Just Got First Brooks Brothers Suit - 1818 Fitzgerald

[horowitz]

And I am a bit worried since the tailor took measurements really fast and I have no idea how the end result is going to look. The jacket fitted pretty well and I think he's just making minor adjustments to the sleeves. But I'm more worried about the pants. He just used some hard ruler thing and took that measurement, but how do I know it will be at the right shoe length? The measurement seemed to sloppy to get this completely perfect. Also, I now don't even remember how the pants felt on the waist; it may have been a little too tight and I don't think that's going to change. If this is the case, can I just take them to a tailor after and have the waist relaxed a bit?

Also, I'm 5'9 and 158lb and got a 38S. I was deciding between the 38R and 38S. The sleeves of 38R were significantly longer and the 38R fitted pretty nicely. However, I thought S size was for really short people (like 5'6'')? Is it normal to be 5'9'' and have an S jacket fit well?

Thanks!

 

[Liquidus]

I'm 5'8" and have gotten 38S on all my BB jackets. Did you get a ready made or MTM suit? I would always get a personal tailor for my clothes.

 

[horowitz]

Thanks! For some reason I felt odd for having a S fit well.

This was ready made (I think all the 1818 line is ready made?) I'm assuming MTM BB would be more expensive, right? I sometimes see they advertise MTM events.

This is my first real suit and I'm pretty nervous about it. Do you think if the pants are not perfect this is a good opportunity to take them to a tailor so that I have someone to go to from now on?

I'll post some photos when I get it on Friday to see what you guys think.

 

[Liquidus]

It's highly unlikely that the BB tailor will hem the pants too short. If they're too long you can take them to another tailor after. Same for the waist.

 

[CYstyle]

Originally Posted by horowitz

Thanks! For some reason I felt odd for having a S fit well.

This was ready made (I think all the 1818 line is ready made?) I'm assuming MTM BB would be more expensive, right? I sometimes see they advertise MTM events.

This is my first real suit and I'm pretty nervous about it. Do you think if the pants are not perfect this is a good opportunity to take them to a tailor so that I have someone to go to from now on?

I'll post some photos when I get it on Friday to see what you guys think.

no. if they are not perfect they will fix it for free. But sleeves and hem you dont need to spend a great deal of time to measure, if you think about it, the tailor does this everyday, several times a day.

plus he wouldn't have job if he couldn't do a hem or sleeve shorten or lengthen correctly.

 

[greyinla]

Relax, it's wool, so it can always be let out again, and it's BB, so it should be no hassle if something needs to be re-done. The "hard ruler thing" allows the tailor to measure the cuff length from the floor, in case you have a slight difference in leg length.

In the future, don't be shy about asking the tailor to pin the garment so you can see what it will look like. A lot of men don't particularly know what they want so I can see an in-house tailor getting used to just moving along w/out much consultation.

Congrats on your new suit. Hope you got the friends and family discount.

 

[horowitz]

Relax, it's wool, so it can always be let out again, and it's BB, so it should be no hassle if something needs to be re-done. The "hard ruler thing" allows the tailor to measure the cuff length from the floor, in case you have a slight difference in leg length.

In the future, don't be shy about asking the tailor to pin the garment so you can see what it will look like. A lot of men don't particularly know what they want so I can see an in-house tailor getting used to just moving along w/out much consultation.

Congrats on your new suit. Hope you got the friends and family discount.

Thanks. I did get the discount!

Is it standard to try on the suit when you go to pick it up in case something is not perfect, or should I just try it at home and then go back if needed?

 

[Texasmade]

Try it on again at the store. They usually want you to do a final fitting before you take the suit home. I've requested additional alterations before and they do it for no additional charge.

 

[Leverandon]

I was actually at BB today picking up a few shirts and tried on the Fitzgerald (I'm looking to buy it in June during the big 40% off sale). I'm also 5'9" and the Fitzgerald 38R was the better fit for me. I found the sleeves on the 38S to be correct, but the skirt (the bottom part of the jacket) to be way too short for the kind of conservative suit that I was looking for. It looked a little too edgy.

I'm going to get the 38R and just have them shorten the sleeves.

 

[jrk264]

To the OP: don't worry about the tailoring. Part of what you're paying for when you buy at a store like Brooks Brothers is the customer service. Express any concerns that you have when you go back and try on the suit again and they'll almost certainly bend over backwards to fix them.

Re: fitting into an S or an R, I wouldn't worry about it--you've tried the jacket on, you know if it fits. Now that you've got a jacket that fits, note the length measured from below the collar to the bottom and you'll know what you should look for in online orders. "R" vs. "S" vs. "L" is more of a rule of thumb than anything else--I've seen "40R" coats running from 29-31 measured from the bottom of the collar, and "40L" coats from 31-33 or so.

The coat length that you need depends not only on your height but also on how much of your height is in your legs vs. torso, which is why it's better to go off of a jacket that you know is right rather than a generic sizing table.

 

[meister]

Originally Posted by jrk264

To the OP: don't worry about the tailoring. Part of what you're paying for when you buy at a store like Brooks Brothers is the customer service. Express any concerns that you have when you go back and try on the suit again and they'll almost certainly bend over backwards to fix them.

Re: fitting into an S or an R, I wouldn't worry about it--you've tried the jacket on, you know if it fits. Now that you've got a jacket that fits, note the length measured from below the collar to the bottom and you'll know what you should look for in online orders. "R" vs. "S" vs. "L" is more of a rule of thumb than anything else--I've seen "40R" coats running from 29-31 measured from the bottom of the collar, and "40L" coats from 31-33 or so.

The coat length that you need depends not only on your height but also on how much of your height is in your legs vs. torso, which is why it's better to go off of a jacket that you know is right rather than a generic sizing table.

Great advice thanks I will by a linen Fitzgerald in June.

 

[Wolfador]

Originally Posted by horowitz

This was ready made (I think all the 1818 line is ready made?) I'm assuming MTM BB would be more expensive, right? I sometimes see they advertise MTM events.
The MTM start at $1298 and sometimes you can get an extra 10% off. Make sure you wear a shirt and the shoes you will wear with the suit when you try it on again to make sure the sleeve length and pant length is correct. Some of the tailors do not like to show any cuff and you have to be stern about getting them to show some cuff.

 

[jtatknox]

I bought a 38S 1818 Fitzgerald. I'm 5'8, 150 lbs. I have broad shoulders -- only in proportion to my own chest, not the general population before anyone jumps on me -- so I had to go with the 38S instead of a 36R and have the jacket taken in. This experience has taught me to focus on the shoulder width and get the rest tailored. When you go to try the suit on, bring your own kicks to check that the hem is right. You may also find, as I did, that there is way too much material in the pants and that they need to be tapered at least an inch but probably more.

It helps to build a relationship with a personal tailor who can learn your likes and dislikes in terms of fit.

 

[horowitz]

I picked up my suit today and here are three photos. The photo quality is terrible and it does no justice to the suit but at least you can see the fit. What do you guys think? http://imgur.com/a/a06Do#E1qXV

 

[Liquidus]

I would post better pictures of you want an accurate assessment of fit.