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Epicure

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Who made the suit?

I sort of disagree regarding the shoes - yes, dark brown would look more unified, but given both Australia (where you don't want to be too boring), and your rather extraordinary beard, the light brogue is not just as appropriate but perhaps more so.

Cheers, I appreciate the receptive feedback. It's good to gauge some informed perceptions, as opposed to the compliments I get from the general public on a relatively frequent basis.

In regard to your points, I think this is the kind of suit that you could almost get away with anything, especially in Oz. It’s not my personal aesthetic, but hell, few here would bat an eye if you chose black shoes with this suit, perhaps with a black knit tie and white shirt. On the other hand, there's always the occasional stare you get from those members of the public who grapple with the presentation of anything different from their everyday. None of it matters much to me, as I'm as comfortable with negative opinions as positive ones about my clothes nowadays, whether from people known to me, or strangers. Anyway, while brown chukkas and various derby shoes and boots are on the cards with this suit, it won’t be the last time I pair the featured oxfords with it.

In regard to the suit's maker, I’ve only gleaned less than positive opinions about them on this forum, but I have limited options for a face-to-face arrangement, which I prefer. As such, I threw caution to the wind, and went headlong in. If you’re truly interested, I can PM you the details. Not iGent or SF approved by any stretch of the imagination, but it's worked out acceptably for me. FWIW, I also had a jacket in tobacco brown linen made up as I wanted something for the summer. I imagine I'll get some pics of that up too, at some point.

In the end I was happy enough that I've decided to have a corduroy suit made up too, something I've wanted in my wardrobe for some years now. While I will be tempted to explore what other MTMs can do for me in future, I'll likely be a return customer for more work by the MTM featured.
 

am55

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Green donegal, and corduroy, both as suits, now we're talking! Unfortunate that the Aussie summer is starting so strong and promises to be a hot one, are you planning trips to colder climes? I'd pop over to Japan just to check how warm those really wear.

Are you a fan of Budapester shoes by any chance?
 

jcmeyer

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Cheers, I appreciate the receptive feedback. It's good to gauge some informed perceptions, as opposed to the compliments I get from the general public on a relatively frequent basis.

In regard to your points, I think this is the kind of suit that you could almost get away with anything, especially in Oz. It’s not my personal aesthetic, but hell, few here would bat an eye if you chose black shoes with this suit, perhaps with a black knit tie and white shirt. On the other hand, there's always the occasional stare you get from those members of the public who grapple with the presentation of anything different from their everyday. None of it matters much to me, as I'm as comfortable with negative opinions as positive ones about my clothes nowadays, whether from people known to me, or strangers. Anyway, while brown chukkas and various derby shoes and boots are on the cards with this suit, it won’t be the last time I pair the featured oxfords with it.

In regard to the suit's maker, I’ve only gleaned less than positive opinions about them on this forum, but I have limited options for a face-to-face arrangement, which I prefer. As such, I threw caution to the wind, and went headlong in. If you’re truly interested, I can PM you the details. Not iGent or SF approved by any stretch of the imagination, but it's worked out acceptably for me. FWIW, I also had a jacket in tobacco brown linen made up as I wanted something for the summer. I imagine I'll get some pics of that up too, at some point.

In the end I was happy enough that I've decided to have a corduroy suit made up too, something I've wanted in my wardrobe for some years now. While I will be tempted to explore what other MTMs can do for me in future, I'll likely be a return customer for more work by the MTM featured.

On the whole, the suit "fits," although I think the most obvious tweaks from what I can see (including the shots from last week) are that the jacket is too short, the trousers need a little hemming (or just need to be better held up), and there doesn't appear to be much shape to the jacket -- assuming your body permits that. The hemming and waist nipping can still happen, and the jacket length could be changed for next time, which if MTM might also bring the buttoning point down a bit automatically (or you could ask for that) and I think that would be a good adjustment as well.

The more troubling aspects to me, however, are the stylistic details of the jacket. The lapels don't roll to the top button and are a bit skimpy to boot, the patch pockets seem to be set a little too far back toward your arms, and the quarters are barely curved/open at all, causing the bottom of the jacket to look chopped. I'm not sure how much can really be done on these fronts based on the level of control you or the shop has over the pattern itself.

