How Long Should a Suit Jacket Be?

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It’s easier to assess how some aspects of a suit jacket should fit than others. Obviously, a suit jacket that strains around the center button is too tight, and a jacket sleeve that exposes an inch of cuff is too short. 

But the proper length of a suit jacket or sportcoat can be tricker to suss out. There’s no “tell-tale” sign that the garment is too long or too short, but if it falls too much on either end of the spectrum, it will be noticed. And unlike letting out the waist or taking down the sleeve, it can be tricky to adjust the length of a completed suit jacket without throwing off the rest of the garment’s proportions. 

So to save you from any length-related headaches, here’s what you should know about how long a suit jacket or sportcoat should be:

The Length of a Suit Jacket is Subjective—To a Point
There’s some wiggle room when it comes to length. A longer jacket makes for a more classic, serious look that’s better suited to business wear or formal occasions, while a shorter jacket will appear more sporty and casual. You may want to consider the fabric and styling options as well: a grey worsted fabric with flap pockets makes more sense on the longer side, while a linen fabric with patch pockets can get away with being a little shorter. Some men also prefer to have their sportcoats made slightly shorter than their suit jackets, but this is a personal preference.

How to Tell if a Jacket is Long Enough
That being said, there are some general guidelines to follow. A suit jacket should roughly divide the body in half; different body shapes and varying heights make it hard to hold to a golden standard, but the below rules generally apply

The “rule of thumb” holds that the jacket’s hem should just graze the lower knuckle on the thumb. If that works for you, great. But because some men have longer or shorter arms that may not be proportionate to the rest of their body, a second rule tends to be more universal.

The “seat rule” simply follows that at least ¾ of the seat of your pants should be covered by your jacket. For a more formal look, you can opt to have the entire seat, covered, but hitting at least ¾ makes sure that it won’t look too cropped.

Ultimately, jacket length can vary about a ¼ inch in either direction. But once you’ve found your preferred jacket length, you can expect to follow that measurement for the rest of your suit-wearing days.