Can you really get a perfect fit ordering a suit online?
Not the way most companies do it.
But yes—if the company tests the fit before cutting your final fabric.
Most online suit companies skip this step. They take your measurements, cut expensive fabric, ship it, hope for the best. When it doesn't fit, they offer alterations. Sometimes that works. Sometimes you're stuck with a suit that's "close enough."
There's a better way.
Why Most Online Suits Don't Fit Perfectly
The standard process looks like this:
- You measure yourself (or they guess from photos)
- They cut your chosen fabric
- Suit ships to you
- Fit problems revealed
- Alterations attempted
See where it goes wrong?
Self-measurements are inaccurate. You're not a tailor. Neither is your friend holding the tape measure. Even with detailed video guides, the angle of the tape, your posture, your muscle tension—it all affects the numbers.
No verification before cutting. By the time you discover problems, your $200+ fabric is already cut. The pattern was wrong, and now you're working with compromises.
Some fit issues can't be altered. A local tailor can shorten sleeves, take in the waist, hem the trousers. But shoulders? "Significant shoulder alterations require complete reconstruction." If the shoulders are wrong, you're stuck with wrong shoulders.
The industry knows this. That's why companies like Indochino offer $75 alteration reimbursements. They expect problems. The reimbursement is built into their business model.
What "Perfect Fit" Actually Means
Before we talk solutions, let's define the goal.
Shoulders: The seam hits exactly at your shoulder bone. No divots, no overhang. This is the foundation of the entire jacket—get this wrong, everything else is compromise.
Chest: Lies flat, no pulling or gapping. Room to move without strain. When you button it, the fabric doesn't tug across your chest.
Length: Covers your seat, no more. Proportional to your torso.
Sleeves: Show about 1/4" to 1/2" of shirt cuff. Clean line, no bunching at the wrist.
The real test: Can you button it, raise your arms, sit down comfortably, and look sharp? That's perfect fit.
Anything less is "good enough." And "good enough" isn't what you're paying for.
The One Process That Guarantees Online Fit
What if you could try on the suit before they cut the expensive fabric?
That's exactly what draft fitting does.
How It Works
Step 1: Provide Measurements
You measure yourself (or use our pattern service—send a garment that fits, we extract the pattern).
Step 2: Draft Garment Created
We make a test suit in fitting fabric. Not your final fabric—inexpensive material meant for one purpose: verifying the fit.
Step 3: You Try It On
The draft ships to you anywhere in the world. Try it on at home. In your bedroom. In front of your own mirror. Take your time.
Step 4: Feedback Loop
What fits perfectly? Mark it. What needs adjustment? Mark it. Send photos, notes, concerns. We're looking at your real body in an actual garment.
Step 5: Pattern Perfected
We adjust YOUR pattern based on real fit, not guesswork. One shoulder higher than the other? We see it. Posture affecting the drape? We catch it. Preferences for how close or loose? We note them.
Step 6: Final Garment Made
Now—and only now—we cut your premium fabric. Your CAVANI linen, your John & Taylor tweed, your DRAGO wool. With a pattern that's proven to fit your body.
Why This Works
Your body becomes the proof. Not a tape measure. Not an algorithm. Your actual body in an actual garment.
The shoulders get verified before final cut. The posture and preferences become visible. Zero guesswork on the final garment.
This is the same approach $3,000+ bespoke tailors use. They call it a "toile" or "basted fitting." We call it draft fitting—and include it at MTM prices.
"But Doesn't This Take Longer?"
Yes. About 1-2 weeks longer upfront.
But here's the math:
| Scenario | Standard MTM | Draft Fitting |
|---|---|---|
| Best case | 4 weeks, hope it fits | 6 weeks, confirmed fit |
| Average case | 4 weeks + 2-3 weeks alterations | 6 weeks, done |
| Worst case | 4 weeks + 4 weeks chasing alterations + compromise | 6 weeks, done |
Standard MTM is only faster if everything goes perfectly. And most first-time orders don't go perfectly—that's why alteration reimbursement policies exist.
Draft fitting takes longer upfront to save time overall. You get it right the first time instead of spending months chasing "close enough."
What If You're "Hard to Fit"?
You're not hard to fit. Most systems are just inflexible.
- One shoulder higher than the other? Draft fitting catches it immediately.
- Athletic build with developed back? We see it in the draft.
- Long arms, short torso? Visible in the fitting.
- Posture issues? Shows up the moment you put it on.
Draft fitting was designed for bodies that don't match statistical averages. Which is most bodies.
The standard MTM approach adjusts a base pattern using your numbers. If your proportions don't match their assumptions, the adjusted pattern still carries the original problems.
Draft fitting doesn't assume anything. It tests the actual fit on your actual body.
The Fit Guarantee
Draft fitting catches problems before they become expensive. But if something still isn't right when your final suit arrives?
We remake it. Free alterations first. Full remake if necessary.
This isn't generosity—it's confidence. When you verify the fit before cutting final fabric, remakes are rare. We can afford to guarantee it because the system works.
Your Perfect Fit Is Possible
Stop hoping. Start verifying.
Draft fitting is included with every LinenSuit.shop suit. No upcharge. No premium tier. It's just how we make suits.
- Choose your fabric ($590-800)
- We send the draft garment
- You confirm the fit
- We make it perfect
Pattern stored forever—reorders skip the draft because we already have your proven pattern.
