I am having a suit made to measure. I am just under six feet tall and weigh 170 pounds. The suit has side vents that are 11 inches deep, but I think the slits look too long. I have an off-the-rack jacket with nine-inch vents, but my tailor says the 11-inch vents are correct. Is he right?
The length of the vents will be relative to two things: your height and the length of the jacket. A shorter jacket (meaning most trendy ones) will have a shorter vent. Find your front hipbone, then the parallel point on your back: That's where the slit should start from - i.e., just below the waist. Generally, I would trust a tailor to see that perfect spot. That said, I have measured the vents on off-the-rack jackets and found that 11 inches would be unusual even for a tall man: Most 42 or 44 Tall jackets (I'm guessing that's about your size) have only a 10-inch slit. And many fashionable jackets have nine-inch vents regardless of the size of the garment. Here's the thing about made-to-measure, though: It's your suit and your choice. So if they look too long to you, they are.
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