So you find yourself needing to buy a suit or a tuxedo for an upcoming event (yes, even in this year of a worldwide pandemic, it happens!) - it may even be your own wedding that you?ve been forced to reschedule multiple times this year, thanks to various gathering rules due to COVID-19. While buying anything from electronics to groceries online is super easy, the same cannot always be said of buying a suit online. Trying to decipher all of the checklists and guidelines you?ll find while Googling for help can be an exercise in frustration for most guys. The world of men?s tailoring is full of jargon, and most brands seem to assume that you know all of the differences between fabrics and other features. And let?s not forget the challenge of getting the right fit. Sizing isn?t as straightforward as buying a T-Shirt or Sweater, and you?re often expected to know your measurements. Given all of this, is it even possible, or worth it to buy suiting online?

The simple answer is yes - anyone can do it.

While this list isn?t for everyone (if you?re already well versed in suit shopping, you likely don?t need it), we?ve put together a list of 8 tips to make shopping for a suit online much easier.

1- Know Your Store's Return Policy

First things first - always familiarize yourself with the return policy of the store you are planning to buy from to ensure that you are able to return the suit if it doesn?t fit. Most stores - online or offline - that offer a return option will require that the item is returned in an unworn state, with original tags attached. Make sure that you are aware of how long you have to return the item and their specific return rules, should it not fit as well as you had hoped. Some stores offer as little as 3-5 days, with others offering 30+ days, so be sure to try on your purchase soon after it is delivered to make sure it?s right for you (shameless plug - you can check out Gotengo?s return policy here).

Being comfortable with the return policy of the online store you're buying from can go a long way to providing peace of mind when buying a suit or tux online.

2 - Choose Ready-To-Wear

While a lot of people may associate buying a tuxedo or suit with bespoke tailoring, for most guys, it usually makes more sense to buy a ready-to-wear/off-the-rack suit or tux, because there are fewer barriers to entry. Buying ready-to-wear allows you to see the finished suit/tuxedo and decide if you like the look of it before committing to buying it. If you choose to go down the bespoke path, be prepared to answer a long list of questions from fabric selection, lapel and pocket styles, to numerous decisions on small details. Going with a bespoke option is equivalent to going to a restaurant and asking the chef to use a specific pairing of ingredients and providing instructions on how to make the meal. While some guys may have the skill (and patience) to take this approach, choosing the ready-to-wear route is easier for men who don?t have a ton of experience buying suits, or simply don?t want to spend the time and effort required by the bespoke approach.

Put your trust in a reputable suiting brands that have a proven track record and you?ll walk away with a great looking suit while saving yourself a good deal of time, effort and money, as ready-to-wear usually costs less than bespoke as well.

3 - Take a Few of Your Measurements

The general rule of thumb is that your blazer size is your chest size in inches, using standard US sizing (eg. 40 inch chest is size 40), or, if you?re buying something that uses European sizing, it?s your chest size in inches, plus 10 (eg. 40 inch chest is size 50).

While knowing this will take you quite far, there?s actually a few measures that can help you find an ideal fit. The three key areas to measure are:

• the shoulder;
• the circumference of your mid-chest; and
• the distance from the bottom of the neck to mid-seat.

It is generally easier to take these measures with someone helping you, but not impossible to do on your own.

If you don?t have an appropriate tape measure, a great place to start is by printing out the tape measure found here.

Now that you have what you need, do the following:

• Measure the circumference of your chest, using the largest part of your chest.
• Measure the distance from bottom of the neck to middle of the seat/bum.
• Measure the distance from the tips on each shoulder, running along the back.

These three measurements will give you what you need to determine several of the jacket?s measurements. Make sure to choose a jacket that fits these key measurements as jackets cannot be lengthened, shoulders cannot be adjusted, and the chest determines the size when shopping.

NOTE: A short jacket typically moves the top button and sleeve opening of the jacket up. A long jacket moves the button down. This seemingly small change can be the difference between you loving the fit on you versus hating it, so always pay attention to the length of the jacket.

Other measures are not as urgent to understand prior to purchase because suits will often require a visit to a tailor for alterations to adjust areas like sleeve length and inseam on pants.

