The jacket, with its two-button design, has a longer lapel roll. In further contrast to the sack, this style also has a somewhat higher armhole and the chest is a bit smaller. All these details work to give it more definition than its dour predecessor. These modifications give the updated American suit a freedom that allows the materials to adapt themselves to the wearer s physique. This is as it should be.
Angular clothing tends to impose itself on the body.
It has its own shape, and the wearer must fit into it rather than the other way around. The adaptation of clothing to the wearer s physique, on the other hand, is the ideal expression of oneself. Like a good haircut, the cut of a suit should never call attention to itself. Elegance or style can be achieved only through softness of line. This is why the updated American-style suit jacket has a modified natural shoulder and is cut with a slight taper at the waist, while the trousers take their line from the shape of a man s leg.