Mind The Drop

It's a phrase you might have heard before when it comes to men's fashion and suiting, and it's one you'll certainly come across on this site, but when we talk about 'the drop, what are we actually on about?

Simply put, the drop is the name given to the difference in inches between chest and waist size on a suit. Whilst this has become less of an issue in an age where suits are more widely available as separate items, it originated in a time when suits were bought as one complete item; the jacket and trousers were a package deal.

UK industry standards set the drop at six inches, so if you've got a 40 inch chest your trousers will be a 34 inch waist, a 42 with a 36, and so on. However, suits cut in Europe tend to have slightly slimmer fitting jackets, and this can impact the drop by an inch or so. You might find your usual six inch drop becomes a seven or even seven and a half, and thus best practice would be go a size up with the jacket to make sure it doesn't fit too tightly. Moreover, as the proliferation of different suit cuts back here in the UK continues to grow, always keep in mind how that cut will not only affect the drop, but the leg length too. Slimmer and skinnier suits will have a more tapered leg by definition, and this can lead to them hitting well above the ankle than is desirable.

Whilst it's handy to have this information at your disposal the implication is always that the drop is consistent between the jacket and the trousers, that is to say that suits are designed and cut to an specific or ideal body size and shape, and don't account for personal variations. It's all well and good understanding how the drop impacts your shop, but becomes less relevant when you realise that not every man is going to have that standard six inch variation between his chest and waist. It's not without merit to suggest this applies in the majority of cases, and is something arguably exacerbated by the fashionable 'inverted triangle' (read: skipped leg day) body shape, where the torso is substantially larger and wider than the waist and legs. In such cases the drop could be severe as eight or nine inches, plummeting from a 44 chest to a 36 waist, for example. A good tailor can be worth his or her weight in gold here, or, if finances allow, going made-to-measure is an alternative.

Easy to understand, a little harder to master, the drop is something that can often slip the mind, but can make a world of difference when it comes to nailing the fit of your new suit.