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Men's suit, pants question -- cuffs or no cuffs?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by The Big Ragu, Mar 17, 2007.

  1. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    OK, I know cuffs have not been in "style" for some time. I'm not Mr. GQ, though. I just tend to know what I like and keep wearing the same things regardless of style. Because my tastes are pretty traditional, I don't think I ever end up looking hopelessly out of style, but who knows?

    When I get a suit tailored--and I haven't gotten a new suit in a while--I still prefer cuffs to no cuffs. It just seems traditional to me. I also wonder if when I am walking around with cuffed pants whether I look way out of style to a lot of people. I mean, are people giggling as I walk by?

    I had a couple of favorite suits and jackets that some moths tore through earlier this year, which sucked. I was just looking at some others that I haven't worn in a while and most of them have cuffed pants (one suit I haven't worn in ages--but I really used to love--has pleated pants, but that's another story). A few are still perfectly good suits and I may wear them to things coming up, but should I bring them in and have them uncuffed? Or am I perfectly normal in more sort of formal settings (let's say a wedding or a formal dinner) wearing a conservative-looking suit with cuffed pants and lace-up shoes?

    Thanks for any advice from people who know about these things...
     
  2. Pastor

    Pastor Active Member


    I don't know about these things but I will say this: If you are comfortable, it doesn't matter.

    Okay, so having said that, cuffs are out. I base most of my fashion sense on the graphics of scanned through Maxim magazines and what my wife says, "looks nice." So take it for what it is worth.
     
  3. Monday Morning Sportswriter

    Monday Morning Sportswriter Well-Known Member

    Wow, I've never once thought about this. Do people really look at the cuffs? I figured they glanced at the shoes and didn't take notice of what was above.

    (Confession: I have four suits; two are cuffed, but they're both from about 2000)
     
  4. zizzer

    zizzer Active Member

    It's a personal preference, that's all. The way I look at it is, if you look good in the suit, nobody's looking at the bottoms of your pants to see if they're cuffed or not. All of my business suits - all newer than five years old, two of them as recent as last summer - have cuffs, all were done by the tailor when I purchased them without my request. So I don't necessarily think they're "out."

    Don't base your fashion on what you see in Maxim because (A) most people don't have the physique of the models in Maxim and (B) damn few of us have the financial means to look like said models. Just because it looks good on a model doesn't mean it'll look good on you. And do you really have the money to change your entire wardrobe every six months when the styles change?
     
  5. leo1

    leo1 Active Member

    cuffs
     
  6. jgmacg

    jgmacg Guest

    For fashion old schoolers like me, and perhaps Mr. Ridgeway, our board expert on things sartorial, cuffs are a functional issue as much as an aesthetic one. With cuffed pants, the weight of the additional material used to make the cuff helps the pants hang straighter. You keep a sharper crease in the trouser leg with cuffs. Thus, I would always cuff suit pants.

    Slacks, especially dress casual slacks, are more a matter of personal taste and the nature and weight of the material in question.
     
  7. I'd be OK with cuffs on a suit. No other situation.

    Also, NO PLEATS.

    And as for if people notice? Yes, they notice.
     
  8. PeteyPirate

    PeteyPirate Guest

    Cuffs if you are wearing pleated pants, which despite recent protestations are still classy if they fit right.

    No cuffs if the pants are not pleated.

    By the way, e-Bay is a good place to find affordable quality suits. If you know your size, you can order the suit and have the unhemmed pants tailored after it ships to you. The seller "menswearecollection" has good selection and good prices.
     
  9. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    Sorry, I'm a cuffs guy and a pleats guy. On suit pants and dress pants in general.

    First off, plain front trousers just look hideous on me. Secondly, plain front pants just scream casual.
     
  10. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

  11. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    You have to understand that when magazines do fashion spreads, these are not for their readers' benefit, but to pimp for their advertisers. I went on a rant recently here about Esquire's shoe recommendations -- nothing bizarre about their choices, just that there is better quality for better prices and they know it. In my 20s I saw Esquire as a bible of men's fashion, but I was ignorant. It's still my favorite mag, I just ignore what they say about attire. This is sort of like the way you can enjoy a sports section but not follow its handicapper's advice at the track.

    Jgmacg has it right -- cuffs give you better "drape." I prefer no cuffs on khakis, but traditionalists disagree. In truth, either is fine because well-dressed people are so uncommon these days that we get extra credit from fashion mavens just for trying not to be a pig. They'll forgive the fact that I choose to wear bluchers with a suit instead of balmorals, or that one of my four suits has no cuffs (a recent thrift shop acquisition).

    Suits are expensive, so I think you are right about choosing a classic style. Classic is never "in," but it's never "out," either. It's always appropriate and you'll never look ridiculous, cuffs or no cuffs.
     
  12. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    I'm used to cuffs when wearing suits, which isn't all that often.
     
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