Tailored Thoughts On: How to Buy a Suit Part 3
This month, Huntsman Cutter and resident Essential Journal columnist, Matthew Gonzalez, dispenses some below-the-belt wisdom with a guide to trousers
words by Matthew GONZALEZ
In the final part of my three-article series on how to buy a suit, we are going to look at trousers. However, as offices are becoming more and more casual and men generally don’t wear suits as often as they once did, we will look at both suit and casual trousers for the office and everyday wear.
Over the years, workplaces across the world have become less formal, so even if you are wearing a suit to the office everyday it’s unlikely that you are wearing the coat the whole time. Trousers, on the other hand, will not be going anywhere. So it’s wise to make sure that you are buying trousers that fit correctly and are styled appropriately.
The waist is the obvious starting point, but perhaps the trickiest to begin with due to the fact that it is the most personal part of the garment in terms of comfort. Personally, all my work suit trousers have braces on them for two reasons.
One: I hate very snug fitting trousers on my waist. I want to be able to go to lunch or have a drink after work without feeling like the fastener is going to potentially burst open at any moment. When you wear braces with your trousers the waist should be just a little bit too big. The extra room allows the braces to do their job and hold the trousers in position. Secondly, by keeping the trousers in place on the waist the length will always be perfect, so you won’t have to be adjusting your trousers every time you move. Conversely, if you like a firm fit on the waist then you don’t need to wear braces, so consider a belt or sides straps. Either will ensure that you are happy with how they sit.
Once you are happy with the waist, take a look at the side pockets. If the trousers are too tight across your hips the pockets will be pulled open. You will also be able to tell if the trousers are too tight by the side seam of the trouser. It should run near completely vertical. If you look in the mirror from the side and see that seam curving forward, it is a solid indicator that the trousers are too tight and not ‘balanced’ correctly. The centre back seam of your trousers should be laying flat without any extra cloth bunching up. Obviously if the cloth at the back of the trousers looks like it has been pulled tight, then it probably is. So ask a tailor if it can be let out.
Depending on whether you like a full cut or slim leg trouser will dictate how long they should be. Tailors generally follow the rule that slim trousers should be cut short to sit on top of the shoe and wide leg trousers should be cut long to sit over it. If you like the hem to have a turn up than make sure that it is at least 1 1/2” deep. Anything less and there is basically no point. If you need to get the trousers hemmed, then I would suggest asking your tailor to add heel tape to the backs. Essentially it is a bit of cloth that is sewn into the back of the hem to help protect the trousers from wearing thin from the heel. It is especially helpful on light weight material that is a lot more delicate and needs extra care.
When it comes to casual tailored trousers there are a few things keep in mind. If you are wearing cotton trousers never press a crease into them: they should alway be flat. Personally, I like to wear a belt with my casual trousers and side straps with my suit trousers. While this isn’t a hard and fast rule, I have found it is a nice-yet-subtle way to differentiate between work and casual wear. Don’t be afraid of trying out a higher rise trouser, either. It may take some getting used to but, if you look at photos of menswear icons of the 20th century you might be surprised how nice a higher waisted trouser looks when it is casually paired with a polo.
As I have said before, you need to be comfortable in the clothing that you wear. Once you find the style or aesthetic that you like, try to remember some of the points that have been covered in these past few articles to ensure you are buying well fitted clothing. MG
