Like almost any piece of clothing, it’s easy to buy a suit online. But given the complexity of this garment, it can be much more difficult get something that actually looks good and functions well. Especially if you’ve never made this kind of purchase, and especially without trying it on first. You don’t want to end up with a poorly fitting, uncomfortable, and poor value-for-money suit. We’ll explore the basics of how to buy a suit online, as well as what you should look for in general when making this purchase.
The benefits of a well-fitting suit
The fit of your suit is the most important detail. This article explains how your suit should fit. A well-fitting suit accentuates your masculine features by visually broadening the shoulders and narrowing your waist. The right proportions will also visually maximize your height. Basically, the right suit makes you look taller, thinner, more broad-shouldered, more dignified, and more handsome – advantages most of us are ok with.
On the other hand, a poorly-fitting suit does not offer any of these benefits. In fact, it does the opposite. A jacket that’s too big, for instance, will drown out your proportions and make you appear smaller in the shoulders and won’t give any shape to your waist. Pants that are too long will pool around your ankles, giving you a sloppy appearance and not accentuating the shape of your legs, as well as making you look shorter. A suit that’s too small will pull and pinch, bunching the garments in unflattering ways and giving off an uncomfortable appearance.
Getting this purchase right makes a huge difference for whatever occasions you need to wear it. Job interviews, weddings, and other important gatherings are usually high-stakes affairs where your first impression matters more than usual.
Traditionally you’d go to a store to make this purchase (which is still a good option). But with so many good online choices, it’s possible to make this important purchase from your couch. Now to go through how to buy a suit online if you choose this route.
Research reputable stores
With so many online options, you can find yourself overwhelmed when choosing where to buy your suit. As with any online purchase, it’s best to do your own research. Below are our recommended places to start.
| Best Value | Spier and Mackay |
| Best Slimmer Cut | Suit Supply |
| Best Splurge | Kent Wang, Brooks Brothers |
| Best Made to Measure | Indochino, Black Lapel |
If you want to look at other options, sites like Dappered, or Put This On, or different subreddits can offer good insight. Even though our recommendations cover many budgets and style options, it’s always a good idea to see what else is out there to fit your own needs.
We highly recommend Spier and Mackay due to their combination of classic styling, different fit options (they offer a slim and contemporary fit), quality (solid fabrics, half and full canvas construction), and price point. If you’re looking for your first suit and think you’ll wear it sparingly, they offer great options that will not break the bank (typically under $500, but they do have a line of suits at $300 that is surprisingly high quality). They also offer non-functioning sleeve buttons, which will allow a tailor to adjust the sleeve length (very important detail).
Suit Supply is another great option. Good quality for the price, albeit at a slightly higher price point than Spier and Mackay. Their style is a little more modern, with slimmer cuts and shorter jacket lengths (usually we prefer longer jackets, which will flatter most men better). If you have some weight on your frame, these may not work well.
Splurge worthy brands
If you have the budget to splurge on a suit, we recommend Kent Wang or Brooks Brothers. Even at their higher price points, they offer great value. Additionally, Brooks Brothers has a wide brick and mortar presence to try on suits, plus they offer complimentary alterations.
The higher level of finishes, finer details, and top-notch construction of these brands will stand out. While the other options on this list will look great to 98% of everyone, these two options offer that extra little bit of polish. For almost everyone, the other brands on this list will work very well.
Made-to-measure suits
While getting fitted in person for a made-to-measure suit is the absolute best (and most expensive) way to buy a suit, we don’t typically recommend online made-to-measure suits. It can be really hard to get the fit right using their systems (we’ve had some bad experiences in the past). If you have a normal body type, off-the-rack suiting and the work of a good tailor can give you a perfect fitting suit.
Some people do swear by them, however. If you have non-typical proportions, it could be worth a shot.
Indochino is an affordable made to measure brand in this space. Black Lapel is a slightly higher price point and comes well recommended.
Take your basic measurements
When considering how to buy a suit online, you need to take accurate body measurements to determine the right size. Off-the-rack suits come in a few basic dimensions that you must determine on your own before buying online. You can go to a local tailor or menswear store to have these measurements taken (although they will press you to buy something there, which, again, could be a good option), or you can take them yourself (and the help of another set of hands).
This article goes very much in depth on measuring yourself for a suit. We won’t cover all of that content here, but with the measurements below, you can get close enough to your suit size to order online. Then you can adjust based on how the actual garment fits. Then you can determine if you need to order a different size or if you can take it to a tailor for the final adjustments.
Important measurements
- Chest measurement – Take a tape measure and loop it around the widest part of your chest. Make sure the tape meausre is under your arms. The tape measure should be snug. Suit sizes go by chest measurements, so this measurement will be your suit size, or close to it. Due to different body proportions, you may have to go a size up or size down from this measurement, but it’s a good starting point for buying a suit online.
- Waist measurement – This is for your pants. If getting a custom suit made, you would measure your waist at your navel. For pant size, however, take the tape measure around where your pants normally sit. Pro-tip – for suits you might want to measure your pants an inch or two higher than you wear your everyday pants. Some suits come with a higher waist, which looks better when worn with a suit jacket.
- Height – This is simply your height. And you need to be honest, no rounding up for vanity purposes. For those under 5’9″, you’ll probably need a suit in a short size. For those between 5’9″ and 6’1″, a regular size will work. And for those over 6’1″, you’ll likely need to go for a long size.
With these measurements you can now determine what size to order. For instance, if your chest is a 38 and you are 6’0″ tall, you would order a 38R (the R means regular). If you have a 42 chest and are 6’3″, you would order a 42L. Again, these are just starting points, you may end up with a different size that fits your body type better.
