This skill, like knowing how to waltz or how to open a bottle of champagne correctly, is one of those James Bond things that set you apart from the crowd. Your arms should move easily, without that tight, pulling sensation across your back. The hem of the jacket should reach the middle of your fingers. About a half inch of your shirt cuff should show at the bottom of the jacket's sleeve. Your pants should fall just to the backs of your heels and break slightly over the tops of your shoes.
Fit is of the utmost importance.
Formalwear experts around the country report that the basic formalwear components are very traditional. The cuts of trousers and jackets are contemporary, similar to that of any good suit you would buy. Three-button jackets have become popular, following menswear fashion, especially in Europe. But the real variation is in the accessories. Vests, worn in place of cummerbunds, are extremely hot from New York to California.