Every individual has unique body characteristics influenced by factors such as genetics, environmental conditions, and lifestyle habits. As a result, ready-to-wear garments in standard sizes often fail to provide a perfect fit, especially if you have distinctive body features. The art of bespoke suit tailoring lies in understanding different body shapes and making precise adjustments to create the most suitable attire for the wearer and discover the expertise of bespoke tailoring that ensures a personalized fit and enhances your appearance.
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EXPERT TAILORING SECRETS: UNDERSTANDING BODY SHAPES
Good posture is essential for our bone and muscle health, and improving it is crucial. However, the way our suits are cut can also have a significant impact on our posture. Ill-fitted suits may cause us to slouch or hunch our shoulders to make them sit correctly. A good tailor will work with us to create a bespoke suit that fits perfectly and feels comfortable, like wearing our pyjamas. The bespoke suit should be cut to fit our unique posture, not the other way around.
When being measured or fitted, it’s important to stand in a natural position and feel like ourselves in the suit. If a suit is cut to flatter our posture, it will hang beautifully whether we’re standing or sitting. If our current suits don’t do this, The Sages Bespoke recommends speaking to our tailor, who can suggest adjustments for future suits to ensure they fit and flatter us.
In this blog, let’s find out the most common body shapes through the 3D body scanning system at The Sages Bespoke.
UNIQUE BODY FEATURES
SHOULDERS
The shoulder fit in a suit is determined by more than just shoulder width; it also involves achieving balance between each side.
UNEVEN SHOULDERS
Uneven shoulders can present challenges when it comes to achieving a proper fit in a bespoke suit. The angle at which your shoulders slope may differ between your left and right sides. Additionally, some shoulders may slope forward more than others. It’s not uncommon to have a drop in one shoulder, resulting in misalignment of the jacket button and the buttonhole, as well as creases on the lower side. To address this issue, adjustments can be made by modifying the shoulder line angle and adding padding to the shoulder in the pattern. By customizing the suit to accommodate uneven shoulders, a more balanced and flattering fit can be achieved.
SLOPING SHOULDERS
Sloping shoulders, characterized by a steeper angle, can present challenges when it comes to the fit of a suit. This shoulder type often leads to creasing on the back of the suit under the arms. To address this issue, special attention is given to the construction and shaping of the suit’s shoulder area. By adjusting the pattern and adding extra fabric or padding, the suit can be tailored to accommodate sloping shoulders and minimize the appearance of creases. The goal is to tailor a suit that provides a clean and smooth silhouette, ensuring a comfortable fit and a polished look. With the expertise of a skilled tailor, the fit of a suit can be customized to suit individuals with sloping shoulders, resulting in a more flattering and well-proportioned appearance.
SQUARE SHOULDER
In the case of square shoulders, where the shoulders slope less, it is common to experience creases below the collar and a slight pulling away from the neck when fastening the suit. To address these issues, we make adjustments to the pattern by altering the angle of the shoulder line. For square shoulders, we would make it slightly higher to ensure a better fit and eliminate creases.
THE SHAPE OF YOUR BACK
The shape of your back plays a significant role in how a suit fits and hangs on your body. Factors such as your posture, spine alignment, and individual characteristics can affect the overall look and comfort of the suit. At The Sages Bespoke, we take into account various postures when designing a suit to ensure a tailored fit:
ERECT OR MILITARY STANCE
The erect or military stance is characterized by standing in a straight and upright position, with the shoulders pushed back. While this posture exudes confidence, it can present unique challenges when it comes to suit fitting. We understand the nuances of the erect stance and take them into account when creating your tailored suit:
- Front-Back Length: To accommodate the erect posture, we adjust the suit pattern to have a slightly longer front and a shorter back. This ensures the bespoke suit maintains an even and balanced appearance when worn.
