The Shoulder Is the One Fit You Can't Fix
Sleeves, waists, and hems are a tailor's daily bread, but a shoulder that is wrong in the store will be wrong for the life of the jacket.
Julian Okafor 8 min
Tailoring Editor · Tailoring
Julian Okafor
Julian spent four years as an apprentice in an alterations shop before he wrote a word about clothes. He thinks in quarter inches, distrusts trends, and is happiest explaining why a jacket looks wrong.
9 guides by Julian
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Trouser Break: Choosing Between None, Slight, and Full
A quarter inch of hem decides whether your trousers look pressed or puddled, and the right break depends on your leg opening and your shoes.
Julian Okafor 6 min
Why Your First Suit Should Be Navy, Not Charcoal
Charcoal is the more serious color, but a first suit has to cover daytime weddings, interviews, and brown shoes, and navy covers more of them.
Julian Okafor 8 min
Alterations Worth Paying For, and Three That Aren't
Most of what makes a suit look expensive costs under $60 at a tailor, and the jobs that cost three times that rarely deliver.
Julian Okafor 8 min
Suit Fabric Weights: Ounces, Seasons, and Wrinkles
The weight of the cloth decides when you can wear a suit, how it hangs, and whether it looks slept-in by lunch, so learn the numbers before you shop.
Julian Okafor 7 min
Sport Coat or Blazer? The Difference Is in the Details
Buttons, cloth, and pockets separate a blazer from a sport coat, and knowing which is which tells you what to wear it with.
Julian Okafor 8 min
Dress Shirt Collars: Measuring Your Neck the Right Way
A collar that fits at 9 a.m. should still fit at 3 p.m., and getting there takes a soft tape, half an inch of arithmetic, and one finger.
Julian Okafor 7 min
Matching Shoes to Suits Without a Color Wheel
Two rules cover nearly every suit you'll own: shoes darker than the suit, and sleeker as the occasion gets more formal.
Julian Okafor 6 min
Made-to-Measure vs. Off-the-Rack: Where the Money Goes
A made-to-measure suit buys you a pattern moved to fit your body, and for most men with an average build that's money better left with a good tailor.
Julian Okafor 4 min