Your potential employer or client needs to feel that they can trust you. Your appearance is the first indication to someone you are about to meet as to what type of person you are. So their first point of reference would be your clothing. Of course other factors play into what sort of impression you give, such as your tone of voice and what you actually say but we see before we hear so your outfit will make the biggest impact. There are a few important basic rules that should be followed when trying on and buying your new suit.

The cut
Essentially there are two basic cuts. Your more traditional European cut which is a lot more fitted and cut to streamline the contours of your body and the looser slightly more angular cut. These two basic cuts stay more or less the same and are the two classic styles, and from that you either have your two or three-buttoned jacket. In general the two buttoned variety looks better on a shorter frame proportionately and like wise the three buttoned better on a taller frame although you could get away with either one. If you are not sure what cut will suit you best, try on many styles so that you can compare and find one that best compliments your build. The European cut would be the most popular of the two, because it is more fitted and tends to accentuate the structure of your body, where as the looser cut can sometimes swallow you up and doesn’t always look so flattering.

The fit
There is nothing worse than seeing someone in an oversized suit or one that is too tight. So once you have decided on which cut to go for you need to consider the fit. When trying on the jacket you need to check that it feels comfortable across your chest, back and shoulders with the buttons done up. It needs to look well proportioned when left open and should also be able to button up without creating a stretch across your front. To determine the perfect length of the jacket you should be able to curl your fingers under hem of the jacket and check the length at the front and back of the jacket are equal. The ideal length is just over the bum. The length of the arms is also important and this should end at your wrist bone allowing for no more than an inch of your shirt showing. The length of the trousers should not cover more than half of your shoes and when you sit they should not pull up at the front. Whether you decide to go for the pleated or plain fronted pants always make sure that you feel comfortable on the seat, crotch and waist of the pants. Be careful when going for a pleated front when you have a small upper body because the pleat will only accentuate this. A reliable way to test whether or not the size of the pants is right is to fit two fingers down the waist of the pants, if you can then the size is right, if not then of course it’s small and if your entire hand fits than obviously you need to drop at least two sizes. The easiest way to ensure a perfect fit is to get one made by a reputable tailor. If you are a little more cash strapped then there a number of fantastic off the shelf suits in high street stores, and by following a few guidelines and trying on a number you can still achieve a similar result. You can of course get simple adjustments made such as the hems being taken in etc. A great tip to remember is to always try your suit on with dress shoes and a shirt, so that you get the entire look, also put your wallet and phone in the pockets so that you can see that they won’t over bulge.

The colour
An extremely popular colour currently is grey and although it has always been a traditional colour for a suit. But gone are the days of drab grey suit worn by the school master, grey is back with a vengeance. There are so many shades of grey available, from the more pastel grey right through to dark charcoal greys. The darker option tends to be more versatile meaning that you really could add any other colour shirt or tie without it looking inappropriate. Also the darker option would show up less dirt and would last a season or two longer in terms of fashion trends without dating.
Other popular colours are dark navy and black with navy being the most traditional. If you really want to be a little more daring a cream suit is great particularly if it’s made out of linen for a smarter casual look. You of course have the option of the solid colour suit, chalk stripe and the pin stripe. Should you opt for the striped variety the pinstripe needs to very fine. The wider the stripe the cheaper the suit looks and even if it’s in fashion at the time it’s a look that will quickly fade and age your suit. When picking your suit it’s always better to go for a plainer colour but a fantastic cut because it’s an item you spend a lot of money on and you need to get a lot of wear out of.

The fabric
There are few basic rules when choosing the fabric for your suit. 100% wool is by far the best option because it’s warm in the winter and cool in summer. You also get quite a few natural blends such as silk and wool and sometimes organic cotton and linen, which are great for a more casual look. The key is always stick to natural fibres and you will never go wrong. Polyester and synthetics are an absolute no because they don’t last as long and sometimes they have an awful sheen that screams cheap.

Waistcoat
Whether or not you want to get a waistcoat or not is really up to you. The waistcoat has made a major comeback, with it being worn on it’s own without a jacket. It really is a great look, and works well for a less formal look, but still has an air of seriousness with a quirky edge. For a really individual look, get yourself a pocket watch, that you can pull out of your waist coat pocket, it’s an impression people will never forget. Although technology and the latest gadgets are all the craze, it is still human nature to pine for some thing nostalgic.

From the SimStylist team.