Length Matters! – the Definitive Guide to How Long Your Clothes Should Be

Section: Building Your Wardrobe - Blog

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Whether you’re tall or short matters not in the world of fine tailoring. What really matters is your clothes, and most importantly, that your suit fits just right.

While many say it’s all in the shoulders, and it is to a certain extent, there’s also the not so small matter of length that is often overlooked.

A bit of extra length is not necessarily a bad thing, right? Well, if we’re talking socks or scarves, then go right ahead, but when it comes to formal wear, the right length is a matter of sartorial life and death.

The Trousers

With or without cuffs – Cuffs are the small band around the bottom of your trousers, which can add a classic look to your suit. They tend to make men look shorter and, for this reason, are best avoided if you’re not the tallest of the bunch.

It’s all in the break – the break is where the trousers fall on your shoe creating a horizontal crease. Depending on the length of your trousers, you can have way too much or the exact opposite.

We prefer the happy middle ground of no break, which is great for elongating your legs and adding height to your silhouette. Those of you with ankles to die for might prefer the uber short style that stops just above your ankle, but be warned, this is only fitting for skinny suits on men with lean figures.

The Shirt

Sleeve length – Such a simple rule that is all too often broken is the sleeves should come all the way down to the base of your wrist. Any more and it’s too long making you look shorter, any less and the cuff will get lost in your jacket sleeve.

How much cuff is enough? – When wearing your jacket, you’ll want to be able to see about half an inch of cuff, no more, no less.

Tuck it in – Need we say that your shirt should be tucked in on formal occasions (unless you’re dressing down that tuxedo). And as such the length should be enough that no matter what maneuvers you try out, your shirt stays tucked in.

The Jacket

Sleeves – To avoid the kid in dad’s suit look, your sleeves should fall only to your wrist and allow for that half inch of cuff to show. They should never come down over any part of your hand.

Jacket length – If you know how to dress for your body shape, then you’ll know the jacket length relies on the trouser crotch length and your height and width. So with no two men being the same, the old rule of thumb that it should line up with your thumb knuckle (pardon the pun) isn’t really true.

Remember you’re not ten anymore, and you won’t grow into anything, so get the length right by having it tailored right and you’ll look the part no matter what the occasion.

That's where the men of Montagio Custom Tailoring can come to your aid. Schedule a private consultation for some one-on-one advice or pop into our showroom at your convenience. Either way, we're ready to help you suit in style so you look damn good!

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