This lady could read the phone book and I would listen! Another great video with some great advice.

Thank you so much, Sonya, for pointing out the importance of proportions. We certainly need a feminine advocate for such a delicate and important matter!

I always admired people who can bend and even break style rules. For example Hugos huge lapels might look a bit off but it is a sign of his light hearted persoality and free artistic spirit. Life is too short to wear boring clothing. Thats why I appreciate the new mens style movement. Hip hip hooray for the Sartorial revolution! Cheers! And congratulations for your granddaughter.

I have this loud ass talking woman, I introduced her to you and your speaking voice. It has saved her from dismissal out of my life, so far. She's working on it. Thanks

I am a huge fan of the old Hollywood look. My favorite suits are vintage double-breasted examples from the '40s with super high waisted trousers and wide legs. We're talking 15" rise and 10" across at the cuffs with 5" wide lapels on the jacket. It helps that I am 6'4" and just under 200 lbs with a fairly good sized chest, so I carry it off better than most others might. And when the trousers fall from the hip, they just drape so much nicer. Now, I have long legs already, but with the double breasted jacket coming all the way across it doesn't have quite the lengthening effect that it would with a single breasted jacket, but you still get that wonderful drape. However, if my single breasted jacket is cut so that the quarters close all the way when buttoned, this also works well for me as a tall guy wearing high waisted trousers. On the other hand, if you are on the shorter side and wanting the old Hollywood look, I would say that a single breasted jacket with open quarters and the high waisted trousers will look better. Playing with shoulder width in this aesthetic is also interesting since one of its hallmarks is exaggerated shoulder width. I like mine with a little extra padding and extended out just a bit more in this look than say on a modern suit because I have a pretty rectangular body type. But if you already have wide shoulders and a more V body type, I think you would want to keep the shoulders in tighter like on a modern suit so that you don't over-accentuate them. And if you have sloping shoulders, the old Hollwood look can really help build them up.

It's amazing how much more there is to this world of ours than meets the eye. Specifically with sartorial matters, before you're a "part of the club", so to speak, a suit is a suit. Then you get into the hobby and realize how much design and artistic expression there is in something so simple. Thanks for the video, Sonya. Cheers, guys.

Can one be addicted to someone's voice? I think I am 😍

I've always been an advocate of suit proportions....and this video sums it all very well..you guys are doing a great job....

i agree with your comment about the pencil legs, sonya. last year, i had two MTM suits made by a company. a few months later, i commissioned my first ever bespoke suit by a real tailor, and there the leg openings of the pants were cut wider, giving me a really beautiful, balanced look for my otherwise slim torso. as i then looked back at pictures i took of my MTM suit right after it was done, i realized how slim the pants had been cut, making me not only look too slim, but also making the suit jacket look out of proportion with the pants, thereby creating what i believed to be an unbalanced and unflattering silhouette. sadly, it was already past the guaranteed refund period when i realized this.

This was a fascinating and informative talk, thank you. I feel like I not only understand proportions better but can apply them to my wardrobe, rather than trying to rely on "style rules" which may or may not suit my individual body and style.

Thank you, Sonya for presenting this informative video ... as always, when listening to both yourself and Hugo, I learn "new" things. 🥰

Great talk! I think this is one of the more difficult points to master, as it will be very dependent on your body and it's hard to play around with proportions with RTW clothes. Thank you for going over all the different effects proportions can have, hope to see the next video soon!

Such great information here! So many people don't understand proportions and it's so hard in RTW with no guidance. I learned as I went and had jackets with super modern high buttoning stance, Uber slim and short jackets, and of course high gorges. I've now brought the jacket buttoning point down considerably (I'm 6'3) and the gorge down to classic range, wider lapels, longer jacket length, and more room throughout without appearing frumpy!

I recognize lessons from the book « Dressing the man », well done !

Thanks Sonya man for the detailed description and explanation par excellence 👌

Great video as always. As someone who is a slim guy with very thick legs (especially calves), I cannot get anything off the rack. Also my legs are short in proportion to my body, so I always look for high rise trousers and when getting jackets made, I make sure they are a bit shorter so that my legs will look taller to make it look harmonious. This is something that my grandfather (who was a tailor) told me I should keep in mind, and to always seek harmony with everything, not just outfits, but everything I do. Probably the most important lesson I received from him. The point about the placement of the chest pocket in a jacket is a great one and it has never crossed my mind before.

