Articles of Style suit review

[FlyingHorker]

Do you behave like this to strangers in real life, or only to people online? I don't understand why you think basic manners shouldn't be observed in other social interactions.

Regarding the suit, I think it could be better. But the OP looks terrific at his wedding, and his bride looks beautiful. It looks like he had a wonderful day, and we should all be so lucky.

I think being styleforum members we could at least help guide him towards better options in the future?

A S&M core suit is like $300USD.

 

[Alan Bee]

Have fun with your polo coat.

Sure Derek. I am grateful for your advice particularly the last post of styling.

Alan Bee

 

[compuccesory]

Yeah I agree, it doesn't look good at all. The collar gap is still there plus it looks like the whole front of the jacket is too short, thus the closed/scissored quarters and the bowing of the lapels just below the chest.

OP can you tell us more about the level of construction of the jacket?

Is the jacket fused at the front?

 

[Brandon O]

All,

Thanks for the thoughts. I think some of the confusion has been due to the front-on final fitting image. In that shot, I'm pulling my shoulders back (retracting my scapulae), which is how I often try to stand when I'm not feeling too lazy. However, I have consistently found that no canvassed jacket will accommodate this; they're made for a sort of reasonable slouch. (I suppose if you cut it to fit with shoulders back, it'd bag when you relax them.) With a normal posture, there's no collar gap and the lapel fits flush. Here's a quick, rather unattractive shot.

More broadly speaking, I hope it's obvious from the original post that I'm not exactly on the payroll here. But I can honestly say that other than the minor points I mentioned, I have been pleased with the final result here. It is a specific style, and it is perhaps slightly snug, but it works. I think that a lot of garments look odd in still shots, and maybe particularly so for lightweight fabrics like this, which will never drape as well as a heavier weight. But it works in reality; I think the wedding shots are a good example.

OP can you tell us more about the level of construction of the jacket?

Is the jacket fused at the front?

It's half canvassed, lined only at the shoulders and the pockets (and sleeves of course). I can snap a shot of the interior if you want.

 

[Crispyj]

Having all the proportions wrong on a fundamental level is not a minor problem I would say.

Mister @Alan Bee is probably foaming from his mouth reading your reply above, thinking why would anyone be pleased with the final result.

Button stance and where your trousers are sitting are definitely way off. Just looking at the picture, the button is sitting between the bottom of your pecs and navel. That is way too high. Also mentioned before, why is the jacket shorter on the front side?

Your trousers are sitting low. Now, I cannot tell whether you are wearing med/low rise trousers, but try to stick with medium rise trousers if high rise is too uncomfortable. Medium rise will somewhat help elongate your lower half. Your chest currently is so elongated it makes your legs look short and disproportionate.

The suit came out fine for a first purchase and you had a great wedding. We can leave it at that if you'd like. However, everyone here is in the best interest of you buying something worthwhile, you can definitely improve on quality of fit and learn what is flattering for your body type for your next purchase. (Saving money as well!)

 

[compuccesory]

It's half canvassed, lined only at the shoulders and the pockets (and sleeves of course). I can snap a shot of the interior if you want.

Half canvas usually means fused in the front, it's been pointed out correctly in a lot of threads here that there isn't really any foolproof way to tell a lined "half canvas" jacket from a lined fused jacket without cutting it open, because "half canvas" is a meaningless term and the reason why I don't buy anything that isn't full canvas. An interior shot would be helpful.

 

[dieworkwear]

All,

Thanks for the thoughts. I think some of the confusion has been due to the front-on final fitting image. In that shot, I'm pulling my shoulders back (retracting my scapulae), which is how I often try to stand when I'm not feeling too lazy. However, I have consistently found that no canvassed jacket will accommodate this; they're made for a sort of reasonable slouch. (I suppose if you cut it to fit with shoulders back, it'd bag when you relax them.) With a normal posture, there's no collar gap and the lapel fits flush. Here's a quick, rather unattractive shot.

View attachment 1320057

More broadly speaking, I hope it's obvious from the original post that I'm not exactly on the payroll here. But I can honestly say that other than the minor points I mentioned, I have been pleased with the final result here. It is a specific style, and it is perhaps slightly snug, but it works. I think that a lot of garments look odd in still shots, and maybe particularly so for lightweight fabrics like this, which will never drape as well as a heavier weight. But it works in reality; I think the wedding shots are a good example.



It's half canvassed, lined only at the shoulders and the pockets (and sleeves of course). I can snap a shot of the interior if you want.

This actually looks like a lot better. As you noted in your post, I think the previous pics were mostly about you throwing your shoulders back.

 

[Brandon O]

Your trousers are sitting low. Now, I cannot tell whether you are wearing med/low rise trousers, but try to stick with medium rise trousers if high rise is too uncomfortable. Medium rise will somewhat help elongate your lower half. Your chest currently is so elongated it makes your legs look short and disproportionate.