Pant length
As for pant lengths, some retailers offer exact pant lengths, and others offer unhemmed pants for you to take to a tailor to dial-in. Unless you are 100% confident that the particular retailer will get your pant length perfectly correct (only make this assumption if you have ordered from them before), then go with an unhemmed pant leg and get your tailor to adjust.
Other fit considerations
While there are countless other measurements to consider when buying a suit, for purchasing one online, these are the three important factors. From here, you will take your suit to a tailor to adjust for the rest of your measurements.
Another factor to consider when thinking of how to buy a suit online is the drop. The drop refers to the difference between the jacket size and pant size. Some online retailers offer what’s referred to as “nested” sizes, meaning a jacket size automatically comes with a specific pant size. The drop is usually 6 inches, meaning a size 38 jacket automatically comes with size 32 pants. For some, this will work. For others, you may need a different pant size. See if the retailer will exchange pant sizes or if they offer these pieces as separates. If not, you’ll have to look elsewhere if you don’t fit the standard drop – don’t force yourself into pants that don’t fit.
Some retailers offer different cuts, usually a slim and a classic. Some will also offer an athletic cut. Before making your purchase, review the sizing differences on their website – they’ll usually go into more detail. Match to your body type accordingly.
As a rule of thumb, if you have some weight on your frame, stick with a classic cut. If you are thinner or are in shape but not overly muscular, a slim cut can look good. For those who are more muscular, an athletic cut may work best, or you can go with a classic cut and have the waist taken in and the lower legs tapered.
Choose your color
If you’re buying the one suit you’ll wear for most occasions, you’ll want to go with a navy or charcoal/dark grey option. You can read this article for the suit color priority list if you’re buying a second, third, or fourth (or more) suit.
Personally I think navy works best as your solo suit option. Some experts disagree and say charcoal should be your first suit purchase. Their argument is that charcoal is more appropriate for funerals and job interviews. I don’t disagree with this point, but I think the difference is minimal, as a dark navy suit is perfectly appropriate for either situation.
I think navy is the more versatile color and will work better for a wider variety of settings. Scenarios like weddings, a nice date night, a rehearsal dinner, etc… will favor the slightly less somber look of navy vs. charcoal. But charcoal will still work well in these situations if you go that route.
All this being said, one navy and one charcoal or dark grey suit will most appropriately cover all suit-worthy situations. Get both if you can.
Check the fit
Now you’re ready to place your order. Finally. Go to your preferred suit vendor and go for the size that matches closest to the measurements you’ve taken. Once your suit arrives, the real work begins.
If you have a more typical body type, your suit may fit perfectly out of the box. This is rare. You’ll need to see how it fits with your preferred dress shirt underneath. The picture below shows you how this should look when all alterations are finished.
The most important detail is the shoulder, since it cannot be adjusted by a tailor. The seam of the shoulder should hit right above the widest point of your shoulder muscle. If the jacket overhangs your shoulder, you need to try a size down. If your shoulder is popping out beneath the shoulder of the jacket, you need to size up. The graphic below shows how it should look.
The jacket length should go mid-palm. Anything deviating too far from this length, and you need to consider a different jacket length.
Other important details to notice – there’s a small bit of shirt sleeve sticking out under the jacket sleeve. This helps frame the jacket and is an important detail. The sides should give your waist some shape without being restrictive – there shouldn’t be any bunching or pulling of fabric when the jacket is closed. These two details usually need adjusting by a tailor.
As for pants, make sure the waist and thighs fit. The waist can be adjusted, but the thighs cannot. You should be able to easily walk around, as well as sit and stand up, without feeling like you will rip your pants. If you ordered your pants unhemmed, you’ll need a tailor to make the final pant length adjustment (and possible add a slight taper below the knee, depending on your fit preference).
Don’t be afraid to exchange
If your jacket or pants don’t fit in the key areas discussed above, you should exchange for a different size. When looking at how to buy a suit online, the ability to exchange sizes gives you the confidence that you’ll end up with a good suit. If you’re not sure, you probably need to consider an exchange – the fit of the shoulder, jacket length, and pant thighs should be undeniably spot-on.
Most online retailers have a generous exchange policy for this reason. Use it to make 100% sure you get the right fit.
As an aside, if you’re purchasing a suit for an important event, give yourself enough time to make an exchange and get adjustments from a tailor. Usually a month should give you ample time. Otherwise you’ll have to make do with an ill-fitting suit.
Take it to a tailor
The final step, and one that you must not skip if buying an off-the-rack suit online. This article goes in depth on how to find a good tailor. Below is a quick summary:
- Ask a well-dressed friend who lives in your vicinity.
- Google search and read reviews.
- See if they take appointments (good sign if they do).
- Check out the social media accounts for those you find on Google and see if you visually like their clients’ results.
- Bonus: take a dress shirt to your selected tailor for a fit adjustment to give them a test run.
Take your suit, along with the belt, dress shoes, and dress shirt you plan to wear most often with the suit. If you haven’t bought these yet, now is the time to do so! This will allow the tailor to better dial in the fit (getting the pant length the perfect break over your shoes, and getting that little bit of shirt sleeve to peek out).
It usually takes a few days to a week for them to complete these adjustments. When you go to pick up, bring in your dress shirt, shoes, and belt and give your newly adjusted suit a spin before leaving. Everything should look great and feel comfortable.
Conclusion
When considering how to buy a suit online, it is not as easy as clicking a few buttons. Make sure you go through all of these steps to end up with a high-quality suit that fits, as well as maximizes your masculine features and handsomeness. For an additional resource, check out this article from Midway Gentleman.
Suit-worthy occasions usually require some extra attention and consideration on your part. Wearing a perfectly fitting suit will cover most of these expectations and create a memorable first impression.
