Posts Tagged "pant fit"

By Leslie Willmott on Oct 26, 2016

  A well-dressed woman knows the value of a good tailor or seamstress to fine tune the fit of her clothing. RTW is not always “ready to wear” and a proper fit is critical to making your best impression, both personally and professionally. Here’s what Susan, an emerging business leader who worked with me on her professional presence, discovered: “I’ve become one of my tailor’s best clients thanks to your shining light on the difference a proper fit makes. I need to get almost every pant and jacket I purchase altered, but it’s well worth it. I can’t help but observe other people’s clothing and whether it fits properly. The direct correlation between proper fitting clothes and levels of success within an organization is glaring.”    What Does Proper Fit Look Like? Wardrobe consultant Nancy Nix-Rice describes it well in her book Looking Good . . . Every Day: Style Solutions for Real Women: “Excellent fit means more than just ‘I can zip it.’ It means the garment flows gracefully over your body without pulling or binding, sagging or bagging. It means that garment details such as darts, shaping seams, and hems fall at the ideal level.” Here are a few proper-fit guidelines for classic basics: Jacket: It buttons smoothly, even though you might not wear it buttoned. If it doesn’t even pull together you are telling everyone “my jacket is too small”! The back lies smoothly across your shoulders without a bubble behind the neck. The shoulder is ¼” – ½” wider than blouse shoulder. The waistline curve or seams are at your natural waistline; a back vent hangs perpendicular to the floor. Sleeves end at or just below the wrist bone. Note: Rolling up a tailored jacket sleeve tells everyone it’s too long and you were too lazy to alter it! Pants/Straight Skirts: They look and feel comfortable at the waist (room for two fingers gives you wiggle room). They flow smoothly over hips and hang straight from the hipline; pockets or zippers lie flat against the body. Pants do not bind at the crotch and there’s neither tucking nor drooping under the derriere. Fitted Blouse: The neckline hugs the base of your neck without wrinkling or gaping; the...