat cut at the midpoint of your frame. To determine the midpoint you will have someone measure your overall length from the bottom of the back collar of a coat to the floor. This measure will be divided by 2 to find the midpoint. If your torso is longer than your legs, you will prefer a shorter coat. If the contrary, you will prefer a slightly longer coat.

Show a ½” of shirt sleeve.

Cheers

Michael Alden

[Guest]

Further to Michael's excellent guidance, it would help to have more information about your shape than mere total height and weight. If, for instance, you are fortunate enough to have fairly wide shoulders, you need not be anxious. Fred Astaire was actually very thin (though not so tall as you) and Gary Cooper was hardly a mesomorph, and both were elegant men.

If you have reasonably broad shoulders, you'll probably want some waist suppression to relieve and de-emphasize the vertical lines of the coat's body. Otherwise, if the coat is cut very clean, you'll look like a stick, and if cut loose, you'll look like David Byrne in "Stop Making Sense." A good tailor will recommend some drape and structure in the chest, which will enhance the impression of solidity, as will Michael's cloth recommendations. You will probably not want to build up the height of the shoulders unless you are very slope-shouldered, but again some discreet structure just above the blades will help fill out the silhouette. If your shoulders are narrow, some extension in the coat shoulder (see Cary Grant) will be helpful.

As to button configuration, the key thing is for the V opening of the jacket and the slightly wider V of the lapel line to lead the eye outward. A three-button, as Michael says, will be good here, but probably not if you button the top button--allow the lapel to roll. You don't want the straight line down the center of your body formed by the closed portion of the coat to be too long. If your shoulders are relatively broad and the button point of the coat is not too low, a two- or one-button style could work (as it would have to in a dinner jacket). Presuming your legs are normal or longish in proportion to your torso, you would not want the front quarters to be too open--the line of your legs would already be long enough, so no need to emphasize it.

Take heart--it is much easier to wear clothes well when you're a bit too lean than the reverse. You'll figure it out.

[Guest]

Signature to previous post: Couch

[Guest]

[quote="Anonymous"]Further to Michael's excellent guidance, it would help to have more information about your shape than mere total height and weight. If, for instance, you are fortunate enough to have fairly wide shoulders, you need not be anxious. Fred Astaire was actually very thin (though not so tall as you) and Gary Cooper was hardly a mesomorph, and both were elegant men.

I need to be properly measured but to my knowledge my chest is between 35 and 36 in. .I know that a 17 or 16.5 shoulder seam to seam fit good. My waist is a 30. My hips are my widest part tof me but don't have a measurement. I believe that my legs(very thin) are slightly longer than my torso.

I would tend to agree with RWS who said "I find that a slightly long suit coat, without a sharply defined waist, paired with trousers that have the slightest break if any at all, will help to reduce an impression of being skinny as a rail".

When I've had a jacket taken in in the body in the past and iit only emphasizes that my waist is the widest part of me. To my eye it is not a flattering look.

As for the recommendation from Couch on the 3/2 roll lapel. I have to say I'm not a big fan. I always think it looks sloppy IMHO. As you can see there are different thoughts as to which is most flattering, albeit subtle variations. I do appreciate them all.

I'm looking into a MTM not too paded or defined shoulder 3 button with a 2.75 lapel with slightly open quarters( I know this is not as flattering). Straight leg trouser with minimal break in a solid color of medium weight wool.

It's all in perspective as too how much to fret over this. Things could be much worse, I know.

TTFC

[Guest]

In manton's book: "The Suit," he mentions that taller people (and if you are 6' 1" and skinny- then I believe it definitely applies) should and can use patterns and accesories. Definitely do not get a 3 button too high - a 3 roll 2 might be better. The jacket can be a little longer (a bit beyond your seat) as it will break up your frame. Having slightly wider lapels should be fine as well (at least not the narrow ones you mentions). Solids might do your frame better than stripes. And make sure to get cuffs, turn ups, or whatever you want to call them, on your trousers that are at the very least 1.5" - but better off at even a drop more.

Cordovan

[Guest]

You will be much better with a 3 button front. Not only is the 3 button more elegant than the 2, your physique demands its use. Try to find one that is not set too high so you show a bit of shirt and tie.
Good luck

M Alden

[Guest]

I was not recommending a full 3-roll-2 but rather leaving your top button unbuttoned and allowing the lapel to roll gracefully. If you don't like the look, that's fine--you'll simply be declining one possible aid to achieving a less vertical effect.

If your hips appear, as you say, wider than your shoulders, then indeed you would not want to emphasize them by much waist suppression. In this case, your choice of more open quarters (normally not helpful for the long legged) may be beneficial by interrupting the solid mass of coat cloth at hip level.

2.75" lapel sounds fine for your height at a 17" shoulder width.

Sounds like you're well on your way.

- Couch