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Modern Fit Vs Slim Fit: What Is the Difference?

If you have a closet full of baggy suits and you feel behind the times, you may need to catch up with current fashion trends! Suits, dress shirts, and pants have evolved into sleeker, more tightly cut styles such as modern fit and slim fit in recent years. But with so many options to choose from, what is the difference if you compare modern fit vs slim fit?

The main difference between modern fit and slim is that modern fit clothing has high armholes and a snug fit but does not taper as tightly to the body as a slim fit cut. For this reason, modern fit usually lies between classic and slim styles in terms of tightness. Slim fit clothing has a trendy appearance and modern fit looks stylish but slightly more conservative.

In this article, you will find out what characterizes modern and slim-fit clothing. You will learn the key differences between these styles. Finally, you will get tips on who should wear each style!

Modern Fit Vs Slim Fit

Modern Fit Vs Slim Fit: Key Points

Take a look at the key differences between modern fit and slim fit cuts here!

Modern FitSlim Fit
ShouldersFitted shoulderFitted shoulder with sharp angle
ArmholesHigh armholesHigh armholes
ChestFitted through chestTight or slim through chest
SleevesFitted, but not usually taperedSleeves that taper toward the wrist
WaistSits low on the body but does not taperTapered waist with little excess fabric
Seat and Thigh AreaTightly fitted but not tapered at anklesFitted
Leg OpeningsNarrow leg openingsNarrow leg openings

What is Modern Fit?

Louis Raphael Men's Modern Fit 2 Button Side Vent Flat Front Sharkskin Suit, Charcoal, 36 RegularModern fit offers a narrow silhouette but allows enough extra fabric that this style does not cling to the body. For example, a modern fit suit jacket will have a fairly snug chest area and fitted shoulders but allows ease of movement for the arms. Some stylists describe this fit as resting just off your skin.

The benefit of this tailored but not too tight cut is that it gives you an on-trend image but offers a comfortable fit you can easily wear all day at the office.

Currently, many big-name suit brands offer modern fit cuts. Modern fit has also recently gained quite a lot of popularity in both men’s and women’s dress pants. The modern fit remains slightly less well known than the standard classic fit or the super-contoured slim fit.

What is Slim Fit?

Men's 3-Piece Suit 2 Buttons Slim Fit Solid Color Jacket Smart Wedding Formal Suit, Navy, MediumSlim fit is one of the tightest fitting styles you can find for any kind of clothing. In a slim-fit shirt or jacket, the sleeve will taper toward the wrist, the shoulder will have a sharply defined line, and the waist will nip in as much as two inches more than a regular fit. This style gives you a sleek, sharp appearance that often looks especially trendy.

Most brands have a slim-fit version of their clothing on offer. The thing to know about buying a slim-fit version of any particular piece of clothing is that the slim-fit style will likely fit as much as two inches more tightly in some places than the regular cut.

Does this mean you can just buy a smaller size in the same clothing item and have it look like a slim fit? No, because the thing that makes a slim-fit style look sharp is the tapering. It’s less about the tightness and more about the fabric nipping in at the narrower parts of your body to present a slender, angular shape.

You may picture pop stars and handsome tv lawyers wearing this fashionable style, but really, slim-fit is well on its way to becoming as accepted as skinny jeans. It’s still somewhat true that this style remains more popular with younger wearers than with older generations, but as style trends come and go, that could change too!

What is the Difference Between Modern Fit and Slim Fit?

The main difference between modern fit and slim fit is that modern fit has a looser cut than slim fit and does not taper in at the wrists, waist, and ankles like slim-fit styles. Modern fit and slim fit are not the same, though the exact cut may vary slightly from one brand to another.

Most popular brands sell both a classic/regular cut and a slim fit cut of their clothing options. Options like modern fit get more prominent every day, but not every brand currently offers this style.

Shirts

Goodthreads Men's Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Dobby Shirt, Navy/Rose, X-SmallBoth modern fit and slim-fit shirts have a snug fit, but slim-fit hug the whole torso, while modern fit has a looser waist.

Modern fit shirts will fit anywhere from a half-inch to an inch more tightly than a classic fit shirt in the sleeves, shoulders, and chest. That said, they tend to hang in a straight line from the chest to the waist. While by no means baggy, they do not have the constricting, skintight cut of a slim-fit button-down.

Slim fit shirts also fit closely in the shoulders and chest, contouring to the shape of your body. On top of that, they narrow from the chest to the waist. This tapered style allows you to tuck in the shirt without any hang-over, just a smooth line of tucked-in material!