- Sleeve Creasing: With the arms sitting further back in this posture, there may be some creasing on the sleeves. Our skilled tailors employ techniques to minimize and distribute any creasing, ensuring a clean and polished look.
A protruding chest can sometimes result in the front of a jacket appearing shorter
FULL OR BARREL CHEST
For individuals with a full or barrel chest, which is often observed in bodybuilders or those with a naturally larger chest, special considerations are taken into account during the suit tailoring process at The Sages Bespoke:
- Additional Fabric: To ensure a comfortable fit and proper drape, we add extra fabric to the front chest area. This adjustment allows the suit to accommodate the fullness of the chest without feeling restrictive.
- Proportional Balance: Our skilled tailors pay careful attention to maintaining a proportional balance throughout the suit. By incorporating additional fabric strategically, we ensure that the overall silhouette remains balanced and flattering.
A muscular or well-developed chest is a common characteristic among individuals who regularly engage in gym workouts
SWAY FIGURE
For individuals with a sway figure, which is characterized by an “S” shape posture with the hips, stomach, and head pushed forward, The Sages Bespoke takes special considerations to ensure a well-fitting and flattering suit:
- Front and Back Adjustments: To accommodate the forward posture, we make adjustments to the suit pattern. We add extra room to the front of the suit to prevent it from feeling tight, while making the back slightly smaller to achieve a balanced fit.
- Back Length and Sleeve Pitch: As the sway figure posture affects the alignment of the spine and the position of the arms, we may need to increase the back length of the suit and rotate the sleeve pitch slightly back. These adjustments help maintain proper proportions and ensure a comfortable fit.
Lower back pain is a common issue for office workers due to prolonged sitting and poor posture.
ROUND BACK OR “STOOPING”
For individuals with a round back or “stooping” posture, where there is a slight curve in the middle of the back, The Sages Bespoke understands the importance of creating a well-fitting suit that addresses this specific posture:
Balanced Length Adjustment: To achieve a balanced look, we take into account the higher back position caused by the round back posture. Our skilled tailors add more length to the back of the suit, ensuring that it aligns properly with the front. This adjustment helps maintain symmetry and creates a flattering silhouette.
LOWER BODY
Finding the perfect fit for pants can be a challenge, especially when dealing with various posture characteristics. At The Sages Bespoke, our focus is on providing clean and comfortable pants that cater to each client’s unique needs.
FLAT BUTTOCK
A flat buttock can lead to excess fabric concentration under the belt or buttock area. To achieve an ideal fit, we make adjustments both horizontally and vertically, reducing the fabric to create a more balanced look and fit.
If you prefer wearing your belt under the belly, it can cause the belt to sit lower in the front compared to the back, resulting in wrinkles and excess fabric around the shoe. To overcome this issue, we modify the front trouser length in the pattern, eliminating excess fabric and ensuring a more streamlined appearance. Additionally, we may suggest opting for trousers with a cavalry cut, featuring a hemline that slopes down at the back, for enhanced comfort and aesthetics.
3D scanning reveals a small buttock, indicating the need for precise tailoring to create well-fitting pants.
PROMINENT SEAT
For individuals with a prominent seat or larger buttocks, off-the-rack pants may fit well at the waist but be loose in the butt area, leading to unflattering lines or wrinkles on the thighs. To address this, we meticulously tailor the pants to provide a perfect fit at the waist, while increasing the width of the butt area horizontally and vertically. This adjustment creates a comfortable feel and eliminates wrinkles, ensuring a sleek and flattering look.
Tailoring techniques for pants can help individuals with a larger buttock achieve a more flattering fit.
With 30 years of bespoke tailoring experience and the support of 3D Body Scanning technology, The Sages Bespoke aims to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of your body shape through this article. We believe that this knowledge will empower you when tailoring a bespoke suit, enabling more insightful conversations with our skilled artisans.
Feel free to reach out to us at hotline +84 886 219 608 or through our Facebook fan page if you have any questions or need further guidance.
