1k, 2 weeks, MTM Suit Help

[riverrun]

Righto this is my first post -- so I am buying a mtm suit b/c I am tall and thin and the fit will be better than anything off the rack on me. I'm a student and this suit needs to be flexible enough to work for interviews and social functions (Should look good and respectful enough for an interview paired with a sober shirt, tie and shoes, but I'm not really one to over analyze this as far as getting a shapeless RTW BB). I'm going for super 110s navy -- I like middle and even lighter gray suits a whole lot too (lighter gray with middle brown laceups I think is badass), but a great fitting navy suit should cover the bases better (I have done some searches and it looks like one standard response is go charcoal so you can wear it to funerals too -- I like navy better than charcoal and don't buy the funeral argument -- if there's ever a time I'd rather give off the friendly vibe and look less dour it's when someone has just died). The purchase has to be made in the NYC/tristate area or DC -- if in NYC area (as currently planned) it's got to be with NO FITTINGS (just the initial measurement and then delivered by mail). The current plan, unless I am seriously derailed, is to spend 1k on a 3 button coppley mtm and have it mailed to me. This is a strange comment, but on the recent Economist cover with Bush and Blair, I thought Blair's suit looked seriously great (and not just in contrast to the way Bush wears his). It was a navy 3 to 2 1/2 and I really like the way the trousers hit the shoes (kind of tapered or something, not sure what to specify trouser-cut wise to achieve this effect or if something like this could be adjusted afterwards by a tailor).

I am not entirely sure how much the sillhouette can be specified, as I am just looking into what might be worth specifying right now, but I'm thinking roll lapel 3 to 2 1/2, double vent, lapel a little on the slender side, arm hole on the higher and tighter side, shoulder on the natural side, flat front w/ cuffs, working cuff buttons, higher gorge. This sound about right?

Anyone who's got a better MTM option for that price range (1k), that timeframe (2 weeks), that area (NY or DC), and that condition (just measurement session, probably no fitting unless its a DC spot) let me know.

Another option that would be convenient btw would be Brooks Brothers made to measure -- does anyone know their price ranges and the cut of their MTMs (ie if it has a better shape than Coppley) and the degree to which they can be specified?

Also -- here's a question. I am not sure all these things can be specified on a MTM suit, and, depending on how slim the sleeves are, I might consider getting those slimmed a bit afterwards by a tailor. Will workng cuffs make this alteration impossible or does the tailor do the slimming by monkeying with the other seam not the one with the buttonholes on it in which case it should be ok?

thanks in advance for the advice

 

[edmorel]

A. Brooks can neither do what you are asking for, nor do anything MTM for $1,000 and in only two weeks.
B. Given your money, time constraints and styling cues (sounds like you want an Italian cut), your best bet would be to pick up an off the rack Borrelli or Barbera and have it altered. The high gorge, armholes and slim cut will already be there. For $1,000, you won't be able to go retail but you might get lucky on ebay or check with Lance at virtualclotheshorse.com
C. I have no idea about Coppley

 

[j]

I don't know what their turnaround time is, but perennial favorites LS Clothing and Mr. Ned in NYC both come in under/around this price range for MTM.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by riverrun

timeframe (2 weeks),

 

[NoVaguy]

2 week turnaround time sounds impossible for coppley. even for a decent tailor in D.C., i would think 2 or 3 weeks is the RTW option, and maybe a week if we're talking a simple mall tailor.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by j

I don't know what their turnaround time is, but perennial favorites LS Clothing and Mr. Ned in NYC both come in under/around this price range for MTM.

They can do the price and I guess you can put a gun to Ned's head (joking of course

) to get it done in two weeks, but neither one is going to do the type of cut he is looking for.

 

[scnupe7]

Originally Posted by NoVaguy

2 week turnaround time sounds impossible for coppley. even for a decent tailor in D.C., i would think 2 or 3 weeks is the RTW option, and maybe a week if we're talking a simple mall tailor.


I used Coppley several years ago (before I knew any better) and I believe the turnaround was something like 10 business days, so I don't believe two weeks is impossible.

IIRC, I wasn't able to specify all of the things you want in your suit. I was allowed to specify the shape of jacket, number of buttons, number of pleats and a couple of other things. Although, things may have change with Coppley since then.

 

[riverrun]

Thanks much to you all for the swift and informative replies.

The time squeeze is a bit unfortunate (a bit flexible in terms of days but not something I can wait more than a month for) -- buying a suit wasn't something at the front of my mind until I realized that it was time to go ahead and do it.

Off the rack is just not an option really -- if it were I'd do it.

I'm not too particular about the cut I don't think -- just looked at a bunch of photos, tried on a couple suits, surfed around this forum a bit, learned the terms, tried to decide what I thought looked sharp, etc. and that's what's reflected in the original post. I really just gave thought to this decision and did the research in the last couple days after realizing while at the store that uses Coppley for their MTM that I didn't know enough about what the options were. If anyone has input on cut / details I'm really open on those.

I didn't press for any kind of special two week deal for the suit, but was just told that 2 weeks was what it would take it do MTM and that was right in the time frame I was looking for anyway.

So...what is the LS cut or the Mr. Ned cut? Either of them smart on a tall and somewhat wiry build?

And what do you mean by "before I knew better?" That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement.

and the budget could be somewhat flexible as well...what is true is that I'm not buying one of the 5,600 dollar Kiton suits I was told to try on for fit in the store (or whatever the mtm in that range is).

 

[DocHolliday]

As a fellow tall, thin guy, I have to ask why you're convinced that OTR is not an option. Have you tried, say, Corneliani?

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

As a fellow tall, thin guy, I have to ask why you're convinced that OTR is not an option. Have you tried, say, Corneliani?

Haha, as soon as I saw the words "OTR" in your post I knew that "Corneliani" was soon to follow. If I had $1000 and 2 weeks for a suit I would buy a Corneliani from STP for about $800, use $100 for alterations and then take my girlfriend out to a nice dinner for two with the remaining $100.

 

[cpac]

Originally Posted by riverrun

So...what is the LS cut or the Mr. Ned cut? Either of them smart on a tall and somewhat wiry build?


Regardless of who you go to, 2 weeks is very tight, probably impossibly so, for M2M. 6-8 is more the norm.

Mr. Ned has made me 1 suit, and is in the process of making me a second. Many describe his cut as "american" but I asked for a slim cut/high armholes/waist suppression and got the following, which I think does NOT look particularly american, but more towards the british end (though others are free to disagree):

The benefit of Mr. Ned is that you get intermediate fittings unlike with other m2m processes, which ensures a better fit. (I'm 6'5"

LS is also described as rather american cut, but I've never tried them so I don't know how much they can/do modify it.

 

[shanks59]

My first post, please be gentle.

I've just been measured for a MTM suit.

A simple two piece, two button, twin vented, single breasted Navy suit (Super 120 whatever that is).

When I go for my first fitting (around 4 weeks time). What should I be looking for?

Any help.comment of any form, would be much appreciated.

ps I know NOTHING!