Tips for you

A look into the key checkpoints to make sure your suit looks sharp. Too many people fall into the trap of assuming they know their size and as long as they stick to that, the suit will fit. If only it were that simple! Suits vary in cut, construction and style and unfortunately it’s not quite as easy as one rule for every body shape! This can make finding the right suit for you pretty tricky!

That’s why King Suits is here to take the hassle of finding that perfectly fitting garment by making them to your specific measurements with meticulous attention to detail.

In the meantime, here’s the 101 on checking that all-important fit of your suit. – Starting with the Jacket.

Shoulder line

Suit shoulder finishes come in a range of finishes, from padded, to soft to La Spalla Camicia. Whatever your prefered option, the key is the fit. The end of the shoulder pad should finish neatly in line with the end of your body’s shoulder. This will allow the arm to fill out the top of the sleeve which should drape smoothly in a straight line. Too tight and the arm will stretch the top of the sleeve, too big and the shoulders will hang unnaturally with an unsightly hole appearing in the void.

Lapels

Lapels should sit flat against the chest. A gap between the chest and the lapels indicates the jacket is too big. If the chest panels are too small, the lapels will bow. The temptation of many is to go too tight – remember, tight is not always right!

Sleeve & Jacket Length

A couple of schools of thought available on these very personal preferences. When it comes to sleeves, as a general rule, always flash a bit of your shirt cuff when your arms are in a relaxed position – ideally about an inch. A touch of colour beneath the end of the jacket cuff always helps sharpen your look.

On jacket lengths, British traditionalists tend towards a longer finish; clenching the fist and lining up the jacket with the knuckles gives a preferred length. This works particularly well with a more traditionally styled suit. The Italians tend towards a much shorter length teamed with a slimmer suit giving a more elegant line to the leg. As a general rule, by today’s standards, look to line up the bottom of the jacket with the bottom of the crotch of your trousers, with enough length in the back to just about cover your trouser seat – with this rule, you won’t go wrong!

Closure

You should always be able to button your jacket. Ideally, look for a gap of an inch to an inch and a half from the belly to the closure. Too tight and the button will pull and create an unsightly crease in the shape of an X in the front of the jacket. Too loose and your jacket will lose shape and silhouette. You could also be accused of smuggling. The button should ideally sit around the widest part of your body to allow the rest of the jacket to fall naturally into place.

Seem a lot to think about? Remember, these are just the basics! Some problems can result from differing postures – but why retrain your posture? Get your suit to do the hard work! If you want the perfectly fitting suit, get in touch, and let our professional outfitters advise you.

Next time… Don’t let your trousers let you down.

Speak with us if you wish to have a perfect suit for your body.

Look good, even during the lockdown!

Whether for Zoom calls or your next business meeting – show you care!

Be creative with your planning and make an effort.

Work Call

Be the guy in the smarter jacket; be the smarter guy. This is a great time to one-up your colleagues before even opening your mouth or sending an email.

Use this time to remind your boss that you’re designed to be client facing, and capable of leading your company to victory. How? Take the time to press a crisp white shirt and pick a jacket out that commands the right kind of attention. Lockdown is a time to stand out.

Video Date

There isn’t a more important time to wear an attractive outfit than to a first date. Video dates are a thing now, and as during an in-person date, you’d like to leave an impression.

Show that you care, be creative with your planning and make an effort. The T-Shirt and jacket combo has been a winner for decades, as it shows that you have both a fun and sophisticated side to you.

Virtual Birthday Party

It’s getting boring to see people still wearing pyjamas at 4pm in the afternoon. Especially if the call in question holds a bigger significance, such as a birthday party.

Dressing up will not only make you feel better about yourself, but also show attendees that you care. Summer is upon us, so it’s time to dust off your loafers and pale chinos. We recommend pairing them with a lightweight jacket and a crisp polo shirt for a long evening in with friends.

LET KING SUITS SUIT YOU UP!!

At Kingsuits, we talk a lot about how a suit should fit. And – don’t get us wrong! – fit is the deciding factor in whether you look smart in your suit or like a young boy drowning in his older brother’s prom suit. But, accessories are important too. They have the ability to elevate your look from ‘good enough’ to absolutely perfect.

Most men know how to find the right tie, and it’s easy to pick out a pocket square, but what about the shoes? Coordinating the colour of you shoes with the colour of your suit can be confusing and, if you do it wrong, it could completely ruin an otherwise dapper ensemble.

We’re here to dispel the rumor that ‘black shoes go with everything’. Here’s our definitive guide.

With a Black Suit

Unfortunately, there’s only one answer here: black. Wearing a black suit with brown shoes is like wearing black shoes with white socks. They stand out, and for all the wrong reasons. We know that you’ve probably seen celebrities experimenting with coloured shoes but we have to say that we don’t recommend it. There’s a certain elegance that comes with a black suit and black shoes.

