Ask A Stylist: Tips For Finding The Perfect Suit

Milan "Mike" Matosevic
Mike's Tailoring & Clothing
923 K St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-4028

While ZZ Top only sang that women go crazy for a sharp-dressed man, looking good is important on the job and in life for many additional reasons. Milan "Mike" Matosevich, a native of Croatia, has been designing, customizing and tailoring suits and other clothing for men and women in Sacramento for 45 years. His shop, Mike's Tailoring & Clothing, offers unparalleled quality and service at prices at or below those found at department stores and chain clothiers. His clients have included President Ronald Reagan, Governor Jerry Brown and numerous senators and business executives. Matosevich has some expert tips to help make a man's all-important first impression a good one.

Size is not all that matters.

Matosevich knows that wearing a great suit that fits just right can have a positive impact on both how a man feels about himself and how others view him. But each man's body differs in many ways, and standard off-the-rack sizes rarely fit and flatter without some alterations. Enterprise architect Danny Nguyen shops at Mike's for custom shirts and suits, and says he admires Matosevich's adept tailoring skills. "He only makes a few quick marks" on a garment when a customer is trying it on, says Nguyen, "but everything he does ends up being a perfect fit."

Dress as who you want to be.

"A man's suit should be comfortable," says Matosevich, "and make him look distinguished without looking overdressed." Equally important is that his appearance encourages others to see him as smart, successful and trustworthy, which means dressing appropriately. Wearing clown shoes, a rubber nose and a rainbow wig to a job interview would look ridiculous, but many people wear clothes to interviews that, while less extreme than that, are too casual or trendy. Matosevich says it is important to "dress for the position, dress for the moment."

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Have someone you trust help you shop.

The style, color, fabric and pattern of a shirt, slacks or jacket may appeal to a customer, but that does not mean it will look good on him. In his experience, Matosevich has found that some men unconsciously stick to certain clothing colors or designs, even when they are unflattering, because of experiences in their past. Since salespeople in most stores will compliment a customer's choice regardless, just to make a sale, it is important to have someone there that will be straight with you.

See your true colors.

Matosevich points out that the color of clothing you should wear might not necessarily be a color you personally like. A man's complexion and skin tone dictates what is actually flattering on him, says Matosevich, and "different skin needs different colors." Wearing a light gray jacket, for example, may make a man look washed out, tired or even sick. Just switching to a darker gray tone might make all the difference in the world, or he may need to work with a completely different color.

Let your appearance reflect personal pride.

If you see a house that is shabby, run down and sloppy on the outside, Matosevich says, you probably will not be interested in going inside. "Even if the house is gorgeous on the inside, you might not ever get there to see it." People are often evaluated like that by others, and a man might not be considered for a job or other opportunities if he looks unkempt on the outside. "If his appearance is a zero," notes Matosevich, "people often don't pay attention beyond that, and he has already lost."

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Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.