• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

little help on suit?

chweasel

New Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone

so my parents are giving me a present of a tailor made suit, and i was wondering if anyone could give me some tips on what to ask for in the suit? i am looking for a suit specifically for interviewing, so i am thinking i will get a plain charcoal suit with a white shirt and blue tie. if anyone could tell me specifically what to ask for in the suit (full canvas? two buttons? pleats? i dont know?) as well as the shirt (i know i should get a split yoke, anything else?) that would be great, or if someone could point me to a thread in the right direction, that would be awesome too.

to give you an idea of what i look like, i am 6'5", 200lbs, and i am in really good shape, better than most fitness models (i know that sounds arrogant, but seriously, i am in really good shape). I have pretty long arms and legs, i dont know all my measurements, but i know my arms are like 37in? shoulders are 45, and waist is 30.

so in a nutshell, i am looking for a list of alterations to ask for in a suit and a shirt taking into consideration my body type.

thanks in advance for any replies/help!
 

bringusingoodale

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
1,410
Reaction score
44
Your tailor for your "tailored suit" should figure most of this out for you, especially the measurements.

Take in pictures and say "something like that," because really if you ask for full canvas this and sleeve pitch that you will be ignored at best....
 

chweasel

New Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
actually, that 45 is probably my chest size because my last jacket from was a 44 extra long, and i think that number at the beginning is chest size? not shoulder size? i dont know

ok, let me be a little more specific. i want to know whether i need for the trousers: pleats, cuffs, length (bottom of shoe, top of shoe? whatever) and for the suit, i want to know how many buttons, how many vents, what kind of lapel, whatever that fold thing is in the middle of the back, what kind of pockets, what lining. for the shirt, same deal except i dont know all the categories, yoke? collar buttons? sleeve buttons? stuff?

also, if this is all stuff my tailor is going to tell me, then i am sorry for wasting anyone's time.

thanks a bunch
 

Sanguis Mortuum

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
5,024
Reaction score
141
Most of these things are personal preference, and if you search there is plenty of discussion about all these options.
 

twosnapsandgo

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
136
Reaction score
1
Just curious, Sanguis Mortumm, how is your personal preference advice helping this OP if he is inquiring about opinions on what would look best on his body shape. How young or old you are, whether you want grey solid or some print. Vents, depends on what you're comfortable with middle vent looks betters on a young person than a double vent which is classic and side vents (imho looks worse than a middle vent. Vents are European and Classic. Split yoke on a shirt is better than pleats if you are looking for a clean shirt line. Collars width depends on what is most flattering to your face. Flat fronts on a pants help you go for that "visually cleaner" look than pleated plants and are most flattering. In addition flat front pants are not accompanied with cuffs by the "rule book". Pleats on a pants are classic and are most often accompanied with cuffs.

Given you probably have an athletic shoulder, you will want to make sure they dont add anything other than what is needed. If you have a nice shoulder slope than opt for a natural line.


It would be nice if people can offer their intelligence to the OP so he can know what looks traditional versus modern... regular cut versus slim cut, pleats or flat front, pleats or split yoke, etc. This forum should help people instead of saying search it. Maybe he wants the interactive thread. He gave his measurements. Anyone willing to help? Besides he has a very specific body type. He isn't like some of you that are either very skinny or over weight. Therefore what is the point in searching on a thread with someone that is 5'7 and 250 pounds when OP an athletic Tall build.
 

Sonny Black

Member
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
23
Reaction score
0
I'm nowhere near as experienced in suiting as some board members here, however I have a similar dimension to you, 6'4 205lbs and have had two MTM suits done.

The first thing I would recommend is knowing what style of suit you want. Do you want something rather modern and close fitting like a D&G suit, or something a little more classic, e.g Mad Men style? If you're unsure go and try a couple on to get an idea. Being quite tall, and having a solid frame, having a close fit D&G suit maybe too much, and the classic may be the way to go. Personally I've gone with the classic suit, 2 button, double vented jacket. I also have a ticket pocket, which helps break up my silhouette/line.

I'd also suggest only half canvas, full canvas has a bit too much structure and will make you look like a stiff.

I certainly wouldn't recommend pleats, straight leg is the way to go (no cuff), and if your comfortable with it, perhaps a slightly tapered leg on your trousers. Keep in mind that if your shoulders are massive (as in broad) be sure the tapered leg doesn't provide a disproportionate 'v' in your silhouette/natural line. The tailor should be able to assist in this area. Also do you want belt loops, or fasteners? That's a matter of personal preference.

As for buttons, being a grey suit, horn buttons would work well. It will allows flexibility with black or brown shoes/belts.

Working sleeves is your choice, as are the pockets on the inside of the jacket. Will you carry a mobile phone/wallet etc?

Hope that helps. Good luck
 

scurvyfreedman

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
2,820
Reaction score
4,420
Most of your questions are personal preferences, not requirements either way. cuffs/no cuffs. Some people only get them on pleated pants. Some only on country suits. Some only on suits, not slacks. Some exaclty the opposite.

Same goes for single or double vent for your jacket. Single is sometimes considered more sporty (for sport jackets). Others prefer it for everything. Generally no vent is out of style, but it was popular in the 90s.

Check out the WAYWRN thread and see what you like on others. Then ask for that.

I've got a different body style than you. I'm 5'6", thick in the chest, but somewhat narrow in the shoulders and a normal drop to my waist. I have a personal preference with all of these things.

For my shirts I buy Thomas Mason Silver or Monti fabrics. I get thick MOP buttons and an relatively wide spread collar with no pocket or placket on the front and side pleats on the back of the shirt. I can recommend both of those fabric books and thick MOP buttons, but outside of that the rest is style preferences.

I also prefer a 3/2 jacket with side vents, but I have some with a center vent and half of my jackets are two button and they probably look a little better on me because I'm shorter than most. I also prefer single reverse pleats or double English-side pleats, but I have some flat front trousers as well as some double reverse pleats as well. I don't cuff single pleats nor flat fronts, but I do cuff double pleats in either direction. These are just my preferences. Yours should be different and should be what you like.
 

Sanguis Mortuum

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
5,024
Reaction score
141
Originally Posted by twosnapsandgo
Just curious, Sanguis Mortumm, how is your personal preference advice helping this OP if he is inquiring about opinions on what would look best on his body shape.

Because there are already countless threads on when to cuff, peak vs notch, pleats, split yokes and so on. If the OP had a single question I would probably just answer it regardless, but he's asking about every individual feature of a suit...
 

chweasel

New Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Thanks for the replies guys, it was really helpful.

one final question: i was pretty set on getting a slimmer suit, european cut i think? is that a bad idea in terms of what is acceptable to wear to an interview? i thought it would be ok, but one of the replies made me rethink that. also, the type of interview i am talking about is medical school, so i dont know if the protocol is a little different for that or not

By the way, the reason I didnt use the search function is because I have an appointment with the tailor on Saturday morning, and I really dont have time to search (I know that sounds ludicrous, but on weekdays i pretty much, get up, go to work, go straight the the gym for 4 hours, go back and shower, prepare lunch for the next day, then sleep) so I figured I could just post my question during my breaks and hopefully someone would help me out.

thanks!
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.3%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 61 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 10.9%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 17.9%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,205
Messages
10,579,266
Members
223,891
Latest member
dfkoknee
Top