Brooks Brothers' MTM blazer - thoughts?

[bleachboy]

Originally Posted by david3558

Bleachboy, do you know how the Regent fit compares to the Fitzgerald?

Not really. I'm sure it's a bit fuller cut -- your BB salesman should know; they only have four suit cuts (Fitzgerald, Regent, Madison, and Milano). I have a navy Regent blazer that I really like. Note that I am out-of-shape.

 

[david3558]

That looks nice! I am also a 40R, did you have that altered at all?

 

[bleachboy]

Originally Posted by david3558

That looks nice! I am also a 40R, did you have that altered at all?

No, that was straight off the rack.

 

[CYstyle]

The fitz has a 6 in drop, the regent has a 7". Your most likely going to have to go with the regent since it has more waist supression and then get the shoulder measurement adjusted, and perhaps take in the waist some more. 6"1 and 160 sounds skinny. Might want to get the sleeves thinned a bit too, and check the length of the jacket to where you want it.

I would also find a new SA, he sounds like he really doesn't do special order much. If OTR fits loose on you, the MTO would fit equally as loose. In that case a OTR blazer runs on $528 you can go that route and use the money you save to buy different buttons $25, and add working buttonholes $12/button.

So now that's that. Your proportions have limited you to really MTM with BB or finding somewhere else to do it. Now for $870, it's machine made, there is no handwork. For that price point in the BB MTM program your looking a half canvas blazer made in southwick. For $500 I'd say it's a pretty solid deal.

 

[Cary Grant]

$652 for a MTM blazer is CHEAP. If you can get it at that price, gor for it.

 

[david3558]

Originally Posted by CYstyle

The fitz has a 6 in drop, the regent has a 7". Your most likely going to have to go with the regent since it has more waist supression and then get the shoulder measurement adjusted, and perhaps take in the waist some more. 6"1 and 160 sounds skinny. Might want to get the sleeves thinned a bit too, and check the length of the jacket to where you want it.

I would also find a new SA, he sounds like he really doesn't do special order much. If OTR fits loose on you, the MTO would fit equally as loose. In that case a OTR blazer runs on $528 you can go that route and use the money you save to buy different buttons $25, and add working buttonholes $12/button.

So now that's that. Your proportions have limited you to really MTM with BB or finding somewhere else to do it. Now for $870, it's machine made, there is no handwork. For that price point in the BB MTM program your looking a half canvas blazer made in southwick. For $500 I'd say it's a pretty solid deal.

Hey,

Thanks for the reply - what do you mean by drop?

Also, my SA didn't say that the MTO would fit better, he said it would fit the same as the OTR with the respective pattern (Fitz, Madison, etc). Sorry, I must have butchered my words up there somewhere.

He did also mention that the MTM would be made in the Southwick factory, however he said that it would include handwork throughout the shoulders and lapels and machine work elsewhere - not sure if that applies to everything coming out of MTM.

 

[AlexE]

I can give you a wrap-up of my experience with their MTO and MTM programs:

I bought a couple of MTM shirts from BB. I was very unsatisfied with the product due to lousy quality. Especially button holes are terrible: they started frying and breaking after 2-5 times wearing the shirt in 3 out of 5 cases. One shirt was delivered with a hole in the back - I brought it back and got a replacement shirt with a hole in the side!

I also bought 1 MTO and 1 MTM suit. Here quality was OK. However, one of the suits was not delivered in the fabric I selected (I asked and paid for a navy herringbone from Loro Piana and received a Brooks Saxon navy herringbone fabric.

IMHO, the BB MTO/MTM program is not a good value. You seem to get a steep discount, maybe it is worth it. Just make sure that you double check what you get delivered for deficiencies and damages and make sure they deliver the fabrics and features you pay for.

BB always has very nice sales staff and it is never a problem to exchange stuff. However, the product quality is nothing special and it seems that they tried to reduce cost by firing all of their quality assurance staff.

 

[david3558]

Thanks for the insight - anyone else?

 

[Bartolo]

I would comparison shop at a good, locally-owned men's shop in your area that does mtm. Here in the Boston area Id not think of using BB for mtm; there are much better options among smaller, more customer-oriented locally-owned shops.

 

[david3558]

I actually go to school @ NU in Boston, I'm out here for work - I might return to visit -what shops did you have in mind?

 

[porcelain monkey]

Originally Posted by david3558

Bleachboy, do you know how the Regent fit compares to the Fitzgerald?

I have a Regent blazer - side vents and non-working sleeve buttons. The fit is similar to a Fitz, but not as slim. I had mine taken in in the body. Lapels are a bit wider, but narrower than the Madison. All in all, it is a perfectly fine blazer. I wore it tonight as a matter of fact. I bought it on sale two years ago for about $200.

 

[Klobber]

Not that I am an aristocratic member of the bourgeoisie or anything like that, $500 is not that much for a quality Blazer. If Brooks charge $1K plus for their premium suits, if you got a blazer of similar quality to the suit jacket, are you guys suggesting their slacks are worth more than $500

?

I figure if you are willing to blow 1000 beans on a 1818 suit, $500 for a blazer should be a walk in the park

 

[david3558]

Haha - I'd have to be super careful with my blazer as to not damage it then

 

[david3558]

Anyone else had thoughts or experience on the MTM service?

 

[Matt S]

Originally Posted by david3558

Haha - I'd have to be super careful with my blazer as to not damage it then

Then don't get a high super fabric. Get a super 100s or 110s wool serge. Or below super 100s if you really want something that will hold up, but BB might not offer that.