What I've found over several suits and trousers is that I have two options: I can wear my pants on my hips, or I can wear them all the way up at my natural waist (at my navel). Anywhere in between, I can fasten it there, but it quickly settles down to my hips. And I'm not really spiritually or sartorially prepared to wear my pants at my navel. (I suppose there is a third option -- suspenders -- which I used at the wedding, but which I'm not exactly planning to make a part of my life.)

Half canvas usually means fused in the front, it's been pointed out correctly in a lot of threads here that there isn't really any foolproof way to tell a lined "half canvas" jacket from a lined fused jacket without cutting it open, because "half canvas" is a meaningless term and the reason why I don't buy anything that isn't full canvas. An interior shot would be helpful.

Not sure what to say -- it would be quite a coup if AoS were selling fused jackets and marketing them as half-canvassed. Maybe you're the investigative journalist to blow this scandal wide open; I'm not.

Here are some pics.

 

[smittycl]

I considered trying AoS a while back but couldn’t get past the Southwick thing. I’ve had a few Southwick’s and ended up thrifting them. Unimpressive suits. I culled my BB 1818’s a long time ago and ended up, without consciously trying, dumping the Made in USA Southwick’s and keeping the Made in Italy Lardini’s.

Anyway, the sartorial journey is always fraught with peril. If you love what you got then go back for more. If you have reservations then go elsewhere.

 

[compuccesory]

Not sure what to say -- it would be quite a coup if AoS were selling fused jackets and marketing them as half-canvassed. Maybe you're the investigative journalist to blow this scandal wide open; I'm not.

Here are some pics.

View attachment 1320232
View attachment 1320233

Most "half canvased" wool jackets are at least fused in a strip about 1.5/2" running along the edge of the quarters. This is how the jacket retains its shape and how they usually make "unstructured" jackets. On a lined jacket the whole front may be fused, possibly with a thinner, lighter fusing than on a completely un-canvassed jacket. "Half canvas" does not mean "not fused". You can easily tell whether material is fused or not with the pinch test - the fused wool will be obviously thicker and heavier than somewhere unfused, like the back or the sleeves.

Since your jacket quarters are presumably not flapping around in the wind like an untucked shirt, and they are not some very heavy flannel, there is probably *something* holding it in place, and since it's not full canvas, it's probably fusing. You can determine this by just opening up the flaps and having a look.

 

[Brandon O]

Most "half canvased" wool jackets are at least fused in a strip about 1.5/2" running along the edge of the quarters. This is how the jacket retains its shape and how they usually make "unstructured" jackets. On a lined jacket the whole front may be fused, possibly with a thinner, lighter fusing than on a completely canvassed jacket. "Half canvas" does not mean "not fused". You can easily tell whether material is fused or not with the pinch test - the fused wool will be obviously thicker and heavier than somewhere unfused, like the back or the sleeves.

Since your jacket quarters are presumably not flapping around in the wind like an untucked shirt, and they are not some very heavy flannel, there is probably *something* holding it in place, and since it's not full canvas, it's probably fusing. You can determine this by just opening up the flaps and having a look.

Ah, I see. Yes, there's a supported layer at the edges of the quarters, maybe 3", thinner than the chest and shoulders.

 

[breakaway01]

"half canvas" is a meaningless term and the reason why I don't buy anything that isn't full canvas.

Care to expand on why you think half canvas is a “meaningless term”? There is absolutely a real difference between fully fused and half canvas construction. In the latter there is canvas in the chest that extends into the lapels.
also don’t fool yourself into thinking that full canvas never uses fusing. Plenty of fully canvassed jackets also use a layer of very light skin fusing in the fronts, especially for lightweight cloth. You would be very hard pressed to feel any difference in thickness.

 

[compuccesory]

Care to expand on why you think half canvas is a “meaningless term”? There is absolutely a real difference between fully fused and half canvas construction. In the latter there is canvas in the chest that extends into the lapels.

That would be excellent example of why it's a meaningless term: A jacket without canvassed lapels could still be called half canvas - why not, it still has *a canvas* right?

Forum sponsor Enzo Custom will make you either one.

Maybe you could call the second one "half canvas with pad stitched lapel".

also don’t fool yourself into thinking that full canvas never uses fusing. Plenty of fully canvassed jackets also use a layer of very light skin fusing in the fronts, especially for lightweight cloth. You would be very hard pressed to feel any difference in thickness.

If it's so thin that I cannot feel it on very lightweight cloth, that's good enough for me.

 

[jefferyd]

That would be excellent example of why it's a meaningless term: A jacket without canvassed lapels could still be called half canvas - why not, it still has *a canvas* right?

Forum sponsor Enzo Custom will make you either one.

Maybe you could call the second one "half canvas with pad stitched lapel".



If it's so thin that I cannot feel it on very lightweight cloth, that's good enough for me.

The commonly-used terms in the industry for the garments illustrated above are "floating chest piece", half canvas, and full canvas.

 

[compuccesory]

The commonly-used terms in the industry for the garments illustrated above are "floating chest piece", half canvas, and full canvas.

Fair enough, I've heard the terms before as well in more industry oriented contexts but I've never seen anyone advertise a "floating chest piece" suit to the consumer.