12" Drop Suit Issue

[patrickBOOTH]

This thread should be of some help: http://www.styleforum.net/t/253790/first-suit-for-my-bros-wedding/0_10#post_4650356

 

[recentgrad]

Swimming has helped me lose most of the fat and build shoulders, back, quads, everything pretty much! Now it looks like I will have a lot of alterations when I go to get a suit that FITS ME!

No wonder people look at me differently than before; given avg. drop is 6 inches and I am DOUBLE that. I must look like the shape of a narrow inverted isosceles triangle when most others are square to ovoid/round shaped (zero to negative drop as in fat-@$$).

If you're really a 12" drop, I doubt you'll find anything that fits right without going MTM or bespoke, even after alterations. You can't take in more than about 2" on the jacket before it throws off the balance with the pockets. Alternatively, the really slim fit suits may have enough waist suppression, but would be too small in the arms and shoulders, assuming you've got a bodybuilder type physique.

 

[JR66]

10 inches is somewhat understandable, but "anyone who lifts or competes in sports" will not have the same problem. I'm currently at an 8 inch drop, and I'm not "in the same ballpark" as someone with a 10 inch drop. A 12 inch drop is very extreme, especially at this guy's size, and is not explained by working out occasionally or playing adult rec league soccer on the weekends. In fact, most of the competitive lifters I know probably don't even have a 10 inch drop simply because squatting and deadlifting heavy weights strengthens and builds muscle in your core, which will expand your waist measurement. I'd say if someone has a legit 12 inch drop they are (a) a competitive bodybuilder; (b) a genetic freak; and/or (c) a gymnast/swimmer/beach-muscle-only type who has no lower body development to speak of. Given that this guy has a 48 inch chest, I'd say he's a combo of (a) and (b).

As to OP's question, stick with your suit separates for the occasions when you need a suit, but make blazers/sportcoats and odd trousers your everyday wear. $500 MTM will be hit or miss (mostly miss) and will likely not turn out ideally your first time out. Take a shot at MTM/bespoke when you can set aside enough money to do it right. Congrats on the child!

Saw this thread and was taken aback over the incredulity expressed over a 12 in drop. I literally just walked out of a tuxedo fitting and was fitted for a 15” drop (52 chest 37 waist). Found this thread wandering what the big deal was when the fitter got big eyes. I’m not a muscle head, just broad shoulders, thick neck (20 in) and narrow waist. When I’m in great shape I’m a 50/34. So it’s not due to the extra dad weight.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Saw this thread and was taken aback over the incredulity expressed over a 12 in drop. I literally just walked out of a tuxedo fitting and was fitted for a 15” drop (52 chest 37 waist). Found this thread wandering what the big deal was when the fitter got big eyes. I’m not a muscle head, just broad shoulders, thick neck (20 in) and narrow waist. When I’m in great shape I’m a 50/34. So it’s not due to the extra dad weight.

I'm at a 10-inch drop myself (11 depending on how much I want to exercise) at 38/28, so I know what you mean. It's really not hard to attain.

 

[reidrothchild]

I'm at a 10-inch drop myself (11 depending on how much I want to exercise) at 38/28, so I know what you mean. It's really not hard to attain.

I may not have been clear, but I was talking about the drop between sport coat size and pant size. I totally get having in excess of a 10 inch drop between your chest and waist measurement. If you can legit fit into size 28 pants and take a size 38 sport coat, you have the lower body of a wheel-chair bound child. Skipping leg day is the opposite of maintaining/attaining.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I may not have been clear, but I was talking about the drop between sport coat size and pant size. I totally get having in excess of a 10 inch drop between your chest and waist measurement. If you can legit fit into size 28 pants with and take a size 38 sport coat, you have the lower body of a wheel-chair bound child. Skipping leg day is the opposite of maintaining.

My actual waist measurement is 27 (with a true 38 chest), so I know what you meant. My waist is above the navel and markedly pinched inwards - so trousers have to be cut to accommodate this. It maintains that measurement no matter how big my legs, so call it freak genetics if you want.

