A decade ago, when hashtag-menswear and the Pitti Peacock made suits ubiquitous, there was only one fit that mattered. Slim, trim, Mad Men-inspired tailoring – complete with pocket squares, sprezzatura tie and double monks – replaced the boxy duds your dad wore. Trouser breaks were out, a flash of ankle was in.

Now, though, you’ve got options. Slim’s still around, but so’s skinny. The Savile Row classic endures too – looser but more structured – as well as a new breed of baggy fits that are slowly trickling from the runway down into the real world.

To help you navigate this new world of sartorial choice, we’ve broken down each type of suit so you know how it should fit, how to wear it – and whether it will actually suit you.

Skinny Suits

Topman

Legend has it that when Hedi Slimane debuted his groundbreaking skinny tailoring in the early ’00s, the late Karl Lagerfeld dropped six-and-a-half stone so that he could fit into it. The fit favoured by every rock band since has hung around, especially on the high street, where summer suits fly out in time for proms and weddings. It’s a fit with a youthful feel, largely because it’s most flattering on bodies that time hasn’t yet softened.

Some designer suits still appear in this guise, especially ones with rock ‘n’ roll overtones: think Saint Laurent, John Varvatos and Celine. But the bulk comes at the more affordable end, where it’s not uncommon to see an experimental all-over pattern or even a green suit. Be aware that it’s an unforgiving look, in every sense – skinny suits draw the eye and, unless they’re well cut or have some give in the fabric, can be pretty uncomfortable. It’s not something your tailor would ever recommend. “Don’t do it,” says Jonathan Loe, bespoke co-ordinator at London formalwear store Oliver Brown. But if you insist on a suit as skinny as your jeans, here’s how.