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best off-the-rack suits

Sator

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Originally Posted by The Devil's Hands
+1 Seriously, how is a Kiton worth more than, say, an A&S? I mean, fit is the most important thing you pay for, followed by construction, right?
Absolutely. It is only by a slight of hand effected by advertising that the ridiculous concept of the RTW suit costing more than bespoke has been thrust upon us. Truly absurd!
 

Chris "Italia"

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What about Stefano Ricci suits?


As good as their ties and shirts are......
 

Will

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Originally Posted by The Devil's Hands
+1

Seriously, how is a Kiton worth more than, say, an A&S? I mean, fit is the most important thing you pay for, followed by construction, right?


It's not. But at this point we are no longer discussing the suit itself but rather the logistics of acquire it.

Many men who can patronize Kiton RTW or Attolini MTM live in cities that are not served by visiting bespoke tailors. The fact that they might be able to get a suit that fits somewhat better becomes secondary to the logistics of traveling to a city where said tailor can be found a couple times a year.

Not to say men don't do it because they do. But for every man who travels by plane a couple times a year for fittings, there are probably ten men that don't.
 

The Devil's Hands

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Originally Posted by Will
Many men who can patronize Kiton RTW or Attolini MTM live in cities that are not served by visiting bespoke tailors.
As far as I know, Kiton is sold only in major cities, which would also be likely to have at least one SR tailor come through at least once a year. I have only seen Kiton sold in two places I've ever shopped: the sublime NM in atlanta and louisboston. You can get top-shelf bespoke in either of those cities. Hell, Mahon visits atlanta 4 times a year.
 

Dragon

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Off the rack and bespoke are different things.

Among off the rack suits, Kiton and Attolini are both in the top tier.
 

sygyzy

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Where can I find Paul Smith suits for a good price? Maybe a store (online?) that has coupons often, like STP.
 

Dragon

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Originally Posted by Sator
But at the end of the day they are both suits are they not?

Yes, I agree.

Maybe I should have said something like, Off the rack shoppers and bespoke customers are different.

The fact that some find better value in bespoke beyond a certain price point is another topic. Regardless of value, off the rack suits from Kiton, Oxford, and Attolini are considered top tier.
 

Tomasso

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Originally Posted by well-kept
Sex appeal isn't in the suit. It's in the man.

Just as most men know that a truly good-looking woman dressed conservatively in tweeds and discreet pearls can be maddeningly attractive compared to a girl in low-cut jeans and high-cut t-shirt revealing tattoos and various bits of metal stuck through her body in an effort to be sexy. Same principle applies to men, I'm pretty sure.




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DocHolliday

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Originally Posted by well-kept
Sex appeal isn't in the suit. It's in the man.

Just as most men know that a truly good-looking woman dressed conservatively in tweeds and discreet pearls can be maddeningly attractive compared to a girl in low-cut jeans and high-cut t-shirt revealing tattoos and various bits of metal stuck through her body in an effort to be sexy. Same principle applies to men, I'm pretty sure.


Just to play devil's advocate ... would that woman be more attractive in a frumpy floor-length dress or in a mid-calf number that showed off her figure? Similarly, why would women not react to the cut of a suit?
 

lasbar

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Of course ,we do react to the cut of a suit....Men and women....
We're making our first impression in the first few seconds?
What kind of impression is leaving on people a very ill-fitted suit , a pair of trousers too short,too long,a pattern not appropriate,the wrong shirt ,the wrong tie?
This concept is even more true with our little sartorial community...
Our clothes are telling a story about our way we see the world....
The choice of a certain cut ,a certain pattern ,a certain shoes patina will send you conscious and even inconscious signals without a doubt...
Remember ,the old say about women judging a potential partner by the shoes they're wearing!!!
 

ghulkhan

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john varvatos
 

Mute

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Here's my thought on bespoke vs. top line RTW. I certainly would prefer going bespoke, but for many, a RTW suit is finished. You can see the final product, including the silhouette and know right off the bat, know whether you like the suit or not. With bespoke, you aren't going to know until it's finished. Now if you go with the house style, then that probably won't be an issue, but if you prefer a different silhouette or cut, unless you know for a fact that the particular tailor has done this before and can make it the way you like, you're taking a chance.

Of course there's also the time you'll need to invest in research to find the right tailor to make the suit you want. Sometimes you just want a certain type of suit with high quality fabric and construction but just don't have the time to get it done properly by the tailor that's right for you. So there are pros and cons to going with either route.
 

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