Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [30]
On a really, really high-end suit jacket, you’ll find working buttons and buttonholes on the sleeves, so that you can actually open and close them at the cuffs. These are sometimes called doctors’ cuffs. Originally when doctors were working on patients, they would wear a jacket and they would have to roll up their sleeves, so as not to get who knows what on their suit. (Amaze your buddies on trivia night at Joe’s Bar!) There is no longer a practical use for doctors’ cuffs and it’s a very expensive detail that most suits just don’t have anymore. I just wanted to share.
DETAIL # 3 The Lining and Interlining.
A good suit should have a full lining, meaning the entire interior, including the sleeves, will be lined. The best linings are silk, but a nice rayon will work as well. A suit lining helps with moisture and creates a barrier between the actual suit and your body. It also allows you to improve the fit of the suit, as slippery silk makes everything drape better. And it makes the suit jacket easier to put on and take off. If your suit is not fully lined, when you slip your arms in the armholes, it causes friction with your shirtsleeve. That can make the jacket hard to get into, not to mention cause extra wrinkling. And we all know how unfortunate that can be.
Examine the lining to make sure it’s all sewn beautifully and tacked down. If the lining is loose or shabby or cheap, that’s an indicator of a lesser-quality jacket.
A good suit jacket should also have an interlining to give it structure. The interlining is like a little woven grid, kind of like a teeny-weeny miniaturized latch-hook rug, that is sewn into the shoulders and the chest of a jacket. It’s the armature or “bones” of the suit that keep it properly proportioned and help give it a permanent three-dimensional shape and structure. The interlining allows places that need to drape to drape and makes sure that the places that shouldn’t drape don’t. It’s the “looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker” mentality at its finest.
Think of a sandwich: If the outer fabric the suit jacket is made of is the top piece of bread, and the inner lining is the bottom piece of bread, the interlining is the ham and cheese sewn in between—except it’s hidden away where you won’t be able to see it. But you can feel for it and you’ll know it’s there. Hopefully.
A cheap suit may not have an interlining at all, or if it does have one, it might be bad quality, made of plastic or other synthetic materials that aren’t going to breathe and last.
Keep in mind that there is something known as an unconstructed suit, which won’t have an interlining or shoulder pads, and might not even have a regular lining. This is a “look,” but I highly recommend you step away. Unconstructed suits have a very easy breezy “Yanni at the Acropolis” flair. The unconstructed sport coat, on the other hand, can be a great, easy, and relaxed look. (See “Sport Coats,” page tk.)
DETAIL #4 Patterns
If the suit you’re considering has a pattern like a tattersall or glen plaid, a houndstooth, a herringbone, or a Pound Puppies print—no, scratch that last one—you should check to make sure all the patterns match up where the seams meet. It’s just like the repeat of wallpaper—the pattern should be seamless. If the pattern doesn’t match up, that’s the sign of a suit that’s less than top shelf.
DETAIL #5 The Pockets
Suit jacket pockets should be lined and functional. They should also be actually there and not just an optical illusion. Sometimes a cheap suit will just have the flap on the outside, but no actual pocket. And that’s quite a surprise when you go to slip in your Tic Tacs!
On a good quality suit, you’ll need to cut the jacket pockets open, preferably with a nail scissor or something similar. Do not rip them open or use a chainsaw. Your tailor can do this for you while you’re having your suit tailored.
Now that we’ve got your suit jacket under control, next come the pants. To cuff or not to cuff, that is the question. Cuffs really don’t serve a purpose