I've always been a fan of Isaia, maybe because their standard "Base S" fits me like bespoke, maybe because they're usually a lot cheaper than their Neapolitan cousins. Even Gianluca, the red-headed stepchild of the brand which is usually sneered at on this forum, offers beautiful fabrics and cut for an everyday price and has a place in my heart.
I recently scored big with a mint condition cashmere-and-silk blazer from TheRealReal for $95. Can't beat that. Still, it needed some minor alterations so I took it to my guy—Mike of Mike's Dry Cleaners on Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. I don't need to tell the denizens of this forum about the importance of a good alterations tailor and Mike earns the nickname "Maestro" every time I see him.
The sleeves had to be shortened and the jacket came with surgeon's cuffs, a point omitted by information-scarce TRR. God knows that I love surgeon's cuffs and love leaving the last button undone and I used to run towards anything that came with them but I've learned that, when buying second-hand, one needs to run the other away. If they're not installed for you at the start, they're nothing but a pain in the neck.
Anyway, Mike gave the jacket back to me earlier today, buttons no longer functioning. But having been inside the blazer, he made a point of saying, "That's a nice sport coat." And when Mike talks tailoring, I listen.
I recently scored big with a mint condition cashmere-and-silk blazer from TheRealReal for $95. Can't beat that. Still, it needed some minor alterations so I took it to my guy—Mike of Mike's Dry Cleaners on Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. I don't need to tell the denizens of this forum about the importance of a good alterations tailor and Mike earns the nickname "Maestro" every time I see him.
The sleeves had to be shortened and the jacket came with surgeon's cuffs, a point omitted by information-scarce TRR. God knows that I love surgeon's cuffs and love leaving the last button undone and I used to run towards anything that came with them but I've learned that, when buying second-hand, one needs to run the other away. If they're not installed for you at the start, they're nothing but a pain in the neck.
Anyway, Mike gave the jacket back to me earlier today, buttons no longer functioning. But having been inside the blazer, he made a point of saying, "That's a nice sport coat." And when Mike talks tailoring, I listen.
