3 / 5Open brown coat over grey patterned waistcoat and trousers with a white shirt and dark tie
Grey patterned waistcoat and trousers appear beneath a brown coat; compare the visible chest area and the room between your actual layers.
A closer look · Photo 3

Suit look with coat and waistcoat: test the outer layer beside the patterned centre

A suit look with coat and waistcoat draws attention to several nested edges here. The brown coat stays open over a grey patterned waistcoat, pale shirt and dark tie. Glasses hang at the front centre. The visible surface supports a pattern description but cannot establish a fibre. A complete jacket underneath the coat cannot be confirmed from this crop either.

For your own outfit, first decide whether you want the waistcoat this visible when the coat is open. Put the outer garment over the actual intended pieces and move your arms forwards. Compare the closed arrangement as well. The visible boundaries around neck and chest may change substantially. Include the coat in a real trial rather than adding it only in your imagination after choosing the suit.

Hands in pockets and the close crop limit assessment of the whole fit. Stand neutrally at your fitting and inspect trousers and shoes in a complete view. Borrow the colour and layering idea without deriving an origin, period or special production route from this photograph.

At a glance

Grey patterned waistcoat and trousers appear beneath a brown coat; compare the visible chest area and the room between your actual layers.

Why should I include my coat at a fitting?

It changes the visible shoulder and chest areas. Wearing the actual layers also lets you check the space between them while moving.

Sources and further reading