Most brands make modern fit and slim fit shirts that have very similar lengths and neck and sleeve sizes, though.

Pants

Tommy Hilfiger Men's Modern Fit Suit Separates Pant, New Navy Sharkskin, 30W x 30LThe main difference between slim fit and modern fits pants lies in the tapering. Tapering means that a garment has a wider upper area and narrows to the bottom. In pants, this often means that pants narrow from the knee to the ankle.

Modern-fit pants do not contain a lot of extra fabric or look baggy by any means. They have a slender style and a fairly contoured waist and thigh area. That said, they do fall in a straight line from the knee to the ankle.

Slim-fit pants hug the body more closely. They taper in from the knee to the ankle, really outlining your legs from the waist down!

Suits

Unlisted by Kenneth Cole mens 2 Button Slim Fit With Hemmed Business Suit Pants Set, Medium Grey, 36 Short USModern fit suits often feel more comfortable and offer more mobility than slim-fit suits, but both styles have a fairly close cut.

Modern fit suits have high armholes, a tight chest, and a low waist. This style of suit often looks great on all types of bodies. In contrast, classic and slim-fit suits may look better on particular body shapes.

On the other hand, slim-fit suits have all those elements plus a tapered waist for the jacket and tapered legs for the suit pants. Slim-fit suit jackets also often feature high shoulder points that look sharper than the smoother shoulder line of a modern cut jacket.

The tighter, more contoured chest and waist in a slim-fit cut may feel constricting if you are accustomed to looser garments. If you like to present a sharp and trendy silhouette, though, you may like a slim-fit over a modern fit, with its slightly looser and less sleek appearance!

Can Big Guys Wear Slim Fit Suits?

Some stylists indeed advocate for people with a narrow frame wearing slim-fit clothing, but in reality, people of any shape or size, including big guys, can wear slim-fit suits.

The key thing to remember when selecting a suit is to find one that feels good on you! If you have a larger frame, you should also keep in mind that sometimes less fabric gives you a more narrow appearance than buying a looser, baggier style that will make you look bulkier.

A few other strategies can help you find the suit that accentuates your body type most effectively, as well. First, look for a single-breasted suit jacket. This gives your front a more streamlined appearance. You also want the jacket to meet smoothly at the center of your torso, without a lot of loose fabric flapping and certainly without straining at the button!

Ideally, look for a two-button jacket that will minimize a longer torso. Wearing a wider tie may make the visible shirt front look slimmer, as well.

Finally, while you should go for colors or patterns that speak to you, you may also want to consider which patterns present the most delineated shaping or silhouette on your body. Some stylists recommend selecting darker colors or muted patterns. Others say it’s OK to go for the stripes; just select narrow stripes instead of wide stripes!

Who Should Wear a Modern Fit Suit?

People of all shapes and sizes look good in a modern-fit suit because of its sharp lines and not-too-tight cut. This style delivers the appearance of a mod, slim cut without sacrificing the comfort of a little wiggle room between the fabric and your skin.

Ideally, you should find a brand you like and try on a classic fit, modern fit, and slim fit cut within that brand. This will help you select the style that looks best on your build.

If you don’t have that luxury, you can more safely purchase a modern fit than either a classic or slim fit style. This is because modern fit typically falls between the other styles in terms of tightness and contouring. Modern fit offers the “middle of the road” option, as it were!

Of course, styles change with the times. Current trends lean toward the modern fit, possibly inspired by the Mad-Men TV show and other cultural icons. Today, the slimmer and sleeker your style, the more trendy you appear!

Who Should Wear Slim Fit Suits?

Slim fit suits look great on anyone with a slender frame, but people with other body shapes can also enjoy a slim cut in some circumstances. If you have a larger frame, you can certainly wear more form-fitting styles and look cool doing it!

Choosing to wear slim-fit is more about presenting a certain image. This close-fitting style gives the illusion of wearing tailored, bespoke clothing designed specifically to fit your body. It lets you present an especially bold silhouette.

Plus, slim-fit is the “in” look right now, making you look hip and relevant.

What Are Modern Fit Women’s Pants?

Alfred Dunner Women's Allure Slimming Missy Stretch Pants-Modern Fit, Grey, 8Women’s modern fit dress pants have a more slender cut than a classic or regular style of pants but do not taper at the ankle as much as a slim-fit style of pants. The only big difference between men’s and women’s modern fit pants is that women’s pants usually provide a more curved hit and seat area to contour to the body in those places.

Aside from that, women’s modern fit follows the same basic rules. In terms of tightness, they usually fall between a classic cut and a slim-fit cut. In terms of trendiness, they look much more fashionable than a straight or classic cut, but not quite as edgy as a slim-fit cut. They also typically offer more mobility than slim-fit pants.

