When choosing a business suit there are many things to think about to make sure you look smart and professional rather than ending up with an ill-fitting, cheap-looking suit which is frankly, worse than not wearing one at all.

Here is a quick guide to how to choose the best suit for your needs:

1. Make sure you know your size

When shopping for a suit you need to know all of your measurements so you can make sure the suit you are buying will fit you properly. You need more than just your waist and inside leg measurements for a suit to fit you properly.

Before you go shopping, get a friend to measure you with a tape measure and take a note of all the measurements so you can search for the perfect suit right from the start.

For this post we asked our friends from Dobell.co.uk and here’s the list they provided to us. The essential measurements you need to know when buying a suit:

• Shirt collar – measure your neck where the collar sits
• Shoulders – measure from shoulder to shoulder for this one
• Sleeve – from your shoulder to your wrist, where you want your jacket sleeve to sit
• Chest – measure across the broadest past of your chest
• Waist – you will need your waistline measurement
• Hips – measure around the widest part of your hips
• Thighs – measure the widest part of your thigh
• Inside leg – this is from the trouser crotch to the ankle
• Height – measure your entire height

2. Think about what fit you want

You need to think about the type of fit that will best suit your body shape in order for the suit to look good on you. If you are bulky and muscular then a very skinny fit won’t suit you, for example, and if you are very slender a classic cut suit will probably swamp you.

• Slim fit suit – this has trousers which taper and a slime line silhouette – best for tall, slim men
• Tailored – this is designed to fit the body but not as closely as slim fit, so a little roomier – best for slim men
• Classic/Regular – this offers wider chest and arms in the jacket and trousers are straight, not tapered – best for a larger-framed man

3. Get the suit altered to fit

If you are buying a shop made suit you should still get it altered to fit you perfectly as not everyone will look good in standard fits. But a tailor can alter it correctly for you, making even the shop bought suit fit like a glove.

4. Pick the right fabric

When choosing the perfect business suit one of the key things is to select the right fabric. If you go for a cheap, shiny fabric your suit will never look good on you no matter how well it fits. For a business suit you need to choose a good quality fabric.

Wool is the go-to fabric for smart business suits, with wool blends to keep you cooler in the summer and woollen suits that will keep you warm in the winter. It is versatile, waterproof and will keep your suit looking sharp for longer.

5. Think colours and patterns

When choosing a business suit you need to pick the right colour and patterned fabric to make sure you look professional and smart but manage to express some of your personality. A business suit should be in a dark colour, generally black, navy or charcoal, but you can go lighter in the summer months and choose a fabric with a small woven in pattern for texture.

6. Check the details

For the best looking suit make sure it fits on the shoulders and that the sleeves are the right length as these two areas will make or break the look of your suit. Think about the buttons as these are very easy to change if you don’t like them and new buttons can create a completely new look for your suit.

For a business suit it’s best to avoid a brightly coloured or patterned lining to your jacket as this is best left for more casual wear so make sure you check what kind of lining your suit has before you buy it.

7. Match your accessories

The other element to make your business suit stand out is the accessories that you choose. You need to pick some smart lace up shoes and consider your choice of shirt and tie carefully as well. If you have a coloured or patterned shirt, make sure the tie matches one of the accent colours and doesn’t clash. If it’s a dress shirt you will also need to add some cufflinks.

Selecting the best business suit for your needs doesn’t have to be troublesome as long as you follow all the advice in our guide. From choosing the right fabric to getting the right fit, you will soon be looking incredibly sharp.

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