Beater Suit for paucnhy/belly/gut/stocky/portly gent! London.

[rossyl]

So, I ate too much. But I love food, so I enjoyed the journey to my current rounder self.

I need a suit, that's going to get hammered with wearing it to work. I don't need/want to spend £2k on it, it's going to be regularly covered in Itsu soy sauce, cheap Italian lager, my tears from working too late...and god knows what else.

I've previously picked up some bargain RTWs for work, but, as the paunch increased, it has made RTW near impossible. If it fits on the shoulders it won't fit around the belly.

I'm a 40R on the shoulders, but I now have a 38" waist. My waist is 4" more than the usual 40R size.

I'm based in London.

I am happy buying a RTW suit, and getting it altered, but there's no point if there's not enough fabric in the suit to enable a worthwhile alteration.

I was thinking of trying Charles Tyrwhitt but am concerned they'll put me in a 42S suit, and I'll look like an extra from the 80s power-shouldered Dynasty stars.

MTM would be the obvious way to go, but I don;t want to spend more than £500 if I can help it

London is full of fatties, but most of them wear awful suits.... help me buck the trend.

Thanks

 

[stuffedsuperdud]

It sounds like any place that sells jackets and trousers as separates should fit the bill? CT's tailoring doesn't get a lot of attention here but I like them as moderately priced workhorse garments, and to address your specific concern, I don't find the shoulders particularly over-padded. I'm not the slimmest build and I fit into their "slim" jackets in 46R, with the same waist size as you. 40 and 46 are some distance apart but I imagine their 40R "classic" jacket might be at least worth a try?

Since you're in London, John Lewis and M&S also sell their tailoring as separates, and very affordable too. I can't imagine the quality is much to write home about but if it fits, might be a good choice since it sounds like it's going to have a tough life anyway.

 

[rossyl]

Thanks. Happen to know of any RTW with a peaked lapel?

 

[breakaway01]

Suitsupply has some separates. However the trousers tend to run a bit narrow in the leg, so you may have to size up and have the waist taken in. The jackets fit fairly true to size. However, the sales associates seem to be trained to fit people into jackets that are a size too small and short. Stick to your guns and ask for the correct size.