Suit Construction: How Men's Suits Are Made and What Makes Them Fit Right

When you buy a suit, you’re not just buying fabric and buttons—you’re buying suit construction, the way a suit is built from the inside out, including its structure, lining, padding, and stitching. Also known as tailoring structure, it’s what determines whether a suit drapes well, moves with you, or ends up looking stiff and awkward. Most off-the-rack suits use fused construction, where a layer of glue holds the canvas in place. It’s cheaper and faster, but over time, that glue breaks down, the fabric bubbles, and the suit loses its shape. A better suit uses half-canvas or full-canvas construction, where layers of horsehair and cotton are hand-stitched to create a natural curve around your chest and shoulders. That’s not just luxury—it’s function.

Then there’s the suit fabrics, the material that makes up the outer shell, which affects how a suit breathes, wrinkles, and holds its shape. Wool is the standard for a reason: it’s breathable, resilient, and drapes naturally. But not all wool is the same. Super 100s to Super 150s refers to fiber fineness—the higher the number, the finer and lighter the wool, but also the more delicate. For everyday wear, stick to Super 100s–120s. If you’re in a hot climate, look for wool blends with linen or cotton. Avoid polyester blends unless you’re okay with a shiny, plasticky look that traps heat and wrinkles easily. The lining matters too. A fully lined suit traps heat and feels heavy. A half-lined or unlined suit lets air flow, making it far more comfortable in summer. And don’t ignore the buttons. A two-button suit is classic, but the placement of those buttons affects your silhouette. Too high, and you look boxy. Too low, and you lose the V-shape that makes a suit look sharp.

Fit isn’t just about size—it’s about how the suit follows your body’s natural lines. The shoulders should sit exactly where your arms meet your torso. No pulling, no sagging. The sleeves should end at your wrist bone, showing about half an inch of shirt cuff. The jacket should taper slightly at the waist, but not so much it looks like a corset. Pants should break just once at the top of your shoe, not puddle or hover. These aren’t fashion rules—they’re physics. A well-constructed suit doesn’t just look good; it feels like it was made for you.

What you’ll find below isn’t a list of brands or prices. It’s a collection of real, practical breakdowns about what makes suits work—or fall apart. From how to tell if a suit is truly hand-sewn, to why some fabrics shrink after one wash, to what the inside of a $500 suit looks like compared to a $2,000 one—you’ll see the details most people never notice. These posts don’t sell you suits. They help you understand them.