Good Natured Advice Thread (improving a business wardrobe)

[Coxsackie]

Guys, help me out here. In fact, talk me out of something.

Popped into SuitSupply's Shanghai store today and found a couple of pieces I liked.

First up, a Washington-fit suit in a textured light blue wool/linen/silk blend. The fabric is really interesting. Shoulders have some padding. Jacket seems to fit really well (I've included a photo of the back too). Peak lapels, double vents and low (for SS) buttoning point tick further boxes. Bottom photo shows the fabric's texture. I would have 2" cuffs put on the pants if I went ahead. Local price is around US$560.







Second up, is a darker blue jacket in the Havana fit. Lovely unstructured shoulders, higher buttoning point. Fit is good, but maybe this jacket is just a tad too short. Also, it's the exact same price as the suit. Thoughts?





Pants in the above two photos are from the first suit.

The jacket is more conservative, more of a "staple", and I don't actually own any navy odd jackets. So maybe it's more sensible. But the suit just really speaks to me.

Or I could just walk away...

 

[Pliny]

Thought on these two squares and ties? Specifically to there versatility. I only have 3 pocket squares and 10 or so ties so I am trying to buy some versatile items.

Thanks.

I don't want to upset your plans, but first square is a 'neat'-ish novelty tie pattern and I think it's better to stay away from those.

Second square is more on the $ in terms of design, but the colors are not versatile. Light green and purple-mauves are super hard to pair, IMO





Cox, I've never liked peaks with patches.
And that suit in a linen blend already looks like you've been sleeping in it for a week.

The SC is a decent fit, but looks Odd. And a little bland too.

You did ask.

 

[TM79]

I don't care for either SS offerings, especially the Washington. It looks cheap to me. Then again, full disclosure: I've maybe seen 1 or 2 items ever from SS that I've come close to liking. I think they're pretty overrated.

 

[EliodA]

@TM79 half of the forum has been trying to convince Noodles that SS is worth his money, and then you write this..... How dare you!

 

[Monkeyface]

Guys, help me out here. In fact, talk me out of something.

Popped into SuitSupply's Shanghai store today and found a couple of pieces I liked.

First up, a Washington-fit suit in a textured light blue wool/linen/silk blend. The fabric is really interesting. Shoulders have some padding. Jacket seems to fit really well (I've included a photo of the back too). Peak lapels, double vents and low (for SS) buttoning point tick further boxes. Bottom photo shows the fabric's texture. I would have 2" cuffs put on the pants if I went ahead. Local price is around US$560.







Second up, is a darker blue jacket in the Havana fit. Lovely unstructured shoulders, higher buttoning point. Fit is good, but maybe this jacket is just a tad too short. Also, it's the exact same price as the suit. Thoughts?





Pants in the above two photos are from the first suit.

The jacket is more conservative, more of a "staple", and I don't actually own any navy odd jackets. So maybe it's more sensible. But the suit just really speaks to me.

Or I could just walk away...

Get the suit, it looks great on you. The havana's shortness and high buttoning point don't really make it a staple navy jacket. Of course you could also save a bit and buy a real staple navy odd jacket from a different brand.

 

[in stitches]

1. SPUUUUUUUUUUUUUURS BABY, SPURS!!!

2. i dont know why but i cant stomach a g note on a SS suit. no rationale there, just a knee jerk reaction.

3. my vandas hath arrived!!

 

[TM79]



@TM79
half of the forum has been trying to convince Noodles that SS is worth his money, and then you write this..... How dare you!

Ummmmmmmm... redacted? haha whoooooops

 

[Monkeyface]

1. SPUUUUUUUUUUUUUURS BABY, SPURS!!!

2. i dont know why but i cant stomach a g note on a SS suit. no rationale there, just a knee jerk reaction.

3. my vandas hath arrived!!

I was thinking about that: which other brand offers a fully canvassed suit in S150s, wool/cashmere, wool/silk with a hand stitched spalla camicia shoulder, a hand stitched collar, wide lapels and 3 roll 2 buttoning for less than a $1000?

The only one that comes close is Eidos at $1200, but I understand they're relatively slim/short fitting and you won't get as nice of a shoulder and fabric for that price. If you're really put off by a name, then it means the world of advertising has worked its wonders on you. If you want to you could remove the tiny Suitsupply label and say it was MTM, and no one would ever be the wiser.

