Jake Mendel is the Director of Development for Pursuit, a men’s clothing store located in the South Campus Gateway.
If you’re involved in the world of men’s clothing, or you even attempt to stay up to date on what’s fashionable, then you’ve already heard this phrase a million times: Slim suits.
The phrase conjures up a different idea in every man’s head, whether it’s the skinny guy who thinks he can finally wear a suit that doesn’t look like his dad’s, the larger guy who thinks that slim isn’t for him or the older gentlemen who thinks that slim is just a thing for the young generation. The truth is, slim is the only way you should be wearing a suit.
For the last few decades, suits have been getting louder, bigger and more ridiculous (think ’90s Wall Street power stripes). Finally, designers have been taking notes from the classics, and are going for a slim, sleek, bulletproof look, straight out of the playbooks of ’50s businessmen.
Labeling a suit as “slim” doesn’t mean that it’s going to be extra tight around the waist. A slim suit is one that is built to accentuate the “V” form of a man’s torso. It gives any guy, no matter what his body shape, an athletic silhouette and a powerful stance. You’ll notice it the first time you slip one on. You’re standing straighter, looking sharper and ready to take on the world (or at least ace that interview).
And you won’t be the only one who notices. Whether you’re trying to impress your girlfriend, mom or interviewer, a slim suit shows that you mean business, and you’re not borrowing your dad’s old blazer.
The next time you go looking for a suit, ask the salesperson if the store has a section dedicated to slim suits. Have a tailor take your size, and then start trying them on. It’s important to remember that different designers have different interpretations of slim, so a local catch-all men’s clothing store slim will probably be a little more roomy then a high-fashion designer-label slim.
Once your tailor has selected a size for you, see if you can size down. Most guys walking around wearing a size 44 would actually be a size 42, so don’t be shy in trying things on. Once you find a suit that fits you great in the shoulders, a tailor can always take care of the rest. If you’re looking for that ultra-slim look, have a tailor look into slimming the sleeves and pant legs, and possibly taking in the back.
Once you go slim, I guarantee you’ll never go back. Say no to the boxy suit.
An earlier version of this story stated the reporter’s name as Nate Mendel. It
is Jake Mendel.
