Searching for a sharp new suit that’ll help you charm the birds from the trees?
You’ve landed in the right place.
Perhaps you’re gearing up for a special occasion? Or maybe you’re after a complete makeover for the new year? Does it even matter?
Any excuse is good enough when it comes to a killer suit.
Still, buying suits online can feel too risky. A perfect fit is crucial, and the different choices for shape, size, and fabric seem endless.
But here’s the deal. Buying a great suit online isn’t difficult, you just need to know what you’re doing. Here are 10 specially tailored tips for buying suits online.
Let’s dive in.
1. Know Your Measurements
Before you do anything else, it’s essential that you know your measurements.
End up with a suit that’s too tight, and it’ll be uncomfortable, hindering your natural movement. Wear a suit that’s too baggy, and you’ll look like a kid playing dress-up.
Even when buying suits online, the easiest option is to visit a tailor who can measure you up. You’ll be glad you did. Once armed with your perfect size requirements, it’s simple to get custom made to measure suits.
Visiting a tailor won’t be possible for everybody, though.
If you can’t make the trip, a DIY job’s in order. All you’ll need is a tape measure. First, measure your chest (armpit to armpit), then your inside leg, and finally your waist.
Easy, right?
2. Determine Your Preferred Fit
Slim and skinny fit suits are great for showing off a slender figure. But if you’ve got a little more human padding, a regular cut is probably more suitable. Opt for a suit that’s too tight, and you risk accentuating all the wrong places.
Suits are designed to hug your frame more tightly than regular clothes, though. So no matter your size, don’t go big, or you’ll lose the tailored effect.
3. Choose Your Material
When buying suits online, you obviously won’t be able to feel the material in advance. As such, it’s vital that you consider the properties of the most common suit materials before making your pick. The below summary should help:
Linen
- Lightweight
- Soft feel
- Holds creases
- Too thin for cold weather
Cotton
- Breathable
- Strong material
- Holds creases
- Suitable for all temperatures
Polyester
- Cheap
- Non-breathable
- Looks the least sophisticated
Silk
- Expensive
- Soft feel
- Breathable
- Suitable for all temperatures
4. Make It Versatile
A suit is probably the most expensive clothing combo you own. So you’ll want to make sure your new outfit is versatile and can be worn in different situations.
To do this, you’d be wise to avoid black.
Black is typically associated with funerals and highly formal events. Instead, navy or grey suits can be dressed down and effortlessly combined with less formal wear. As far as patterns go, an understated look will serve you well, too.
Whatever you choose, just don’t overdo the whole dress-down look. If you wear your suit jacket too regularly, you’ll find the color begins to mismatch with the pants.
5. Add the Finishing Touches
When you’ve decided on a dashing base suit, you’ll want to consider some finishing touches to add that extra boost to your look. Do this at the same time you buy your suit, and you’ll save on delivery costs.
Here are some ideas:
- Colourful or patterned socks
- Smart-looking suspenders
- A stand out pocket square
- Tie pins and collar pins
- A dress watch
Take your pick from the above, but don’t go overboard. Oh, and don’t forget the belt and shoes, either.
6. Check the Reviews
Remember, not all stores size garments the same.
Measuring will help, of course, but it’s not foolproof. Check out online reviews before you buy. This will give you a sense of the sizes, as well as customer thoughts on the quality of materials.
7. Check the Returns Policy
While you’re checking the reviews, familiarize yourself with the retailer’s return policy, too. As suits are expensive, return policies are often strict and inflexible, and you don’t want to get caught out.
How do refunds work, cash or store credit? What’s the return policy, 15 days? 30?
Chances are they’ll be no problems, but it’s not worth the risk. Do your research now, and you’ll know what to expect if a problem does arise.
8. Consider Lesser Known Brands
When shopping for suits online, you could save up to 50%. Physical stores are often slapped with a huge markup, so it’s worth shopping around (digitally) for a great bargain.
Plus, many of the lesser known brands are made in the same factories as the more prominent ones, so the stitch quality is likely to be similar. That said, the material might not be.
9. Examine the Suit on Arrival
Once your suit arrives, try it on to check the general fit.
If all is good, closely inspect the material. Pay particular attention to the lapel, armhole, and pant stitching.
Before you declare that all is good, ask yourself the following questions. The answer to each of these should be yes:
- Are the buttons securely attached?
- Do the buttons fit the holes?
- Is the jacket collar stiff?
- Are the sleeves lined all the way down to the cuff?
- Are design patterns consistent?
- When worn, are the jacket’s back and shoulder materials flat?
If you answer no to any of the above, you’ve got a problem. It may be time to call on that return policy.
10. Get Alterations with a Tailor
Even if your measurements were taken correctly, sometimes the fit ends up a little off. It’s just one of those things.
If you’re happy with the suit overall, it’s quicker to visit a tailor for alterations, rather than returning. The good news is that alteration charges are usually reasonable, and you can use some of the money you saved by purchasing online.
90% of the time, this final step won’t be necessary. But you can rest assured that when it is, the fix is simple.
Buying Suits Online
Still not feeling confident?
The best way to ensure satisfaction when grabbing suits online is buying from a reliable retailer. To do that, you can check out our tips for finding a great clothing company.
Once you’re done, just use our search tool to find a great business, local to you, that sells suits online.