 

[reidrothchild]

My actual waist measurement is 27 (with a true 38 chest), so I know what you meant. My waist is above the navel and markedly pinched inwards - so trousers have to be cut to accommodate this. It maintains that measurement no matter how big my legs, so call it freak genetics if you want.

I don’t think a 10-inch drop is freakish. It sounds pretty common among very skinny men. I think my point from this 5 year old thread was that larger guys (size 46 and up) with a 12+ inch drop are somewhat rare and will likely need to go custom. If you’re a small guy with a 10 inch drop, you can buy an OTR drop 7 or 8 Italian suit and have the waist taken in. A large guy with a 12 inch drop who has lifted or played sports isn’t going to be able to fit his legs into size 34 or 36 trousers, and taking the waist in by 4+ inches would have the back pockets touching anyway.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I don’t think a 10-inch drop is freakish. It sounds pretty common among very skinny men. I think my point from this 5 year old thread was that larger guys (size 46 and up) with a 12+ inch drop are somewhat rare and will likely need to go custom. If you’re a small guy with a 10 inch drop, you can buy an OTR drop 7 or 8 Italian suit and have the waist taken in. A large guy with a 12 inch drop who has lifted or played sports isn’t going to be able to fit his legs into size 34 or 36 trousers, and taking the waist in by 4+ inches would have the back pockets touching anyway.

True, there's only so much trousers can be adjusted that way. And then you're getting into things like creases off centre, etc.

 

[JonathanLB]

At different levels of athleticism, you’re going to have different “drops.” I was completely baffled when I heard 6” is “normal” because that has to be literally someone who doesn’t lift at all. In high school I probably would have been, 28-30” waist with a tiny chest maybe 34-36”, I’m not exactly sure (don’t remember). But I’m 40, I bench 300 (I’ve done 315 in the past year), and when I’m not in a bulking phase I wear 32” pants whether it’s jeans or slacks or whatever. I have a 44” chest. I’m not genetically gifted with chest at all, it’s the toughest for me to gain muscle actually and my weak point. Legs are my gifted attribute (the lamest muscle group, arguably, because nobody cares about big muscular legs at all). I can’t fit into most brands of jeans. They assume 32” waist = 19-21 inch thighs which is absolutely hilarious. I don’t do heavy squats at this point, but I used to leg press 1,200 pounds for reps and my quads went from 19” before training (age 19) to 24.5” with training. I don’t fit into most jeans because my waist isn’t much larger than either quad in measurement. I don’t have a flat butt, either, so finding pants that fit is tough. I’ll generally get larger pants slightly and just have them taken in. I’m a 32x34 at 5’10”, my best friend is 3 inches taller but a 34x32, so his legs are somehow 2 inches shorter despite being 3 inches taller which always makes me chuckle. You can see it too, his torso is huge, my legs are long. Contrary to what someone else said here, working out hard and having massive lower body strength has absolutely zero to do with your midsection or waist. You can and should have a small waist regardless of that. It’s the smallest segment around then goes up to the chest.

I’ve only ever owned a few suits, I don’t work in an industry that cares about dressing up and I own my own company anyway, but I’ve always had to go the custom route. While I take my fitness seriously, there are a lot of guys much stronger naturally speaking so I’m sure a 12” drop is common with any lifter. The above comment about a 28” waist may be true, but if you have a 38” chest you don’t lift at all. That’s tiny. Not unless your waist was like 26” and you’re a 5’0” dude lol. Also you know the poster you were referring to isn’t huge, he said he was 165 or something at 6’3”, that’s extremely small. My ideal weight is 185-195 at 5’10”, that’s right around where I always am when training diligently. If you’re not firmly “overweight” by BMI standards, you’re not muscular. That’s the main fault of the BMI - it judges any male athlete as fat. It thinks I was “pushing it” when I was like 170, at the height of what I should weigh. I got to that in 1 year of training, from 134 to 170. It took many more years to hit 180, and many, many more years to hit 185-190. I didn’t bench 300 until I was 38 years old! And I set new PRs at 39 and 40.