Polyester Wool Blend Suit?

[Loudly]

Originally Posted by rnoldh

+1, I fully agree But I've always wondered why certain makers ( Like ARMANI ) seem to always have 3% of polyester or elasthane in their suiting fabrics? Is it because they are so cost conscious that they save a great deal for the entire production run by using that 3% of a synthetic? You never see makers like Kiton, Brioni, or Oxxford using synthetics in their fabrics ( or at least I don't ).
Good question, but I look at it the other way. I've had two (real!) Prada suits, very long lasting and hard wearing, both of which had some percentage of elasthane, or lycra, or some other man made stretchy stuff. They were very comfortable and breathable, and the stretchy fabric was a great bonus where you have a fairly slim Prada-type fit. You wouldn't have any idea just looking at the fabric that it wasn't 100% wool. I would go for it again in getting a suit made by a "normal" tailor, but the fabric's not easy to find and I think more traditional tailors would look at me like I'm nuts.

 

[lasbar]

Lycra is all right for a cheap travel suits...It is stretchy and comfortable but I would not pay Prada prices to get one of them...

 

[ginlimetonic]

Originally Posted by mt_spiffy

A lot of people I know prefer poly blend to 100% wool, especially in the finer fabrics (130s and up), as it is more durable.
yeh i got a suit made from scabal 130s ... it contains terylene & cashmere. So even thou its synthetic, its not a 'cheap' suit.

 

[Agatha Crusty]

There is another benefit: polyester suits are 100% moth-proof!

On another note though, it's true that they aren't the best of the best, but the clothing snobbery among some people would demand everyone open an account with a Savile Row/Jermyn St. tailor. Can't be done, it's too expensive for some people who shouldn't have to fork out that price for an occasonal suit. Or pay over -the-odds for a moderately-fitting wool suit off-the-peg.
I have 2 bespoke suits and only one is wool; the second one (made up at half the usual price) is 40% polyester. The cloth is marvellous and I'm willing to bet it will blow away any off-the-peg overpriced suit from the likes of YSL etc.

There are also a number of people living in warm places moaning about sweating and heat. Let's be honest a place like California isn't even suit weather anyway so it's not going to take much to give a man swamp ass - hence the sea of short trousers and the sartorial desperados sweating like idiots in lightweight flannel just to 'wear a suit'.

 

[Nicola]

bespoke polyster suit? Is this like a custom hand made Ford Pinto?

 

[Contango]

Wouldn't you be worried that your suit would melt on a hot day?

 

[Matt]

*sigh* people are snobs. I am assuming that you are not talking about some kind of shiny ass mirror ball suit, and with that prequalification, I say if it looks good, feels good, tailors well, fits well, suits you, and fits into your budget, then do it.

 

[amplifiedheat]

Originally Posted by Loudly

They were very comfortable and breathable, and the stretchy fabric was a great bonus where you have a fairly slim Prada-type fit.

I have to think that if you need stretch, you're doing it wrong.

 

[Agatha Crusty]

Originally Posted by amplifiedheat

I have to think that if you need stretch, you're doing it wrong.

Maybe the money to do it "right" isn't forthcoming.

In any case, among my several traditional wool suits I also have one with a little stretch in it which I use for travelling and it makes all the difference. Several lazy tailors (including some of those on Savile Row) seem to skip cutting some of the inner construction on the bias - like in the arm scye - and it leaves the suit feeling pretty stiff. Not good if you plan travelling.

 

[cbbuff]

Originally Posted by Agatha Crusty

The cloth is marvellous and I'm willing to bet it will blow away any off-the-peg overpriced suit from the likes of YSL etc.

I like to think the bar is a bit higher than YSL around here.

 

[Agatha Crusty]

Originally Posted by cbbuff

I like to think the bar is a bit higher than YSL around here.

I wouldn't know, I've never had a garment by YSL. I don't buy brands I buy clothes and fit is most important to me.

 

[GBR]

A little research here would show you that this is amongst the silliest ideas that you could have.

 

[officeboy]

Interesting to me that it is assumed that a wool poly blend is bad, but when someone had a thread here the other day about having returned a suit that was a wool/paper blend he was blasted for caring what was in the suit.
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=228119

 

[entrero]

Fine example of groupthink. However if blend suit fits better, always pick fit over fabric choice

 

[rmanoj]

I'm actually wearing one now (

). It was my first ever suit - got it when I was 16 (will be 20 in May) before I knew anything about clothes. It's a charcoal 3-button and I think it still fits quite well (might be a bit on the tight side) and looks OK (trousers need pressing). I put it on today to find out what sort of condition it was in, and then realised why I hardly ever feel like wearing it: the coat is very stiff and uncomfortable compared to my woollen ones. I'm not sure if that applies to all poly/wool blends though.