As the Proff says, a suit starts at the shoulders, because the jacket hangs from the shoulders and the trousers simply extend the line already established by the jacket. So far so good. How wide, or how strong can your shoulders be before they start looking a little too dramatic?
Cab Calloway, sporting the bold look
Cab Calloway’s shoulders fit perfectly. There is no wobbly line along the shoulder from the neck, and the sleeves are not bulging over the shoulder muscles. This is a double-breasted suit, but the same principle would apply if he were wearing a single-breasted suit.
Suit from unnamed RTW supplier
This one has “natural” shoulders. The result? No silhouette, and thus the suit fails in its purpose: to be a structure, with its own architecture. Do we all have to go around looking like Cab Calloway? Of course not, but his suit does give us a general principle.
Next time you are on the prowl and looking at suits on the rack, try them on before you buy, check the shoulders and ensure that they extend beyond your own shoulders, and that the sleeves hang straight.
If you plan to order from AskOkey, the shoulders will not be an issue, so you can ignore the foregoing post. We will take care of all of that for you.