Modern Fit Vs Regular Fit

Modern fit suits, shirts, and pants contain less fabric than a regular fit and will give you a more narrow silhouette as a result.

What is a regular fit? Typically, this style emphasizes straight lines and includes more fabric than a sleeker modern or slim-fit style. When you wear a regular fit shirt, for example, you can expect to see some puffy creases as the shirt tucks into your pants because of the excess fabric.

Also, some brands differentiate between a regular and classic style, while others use these terms interchangeably.

The main thing to know about regular fit in shirts, pants, or suits is that it tends to have a looser fit and more straight lines than a contoured, modern fit. Today’s brands do not include a lot of baggy, flapping material, even in a regular fit! But you will find that these cuts may hang off your body instead of hugging your skin.

Modern Fit Vs Classic Fit Pants

The main difference between modern fit and classic-fit pants for men and women is that modern fit pants have narrower legs and contain less excess fabric than classic fit. Classic fit pants often embrace the straight line and wider legs that used to be popular in the past. Modern-fit pants look like skinny pants but do not cling quite so tightly from the hip to the ankle as a true slim fit.

At first, the term “modern fit” showed up most often in suit styles. However, today lots of brands have started using modern fit styles for their pants as well. Modern fit’s rising fame probably stems from the fact that these pants look super tight and stylish but still provide more comfort for the wearer!

Popular Brands: Modern Fit Vs Slim Fit

Now that you know the difference between modern fit and slim fit, you probably want to check out popular brands to see where you can buy the style you prefer!

Hugo Boss

BOSS HUGO BOSS Men's Modern Fit Basic Single Jersey T-Shirt, Light Blue With White, SHugo Boss offers a variety of styles in its popular lines of shirts, ranging from polo shirts to plaid button-downs to sleek, trendy business shirts! Of course, the brand also has a well-known line of suits on offer. These also come in regular, modern, or slim-fit styles depending on your preference.

At first glance, the difference between a modern fit and a slim fit Hugo Boss shirt may not seem evident. Both types of t-shirts, polos, and button-downs have a more fitted appearance than the Hugo Boss regular cut, which looks a bit baggy in comparison.

This modern-fit t-shirt has the tighter shoulders you would expect in this trendy cut. That said, it gives you a loose, comfortable waist as well! In contrast, this slim-fit Boss shirt tapers noticeably at the waist and presents a more tailored image. Oth shirts come in a range of colors and sizes to suit your taste.

Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger Men's Dress Shirt Slim Fit Non Iron Solid, Night Blue, 18' Neck 34'-35' SleeveLike most trendy, high-end brands, Tommy Hilfiger offers a variety of fits for many of the items it sells. That said, lots of items come in just regular or slim-fit options. However, the brand does offer a few modern fit items as well, especially in suits.

Tommy Hilfiger offers a line of “flex and stretch” modern fit suits. This style comes in six different muted shades, including a classy-looking dove grey. The jacket has high armholes, sharp shoulders, and a single button.

Of course, the popular high-end brand also sells a wide range of both regular fit and slim sit styles! This popular no-iron slim fit shirt remains a best seller for the brand because of its simple, tight lines and durable fabric. Plus, it comes in a range of fun colors, including pastel yellow!

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein Women's Slim-Fit Suit Pant, Black, 0Calvin Klein sells a flexible range of cuts in both men’s and women’s wear. This business-professional brand offers everything from button-down shirts to omen’s dresses. You can find things like Calvin Klein pants for men and women in regular, modern, or slim-fit styles.

These cute, stylish women’s dress pants come in a trendy slim-fit cut. The straight legs, tapered ankles, and narrow waist combine to present an angular body shape perfect for pairing with a loose silk blouse or tailored jacket.

Of course, modern-fit pants can also look stylish! This pair of Clavin Klein modern-fit women’s pants have looser ankles and more of a drape than a slim fit style but still maintains a classy silhouette. These pants offer a flat-front silhouette and button pockets as well.

Conclusion

The main difference between slim fit and modern fit clothing is that slim fit contains slightly less material and tapers into the body more than modern fit. Slim fit has almost universal appeal and most brands offer this option. Modern fit has growing popularity, but not all brands currently offer modern fit styles for their products.

Modern fit suits typically have high armholes and fitted chests but looser waists and ankles. Slim fit suits hug the body everywhere and have tapered, narrow waists, wrists, and ankles.

Have you ever tried on both a slim and a modern fit in the same brand? Which one did you like better? Leave a comment below to let us know!