It’s clean. It’s streamlined. It’s classic.

Instead of playing around with colour, express yourself through the shape and material of your shoe. Create a point of interest with a tasseled loafer or play it cool with penny loafers. Suede will add texture to your look while shiny patent leather lace-ups are perfect for virtually any occasion.

With a Navy-Blue Suit

Ah, the navy-blue suit. So versatile.

Your options are (virtually) limitless if you’re opting for a navy-blue suit. You have just as much freedom with shoe colour as you do with shirt colour. The three best options, though are: black, brown or burgundy. Since we spent so much time talking about black above, we’ll give you a break and move on to the other two.

It should go without saying that your suit-shoe combination is heavily influenced (if not dictated!) by the event that you’re attending. Brown shoes work well in warmer months while burgundy is better suited for fall and winter.

Bear in mind the colour of your shirt and tie when choosing your shoes and avoid all-over colour. That is to say if you’ve opted for a brown shirt, mix up the colour of your shoe so that you don’t look to monotone.

Otherwise, you have free reign! We even support white trainers with a navy suit. We told you it was versatile.

With a Cream or Tan Suit

It’s safe to say that if you’re wearing a cream or tan suit, it’s likely made of linen and is, therefore, being worn to an event somewhere warm. Bear this in mind when choosing your shoe!

In order to complement the colour of your suit, opt for a shoe that’s light. Hint: This is one of those instances where a black shoe does not work! Instead, go for light brown or even white shoes. Better yet, go for both with spectator or two-tone shoes. They’re eye-catching for all the right reasons and add whimsy to simple outfits.

With a Grey Suit

It’s difficult to give advice on grey suits because there are so many different shades of grey, making the suit ideal for mixing and matching. In particular, we love the look of brown, tan and – if you’re feeling a bit more daring – you could choose an oxblood or burgundy shoe.

Top tip: The lighter the shade of grey is, the lighter the shade of brown should be. So, for a darker grey suit, opt for a brown shoe. If it’s a light grey suit, swap brown out for a tan.

We cannot cover all shades and colors of suits. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our customer service.

Have a suitfull day!!!

When you receive an invitation to an event that includes the words Black Tie, you might panic. What’s potentially even worse is getting an invitation to an event that includes the words Black Tie Optional. You’d like to avoid having to dust off your old tux (or worse) buy a new one, but you also don’t want to be the guy that’s underdressed. And we get it! Wearing a tuxedo requires a bit more effort than does a standard suit. But, we also know that required or not, a well-worn tuxedo is a surefire way to look smart. Just ask James Bond’s long list of lady friends.

We’ve put together this handy how-to to help with those pre-Black Tie blues. Maybe (just maybe) with these style tips, you might even look forward to your next opportunity to wear a tuxedo.

Keep it Classic

The best way to nail this look is to stick with tradition. That means choosing a notch lapel, single-breasted jacket. We’ll leave the other options (shawl, peak, etc.) up to you. For your pants, make sure you’ve chosen a pair with a single silk stripe down the side. In all of this, fit is incredibly important. The shoulders should fit (this isn’t an 80’s Power Suit!) and the jacket should fall neatly against your torso.

Collar and cuffs

In choosing a shirt, opt for a turned down, pointed collar as opposed to a winged collar which are for White Tie events. The difference? With a wing collar, the band of the bowtie is visible. When it comes to your cuffs choose french cuffs and simple, elegant cufflinks. Nothing kitschy. Nothing gold. Stick with silver, black, or white. After all, your cufflinks will be visible as half an inch of your shirt cuff should be visible from underneath your jacket.

Bow ties only

Yes, that means ties aren’t an option. Like we’ve said, the tuxedo is classic. The whole look has gone unchanged (for the most part) for decades. Why disrupt things now? If you don’t have experience tying a bow tie, opt for the pre-tied version. But do not (we repeat, do not!) buy a clip-on.

Shine your Shoes

Polished Oxfords are really the only way to go. If you must, patent leather is acceptable but a shined shoe can really pull your outfit together. Avoid tassels or elaborate stitching and never, ever try to make a statement by pairing your tuxedo with a pair of trainers.

Cummberbund, Vest or Neither

We say go for a vest or neither. Cumberbunds are outdated and look out of place…unless you’re at an opera. Some people think that the allure of a tuxedo is ruined if it’s only two pieces. To that, our response is simple: Bond…James Bond.

All About the Accessories

Okay, it’s not all about the accessories but too many (or one or two that are too bold) can easily ruin your black tie look. DO wear tall silk or cashmere black socks. DON’T wear a top hat or gloves. DO add a simple silk white handkerchief or pocket square. DON’T wear a sports watch or an otherwise chunky or overly noticeable one.

ALL IN ALL, styling a tuxedo should one of the priorities of every man.

LET US STYLE YOU. CHEERS.