Suit Saturday: Let’s Talk About Vents

When you think of a suit, you probably don’t pay much attention to what is on the back, unless you’re a huge tool. Vents, however, are something that you should pay attention to, because they affect your suit in its fit, shape, and style in more ways than you might realize.

Have you ever worn a suit, and you think it should fit good. It’s your size, the arms feel good, the lines seem right, but when you put it on, it just doesn’t fall right? Maybe it’s too snug, perhaps a bit too loose? Chances are, if you can’t figure it out, it’s because of the vents in the back.

If you are a bigger guy, I’m going to suggest you get the side vents (pictured above). In all my experience, it just helps the suit fit you better and allow you to look trimmer and more stream-lined. It usually suggests a penchant for more European styles, but I’d like to stress that even if you aren’t a big guy, don’t be scared off the side-vent. You can still be slim, wearing a slim-fit suit, with side vents and look good.

The center vent is not the more conservative or stuffy of the vent options. In fact, it is the more versatile, and it can be either more modern or more traditional, it just matters how the rest of the suit is cut. You really can’t go wrong with this, and it comes down to personal preference.

The last part is if you are considering a ventless jacket, just don’t buy it. You will find many people who will say “It’s for old guys” or some people think that it is just out of fashion and therefore should be avoided. The real reason is that it just doesn’t look right on anyone when they are actually moving around. You could put it on and look good in front of the mirror, but when you walk, sit down, and generally just move around, you’ll find that it looks off, it’ll get annoying even if it tailor-made for you, it’ll show.

Osama Eisa