Just my opinion, of course, but if there's still time to talk to the tailor/shop about these things before your corduroy suit is started you might want to at least have the conversation.

Donegal03.jpg
 
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Epicure

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On the whole, the suit "fits," although I think the most obvious tweaks from what I can see (including the shots from last week) are that the jacket is too short, the trousers need a little hemming (or just need to be better held up), and there doesn't appear to be much shape to the jacket -- assuming your body permits that. The hemming and waist nipping can still happen, and the jacket length could be changed for next time, which if MTM might also bring the buttoning point down a bit automatically (or you could ask for that) and I think that would be a good adjustment as well.

The more troubling aspects to me, however, are the stylistic details of the jacket. The lapels don't roll to the top button (and are a bit skimpy to boot), the patch pockets are set further back toward your arms than they should be, and the quarters are barely curved/shaped at all, causing the bottom of the jacket to look chopped. I'm not sure how much can really be done on these fronts based on the level of control you or the shop has over the pattern itself.

Just my opinion, of course, but if there's still time to talk to the tailor/shop about these things before your corduroy suit is started you might want to at least have the conversation.

View attachment 870983

Thanks, I do appreciate all this feedback.

With respect to jacket length, I agree. This is something I tried to address and stressed that I wanted the jacket a bit longer than what I received in the end. I might try and get the corduroy suit a bit longer. Would an inch suffice? More?

We also discussed buttoning point, which I think is somewhat a factor of jacket length. Yes, if the jacket was proportioned better in length, then the buttoning point would be accordingly lower. The person taking my measurements seemed a bit perplexed when I tried to state that I wanted the buttoning point lower than the suit I tried which was cut from the same blocks used as the starting point for my suit. I was assured that it would be lower given the overall length of the jacket. But yeah, a bit lower again would be optimal. While it looks like this maker can’t execute everything to my preferences, I’m way ahead of anything I’ve managed to buy RTW, which is also quite limited where I live.

FWIW, the lapels at 3.5” are at the maximum width allowed by this maker. Why it is so, I don’t understand, but I will ask for an extra half inch if possible on the corduroy suit. I’m tall guy at 6’5”, and I would prefer a lapel closer to the 4 inch mark. Agreed that the lapel should roll all the way to the top button. While tall, I’m not athletic by any means, and I don’t have a large chest to waist drop and I have large hips and thighs. Tailoring can hide my flaws to some extent, but it can’t give me what I don’t have. I do wonder whether a cut with more drape with slightly extended shoulders could give a better illusion of a V-shaped silhouette? A jacket I own made in the 80s, which buttons a good 1.5” lower I’d say, leads me to believe so.

The trousers might sit a bit better if I were to have the buttons for suspenders I asked for in addition to the side adjusters. I’ll look into getting those on, but given it’s almost summer here, I’ll probably not get around to doing so before next May when it starts to cool down properly in my part of the world.

As for the quarters, I’ve heard arguments from both perspectives, and I suppose it’s a matter of taste. I’m personally not troubled too much, either way, though maybe I’ll develop a taste more one way than the other, given time.

The positioning of the patch pockets I’d not previously considered at all. That is definitely a learning point for me! Thanks again for sharing.
 
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Epicure

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Green donegal, and corduroy, both as suits, now we're talking! Unfortunate that the Aussie summer is starting so strong and promises to be a hot one, are you planning trips to colder climes? I'd pop over to Japan just to check how warm those really wear.

Are you a fan of Budapester shoes by any chance?

I've been in lusting for a Donegal and a corduroy suit for some years now. It's the wrong time of year to get it done, but was convenient to do so at this time. Sadly, I won't be spending summer abroad. But not to worry, I'll have some welcome additions to my winter wardrobe for 2018.

I've not had the pleasure of trying Budapester shoes. While your suggestion provides more than ample temptation, I'm avoiding any new shoes for the time being.

Oh, and as far as tweeds are concerned, this Donegal cloth (Ariston) really isn't overly warm, so I'll get more mileage than one might expect from truly beefy, heavyweight tweeds.
 

jcmeyer

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Thanks, I do appreciate all this feedback.

With respect to jacket length, I agree. This is something I tried to address and stressed that I wanted the jacket a bit longer than what I received in the end. I might try and get the corduroy suit a bit longer. Would an inch suffice? More?

