First e-bay suit

Today the first suit I ever ordered on e-bay arrived. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3799&rd=1&rd=1) Generally I'm pleased with it, though I will have to take it to a tailor, at least to let the pant cuffs down. The color in the pictures is pretty accurate. It turns out the grey is made from a very fine combination of black and white, much like some black raw denim jeans I have.

At first I thought the jacket might be a little loose, but really it fits like my other suit jacket, which supposedly fits me. How does one tell if a suit jacket fits? How many sweaters am I supposed to be able to wear underneath? ;-)

Again, thanks you guys for all of the advice!

-Greg

In my opinion it has a nice high gorge, lapels are not too wide, button stance is O.K. . . . altogether a nice little suit for $225.00 (or so) including shipping. Now, if your tailor can adjust everything properly for a modest amount, you'll have a fine suit at a very fair price.

Congratulations. It's a good beginning. There's no turning back now!
__________________________________

If the shoulders don't bind or stick way off the sides, and the chest doesn't billow or pull, and the waist doesn't pull or the vent open, and the sleeves aren't too short, everything else can be adjusted (within reason). For typical use, I'd say you should be able to wear a shirt and a not-thick, fitted sweater under it and still move around comfortably.

A pic of yourself wearing it would be useful if you want advice.

Originally Posted by j

Click to expand...

A pic of yourself wearing it would be useful if you want advice.

Ok, let me see what I can do...

Ok, please ignore the shirt, my hair, and my facial hair. It's 3 AM, you know.

Seems to fit you pretty well. I'll let others pick it apart, but I don't see anything really glaring.

Good to hear. I'm really not used to wearing suits.

How much should it cost to get the pants lengthened, and possibly let out a bit, at a good tailor? In DC I've heard the most good things about Field's English in Georgetown.

Greg,
You look good. Suit fits you nice, and the pants look slim enough for you. Typically, it'll cost anywhere from $10-15 for a capable alteration shop (Dry Cleaners) and $20-25 for a good tailor. Also, ask the tailor to add an extra cloth material inside the hem for extra weight as an option should you need it. I find this helps if I hem my pants with only a slight break.

You remind me of this guy: http://www.baronboutique.com/mens_su..._wool_suit.jpg (Its a complement.)

To my eyes the shoulders just might be right at the limit causing the feel of being a bit loose and the length also the same. The overall look still looks fine but I would recommend taking it to Field English Tailor in Georgetown just the same and get his opinion on the fit. In the future it would behoove you to cultivate a good relationship with a skilled tailor and William Field would be a good source.

Originally Posted by wldthistle

Click to expand...

Ok, please ignore the shirt, my hair, and my facial hair. It's 3 AM, you know.

Don't mean to be rude, but your arms are by your side? There isn't an optical illusion?

Is there a preferred pose? I don't normally stand with my arms sticking straight out.

If your arms are truly by your side then the jacket seems a bit long. That or your arms are short but then the sleeves look okay. Perhaps it's just me, but it was something I noticed.

Well, I guess they're forward and in a bit... about where they'd be if I had my thumbs in jeans pockets. How would this fact affect your analysis of the fit?

Originally Posted by wldthistle

Click to expand...

Well, I guess they're forward and in a bit... about where they'd be if I had my thumbs in jeans pockets. How would this fact affect your analysis of the fit?
If you stand straight up and down, arms at your sides, then there won't be any distortion of proportion caused by some parts of your body being a different distance from the camera lens than others. Just try to stand like a cyborg. This'll also show how the suit drapes on you etc. The way it is now, the jacket does look somewhat long, and your arms look a little short by comparison. You could, however, just have arms that are minutely short in relation to the rest of your body. I agree the shoulders are as wide as they should be while still qualifying as "well-fitting", you could go narrower, but that looks fine. Overall though, I think you did outstandingly well for a first go at ebay-suiting. I've ordered suits from catalogues and online retailers that have fit much worse, and its these experiences that have so-far prevented me from buying on ebay, where you can't return once you buy. If I could be assured a fit as good as that, I'd be on ebay right now. As for a critique of the fit, I'm pretty much a novice, so I'd advise you to weigh other posters' input more than mine, but it looks really good to me. I guess you could be showing a bit more cuff, but I actually think the jacket's ok. Maybe your shirt could do with another half inch in the sleeve? (again, this could be that your arms are raised) Really though, your suit fits better than 90% of guys I see who actually went to a store and tried it on before buying. Well done.

Generally, you want to let your arms hang "naturally" by your side for fit pictures, so that the sleeve length can be judged accurately.

Looks good overall though. You got a solid deal. One thing though, I can't tell if this is a 3-roll-2 button or a true 3 button. Does it seem to roll down to the middle button when it's not fastened?