Oftentimes when going to see a tailor for mens suit measurements we don't think twice about what we are currently wearing. We may trudge out the front door in flip flops, a college sweatshirt, and board-shorts on way to the tailor. What we often don't realize is that when we get fitted for a suit unprepared we can adversely affect correct fitment of our dress suits.

Just imagine the consequences when men's suits are tailored to lumpy hooded sweatshirts! Thus, in the spirit of spending a large sum of money and not wasting it by having our suit look ill-fitted, we'll take a look at some important things to observe when it comes to mens suit measurements.

Shirts, Vests, and Sweaters:

• Wear the shirt you intend to wear with the suit. Shirts that are ill-fitting will remain ill-fitting when worn underneath a suit. Furthermore, if a suit has been fitted to an ill-fitting shirt, when the shirt is finally altered, the suit will no longer fit. It is also important to note that suit sleeve lengths are determined by the sleeve length of a well-fitting dress shirt.
• French-cuffed sleeves. In particular, French-cuffed sleeves tend to run longer than more traditional barrel-cuff shirts. French-cuffed shirts also require more room in the sleeve due to the extra space needed to fit cuff links, and that must be accounted for in your mens suit measurements. If you predominantly wear French-cuffed sleeves, you'll want to wear that type of shirt to your suit fitting, and be sure to bring the matching cuff links!
• Never have dress suits fitted for an informal collared shirt. Informal collared shirts are designed to not take a collar stay, and may look terrible with your suit. Suits are a structured look, and an unstructured collared shirt underneath could get bunched up underneath the suit jacket. It almost never makes sense to wear an informal collared shirt when getting your mens suit measurements done.
• Vests and Sweaters. If you intend to consistently wear vests with your dress suit, you will want to bring one to your fitting.

Collar Stays:

• Lose the cheap plastic collar stays. The cheap plastic lapels that come with most shirts should be tossed in the trash, as plastic collar stays can easily get warped or lost when dry-cleaned or washed, and the result can be curly lapels. Curly lapels are never fashionable!
• Select high quality metal collar stays. Wear metal collar stays with your dress shirt to the fitting. It's a great idea to wear nice, metal stays so that your shirt collar will fit correctly and your shirt lapels will lie correctly.
• Chrome and Color. Metal collar stays come in chrome or any color of the rainbow to match your shirt or suit. Make sure to remove the stays before cleaning the shirt. The stays will not melt or change form like plastic stays, and they will help ensure your tailor takes accurate mens suit measurements.
• Collar stay length. It is a good idea to have multiple different collar stay lengths as most dress shirts have differing lapel lengths. Collar stays should not be so short as to create floppy lapels, and also should not be too long so as to be poking you in the throat. This is not only uncomfortable, it can make putting on a tie a health hazard!

Ties, Belts, Shoes, and Socks:

• Bring the ties you are most likely to wear with the suit. Some ties are very thick, and some ties are very thin. Most ties add some thickness to your chest, so when getting mens suit measurements, ensure that you are wearing your favorite tie so that the tailor can get the most accurate look for your suit jacket.
• Belts need to match. It is important to bring a matching belt so your tailor can accurately fit the girth of your suit jacket.
• Wear the pair of shoes you intend to wear with the suit. Never get sized for a mens suit without putting on the shoes you intend to wear (or purchase) with the suit. It is critical to have the correct set of shoes on while getting mens suit measurements because men's shoes differ in height and girth, and an inaccurate measurement could mean several unpleasant outcomes- your socks could show when standing up, you may end up with an awkward break, or your pant legs may drag on the ground or under the heel of your shoe. An expert tailor will hem and alter your pants differently depending on if you are choosing to wear heeled dress shoes, loafers, moccasins, or even sneakers!
• The correct pair of socks can make a difference! Wearing the correct pair of socks is also important, because overly thick or overly thin socks may cause you pain and unintentionally alter your posture, thus affecting your tailor's ability to take down your correct mens suit measurements.

Undergarments:

• Do my undergarments matter? They certainly do. In terms of obtaining accurate mens suit measurements, wearing the correct undergarments under a suit to the tailor's improves both fit and comfort.
• Undershirts come in many types. Stretchy tees will have a different thickness than a sleeveless tank or a gym t-shirt. Each will affect true mens suit measurements.
• Boxers, briefs, and boxer briefs all have differing profiles. You want to ensure that your pants have enough room for free range of movement and to be breathable. The tailor will also want to ensure that you are able to sit down comfortably. Avoid discomfort and costly alteration adjustments by wearing the undergarments you plan to wear when getting your mens suit measurements.

Maintain Good Posture:

While being measured, make sure you are standing up straight and maintaining good posture. This means feet evenly spaced at the shoulders, not slouching forward, with head held erect, as if balancing a stack of books on top. Shoulders should be rolled back slightly, with chest out, and arms should be relaxed down at the sides. If you take care to follow through with our suit recommendations detailed above you will be assured of obtaining great mens suit measurements, and a great looking mens suit!

Resource Box:

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