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Chesteron suits?

water

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I recently discovered a web site for "Chesterton Bespoke Suitmakers". Has anyone ever heard of them? Anyone familiar with their work? It appears they make made-to-measure suits for a pretty good price. Here is their web site. Sorry if this has already been discussed but a quick search did not turn up any results. I would enjoy hearing people's thoughts/opinions.
 

justbrowsing

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I have been considering ordering from them as well. I think they have the potential to be the Jantzen of the suit world but with the prices being an order of magnitude greater ($400 vs $40), I am more hesitant to just measure myself up and send in an order.

They have been discussed a couple times over at AskAndy's board. I think two people have tried them. As I recall, one person thought the suit was garbage but the other one was pleasantly surprised with the result. It probably depends in part on what you are used to. For someone like myself, who has mostly worn BrooksEase up until now, I think they probably make a very acceptable suit.

I'd love to hear the opinions of anyone who has any experience with them.
 

armscye

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I'm the guy on the Style Forum who was "pleasantly surprised"-- my suit is very well firtted in most regards.

However, the point I tried to make in my post on Ask Andy is that you cannot expect reasonably a spot-on custom suit based on emailing a set of measurements to Chesterton. My suit is 95% correct-- it needs the upper arm relieved, some shoulder padding thinned out, and (since I ordered it that way) the sleeves and cuffs done.

What Chesterton gave me was a suit as well fitted as the second fitting session of a custom suit. With $150 of work, it will be among the best looking suits of my life. Viewed in that light, it's a great bargain.

One other point-- measure carefully and reference suits you currently own. The unhappy guy who bouight a Chesterton freely admitted he had mismeasured, which of course resulted in a poor fit. I had my measurements taken by a friend, and also comopared them t a well-fitted suit I already owned.
 

justbrowsing

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Armscye, thank you for the info. I apologize if I misrepresented your opinions in any way.

It sounds like it is necessary to have a tailor you trust to do some pretty extensive alterations in order to get a good result with Chesterton. Will you be posting any pictures of the suit after the alterations are finished? I'm sure those of us on the fence would be very appreciative of the opportunity to see the final product.
 

regularjoe

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I was the other guy on AskAndy who tried Chesterton.

What you get from Chesterton is a quasi-MTM suit. If you're confident in the measurements you give them, the suit will fit very well. My pants turned out great, but the jackets did not. Unfortunately, the guys taking the measurements and turning them over to the factory don't appear to be tailors who can tell you if your measurements don't make sense.

In terms of construction, it's a half-canvas suit w/ fused lapels. You do get some hand detailing such as pick-stitching along the lapels and there is handwork on other parts of the jacket. If you get a double-vented jacket, you'll get a strip along the tail that attempts to keep the vents closed. This mechanism has been described in AskAndy in less than glowing terms.

Summation: If fit is your priority, than Chesterton could very well be a bargain. However, if construction is at the top of your list, then you're probably better off somewhere else.
 

water

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I keep thinking I should try ordering a suit but I am still not sure if I trust the process enough. Are the materials they show on the site good?

I prefer a double vented suit, so I suppose I could make a specific request not to use this "closing mechanism" to which regularjoe is referring.

It just seems like such a good deal for someone like me who has a hard time finding something that matches all the little details I prefer (slim cut, ticket pocket, thinly padded shoulders, higher armholes, etc.)
 

armscye

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Regularjoe, I think your description that it is a "quasi MTM" suit is accurate. You definitely will require the services of a competent tailor to finish the suit. My tailor is also terrific at buttonholes, so I will have him make the sleeve and lapel BHs.

Constructionally, I agree that Chesterton uses elements of both fused and canvas construction-- but then again so do brands as revered as Barbera and Brioni. I was pleased with the fabric I got (Canali) even though I specified their cheapest fabric level.

Point of Interest: my Chesterton double-vented suit did not come with a cross-strap. I would not have minded if it did, since I am of the opinion that this technique does produce an appealing lower back contour on the one suit of mine that employs it, and Kiton also uses it (wish I could attach photo).

I will post photos when it is completed this summer if I can figure out a way to give them a URL. My tailor is backed up on my projects so it may be 4-6 weeks.
 

regularjoe

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I tried the Gianmarco Kid Mohair in black and Scott and England 1/8" 120s pinstripe in navy.  Both fabrics feel "harder" and seem appropriate for business/travel use (ignore the pros and cons of a black suit during the day).

I imagine the higher price fabrics offer more touchy-feely fabrics, but I personally would not $1k for a half-canvassed suit with some fusing no matter how well it fit.  It bears asking, but it might be entirely possible that $1k gets you a full-canvas suit.

Another issue was the placement of the buttons on the sleeve of the jacket. Believe it or not, they were not in a straight line and not equidistant. If you do go with them, I think you're better off asking for the sleeves unfinished and have them mail you the buttons so a local tailor can finish the sleeves.
 

water

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I wonder though, how it could be any worse than buying an OTR Hugo Boss for example?

I would guess that given decently accurate measurements it is still a vast improvement from any OTR suit in a similar price range?
 

johnnynorman3

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I keep thinking I should try ordering a suit but I am still not sure if I trust the process enough. Are the materials they show on the site good?

I prefer a double vented suit, so I suppose I could make a specific request not to use this "closing mechanism" to which regularjoe is referring.

It just seems like such a good deal for someone like me who has a hard time finding something that matches all the little details I prefer (slim cut, ticket pocket, thinly padded shoulders, higher armholes, etc.)
This suit sounds like garbage. What does "half canvas" mean if it has fused lapels? Does that mean it has a floating chest piece? Well, ALL suits have this. Why not try Noble House and get a full canvas MTM suit for not much more?
 

water

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Noble house? Explain for the uninitiated please.
 

johnnynorman3

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Noble House is basically a lower version of WW Chan. Apparently, you can get MTM full canvas suits for around $400, though one person complained that this price is for their lower grade fabrics and that they use a hard sell to get you to buy Zegna, Loro Piana, etc. fabrics instead. But, my sense from the Cheserton description is that their lower prices are for pretty average fabric as well.

I contacted Noble House and was assured that it is a full canvas front. There have been mixed reviews on the results, but not as mixed as I think the Cheserton reviews have been.

I'm sure if you google Noble House suit, their website will come up. They have a touring schedule just like Chan.
 

regularjoe

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This suit sounds like garbage.  What does "half canvas" mean if it has fused lapels?  Does that mean it has a floating chest piece?  Well, ALL suits have this.  Why not try Noble House and get a full canvas MTM suit for not much more?
By half-canvas, I mean the chest piece is floating (sewn in), but the material is not continuos into the lapels. It stops at the lapels where a separate fabric is fused(glued to the canvas) and becomes the lapels.

The canvas also does not go below the line of the inner chest pockets.

Sorry if my terminology is incorrect.
 

water

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Just to let everyone interested know, I wrote Chesterton asking about various details of their suits. I was told that "the lower portions of the jacket front are fused". In response to this, I wrote asking if it would be possible to have one made "fully canvassed". They responded by saying it was indeed possible and that they would get back to me with details.
 

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