Great video! I wish there were more picture examples of the concepts discussed in this video though.

That was a wonderful video presentation. Thank you so much. 😊

Excellent video. Thank you♥️

This is a great idea, having suit proportions explained by this charming lady. Love it.

With regards to lapel width, I will mention a small caveat, as a professional fitter for men's suits. I am not a broad-chested man (36 3/4"), but I have started to fall in love with the 1970s hugely wide lapels since I picked up someone's bespoke made suit from around 1975-77 (I was extremely lucky that this man was built pretty much exactly like I am). The reason I think this lapel, which is only 3/4" from the shoulder seam works is that the pants are very flared towards the bottom at I think 9" laid flat. The flare of the pants is dramatic and balances with the dramatic lapel, coupled with the fact that the original owner was slightly shorter than I, thus the flare increasing with the increased length of the pant. Slender men can have a very wide lapel, but it must be proportional to the pant width, and I think the 1970s nailed it with the flare concept. The pants themselves are actually quite wide throughout, but using heavier fabrics with a beautiful drape gives an illusion of slenderness at the thigh. I guess my point is that with anything in suiting, one must look at or envision the entire suit first, not just take one element isolated. Balancing proportions is a delicate art, so when I encourage our slender clients to adopt the wider lapel, I will mention that it gives a great deal more "presence" at the chest, but must be balanced with a wider trouser and nipped waist. Overall, it makes a man look more robust, simply more present (!) without the boxy look of the 1980s-90s. See, the curvature of the waistline softens the whole effect and still presents the client as a slender man, but now more robust and confident with the lapel being so wide. The last caveat is that having said all this, it can be a disappointment to the client when at the the end of the day he has to remove his suit and he has to see the truth to himself. I have to do it everyday. HAHA

Thank you once again Sonya and Hugo for sharing with us your amazing wealth of knowledge, kind regards Ryan.

Love the video as always! Can you give a video on how toe shape of shoes (round, almond, square, chisel...) affects formality and when / where they were began? And anything else to say about them! And cheers to the new addition to your family!

As a shorter man, I would love for you to delve in a bit further on this topic! I don’t necessarily want to appear taller, but I rather not look shorter, which is always the case with rtw before the tailor tax. I believe you have covered this somewhat in other videos - but one video dedicated for us shorter men of different builds would be much appreciated! Thank you for the great content!

Very informative video Sonya!

Another great video ,with as usual great look)), thank you dear for your effort and always glad to watch you , cheers to you and Hugo, love from Cairo.

Sonya's voice can calm down anyone. I feel so comfy...

You are just a pleasure to watch...:)

I feel like the main difficulty I face is not understanding when and how each element interact with each other, even though I agree with every phenomenon described. E.g. Why does a wide collar enhance the flaws of a wide face, but wide lapels throw off the balance on a small chest? One might argue it's because the collar is "next to" the face and the lapels are right on the chest, but then extended shoulders are flattering on narrow shoulders. There must be some hidden rules that haven't been shared with us mortals.

I bet she is great at reading bedtime stories. So pleasing and soothing to listen to her.

Sonja I myself reside in the show me state and grew up in Germany from a Noble Family Heritage bloodline linked to the UK and i always wear a leather Belt except for Morning Wear Attire and Black Tie and White Tie event

great content guys! very informative.

Always good tips ! Very good! Regards from Brazil

Thank you very much. I don't see many men wearing suits in this area normaly and the ones I do, don't wear cuffs (Younger guys) so I will have cuffs on all my trousers that have the material to do that, and all new trousers will be cuffed. Old guys get it!

Thank You Millions 😮😀😊👍🏼 Sonya

Thanks as always for your amicable responses they have really helped me put things in perspective. Today I aspire to have a yellow dress shirt, pink pocket square, Dark brown suit & dark grey trousers with dark brown shoes. whats your view?