4 - Get the Right Pants for You

We strongly recommend that you look for a suit/tuxedo that sells pants separately from the jacket (called a suit separate). Brands that sell the jacket and pants together as a package often require more tailoring work/alterations (not to mention a more seasoned stylist to assist in the shopping process), as the one-size-fits-all approach rarely works for suiting. Being able to buy your pants separately from a jacket lets you find a more ideal pant size for you. Many online stores will suggest the matching pants to a jacket (Gotengo does!), so it should generally be easy to find the right pants for the jacket you like.

When it comes to pants, never assume that just because the pants are the same brand as the blazer and have the same colour in their name, that they will definitely match. For example, there are many subtly different shades of black because of the use of different fabrics. A suit/tuxedo should use the same fabric for the jacket and pants. If the online store does not offer suggestions on matching pants, you may want to look for another jacket that offers an ideal match, if you don?t want to invest the time trying to locate the perfect match by yourself.

For sizing, it?s as simple as knowing your waist measurement or jeans size when looking at US sizing. Here is an easy size conversion chart for European sizing, if the pants you are looking at are sized using that system:

Waist Size/Jeans Size (in inches)	European Sizing
27-28	44
29-30	46
31-32	48
33-34	50
35-36	52
37-38	54
39-40	56
41-42	58

5 - Find the Right Brands for You

Not all brands fit everyone well. Don?t take it personally - instead, take some time to learn who the brand you like tends to target with its designs. Certain brands target guys with a slimmer build, while others may target more body types. Be cognizant of your body?s shape, and have a look at our cheat sheet to help you map a few different brands back to body types:

Brand suggestions by body type.

6 - Alterations

The reality is, whether you buy a suit online or in a store, there?s a chance you?ll need to make some alterations to get it exactly the way you like it. Knowing a good local tailor is key. If you don?t know one, take advantage of Google?s business reviews to find out which tailors in your neighbourhood are best, and which ones to avoid.

A tailor can do alterations on a jacket?s sleeves, chest and waist, and a pant?s width and length. A tailor cannot adjust the arm opening in the sleeve (armpit) and rise in pants.

Factor in the cost of alterations to your overall suit costs.

Find a reputable local tailor in case you require some alterations.

7 - Don?t be Afraid to Ask for Help!

Don?t be afraid to reach out to the online store you?re shopping with if you need more help. Most stores offer some kind of ?Contact Us? feature to send questions to, and most good online stores will be more than happy to help you find the ideal suit (if they aren?t willing to help you, then maybe they aren?t the right store to be shopping with!). While some shoppers may be skeptical of asking the store for help, thinking that they may misguide you to make a sale, keep in mind that - aside from most stores wanting to provide great customer service and have happy, returning customers - stores that offer returns/refunds have no reason to mislead, as bad advice will just result in an unhappy customer returning the product.

The team at Gotengo loves to hear from customers and are always happy to help you find the right suit for you, and we are certain that we aren?t the only store who thinks this way. Take advantage of the online stores that get back to their customers in a timely fashion. A quick email/message to customer service always beats having to go out to the nearest shop if you are short on time!

Take advantage of the customer service most online stores offer - most will be ready to provide advice if you reach out to them.

8 - Take Advantage of New Technology

There are new technologies doing things that simply weren?t possible before. Our own technology (yes, another shameless plug!) used by Gotengo leverages advances in Artificial Intelligence to offer sizing, style and brand suggestions when you input your age, height, weight, and 3-point body distribution check. Other online stores may take advantage of other sizing tools, crowdsourced reviews, connections to personal shoppers and an array of other technical innovations, all aimed at making the online shopping experience an easier one. While no technology is quite perfect yet and you should still use your best judgement when it comes to getting the right size and style for your tastes, they are all improving by the day, and are invaluable tools for the shopper.

Shopping online for suiting has historically been a trial and error process, but times are - thankfully - changing and things are getting much easier. With the tools, knowledge and techniques now available at your fingertips, we truly believe that no one needs to fear shopping online for suiting anymore!