Introduction
Descended from the riding coats worn by English nobility, the single-breasted suit remains a symbol of formality, decorum and power today. A staple of the modern business wardrobe, presidents and job aspirants alike don the suit when that added bit of gravitas is required.
Yet, all that gravitas can easily be lost by a poor fitting suit. Eva Green's character in the film Casino Royale, when referring to a bespoke suit, famously proclaimed, "There are dinner jackets and there are dinner jackets. This is the latter." Indeed, there is nothing that flatters the wearer's body more than a suit tailored specially for him.
However, venturing to a tailor for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. The sartorial craft is arcane, peppered with traditional rules and details. One might wonder why buttons are hidden behind the lapel. Or which vent arrangement will be most suitable. Or why the last button on his suit cannot be fastened.
Indeed, why learn these traditions at all?
While it is true that some of these traditions were derived from historical quirks (for example, personal preferences of particular royal persons), these sartorial rules, for the most part, represent a distillation of the tailor's know-how, the usable results of their centuries-old quest to flatter the male form by molding fabric around it.
Therefore, an understanding of the traditional rules is a crucial first step to developing your own personal sense of style. Besides, bespeaking your suit is intended to be a collaborative process between you and your tailor. Understanding these underlying rules will enable you to customize your suit according to your preferences, rather than to surrender your style discretion entirely to your tailor.
In the next few pages, we distil the most important traditions and rules to note when bespeaking your suit.
