Australian Members

[Gonzo]



Depends a lot what you like.
DJs in Melbourne used to have a nice range of LOAKES shoes but now days they seem to have only two funny models last time I looked. DJs in Melbourne has MJ BALE - which some here like. DJs has a good range of OTR shirts in good colours. They also have a good range of casual gear from RL though. Good selection of jeans Levis, nudie and some others seemed ok. DJs also have D'urban suits - well regarded by most -if you can get them on sale.
Myers have lifted their game at least in conservative business dress. Their market is clearly under 30 yo fashion dude , but given that, they have TM Lewin shirts and suits and ties and jumpers in store to try on - and you can compare prices and range (and price) with online.

DJs seem to only have a very small selection of Loakes, usually fugly. I agree that D'Urban do make good suits (canvassed I believe) and can be very good value on sale. TM Lewin suits look very average - and Myer in Melbourne conservative business dress have strangely put security tags on the inside jacket collar to ensure that no one can tell how they fit ..!

If you want to grab a pair of shoes for variety, as I did, without spending too much, I'd also mention Loake. The 1880 range is good, the others are mostly rubbish. There are some online stores e.g. Herring Shoes or Pediwear, where you can get the Aldwych delivered for less than $300. They throw in a shoe horn, polish and spare laces for you and the shoes only take a few days to arrive.

Herring-branded shoes (I believe made by Barker or Cheaney depending on which line) are also good, and around the same price as Loake. And if you use the Ask Andy code you get free shoe trees.

 

[Pink Socks]



maybe a light red as pink is a bit on the **** site

I will give you the benefit of the doubt and presume this is a typo (and I am not talk about the site/side error).

Good to see the phrase "Linen for summer" getting a run and I probably would have choosen the lighter one too (for similar reasons as others have stated) but the darker one will work well. Simon Crompton of Permanent Style writes about navy linen suits in his book.

By the way I am writing this in one of my many pink shirts.

 

[Plestor]

Add me to the lighter linen suits. If I really wanted very dark suiting I'd go a summer weave (Wool or Wool/Mohair - fresco or simillar). You're also better off with lighter colours in summer (in all cases).

I like pink shirts, ideally soft pink.

 

[Simon at Elite]

Thanks for the replies. I'm a bit hesitant about buying from suit supply. Like many other people posting here, I've accumulated many hours in the weight room over the last few years. A big chest, big shoulders and a narrow waist means I'm probably going to need lots of tailoring. The measurements that they give scare me a bit.

A lot of people are intimidated by the measurement requirements for online suiting but it's not exactly rocket science. Anyone with any sort of experience with a tape measure should be able to do a good job. As a perfect example I had a customer who purchased a $1,300 suit who had himself measured by a carpenter who just happened to be doing some work on his house at the time (I would have loved being part of that conversation). When the suit was delivered the customer emailed me to say it fitted perfectly.

Possibly the hardest and most critical is getting the shoulder measurement right especially if you have sloping shoulders. I suggest measuring the shoulders of an existing jacket then putting it on and working out what adjustments need to be made for the shoulder seams to sit squarely at the end of the shoulder. If they need to come in a cm each then take 2cm of the shoulder measurement. There are a lot of measurement you can take off an existing suit. Even if it's a poorly fitting one. All you need to do is make the simple adjustments. Things like jacket and sleeve lengths, inseam, outseam and crotch are easily done. Once you have all those it's just the torso measurements which are fairly easy if you carefully follow the instructions.

I have written a blog post to step customers through the measurement process. It contains a number of tips as well as videos showing how most measurements should be done.

http://www.elitesuiting.com.au/blog/?p=497

Obviously it's designed with our suits in mind but everyone asks for basically the same measurements so it's easily adapted to no matter where you buy.

Guys that do regular weights can be difficult to fit. The large drop between the shoulders/chest and waist make buying off the rack difficult without major alterations so I'd suggest custom made may be the answer. If you do buy online, factor in $75-$100 for post delivery alterations especially for your first suit.

What you need to remember is that these days even a lot of shopfront tailors stores outsource their actual tailoring. You go in and they take the same measurements that you supply online. These are rarely taken by a tailor anyway and are mostly done by salespeople. They then send the measurements to an Asian suit factory who make the suit and send it back.

Now here's the crucial step. When the finished suit returns they call you in for a fitting after which they alter the suit to fit properly. They allow for this in the price of the suit and it's this final tweak you don't get from an online service but it's something that needs to be done. It's just a matter if you want to pay for it in the upfront price of your suit or after it arrives. It's been my experience that men with your body shape are going to need to at least have the waist suppressed no matter where you buy the suit.

The good thing is that once you have the first suit done you can use that as a template for the next and again you can use it no matter where you buy. The 2nd suit will need less work done and the 3rd even less and so on. I'm not an easy person to fit either but I now have a set of finished measurements I can send to any competent tailor anywhere in the world and get back a suit that fit's almost perfectly.

As a novice suit buyer you have done the right thing in asking here. Styleforum members have a wealth of valuable experience that they are more than willing to share and you can learn a lot very quickly. I'm always happy to answer any private message asking for advice and I would guess that's an attitude shared by fellow members.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

By the way I am writing this in one of my many pink shirts.

I never took you for a hobo.

 

[Oli2012]



I will give you the benefit of the doubt and presume this is a typo (and I am not talk about the site/side error).

