Ask Webster Style: Its all about the cut!

Dear Webster Style,

Q. A friend of mine recently told me that buying a suit really comes down to the fit and the cut. Well he couldn’t explain to me what the “cut” is. Could you help me understand what he meant by cut?


Sioux Fall, SD

A. Joshua, first and foremost thank you for your question. To answer your question, there are three predominate cuts for a suit: the American, the English, and the Italian.

The American cut is the more “casual” of the three. It features a roomier waist while featuring an overall boxy look. This “boxiness” is what gives it its more casual look when compared to the Italian and English cuts.

american cut

The Italian cut is the more daring of the cuts. It is also called the European cut and is trademarked by a smaller waist which creates an inverted triangle look.

Italian Cut

Last but not least is the English cut, the more classic and traditional of the cuts. The English noticeably different as it sports dual vents on the back. It makes it easier to sit in, and comes from the days of horseback riding. The cut of the suit also makes the wearer look slimmer.

english cut

I hope that this answers your questions Joshua. Thanks again for writing us.


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