The shoulder overhangs
The seam should stop at the shoulder bone. When it hangs past it, the sleeve dents below the shoulder and the whole garment looks borrowed. Shoulders cannot be altered, so this decides the size.
Fit guide
The fit check
Fit matters more than price or label. Check these points in the fitting room, in order from the top down. If the first is wrong, the rest rarely matter: shoulders cannot be altered, almost everything else can.
Relaxed, not oversized. Check these in order from the top.
- Shoulder seam on or just past the boneNo more than 2 cm past it. Shoulders cannot be altered, so this decides the size.
- Collar lies flatIt should rest on the chest without rolling up or gaping away from the neck.
- Sleeve ends mid-bicepAt the elbow reads as a T-shirt. High on the arm looks tight.
- Chest has room to moveYou should be able to pinch about 4 to 5 cm of fabric on each side.
- Hem lands at the base of the flyWorn untucked, any longer and the hem shortens your leg.
Sit high, taper gently, hang clean.
- Waist at the navelThe waistband should stay put without a belt sliding down. One finger of room.
- Pleats stay closed when standingIf they flare open, the trouser is too small in the seat.
- Seat without pulling linesNo horizontal creases below the waistband.
- Taper from knee to ankleA leg opening of about 17 to 20 cm suits most builds.
- Hem with slight break or noneWith loafers, the hem should skim the top of the shoe.
Soft shoulders, easy length, room to breathe.
- Seam on the shoulder boneUnstructured jackets have no padding to hide a bad fit.
- Length covers the seatHem should reach about the second knuckle of your thumb with arms down.
- Two-button stance at the navelThe top button should sit at or just above your navel.
- Sleeve shows 1 to 1.5 cm of shirt cuffAny tailor can shorten a sleeve in a day.
- No pull across the backReach forward. If the cloth tightens, size up.
Short enough to be easy, long enough to look smart.
- Hem just above the kneeMid-thigh looks sporty. Below the knee looks dated.
- Waist sits at the navel or just belowSame logic as trousers: it should stay up without a belt.
- Leg opening not too wideA cut that skims the thigh looks sharper than a flapping one.
- Seat free of pullingSit down and check. Creases across the seat mean a size up.
- Pocket bags lie flatIf they flare outward, the cut is too narrow in the hip.
Common mistakes
Spot the difference
The shirt is too long
Untucked, a camp shirt should end at the base of the fly. Longer than that and it cuts the leg in half, making you look shorter.
The trousers pool on the shoe
Fabric collapsing onto the shoe adds weight to the leg and makes you look shorter. A slight break, or none with loafers, keeps the line clean.
Want the numbers behind a good fit?
Enter three measurements and get your UK size for tops, jackets and trousers.