John Douglas, Co-Founder, Suit Up Dubai, On How To Tell If Your Suit Fits Well Fuelled by fondness for tailored clothing and tired of facing the common task of trying to find well-cut suits in Dubai, John Douglas and Ryan Smith launched Suit Up Dubai in December 2016.

Fuelled by fondness for tailored clothing and tired of facing the common task of trying to find well-cut suits in Dubai, John Douglas and Ryan Smith launched Suit Up Dubai in December 2016. The startup currently offers affordable, quality tailor-made fitting services in Dubai and Abu Dhabi -including choices of fabric and bespoke measurements- in the comfort of your home or workplace. (They'll even head to the gym -as the startup had once done- all without a shop front.)

SHOULDERS "The shoulder seam should finish flush, with the end of the shoulder. No kink, over halls or wrinkles. The seam on top of the shoulder should be the same length as the bone under it."

MID-SECTION "Chest, waist and hip should always show some shape, regardless of yours, the breast should follow your body with no gaps or kinks when closed and when open, we don't want too much space that your jacket flaps around when walking."

ARMS "The arm length should show some cuff without having to constantly pull your shirt cuff down and the arm hole (literally the hole your arm fits through), should be high enough to show a separation from your chest to your arm."

TROUSERS "The waist should be the perfect measurement allowing you to wear your trousers with no need for a belt, regardless of fit style always watch out for the kinks at the bottom around your ankle when your trousers are too long."

KNOW YOUR KNOTS "This can be a key factor in the way your suit will look. It's the small details at times that make a big difference. If you don't know how to tie them, there are thousands of videos on YouTube on how to tie new knots."

FABRIC FIT FOR PURPOSE "Always ask, "What is your suit made up of?' Always ask your tailor or check the label in the shop. Some fabrics hold heat more than others and in Dubai, with the summer coming up, that could be problem if you have the wrong sort of fabric. Likewise, if you travel to other countries, a lightweight suit may not be the best for the colder conditions."

THAT ONE FACTOR THAT REALLY MATTERS

Execs, to make a lasting impression, the Suit Up Dubai founders emphasize that the most important factor in wearing a perfect fitting suit is the fit type, even more important than style and color. "Slim fit, body fit or classic fit, it's the fitting of a suit that really does show the difference between one suit to another. Off-the-shelf is usually the easiest option for most of us with no time to get to a tailor, but off-the-shelve is created using an average based on neck size. Let's be honest, there aren't many of us that have the "average body' that would allow off-the-shelf to fit perfectly. A suit that's not perfectly fitted makes even the most beautiful colored suits look bad, if you're a muscular guy then show off your shape, if you don't have the shape, we can help to create more shape [to make you] look slimmer or for the gentleman the classic fit."

Related: Tailor Time: John Douglas, Co-Founder, Suit Up Dubai, On Finding The Right Suit For You