We also discussed buttoning point, which I think is somewhat a factor of jacket length. Yes, if the jacket was proportioned better in length, then the buttoning point would be accordingly lower. The person taking my measurements seemed a bit perplexed when I tried to state that I wanted the buttoning point lower than the suit I tried which was cut from the same blocks used as the starting point for my suit. I was assured that it would be lower given the overall length of the jacket. But yeah, a bit lower again would be optimal. While it looks like this maker can’t execute everything to my preferences, I’m way ahead of anything I’ve managed to buy RTW, which is also quite limited where I live.

FWIW, the lapels at 3.5” are at the maximum width allowed by this maker. Why it is so, I don’t understand, but I will ask for an extra half inch if possible on the corduroy suit. I’m tall guy at 6’5”, and I would prefer a lapel closer to the 4 inch mark. Agreed that the lapel should roll all the way to the top button. While tall, I’m not athletic by any means, and I don’t have a large chest to waist drop and I have large hips and thighs. Tailoring can hide my flaws to some extent, but it can’t give me what I don’t have. I do wonder whether a cut with more drape with slightly extended shoulders could give a better illusion of a V-shaped silhouette? A jacket I own made in the 80s, which buttons a good 1.5” lower I’d say, leads me to believe so.

The trousers might sit a bit better if I were to have the buttons for suspenders I asked for in addition to the side adjusters. I’ll look into getting those on, but given it’s almost summer here, I’ll probably not get around to doing so before next May when it starts to cool down properly in my part of the world.

As for the quarters, I’ve heard arguments from both perspectives, and I suppose it’s a matter of taste. I’m personally not troubled too much, either way, though maybe I’ll develop a taste more one way than the other, given time.

The positioning of the patch pockets I’d not previously considered at all. That is definitely a learning point for me! Thanks again for sharing.

I understand your options might be limited, but it also sounds like you've tried to address some of these things and your requests haven't been incorporated? Not sure what you're spending but don't you also have access to a B&Tailor MTM option there?

I do think additional shoulder extension could be a good thing but I'd be interested to hear from some of the other folks on the board too. I'm just one opinion of many!
 

Epicure

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I understand your options might be limited, but it also sounds like you've tried to address some of these things and your requests haven't been incorporated? Not sure what you're spending but don't you also have access to a B&Tailor MTM option there?

I do think additional shoulder extension could be a good thing but I'd be interested to hear from some of the other folks on the board too. I'm just one opinion of many!

I'm unsure whether I can access B&Tailor here. I may have to look into it.

To be sure, there is a Savile Row trained tailor in my city whom I'd be quite happy to work with, if he wasn't already booked up indefinitely. Maybe there's some clandestine means by which I can divert some of his overseas and interstate patronage, thereby freeing up some space for some my own bespoke commissions.

Agreed, I'd be more than happy if anyone else wants to contribute their thoughts.
 

Epicure

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BTW, @jcmeyer, I've been meaning to ask about that jacket you had made up from lambswool and cashmere cloth from Huddersfield. Does it look and feel a bit beefier than it's modest 9.5oz? It looks to be much loftier than a comparable weight of very smooth worsted wool, giving the appearance of heft without being too full on.
 

upr_crust

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Back from my trip abroad, and properly jet-lagged, and as it is to rain here in NYC sometime today, I am recycling attire that I had with me on the trip, with some swag from the trip (today's braces and cufflinks). Hope that it meets with approval.

Suit - New & Lingwood
Shirt - BB
Tie - Charvet
Braces - New & Lingwood
Cufflinks - Deakin & Francis (from their new shop in the Piccadilly Arcade)
PS - BB
Shoes - C & J

IMG_6842 (838x1280).jpg


IMG_6834 (1167x1280).jpg
IMG_6838 (885x1280).jpg
IMG_6840 (769x1280).jpg
IMG_6841 (542x1280).jpg
 

Betelgeuse

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jdp234

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This looks great. I thought you were attending a wedding but nice outfit for the first day at a new job! Best of luck!

Thanks much! It is the classic wedding outfit, but I figured it’s within traditional conservative business dress parameters and I had a new tie I needed an excuse to wear :)
 

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