A Man's Primer on Prom

Prom is coming up! What an exciting time in the school year.

Here are some things to consider when you are looking for a suit or tux...


1) The most important thing when considering a suit jacket, as far as fit and tailoring is concerned, is the fit of the shoulders. This is because the shoulder construction is generally the hardest part of the suit to alter after it has been made. A good-fitting shoulder will lie flat and have its seam end right where your shoulder bone ends.

2) The shirt cuff should be visible a good half an inch beyond your jacket cuff.

3) If your jacket is making an x-crease when buttoned, it is likely that your suit is a bit small. This, however, is not always the case as designers like Tom Ford create suits with an intentional x-crease in mind.

4) The point where the end of your pant leg folds up and meets your shoe is called the break. If the break is too long, it will bunch up and be too baggy. If your pant leg is too short, you will not have any break and you might show some ankle (which is not necessarily bad, it is just not conservative and is typically seen in more high fashion settings). The most popular way to go is have the pant leg break once and end at the top of your shoe and then some.

5) If you are wearing a tie, the end of your tie should hit right at your belt. Also, the width of your tie should match the width of your jacket's lapels. If you are also wearing a pocket square, find a pocket square that complements the colors of your tie without being too match-y or clash-y. Keep your tie knots and your pocket square folds simple and classy (this means no Eldredge knots).

6) The bottom button of your jacket stays unbuttoned. This goes way back to King Edward VII.


Keep in mind that if you are renting a tux, it is hard to get one that fits right. Try to get one that fits as best as possible, but if it is not perfect, that is okay!

If you have decided that you want to buy a suit instead, I suggest you get a cheap one that fits well. You might still be growing so it is best to hold off from that especially nice suit for now.

- Chris