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She immediately gave me a once over, casually touched my bicep with a few fingers and exclaimed, “Have you gained weight??” To most, this would probably be an insulting way to greet someone you hadn’t seen in two years. In this particular instance, I'm convinced she meant it in the nicest way possible. When she’d seen me last, I was 6 feet and 1 inch tall and I weighed 158lbs. But now – 2 years later – I was still only 160 lbs. What she’d noticed was that I was no longer swimming in loose clothing that made me look about 10 pounds skinnier than I was already.
- Marvin
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Why Fit is Important
Ill-fitting clothing makes a lean guy look frail; a big guy look bulbous; and an averaged-sized guy just look downright frumpy (that’s right… frumpy). Having well-fitting clothes will enhance all body types.
You can break almost any rule of style... Except fit. It says “I care that much more about how I look”. And believe me – that makes all the difference. This is why fit is the single most important thing to master about dressing well.
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What Constitutes Great Fit
The gist of proper fit: your clothes should skim close to your body and outline your frame without being too tight. We’re not talking about putting on a second skin. Your shirts should fit close without being too tight or constricting. Your pants should feel comfortable and allow you freedom of movement. But, at the same time, you don’t want to look like you’re taking sizing cues from MC Hammer.
The goal is to fit them as close to the body as possible while maintaining comfort. It should never look as if your clothing is working hard to cover your body – any time you see signs of strain at the seams or the buttons, this means your clothing may be too fitting. Take a look at this comprehensive guide from Primer Magazine. They cover the proper fit on everything from button-ups and suits to t-shirts and jeans. And here’s a quick cheatsheet to use when out shopping for those stylish, yet fitting, clothes.
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Finding The Right Fit
Try. On. Everything. If it doesn’t fit, return it. It’s plain and simple. This goes for online shopping, as well. Don’t be afraid to utilize companies’ generous return policies. More often than not, you can send the item back and exchange for a difference size, a refund, or store credit. To help with online shopping, get to know a tailor and have them take all your measurements for you. Utilize online sizing guides to find clothes that fit your measurements or at least come very close. Befriending a tailor might possibly be the best thing to happen to the fit of your wardrobe. We plan on talking about using a tailor more in depth in our next newsletter.
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Reader Question
I’d love to learn some general advice on how to find a nice guide to match a shirt and jeans and shoes for informal yet cool appearance? - Vitaly Friedman
JOHN'S THOUGHTS
Vitaly, you’re in luck. Jeans are one of the easiest items to pair with shirts (of any pattern), because just about every color matches denim. There really isn’t a shoe that can’t go with a pair of well fitting jeans. You can dress up a nice dark pair of jeans with loafers and a [tucked in] button up with a tie and a blazer. Or dress them down with sneakers and a t-shirt. And if you layer a sweater or similar over a t-shirt or button up, remember to tuck in the bottom layer for a cleaner, but still informal look. Take a look at this guide to give you a few ideas on what you can wear with jeans.
MARVIN'S THOUGHTS
Vitaly, I agree with John. Jeans are one of the more versatile items you can wear. Depending on how casual you want to be, you can also consider pairing them with a quality henley; A chambray or denim shirt (as picture in the inspiration section below) – if you’re going this route, just make sure that the shirt and the jeans are different colors (dark denim shirt with light jeans or vice-versa) to avoid the "Canadian tuxedo" look; or any of the classic items John mentioned above.
Thanks for such a good question. And stayed tuned for a future newsletter in which we discuss the various ways to express style in jeans.
If you have style questions for us, let us know at questions@acuratedstyle.com.
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