It makes me wonder what would happen if I were to start a brand that's very similar to Suitsupply in terms of price/quality, with a cut similar to Formosa, and call it some fancy sounding Italian name? Maybe put one or two elderly Italian sales associates in the store, play some Italian music and have pictures of old tailors. I've been thinking about that for a while now, and I bet it would work.

 

[kulata]

^You need to buy a defunct tailoring house so you have history. ;-)

Suitsupply sounds like suitdepot you know like home depot and if you are wearing your sophisticated La Spalla, your colleague may be wearing a not so sophisticated Hudson. That will kill your Sartorial street cred since you guys are wearing basically the same brand. Hand work and canvas be damned



Ok on a serious note there are other options:
G Abo Napoli - Nice cuts
Gajola - For skinny people
Sartorio - Can be awesome
Stile Latino - Awesome

 

[TweedyProf]

Stitchy: fit pics NOW (on the vandas)

 

[Monkeyface]

^You need to buy a defunct tailoring house so you have history. ;-)

Suitsupply sounds like suitdepot you know like home depot and if you are wearing your sophisticated La Spalla, your colleague may be wearing a not so sophisticated Hudson. That will kill your Sartorial street cred since you guys are wearing basically the same brand. Hand work and canvas be damned

Ok on a serious note there are other options:
G Abo Napoli - Nice cuts
Gajola - For skinny people
Sartorio - Can be awesome
Stile Latino - Awesome

That's actually a really good idea. Once I've saved up some cash in a couple of years I might just give it a shot.

All of the Stile Latinos I've seen on ebay have very skinny lapels, same with Sartorio. I'm not familiar with the other brands, but I'd add Sartoria Partenopea to that list. They do retail for about $2500-$3500, so it's not exactly a fair comparison.

 

[in stitches]

its not about the label. its that i have bought a few pairs of SS pants, and while they were nice, they were nowhere near 1k suit level. not in fabric or construction. then again, its certainly possible that those pants were lower level SS lines, and the higher lines are in fact made better. that is what i meant by knee jerk reaction.

but from what i bought, a 1k SS suit made like those pants would be an overpriced fashion brand, not a bargain menswear item. meaning, it struck me as advertising was driving up the SS price, exactly the opposite of how i was understood.

i should have been more clear in my post.

 

[Rudals]

I guess it is all about the marketing.
When I initially approached Zegna, I thought they were the New England Patriots of suits. LOL.
MADE IN ITALY and TREFEO FABRIC really had me sold.
Before SF, I just didn't know any better so I just went with a brand that had (via good marketing) this clouded image of excellence.

Now when I first heard of Suit Supply, it was via some offline friends and I gained this misconception that it was cheap, made in China, and associated with a word like, "Low quality." That was before I joined SF. Somewhere in my head I still hold that thought. I think of them as the IKEA of suits.

Fast forward to the present, I hate Zegna. Overpriced and they have gotten caught up in fashion trend. Every time I go there just to take a peep, I hate their narrow lapel suits. For some reason, they're getting narrower as we speak. AND they have broken that $3,000 mark and so I feel like it is overpriced. Suit Supply? You guys know better than I do, so I'll take your word for it but I just don't want a closet full of SS. When I have some high quality suits, I will get some SS to fill in the gap. This has been Noodles' expression of his own opinion and taste...regardless of how dumb it may sound.

 

[in stitches]



Stitchy: fit pics NOW (on the vandas)

hopefully this week.

 

[TweedyProf]

Cox:

Why not save up for B&T? It seems close to the issue Rudals is considering in his SS vs Formosa back and forth. Less is more in this case?

Fit is the question. It's easier to see fit if you do a boring robo pose, frontal view, arms to side. You may be, as often is the case I think you said, too tight at the chest. Have you sized up one?

The Havanna is a no go for me if you plan to wear with tie, given the high buttoning point. I think jackets like that are fine for casual jackets (e.g. cotton/linen with a BD, light trousers, no tie, jacket unbuttoned). Buttoned, with a tie, it just emphasizes one's paunch. There's something more dramatic and visually pleasing to me about a deep v from the neck on jackets with the appropriate combination underneath (men or women...).

My 2cents.