Thank you 👍

I so love and enjoy your videos. You touched on a lot and I learn so much. Great incites!! Share your thoughts on colour affecting proportions or balance or the perception of... for example, "they" say black clothing makes one look slimmer

Thank you for being so inspriring😎. Among other things I love the cello piece, your musical signature. Could You please give me information about the composer etc.?

Loved the video! However, growing up I was told to match my belt to my shoes. For instance, if I was wearing a navy suit with brown shoes, I'd ditch the option of a black or navy belt and go with a brown belt to match my brown shoes. What do you think of this?

Wonderful Sonya. Can we perhaps have a demo of sorts where in we have different collars and different lapels and see how it looks for a person? It will be exciting!

I love this lady😁

pls talk about full canvass and fused suit. ive heard from another youtuber that he got a fused half canvass suit from indochino which is very confusing

Thank you.

Currently in the process on overhauling my trousers wardrobe. I currently have the lower rise tapered trousers from Uniqlo. However, I have a midsection and broader shoulders and my current trousers make me look like I have carrot legs. Currently looking for mid-rise trousers with straighter cuts and... hopefully with pleats and cuffs. 🙂

love it thanks

Perhaps one day I'll come across the "perfect suit"...

Very interested to hear your thoughts on belts and suits. Most people will say that the belt and shoes need to match. Now, correct me if I am wrong but, do I understand you right when you say the colour of the belt needs to be as close to the colour of the suit as possible?

What if you have a drop shoulder, just some extra padding to build it up?

SARTORIAL TALKS, what do you think of short suit pants when they are like an inch above your shoe?

Great video; great job, production, and delivery. So I had a few questions.. - Do pleated pants fit/serve athletic legs with more room to walk and climb stairs in? I found slim, and even straight leg pants can still catch and bind a bit at times with even slightly muscled legs (from moderate legwork, lots of walking, and stairs. I am thinking of trying at least single-pleated pants. (plus they're warmer in winter). - With suit lapels, I find my suit lapels (for lack of a better term) "peak" and break because of (I think) either the size of my upper torso, and/or my drop being up to 12" (47"chest minus 35"waist), when the average [U.S.} men's suit drop I've read is only 6". Are there suits, suit cuts (available off-the-rack or MTM) or even a good trick! that eliminates the lapels' peaking/breaking? So far I find that only 3-button suits avoid this, but they're very hard to find new. Suit chest break pic: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/9250/files/Screen_Shot_2015-11-30_at_4.03.35_PM_large.png?6282974739786408547 - Is it accurate about button-stance what I've read that the jacket should remain unbuttoned* all the way up to the first button above the navel? *EDIT: I meant, remain unbuttoned below the navel The reason given was that so when one leans, bends, squats,etc. or walks briskly, the jacket will move with the body better, and without bunching up (which can also get in one's way). Also, I've noticed the resulting V-shape silhouette can flatter a guy's figure because the V parallels the V-shaped back muscles (latissimi) which also taper in at about the same point as the navel, thereby enhancing the V. I find both the above points to work with me; am wondering if this the same for others in general. - About general overall fit, can a suit be overly sexuallized? No, really. I see in person - but mostly on Instagram, of course - more guys wearing shrink-wrapped, vacuum-packed, sausage-skins' *erm* "suits" that seem to be made by... Lululemon For Men(?). I sure do hope they are, at the least,"squat-proof", for all our sakes. ;) - I like how you said at the very end, "if you can really be COHERENT by breaking proportionate rules...": "IF" (to quote the Spartans). Seems this is a problem with many people who want to break the rules 'just because'(IMO usu.incoherently from what I see) and hope to still makes the desired statement. I may have drifted a bit; myBad. ;) Again, a really beautiful video; I love learning all this info. P.S. Seems you were going for a subtle 'bleu blanc rouge'-look there.

Loved this segment Sonia! Works for women too! Looking at the Hollywood trouser style for women in the 1940s, like what Audrey Hepburn or Carole Lombard wore ( love this trouser style).. would you wear a tighter jacket with a wide leg trouser or a more flowy, looser one? And would you wear the jacket length shorter or longer? Where would the cut off be? Thank you 😊

Hi, Sonya and Hugo! I recently discovered your channel and am a fan! Do you know of any good bespoke tailors in Tokyo? (Sorry, I realize this doesn't relate to the topic of this video.)

