Suits That Fit Top and Bottom
A boxed three-piece assumes your chest and waist are proportioned to the manufacturer's template. Most men's are not. A man who takes a 44 jacket may need 36 trousers, and buying the suit as one unit forces a compromise on one half to get the other right.
Separates remove that compromise. Jackets are sized on the chest and trousers on the waist, so the two numbers are meant to differ. Nothing here needs to be taken to a tailor simply because the sizes are not the same.
Choosing Your Route
Ready-paired combinations are pieces already styled and sold together at a set price. The coordination is decided, the sizes move together, and it is one purchase. Best when you want a finished outfit without weighing up colour and texture yourself.
Pieces chosen individually lets you set the size of each piece independently. Best when your sizes differ noticeably, or when you have a specific combination in mind.
Combining Colour and Texture
The risk with separates is an outfit that reads as a mismatched suit rather than a deliberate choice. Four rules cover most of it.
- Contrast clearly, or match exactly. Navy with beige works. Navy with almost-navy looks like an error. Where two shades are close but not identical, change one.
- Vary the texture, not only the colour. Tweed, herringbone and check sit well against plain because the difference is visibly intended.
- Hold the formality level. A dinner jacket does not belong with cotton chinos, and a tweed jacket does not belong with tuxedo trousers.
- Let one piece lead. If something is going to stand out, make it the waistcoat and keep the jacket and trousers quiet.
Measuring
Measure the chest at its fullest point with the tape level under the arms, and the waist where trousers actually sit rather than at the belt line. Cut affects the number as well as the body does: slim and skinny run closer than tailored and regular, so one size will feel different across fits. Check the measurements on each product page before ordering.
Elsewhere on the Site
For a matched suit, see men's suits, wedding suits and tuxedos. To coordinate with a son, see father and son suits. Finish the outfit with formal shirts, brogues and Oxford shoes and tie and pocket-square sets.
FAQs
Can I order a different size jacket and trousers?
Yes, and most men should. Jackets are sized on the chest and trousers on the waist, so the numbers are expected to differ.
Will pieces match if I combine them myself?
Pieces from the same range share a fabric and will match. Combining across ranges, aim for clear contrast rather than a near-match, and check the fabric composition on both product pages.
What is the difference between the two sub-collections?
Ready-paired combinations are matched for you and sold together at a set price. Choosing pieces individually lets you set each size yourself.
What sizes do you stock?
28 to 56, across slim, tailored, regular and skinny fits. Availability varies by style — use the size filter to see what is in stock in yours.