How should a sweater fit?

A sweater should fit tight enough to complement your body, but not too tight where it looks suffocating. Your preferred fit will also vary based on the type of sweater you’re wearing. This is due to the difference in material, style, and occasion. Overall, the best fit is one that combines the right sleeve length, body length, shoulders, and cut. Your sleeves should end right at your wrist bone, and your body length should fall somewhere in the middle of your zip fly. The shoulders of your sweater should be in line with your shoulder bone, and the cut of the sweater should be tight enough to hug either your body or your undershirt (if you wear one).

For a more casual sweater, we recommend a fit that is closer to your body. Or if you’re planning on throwing on another layer, such as a t-shirt, underneath, you’ll want a fit that’s slightly looser than normal. The same goes for a dressier wool sweater. You’ll want to opt for a fit that lets you throw a dress shirt or button-down underneath it. When considering the fit of the sweater you wear, our most versatile piece of advice is to consider when you’ll wear it and plan around that.

To learn more, check out our ultimate guide on sweaters for short men.