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.

Tip: For the most flattering fit in the rear, back pockets should be centered, never sitting too low or cutting into the crease where the buttocks meet the legs.