Sometimes, it can seem like we at Business Insider are a little obsessive about fit when it comes to suits.
But it really is the most important thing when wearing a suit (besides confidence, but that's more a byproduct than a requirement).
For a suit to look as good as possible, all these different parts of the perfect fit need to come together just so, presented as a cohesive package.
We've decided it's high time to enumerate all these intricacies of fit one by one, as modeled on Eddie Redmayne, the best man wearing suits alive today.
Redmayne has fit down pat, so there's no better teacher.
Let's take it from the top and break it down:
Shoulder alignment.
This is the most important thing you're checking to see if a suit jacket fits correctly. Everything else can be tailored except the shoulders.
The jacket's shoulder should end before the end of your actual shoulder.
A good way to test this is by leaning against a wall. Ifthe shoulder pad of your jacket hits before your actual shoulder, it's too big. Redmayne's jacket fits well.
High armholes. Armholes are the subtle difference between a well-fitting modern jacket and a poorly fitting, more conservatively cut jacket.
You want them high, but with no restriction of movement. When you move your arm, your whole jacket shouldn't move.
This is another thing can't be tailored, and you must check before purchase. You can tell by the fit of Redmayne's jacket it has high armholes.
