How your suit should fit: the sleeve

While the foundation for a good suit lies in the shoulders, the jacket sleeves play an important role in creating the overall proportion that we as clothiers aim to achieve, and you as a client, see clearly in the mirror.

Sleeves that are too long, too short, or too baggy can ruin an otherwise well fitted suit. In this article I want to talk about what I feel is the appropriate (i.e. mainstream) length and width for a 2018 suit jacket.

The length

The whole idea behind the optimal sleeve length in a suit is to show a bit of shirt sleeve: about 1/4 - 1/2".

This creates a "framing effect" where that little bit of shirt sleeve ties into your pocket square and the rest of your shirt that's still showing as viewed from the front.

If no shirt sleeve is showing -- meaning that your jacket sleeves are too long -- then you miss out on this sartorial framing. But if your sleeves are too short, your shirt sleeves draw the eye and end up being a distraction. Simply put, it'll look as though your jacket just doesn't fit. [Frank Sinatra tended to show quite a bit of shirt cuff, so it's not impossible to bend this rule a bit, but do so cautiously.]

Now, when manufacturers make their suits, they tend to use a generic formula that is supposed to fit most people walking into a store. Nevertheless, buy a suit off-the-rack and you'll probably still need to alter the sleeve length.

Here's how you find the right length:

Wear one of your best fitting dress shirts and check to make sure that the shirt sleeve is ending right at the point where your wrist begins. Then put on your suit jacket, hold your arms at your sides (ensuring that the fabric isn't bunched up anywhere*), and measure about 1/4" up from where your shirt sleeve rests. That's where you want your jacket sleeve to be.

If you're buying something custom, it's a different story. If you've worked with either myself or Ron, you'll know that most of our jacket sleeves are left "unfinished," meaning that the buttons haven't been installed yet. 

During our 2nd fitting, we'll carefully measure the sleeves to ensure that just the right amount of shirt cuff is showing. Then, and only then, are the buttons added, thereby keeping the proportion of the jacket sleeve in check. Once we have this measurement we can skip the step for future orders (more on our process here). 

The width

Length is probably the most important thing about getting a good fit on your jacket, but the width also plays a role in the proportion of the suit. Big and boxy looking sleeves are reminiscent of the 1990's and will dilute the nice clean contour that we strive for in contemporary menswear.

But the ideal width of your suit sleeve is heavily dependent on your body type. For instance, I need to wear slim sleeves because I'm a lean guy. Whereas, a gentleman with a thicker body type will want to have a little more room in the sleeve to complement the rest of him. For instance, if you have a large barrel chest, then you won't look good squeezed into pencil thin sleeves!

Furthermore, if you're a weight lifter, you may want to consider having a larger armhole and consequently a larger sleeve on your upper arm, but then carefully tapered down to a narrower sleeve at the wrist.

In my experience, most guys could go a little slimmer in their jacket sleeves for a more relevant and updated look. But be careful, because taking out just a little bit in the sleeves can go a long way. I recently slimmed up my own sleeves by only 1/2" inch, but even I was surprised to see how much slimmer the sleeves looked (and felt!). So take small steps here.

Need to fix the length or width?

Could your sleeves use some adjustment? If you're happy with the rest of your suit, visit your local tailor or seamstress and have them adjust the sleeves as needed. You'll usually have about 1/2" or so of material in your sleeve that you can "let out" to lengthen them.

Regarding the width, odds are that you'll be slimming it down a bit, but as I said above, take small steps because a little goes a long way. And make sure that you're not adjusting the arm hole size as well because that's probably just fine where it is.

How many buttons?

How many buttons should you have on your suit jacket sleeve? Four is traditional and classic, but sometimes you'll see five, three, or even two. 

If you follow BE on Facebook or Instagram (@bespokeedge), you may have noticed by now that my brother leans towards five buttons on his sleeve while Ron and I usually opt for three buttons.

Why the difference? It's really just personal preference. Three or four buttons are quite versatile, whereas five is going to be a little more fashion forward and dressy.

On Brett's most recent jacket (seen below), the two accented buttonholes and slanted design really make his five button sleeve stand out.

Two buttons on the sleeve will make for a more casual look and therefore, you'll want to save this style for your casual sportcoats and blazers (e.g. summer jackets).

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About my "How your suit should fit series"

If you audit my writing both here and on my company blog, you'll notice that I dish out guidance on fit every so often. But my intention with this series (this article being the first) is to go a bit deeper and really dive into how a specific part of a suit should fit. I hope you find it useful when you're out shopping. And feel free to contact me anytime with questions.

And follow me here on LinkedIn if you aren't already!

*Sometimes jacket sleeves that are too small in width can bunch up on the upper arm and therefore, not hang freely. This makes for not only an uncomfortable jacket, but one that doesn't look right either.

About me: I founded Bespoke Edge and the fitness blog, Motus Fitness. Follow me here on LinkedIn for my articles on building a Brand, Marketing, and Fitness tips. And probably a cocktail recipe now and again.