Fitting suit needed for pitches

[CrackBaby]

Can anyone help me out with this problem I have?

I need a suit (or three) that fits well for giving business presentations in front of people who have been wearing suits much longer than me. I presently have 1 black suit which is definitely a starter suit, it was about $250 from a small discount outlet store it served its purpose (getting me through weddings and such as a kid) but now I need more serious clothing.

When I give presentations my ideas may start off as a little bit radical but my arguments are sound and with someone who has an open mind they will always come around, the problem is the people making the crucial decisions in my present work will wonder what exactly I'm doing in their presence (I have gotten by hiring older guys to help make the pitch but I really need to sort this out myself now).

I did some research I found that no-nonsense clothing is generally considered Hickey Freeman, or where I am, also Samuelsohn and Coppley (i kind of find european brands look a little too trendish which is not what i want to come off as - i am also an east indian and want to look as american as possible).

I have some physical problems being that I have a huge rear end, very long legs, long arms, and although I am slim, clothing in general tends to make my lower end (legs, bum) look much bigger than my upper body as the jacket points out a bit at the bum, shoulders appear very shallow (viewed from the side). My current practice is to simply maintain good posture (making the shoulders appear thicker, they are already relatively wide) and keep throwing my jacket back a little bit at the neck, obviously this is no good for real presentation.

I am wondering if these physical problems can be fixed simply by alterations to an off-the-rack suit, if made to measure generally performs more changes than alterations (assumedly a better job), or if the only real solution is bespoke. And of course what I should go with, including brand.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[CrackBaby]

was this too long to get an answer to?

 

[Bradford]

Where are you located?

I would assume that well-made rtw would be fine, but have it tailored so it fits you well.

The best thing to do would be to go to a quality menswear store and try some different brands.

 

[CrackBaby]

thanks for your response!

I am in Toronto.

So in your opinion a well altered RTW suit is the same as an MTM? My overall results will be better in this case you think? (Considering I can obviously afford a better brand of RTW, and if I go MTM its going to have to be Samuelsohn or Coppley)

 

[Bradford]

I'm going to give this a bump so that one of our Canadian members might see it and can direct you to a good tailor or menswear store in the Toronto area.

Perhaps you might want to send a PM to Hermes, he is in Windsor and probably would have recommendations for you. You also might send a note to Steve B as he wrote a book on menswear stores and tends to know people everywhere in the industry.

It sounds as though you need to talk with a professional. While in general I tend to think that a quality off-the-rack suit can be fitted, in re-reading your description I do wonder if you're going to have problems with your long legs and arms.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jared]

Obviously there are MTM options in Toronto other than Samuelsohn or Coppley, although I think other board members have suggested that they are reasonable value. Their templates surely can't do the kind of figure-improvement that bespoke can.

Seeing you in the flesh is worth a thousand descriptive words and only a few members are knowledgeable enough to answer your questions anyways. You need to have a good tailor look at you. If possible, find a tailor that sells both RTW and MTM so they can give you an unbiased opinion or get a second. The archives have some discussion of tailors in Toronto, but a simpler query should get you a more comprehensive response.

 

[GBR]

Clearly this is as much to do with your LACK of confidence in yourself as your clothes.

Go find the most expensive LOCAL MTM tailor you can and have him make you up two or three suits. Don't go to a name, labels are expensive, just gets something you like, not me or anyone else here. That will sort your problem

 

[CrackBaby]

i'm not so feeble minded as to need to spend more than the next guy before i feel better, in fact that might just make me feel worse (making the right purchase decision is a big deal to me too, i'd rather be able to say to someone, ' i was told this was the most suit for the least money' than 'i spared no expense on this suit', it is a big difference in mentality and projects onto yourself in the business dealings i think).

i'll try messaging those two i guess, i am not weirdly shapen or anything i look like a normal guy and my stomach is not sticking past my ribs yet. i was just kind of wondering whether i should just get some ready to wear type stuff off the internet (where i can probably find really good prices for even brand name stuff, unless someone knows some really fantastic generically named stuff similar) and get it altered by a tailor here. or if i should get something MTM directly, i know you guys are basically saying the tailor will be able to tell better but i as an aside, i would like to know if MTM can do a lot more than an alteration tailor.

 

[thinman]

I'm tall and thin and I could never find suits that fit correctly, even on rare occasions when a store actually carried my size (38L). If the jacket fit correctly, I still hated the fit of the trousers (I had a 30" waist and 36" inseam and the rise was never right).

I've found that MTM is a very big step up from RTW. I own one MTM jacket from Samuelsohn and believe they are the best value in MTM because they sell one of the least expensive, canvassed jackets available. I believe their MTM suits start near $1200, but our Canadian members such as zegnamtl will know exactly and can also point you to the best sources in Toronto.

 

[pkincy]

From your description it is hard to tell. I would first try to find a good quality OTR suit with alterations. Say a Samuelsohn on sale this Christmas. Try it for a while. Next suit do a Samuelsohn MTM. See if the better fit is worth the 30-100% upcharge (remember MTM is never on sale). If it is, use it. If not buy OTR like most of us.

Perry

 

[Jared]

Originally Posted by pkincy

Next suit do a Samuelsohn MTM. See if the better fit is worth the 30-100% upcharge (remember MTM is never on sale). If it is, use it. If not buy OTR like most of us.
Actually a previous thread on Samuelsohn MTM claimed that salespeople have the discretion of giving small discounts. While the OTR is on sale is surely the best time to try getting one. I'd love for someone to try this and report back?