How to Measure for a Suit with Jeff Banks

Today’s fashion top tips refer to that ever-vexatious issue – accurately measuring up for a suit. A poorly fitted suit is a classic fashion faux pas, so we’ve called the expert – Jeff Banks himself – to show us the way to get that perfect fit, every time.

Measuring up with Jeff Banks

It might be that you’re buying something online, or that you’re going into a store and asking for one. But it’s ideal if you’ve got a rough idea what size you are.

So, I’m going to measure Hilton to check out his size. First of all, I’m going to measure his chest, which, in old money, is 39”. Sometimes sizes are quoted in inches, sometimes in centimetres. The equivalent would be 100cm, but it’s halved when continentals are sizing – so that becomes a 50.

We’re either looking at a 40” chest in the United Kingdom, or a 50cm chest if we’re on the continent.

Next is his waist measurement here, around the natural waist – his waist is 35”.

Hilton could actually wear a size 34” trouser – because we allow an inch in the measurement for elasticity, as it were. So again, he could actually go for a 40” jacket with a 34” inch waist.

The next critical measurement. Hilton is 6 ft 2” – so let’s see what his inside leg measurement is.

This is a rather delicate operation! So, legs apart, and you have to go right up into the inside leg – and Hilton’s inside leg is 32”.

The next critical one is what length the sleeve is. So, if you’ve got a spare jacket knocking around, slip it on to whoever you’re measuring, and decide where you would like the cuff to come. It’s about how much of your cuff you actually want to show of your shirt – the ideal measurement is 1cm.

Here, we’ve got that sleeve hanging perfectly, so this sleeve length would be ideal for Hilton.

So, we’re going to use this one as a judge and the outside sleeve length from the very tip of the shoulder down to the cuff is 24 and a half inches – that gives you an idea of what the sleeve length should be of the jacket that you’re buying.

So that’s a 40” chest, a 34” waist, a 32” inside leg and a 24.5” outside sleeve. Those would be the ideal measurements.

Now, Hilton is in perfect physical shape, but if he did have a bit of a tummy, you’ve got to decide where you’re going to measure – more specifically, where the recipient of the suit is actually going to wear his trousers. A lot of guys that have got a bit of a tummy wear the trousers lower down.

Here, when you’re measuring, you need to measure lower – so, on Hilton, this would become a 38” waist, but the trouser would be sitting lower. The one problem is you’re going to get a little looseness through the crotch here, and I’m ahead you’re going to have to live with that!

And that is how you measure a suit! Check back soon for more top tips and tricks of the fashion trade – only from Jeff Banks.

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