Is this the dreaded collar role?

[dgamby]

I got a good price on this suit and it met a need I have for a staple gray suit. It is a slim fit 41, I am usually right between 41 and 42 depending on the brand. Based on these pictures do you think the fit is too tight? The side vents are still sown together since I may still return it, not sure if that affects how it looks.

The main issue I was worried about is the little bit of shoulder roll I see behind the collar. Would appreciate any help or advice? Cost is a factor so if it takes tons of money for a tailor to fix it, that probably won't work, but if it is "pretty good" I might live with that for the price. Just need a little outside wisdom as I am a sucker for a "good deal" which isn't good if the fit is awful!

[mark4]

Did you intend to post some images? Because I'm not seeing any and it's hard to say anything without them.

[tankerjohn]

If you don't like how it looks, its probably not worth whatever "deal" you got. An off-the-rack jacket should fit well across the back and shoulders. Tailors can't fix that. If you can get the next size up, try that. Tailors can slim down the waist. Though, that would add to the cost and maybe take it out of "good deal" territory.

[dgamby]

I thought I'd uploaded the pictures but am have been having trouble. Visible now? I am inclined to take it back.

[Galcobar]

A bulge below the collar usually indicates a minor issue -- you hold your head more upright than the cut accommodates -- that's easily fixed.

However, that doesn't seem to be what I'm seeing in the photos, or at least not all of it. I'm more concerned about the divots on both upper arms and the tension pulling across the upper back. The latter usually means the back needs to be let out; judging from your shoulders being straight in the side image with the pulls still visible, I'd say your back is too wide for the cut. The former is more complicated.

Shoulder divots are commonly attributed to shoulder pads being too wide, but you can look at older, exaggerated shoulder widths and see no divots. The problem lies more in the relationship between shoulder width and sleeve design, with modern slim cuts leaving less margin for error.

A good explanation is here: https://threads.dappered.com/forum/s...houlder-divots

Letting the back out is easy for a competent tailor. The shoulder or sleeve issue, however, is expensive to impossible to address.

Normally the advice for shoulder divots is to go up a size to address the sleeves being too tight, but the photos suggest the shoulder pads are pretty substantial and would create an imbalance if they got any bigger (could just be the photos, however). Even fifteen years into the slim suit phase, a lot of manufacturers haven't understood that shoulder pads had to shrink more than the rest of the cut. That's why designers such as Suit Supply and Spier & Mackay make a big deal about their soft and minimally padded shoulders.

The vents being closed shouldn't have any effect on fit above the waist, and if they do the waist would be ridiculously tight. Dual vents accommodate sitting in a chair (versus the single central vent for sitting horseback) or having wide hips and backside relative to the waist.

[dgamby]

Thanks. That's very helpful! I do think I need to send it back and either try a different size or different brand. Thanks for the interesting info about shoulder divot causes. Very interesting.

[Hebrew Barrister]

I don't see collar roll, but it seems a bit tight across the back and those shoulder pads are all wrong on you.

The whole jacket is just totally off for you. Return it, try a different brand or a different cut. I don't think it's fixable to look good on you.

[facelessghost]

Yeah, don't keep that jacket. I had the same ripples in a custom suit that I had made from Beckett and Robb. After several "fixes," the sales guy convinced me the suit was right, but the ripples were still there. The result is that I have an $800 suit I've never worn once, because I'd always rather wear a suit that isn't as "nice" but at least fits.

Also I hate Beckett and Robb.

[lax101]

The issue in your pictures (the "rumply" fabric on your back) is actually called a "square back." This can be a pretty easy fix at a tailor. I've had SuitSupply fix this for a very nominal fee (but SuitSupply's tailoring costs are much lower than what an independent tailor would charge).

Otherwise, agree with the other posters here that the shoulder pads aren't a great fit for you. Either (1) it's not a good fit, (2) the shoulders were intentionally designed to be a bit too structured (which is a fairly outdated look nowadays, unless you're going to a very specific style), or (3) it's simply a poorly constructed suit where the shoulder's haven't been thoughtfully constructed to have a great deal of mobility. Probably #1 or #3.

[CK83]

Are you able to exchange for a 42? I have a suit that pulls exactly like that. I bought it on super sale, and I love the suit, but really wish I'd gotten the size up (dreaded final sale). I think if you sized up to a 42 it would alleviate the pulling at the back and the shoulder divots. Having said that, I personally don't think it looks bad as is. Just my 2 cents!