First MTM Suit

[RamblinMan]

Hey folks!

So, I broke my suit out this New Year's Eve, and I was swimming in it. It was made for a bigger me. I decided it was time for a new suit. I've just received my first made-to-measure suit from Oliver Wicks, but the fit is not right. I'd wager I'll need to get OW to remake the jacket, and the trousers, if not a total remake, need some adjustments. I'm posting here to see what suggestions you folks have. I know I have some complaints, but I'll hold them until you've had a chance to chime in.

Here it is:

Please pardon the awkward cell phone pics.

I'd like to work with OW to get the fit where it needs to be, and if that works out, order a couple more: one in blue and one in a dark grey or charcoal. So I'd appreciate any suggestions I could get here. I'll take those with me to the tailor, so we can decide which changes need to be made.

 

[Jnarcane]

The most concerning thing is that rippling on the chest, especially on your right side. I don't know what might be causing that, but it's quite pronounced. Otherwise, the notable faults, in my view, are the jacket sleeves being too long to show any shirt cuff, the pants breaking too much (which is totally subjective, admittedly), and the rippling on the back of the jacket. I like the fabric!

 

[ter1413]

Trousers are not bad. I prefer cuffs and a much shorter length.

Agree that jacket sleeves need to be shortened and the rippling is an issue.

Maybe @Despos can also add some thoughts...

 

[Despos]

Suit looks pretty good. Most issues can adjusted, no need to remake.
The chest on the right side breaks like that due to your low right shoulder.

 

[RamblinMan]

The whole suit feels way too big, and I think that's the main issue. It's supposed to be a modern fit, but it's missing some shape, I think, because it fits too loosely. The shoulder line drops before it meets the sleeve. I think that's where my shoulder stops supporting it and the canvas struggles to take over. If I overlap the jacket in the front by about 4 inches, the ripple straightens out and there's still plenty of room around the stomach and chest. That makes the lapels pucker and the collar gap though.

I agree the sleeves are too long, as are the trousers. With these Chelsea boots, I think I could go with a much smaller leg opening (this one is 8.75") and no break since the boots come up above the ankle.

The trousers are too roomy throughout. Bringing in the waist with a belt is what causes the front to bunch and cause that rippling around the crotch. I can pull the fabric taught in front and relieve that issue, but then I'm just moving it around to the sides or the back. The fit on the legs is baggy. I have bulky thighs, but I think there could be more tapering from there down.

I'm impressed with the construction and the materials compared to all of the OTR options I've perused, so hopefully the fit works out.

Thank you for the critiques!

 

[RamblinMan]

Sure enough, my right shoulder is slightly lower. I've never noticed. Still, when I wear a jacket with a closer fit, that issue doesn't seem to present itself. We'll see what can be done. I'll be impressed if OW can correct for asymmetry like that.

 

[breakaway01]

I think that suit generally looks good on you. There is a distinction between fit and styling. It fits you quite well in the sense that the suit generally hangs cleanly without much bunching or pulling. It sounds like you don’t like the fuller styling. The pendulum of men’s tailoring is slowly swinging away from the tighter fits of the 2010s to a more relaxed silhouette. I actually think this silhouette is much more in line with where tailoring is headed for the next decade or so. While you are certainly entitled to ask for a trimmer fit, I would urge you not to try to shrink that suit too aggressively.

For example if the leg opening is 8.75”, I’d suggest going to 8.5” or at most 8.25”. For the record, I like that leg opening on you. If you reduce the trouser legs too much, your legs will look disproportionately skinny relative to your upper body. And definitely do not try to reduce the jacket by 4”.

 

[gimpwiz]

Honestly, I like the fabric, I like the fuller fit. I hope that with some adjustment you'll end up with something you like. Obviously the trousers can be shortened (or can they be worn higher?), and the sleeves can be shortened. I don't know how one would fix the right side, since I don't know jack about squat, but if despos says it can be done, I am sure he's right.

 

[RamblinMan]

I like the high-waisted trouser look, it's elegant in my opinion. My body type precludes me from doing it though. I'm like a 50/50 endo/meso, but I have an abdomen that, even when I'm fully lean, sticks out at the navel and slopes back in toward the waistband in a way that no belt can contend with. I unfortunately have a maximum waistband height that I have to abide by.

Now with suspenders, maybe, but not today.

I'll try not to overcorrect here, but I think this is about the fit around the chest and midsection I'm looking for.

I should make it to the tailor's tomorrow. We'll see what she thinks, but I think the shoulder width is going to necessitate a new jacket.

 

[breakaway01]

Be sure to provide them with detailed measurements and photos so they can understand the areas that need improvement.

Disagree with this. You should not give a tailor detailed measurements because you may not understand how to achieve a certain silhouette. It’s like telling a surgeon what technique they should use for your heart bypass procedure. Explain to them how you would like the suit to look and let them figure out how to achieve that.