On a recent trip to Melbourne it became increasingly obvious that the men are far better dressed than their Sydney counterparts.

There, I’ve said it.

By that I mean the suit guys, the ones having a chat to each other in Little Collins Street, with great haircuts and expensive shoes.

Drinking coffee outside on the pavement at The European, I stopped counting how many “handsome suited guys” from Central Casting walked past, and were also dotted around the restaurant.

It was like a Victoria’s Secret parade for women.

There were a lot of important, nicely groomed beards – that trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon – but in general the Melbourne men have far better haircuts and wear suits that fit like a glove.

The super skintight suit is still a thing in Sydney, whereas in Melbourne, the suits are tailored to perfection, slim without being constrictive.

Guys, make sure your pants legs aren’t too long. Photo: Getty

Of course, the horrible boxy mess of a suit knows no state boundaries, so here are some suiting faux pas to avoid.

• Pants that are too long, and pooling over the shoe. It’s still the No.1 mistake I see on men, who have bought a suit off the rack and not considered having the pants hemmed according to their height. Suit pants need to taper, gentlemen, not fall straight down to the ground from your belt.

• Baggy trousers. It may be for reasons of comfort, but pants that are too wide around the leg look messy and cheap. Look at Donald Trump for example – his suits are made by Brioni, which cost more than $8000 and upwards, yet they look comically oversized and clumsy. Trousers legs should be tailored, but not tight. A slimmer fit will crease less and cut more of a dash.

• Oversized, boxy jackets. Again let’s reference The Donald. His suit jackets are also far too big and wide, the sleeves too long. The shoulders need to be higher and the sleeves shortened, to show a decent amount of shirt cuff. The entire proportion needs to be narrowed and fitted; there is so much excess fabric it looks like a giant unbuttoned navy shirt. One would think having the money to order a bespoke suit made to measure for you by a superb Italian tailor would avoid this sartorial nightmare, but no doubt he doesn’t listen to them anyway.

• Double-breasted suits are making a comeback, and the new styles are a little bit shorter, a little slimmer than the versions we saw in the 1980s. Never wear a double-breasted jacket unbuttoned (you can leave the bottom button open however if you so choose). It is also important to fasten one button on a single-breasted jacket, it looks dapper and professional. Donald never buttons his, no matter how formal the occasion, which just looks sloppy. This, and about 100 million other things, make him very different from former president Barack Obama. Obama was seen recently sporting a black fitted jacket over a white open neck shirt (no tie), one button done up while he was out and about in New York, a look which was noted and appreciated by millions of women around the world. His pants taper nicely too.