Sorry, it was meant to read "**** side" and was more tongue in cheek.

Pink's not my colour. I don't think a lot of bogan clients will appreciate that kind of forward fashion sense, either.

 

[tobiasj]



Suit supply.
Buy online, free shipping and free returns if it doesnt fit.

All their jackets have functional sleeve buttons don't they? Kind of a deal breaker for me (long arms and a dropped shoulder)...

 

[Romp]



All their jackets have functional sleeve buttons don't they? Kind of a deal breaker for me (long arms and a dropped shoulder)...

Yeah although they do a short and long variant as well. Its not for everyone but if i was a grad student starting out its probably where id try first. I was considering getting the tux the next time i need to wear one which is probably once every 5 years if im lucky hehe

 

[CHECKstar]

FYI Melbourne gents, last week in Sydney I swung by one of the MJ Bale stores and got chatting to the staff who confirmed that they'll be opening up a Collins St store in only a few months.

 

[TehBunny]

A lot of people are intimidated by the measurement requirements for online suiting but it's not exactly rocket science. Anyone with any sort of experience with a tape measure should be able to do a good job. As a perfect example I had a customer who purchased a $1,300 suit who had himself measured by a carpenter who just happened to be doing some work on his house at the time (I would have loved being part of that conversation). When the suit was delivered the customer emailed me to say it fitted perfectly.

Possibly the hardest and most critical is getting the shoulder measurement right especially if you have sloping shoulders. I suggest measuring the shoulders of an existing jacket then putting it on and working out what adjustments need to be made for the shoulder seams to sit squarely at the end of the shoulder. If they need to come in a cm each then take 2cm of the shoulder measurement. There are a lot of measurement you can take off an existing suit. Even if it's a poorly fitting one. All you need to do is make the simple adjustments. Things like jacket and sleeve lengths, inseam, outseam and crotch are easily done. Once you have all those it's just the torso measurements which are fairly easy if you carefully follow the instructions.

I have written a blog post to step customers through the measurement process. It contains a number of tips as well as videos showing how most measurements should be done.

http://www.elitesuiting.com.au/blog/?p=497

Obviously it's designed with our suits in mind but everyone asks for basically the same measurements so it's easily adapted to no matter where you buy.

Guys that do regular weights can be difficult to fit. The large drop between the shoulders/chest and waist make buying off the rack difficult without major alterations so I'd suggest custom made may be the answer. If you do buy online, factor in $75-$100 for post delivery alterations especially for your first suit.

What you need to remember is that these days even a lot of shopfront tailors stores outsource their actual tailoring. You go in and they take the same measurements that you supply online. These are rarely taken by a tailor anyway and are mostly done by salespeople. They then send the measurements to an Asian suit factory who make the suit and send it back.

Now here's the crucial step. When the finished suit returns they call you in for a fitting after which they alter the suit to fit properly. They allow for this in the price of the suit and it's this final tweak you don't get from an online service but it's something that needs to be done. It's just a matter if you want to pay for it in the upfront price of your suit or after it arrives. It's been my experience that men with your body shape are going to need to at least have the waist suppressed no matter where you buy the suit.

The good thing is that once you have the first suit done you can use that as a template for the next and again you can use it no matter where you buy. The 2nd suit will need less work done and the 3rd even less and so on. I'm not an easy person to fit either but I now have a set of finished measurements I can send to any competent tailor anywhere in the world and get back a suit that fit's almost perfectly.

As a novice suit buyer you have done the right thing in asking here. Styleforum members have a wealth of valuable experience that they are more than willing to share and you can learn a lot very quickly. I'm always happy to answer any private message asking for advice and I would guess that's an attitude shared by fellow members.

You are a god Thank You So Much looking at getting a suit done from suitsupply for a wedding at the end of this year start of next and any one experienced with suitsupply give me some general tips pls!
Thanks Again

 

[tobiasj]



FYI Melbourne gents, last week in Sydney I swung by one of the MJ Bale stores and got chatting to the staff who confirmed that they'll be opening up a Collins St store in only a few months.

Great news, thanks Checky. Any idea on an address? Or any guesses?

 

[streetminimal]



FYI Melbourne gents, last week in Sydney I swung by one of the MJ Bale stores and got chatting to the staff who confirmed that they'll be opening up a Collins St store in only a few months.

YES!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dwarfer]

For all those thinking about ordering from suit supply - word of warning. They have posted some measurements on the Internet for each model but they are NOT ACCURATE. In fact very far off. I order two size 36 and returned them both - they were cut very long and even the shoulder measurements was not as per posted.

I am not saying don't buy from them (they were nice jackets) but if you are buying it for an occasion (ie wedding then factor in at least one round of exchange as there is a fairly high chance that your typical size wont fit you.

 

[CHECKstar]



Great news, thanks Checky. Any idea on an address? Or any guesses?

We had an interesting chat about the address - him being from Sydney said "its going to be at 101 Collins St, in the Rialto building"... we then had a good 5 min chat about how 101 Collins and the Rialto are at opposite ends of the city - but in the end he said near Hermés, so I am guessing top end of Collins.

 

[PapaRubbery]

We had an interesting chat about the address - him being from Sydney said "its going to be at 101 Collins St, in the Rialto building"... we then had a good 5 min chat about how 101 Collins and the Rialto are at opposite ends of the city - but in the end he said near Hermés, so I am guessing top end of Collins.

Hellsyeah!