Suits & shirts
Lapels, buttons, vents, trousers, collars and the details that make a suit.
21 guides · Updated October 2026
Suits & shirts
21 guides
Wedding Suits for Men: The Groom's Guide to Suits, Tuxedos, Colors and TimingThe right wedding suit is decided by the clock, the season and the venue, then made right by fit. Here is how a groom chooses, what to order and when to start.14 min read
Black Tie Dress Code for Men: What to Wear and What to AvoidBlack tie is the most exact dress code most men will ever wear. Every item has a correct form, and getting each one right is easier than it looks.11 min read
Shirt Collar Types: Point, Spread, Cutaway, Button-Down and MoreThe collar is the part of a shirt that frames your face and holds your tie. Choosing the right one is a matter of proportion, occasion and the knot you tie.10 min read
Single vs Double-Breasted Suits: Which Should You Choose?The difference is one overlap of fabric, but it changes how the suit fits, how you wear it and where it looks right. Here is how to choose without a salesman's help.9 min read
Suit Lapels Explained: Notch, Peak and ShawlThe lapels are the first thing anyone sees on a jacket and the part that dates fastest. Here is what each type says, how wide to go, and the tailor's terms that decide whether a lapel looks right.11 min read
How Long Should a Suit Jacket Be? Length Rules That Actually WorkThere are three common rules for jacket length, and each one fails some men. Here is how to use them together, and what to do if your jacket is already too short or too long.8 min read
Suit Jacket vs Blazer vs Sport Coat: What's the Difference?Three jackets that look alike on a hanger and behave very differently once you wear them. Here is how to tell them apart and what to wear with each.9 min read
How Suit Trousers Should Fit: Waist, Seat, Thigh and LengthMost trouser guides stop at the waist and the hem. The seat, thigh and rise are where suit trousers usually go wrong, and the wrinkles tell you exactly how.10 min read
How a Dress Shirt Should Fit: Collar, Shoulders, Body and CuffsA dress shirt is fitted with a few simple physical tests: two fingers at the collar, a pinch at the chest, arms overhead for the tuck. Here is each one, and how a shirt should fit under a jacket.10 min read
How a Suit Jacket Should Fit: 7 Checks for Shoulders, Chest, Waist and LengthSeven checks, in the order a tailor makes them. Each comes with a test you can do in a fitting-room mirror and an honest answer on whether it can be fixed.12 min read
Suit Sleeve Length: How Much Shirt Cuff Should ShowThe jacket sleeve and the shirt sleeve are one fit point, not two. Get them right together and a small band of cuff frames your hands every time you stand.8 min read
Trouser Break Explained: No Break, Quarter, Half and Full BreakThe break is the small fold of fabric where your trousers meet your shoes. It sets the line of the whole leg, and it is decided in a minute with a few pins.7 min read
Best Suit Colors for Men: Which to Buy First, Second and ThirdMost men need fewer suit colors than they think. Here is the order a tailor would build a suit wardrobe in, and why each color earns its place.11 min read
How to Wear a Double-Breasted Suit: Buttoning, Proportions and StylingA double-breasted suit asks for a few more decisions than a single-breasted one. Get the buttoning and the fit right and the rest is simple.9 min read
Peak vs Notch Lapel: Which Should You Choose?One small point of fabric at the top of the lapel changes how formal a suit looks. Here is the verdict first, then the reasons.7 min read
Suit Jacket Vents: Single, Double or No Vent?Vents are the slits at the back of a jacket. They decide how it behaves when you sit, walk and put your hands in your pockets, which is when most jackets look their worst.8 min read
The Three-Piece Suit: When and How to Wear OneThe waistcoat makes a suit warmer, more formal and better looking with the jacket open. It also brings a few rules that are worth getting right.9 min read
One, Two or Three-Button Suit: Which Is Best?The number of buttons decides how deep the V of your jacket is, and the V decides how tall and broad you look. Here is how to pick.7 min read
Pleated vs Flat-Front Trousers: Which Should You Choose?Pleats spent two decades as the sign of a baggy suit. Cut properly, with the right rise, they are one of the most comfortable and flattering details in tailoring.8 min read
Trouser Cuffs (Turn-Ups): Should Your Suit Pants Have Them?Cuffs add weight, a little informality and a clean finish to a trouser leg. Here is when they help, when they don't, and exactly how deep to ask for them.8 min read
How to Wear a Waistcoat (Vest): Rules for Suits and SeparatesA waistcoat is the easiest garment to get almost right and the easiest to get visibly wrong. These are the rules a tailor checks, with what right and wrong look like.8 min read