Get the Perfect Fit

Experts advice on how to pick sizes and shapes for just the right fit.

The Right Fit for a Button-Down Shirt and Trousers

The first thing to scrutinize on a button-down shirt? The vertical seams, which should sit just where your shoulders meet your arms. "You don't want them to droop," says Liz Lange, a designer for Target.

Key Points

• Shoulders: "The seams should rest on the tops of the shoulders and along their edges," according to Constance White, a style director for eBay.
• Chest: "The placket should lie flat, with no pulls or puckers," says James Aguiar, cohost of Ultra HD's Full Frontal Fashion.
• Sleeves: Cuffs should fall just past the wrists and be tight enough that a bracelet won't fit underneath.
• Waistband: "With the pants' button closed, there should be room to slip your hand in flat against your body," says Clinton Kelly, cohost of the Learning Channel's What Not to Wear.
• Hips: The crotch should hang no more "than half an inch below your anatomical crotch," says Kelly.
• Hems: Generally, the hems should graze the tops of your shoes, about a half inch from the floor.