Nice one Sonya!

Great video! Very informative. Just one question - how do you choose a belt that's similar to your suit if you're wearing navy/grey and a medium brown pair of shoes? I know going darker is an option but wat about without changing other factors

Great video. One thing if I may. Pardon me, but wouldn't it be that if you have a large head you'd widen and lengthen the collar to cancel the look of the large head as much as possible? Then, for the smaller head you narrow the collar? In my suit designs these are a few of the rules I use. However, great video. I might even use this as a training video for my people it's so good. Thank you!

I have come across these claims before. To me they just don't add up: (1) Your shirt collar should counteract the proportions of your face: if you have a narrow face, don't wear a point collar, as it will make your face look even narrower! (2) Your lapels should conform to the proportions of your chest: if you have a narrow chest, don't wear wide lapels, as they will make your chest look even narrower! See the conflict?

Manufacturing for garments woven labels do you need labels for your garments

I recently began wearing suits more than just for special occasions.I am 74 years old and I like the old look with cuffs or turn ups. Is it still ok to wear cuffs on your trousers?

She said drain pipe legs. 😂😂😂😂😂I love me some Sonya

Wrist bone is called the snuffbox.

What other gentlemen withered away in their seats when they saw the very lovely Sonya in 👓, with all the respect in the world to the great Hugo Jacomet of course

Thanks Sonya, what would be your recommendation for the length of trouser turn-ups , I am aware that it can have an effect of shortening the legs, I have the same height as Hugo (179cm). Thank you

I love you Gus

Thank you for your informative video Sonia. Could I just ask, for a 5"6-5"-7 man how low would you recommend a suit jacket/blazer to hang? Lately I've been trying to find a good fitting jacket but with no luck, as many of the jackets are either have long sleeves, or are low hanging, thus making me look shorter. Please could you advise me on this? Thank you in advance

I tried to look for you on facebook? I`m hoping you and your family are doing well during this pandemic, I seeing that it really bad there in France. Good Luck Scott

One observation of mine is that a proper button stance does not look right if the jacket doesn't have nice quarters. You lose that fulcrum point

Sonya, I am a college student studying to be a pastor and have very little money. What do you and Hugo recommend for those of us interested in elevating our style but have little to no money? I'd like to invest in quality but don't and probably won't have the money but I still want to try. Thanks!

Couldn't you also argue that if you have a wide face and wear a slim shirt collar, that it makes your face even wider because it is contrasted to something so small and dainty?

Anyone could tell me what did her say about move down the button to where and why? My English is very suck, cann’t listen it clearly😭

Ma'am which brand's eyewear are you wearing in this video

What a woman ! Great body and sweet voice.

Thanks for the sound advice. I dislike the current trend for suits that appear two sizes too small; perhaps it’s a carryover from the hipster skinny jeans look. Just my opinion.

Please add english subtitles and picture to explain. Opinion from a non native english speaker. I would like to learn more about suit, but my english is not enough to catch up the speech 😭

I think the editor made an error. The speaker seems to introduce the shoulders section twice.

Proportions should follow the 1/1.6 the golden ratio.

But ... but ... what happened to the intro music?

I love your voice, but as someone new to this it would be great to have some visuals to go with your examples. A picture in the corner would be perfect.

I have a wide face but hate none spread collar styles.

Hi I am from india

Unfortunately there are snobby purists who insist that anything outside of the very traditional fits (like those mentioned at the end of the video) should be burnt in a fire

Guys

I’m also a firm believer of the navel position. Great video. Thanks for Sharing

even her voice sounds expensive

I so badly was hoping that she would turn and address ME, not some person off camera.

i`d like your e-mail to stay in touch.

What's with this look I've seen for the last 5 years or so where it looks like the wearer grew up since the suit was purchased? Makes the wearer look like a little boy, slender legs, shorter coat etc. Why a man would think this is appropriate is borderline disturbing, but commenting on that is for different youtube channel!

I like a lower gorge

How much gap should a 5'10 feet man between his navel and the button where he knots his notch lapels? A normal guy with 15-20% body fat