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Fabric selection for North Carolina

post #1 of 14
11/9/12 at 11:10pm
Thread Starter 

Hi all. I'm ordering my first suit from Thick as Thieves (after being repeatedly ridiculed for choosing Black Lapel in particular, and online MTM in general) and was hoping for some advice on fabrics.

 

I live in North Carolina. It gets very hot there for a good portion of the year. It has winters that, at the coldest, hover right around freezing. I handle cold much better and more comfortably than I handle heat. Given this, should I consider getting my first suit in a summer-weight mohair blend?

 

Also, for future suits (and possibly this one) that are not summer-weight, what other characteristics of a suit fabric (other than a low super number) reduce propensity for wrinkling?

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post #2 of 14
11/10/12 at 1:40pm
Your first suit should be a navy or charcoal solid. If you wear relatively warm, look at a 8-9oz non-super tropical weight. Lesser and Dugdale's have very good ones. I'd avoid mohair, you might end up as "the guy in the shiny suit".
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post #3 of 14
11/10/12 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 

Thank you for the advice.

 

EDIT: Alas, he does not take customer-provided fabrics until at the earliest the second suit he makes. I may go with the charcoal mohair super 120. I know that that's against almost everything you said, but he doesn't stock any non-super charcoal or navy fabric, and he claims that the grey fabrics have a nice texture that reduces the sheen.

 

To determine if this is a deal-breaker, may I inquire as to why you recommend non-super fabrics?


Edited by Chase H - 11/10/12 at 2:03pm
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post #4 of 14
11/10/12 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerC View Post

Your first suit should be a navy or charcoal solid. If you wear relatively warm, look at a 8-9oz non-super tropical weight. Lesser and Dugdale's have very good ones. I'd avoid mohair, you might end up as "the guy in the shiny suit".

Yes, stay clear of the mohair.
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post #5 of 14
11/10/12 at 2:06pm
Thread Starter 

That's a majority. Motion passed. Again, though, he doesn't offer anything non-super. What are the disadvantages to super fabrics?

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post #6 of 14
11/10/12 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chase Hawisher View Post

That's a majority. Motion passed. Again, though, he doesn't offer anything non-super. What are the disadvantages to super fabrics?

The "super" designation merely indicates the width of the wool fibers, the fibers being thinner the higher the super number is. All cloth therefore has a super number. The major downside to cloth of a very high super number is that it's more fragile and prone to crinkling than cloth of a low super number.
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post #7 of 14
11/10/12 at 4:11pm
OK... As someone who also grew up and went to school in North Carolina (go Heels), can I offer this... Go to Brooks Brothers and buy a solid charcoal or navy blue suit.

First, I wouldn't trust any MTM tailor around there.

Second, you are going to stand out, and not in a good way. You said this is your first suit--once you have several and know exactly what works for you and doesn't, then you can think about buying a flashy MTM suit in mohair or whatever else.

I know BB isn't sexy, but honestly, your first suit shouldn't be sexy. You are going to use this thing to go to cocktails and do interviews... It will get worn 3x a year max. And let's be honest, the fashion in the Carolinas skews very traditionally. Buy something classic and make sure it fits you very, very well and you will look great without standing out as that guy wearing the flashy suit. Not to mention you are going to need this thing for interviews, and you really, really don't want your suit to stand out there.

Go to Brooks Brothers, and just make sure whatever you buy fits perfectly. You'll look great!

EDIT: Just saw it's thick as thieves, so point one no longer stands. They put out a fairly well made suit from what I understand, but it's going to stand out--see point two.
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post #8 of 14
11/10/12 at 4:11pm
Thread Starter 

That was what I thought. So should I be alright with, say, Super 120?

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post #9 of 14
11/11/12 at 2:47am
Unless you can identify specific bunches/mills, I would say the lower the better. Get a second pair of trousers, possibly a waistcoat. It'll enhance the life of your suit.
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post #10 of 14
11/11/12 at 6:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerC View Post

Get a second pair of trousers, possibly a waistcoat. It'll enhance the life of your suit.

Yes, definitely two pairs of pants. And a vest is a sharp extra if you go with winter cloth.
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post #11 of 14
11/11/12 at 7:20am
You don't need two pairs of pants unless you're going to be wearing this thing all the time IMHO. Are you a skinny dude? If not, then avoid TaT.
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post #12 of 14
11/11/12 at 7:36am

I second the advice to get a BB suit as your first suit. You'll stand out (and not in a good way) in a suit from this particular MTM operation. If I recall correctly, their offerings are pretty fashion forward.

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post #13 of 14
11/11/12 at 7:58am
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for the advice! I think I'm getting a charcoal suit, probably with two pairs of pants.

Also, TAR!
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post #14 of 14
11/11/12 at 9:21am
HEELS!!!
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