My Adventures in Online MTM

[elgreco]

Gregaz was enamored by a recent fit of mine in WAYWRNOPQRSTUVWXYZ and suggested I post a thread detailing some of my experiences with online MTM. Seeing as we're snowed in and I already watched a movie, I'll indulge Gregaz with this thread.

I don't really have a particular philosophy like other forvmites with regard to going custom/semi-custom, nor am I an expert, but I'm all for constructive discussion. The primary reason I do it because online MTM provides me with a product fits me quite well (avoiding some of the pratfalls of RTW) and allows me a degree of choice with regard to options, all for a fairly reasonable price compared to RTW items. This is not to say that it is without its pitfalls, but I have been fairly happy with the end results.

I have only used two services - Indochino and Steven Aver. A friend of mine came across Indochino during his daily web surfing and I was intrigued since I thought it was really cool that you could get a garment that was relatively certain to fit you. So, I initially tried them out and ordered a blazer. The downside with Indochino then (they may have changed now), is that everything was already selected for you and you only needed to provide your measurements. You couldn't select fabrics or buttoning points, etc etc.

What I got at first was kind of a flaming disaster because it was really baggy around stomach and chest and would require a great deal of tailoring. So, I took it to Mr. Field here in DC and this is the best picture I have of the final result:

I'm happy with the fit throughout the chest and waist. However, the shoulders are a bit too big when I just tried the jacket on again a few minutes ago. But as far as first MTM ventures go, it wasn't terrible. The next purchase was a suit from Indochino, and after being on this forum for about a year now, I realized I should have purchased a solid instead of a striped suit. Either way, after making some adjustments to my measurements (at least I think I did when I ordered the sucker) and placing the order, I got the end result a week or so later. I was happier with that end result than I was with the blazer mostly because everything pretty much fit perfectly right off the bat. Here are some pictures of the suit:

I hate the pants on the suit because I can't do lowrise anymore, and I'm still unsure about the shoulders. Furthermore, the fabric quality is not really anything at all spectacular. However, at the end of the day, it's a perfectly serviceable suit, although armed with the knowledge that I have now, I don't think I'd recommend Indochino to friends initially unless they are budget conscious.

Over the summer, when Steven Aver launched his service, I thought I'd give his service a try since I found myself looking for lightweight summer jackets. Immediately, I could tell that Steven was aiming to carve out a very specific niche and he was on the right track to do so. The fabric selection was far greater than I had seen on any other online MTM site (Indochino and DressMonkey, for example), and the number of options available for the jacket (no .of buttons, lapel width, peak or notch lapels, etc.) was impressive. Furthermore, Steven himself is a very knoweldgeable individual and is involved with the product at every level. The degree of personal contact with the site's owner was something that impressed me, especially vis-a-vis my experiences with Indochino. So, as some might recall, my first Aver jacket was a navy blue cashco sportcoat that was met with mixed reviews. Gripes about the length and lapel width were met with praise regarding the overall fit and even

gave props to the sleeves. Here are pictures of that jacket:

I wanted something that would emulate one of my Theory jackets when I ordered this jacket, although in retrospect, I wish I had gone for more classical proportions. Regardless, I am extremely happy with the overall fit on this jacket, particularly in the shoulders, sleeves, and chest. I am not enamored with the last picture for a variety of reasons, but it served a valuable purpose in allowing me to gather feedback for improvements on subsequent orders. At the end of the day, I still plan on getting a lot of use out of the jacket.

My most recent MTM purchase was another Steven Aver jacket. This was where I really got to appreciate the breadth of options available through Steven's service. This was also my best jacket to date. A navy-grey VBC flannel jacket with darker navy overcheck. Plus, I made sure to widen the lapels, increase the length to standard measurements, and lower the buttoning point. The final product is pictured below:

Once again I was very happy with the product and have been getting a ton of use out of the jacket this fall/winter. I have only two minor gripes which are easily remediable, and those are that I wish the collar was a bit more snug on my neck and that the waist was a bit more suppressed. However, those issues have been addressed in two pending orders I have with Steven, and if it gets to the point that I need to address those issues on my flannel jacket, I'll pay a visit to the tailor.

Gregaz asked me to provide any tips or tricks. I doubt this is particularly original, but the main tips I can give are to keep on top of your measurements and try to get the most accurate measurements you can. Additionally, if you have an RTW item you find fits really well, copy it! I certainly used the sleeve measurements from my Gant cotton jacket and adjusted it by a half-inch to derive the sleeve measurements for my first Steven Aver jacket.

Finally, for all of mafoofan's bluster and obsessiveness, I have learned a great deal from him and his blog - even before I arrived here. I have definitely found that I applied some of that knowledge to my MTM orders, particularly for the 2nd Steven Aver jacket I ordered (see e.g. length and buttoning point issues).

I hope that this thread provides some guidance to online MTM n00bs and a productive discussion overall. I'm sure I'm being naïve though...

 

[nbutter]

_very_ interesting thread. thanks for the report. and congrats on the development in your purchases - that last jacket is _killer_.

 

[gregaz]

Thank you elgreco, very insightful.

The reason I was hoping you would do this, is that you seem to have figured out how to make online MTM work for you. Most of MTM results we see posted on SF are a wreck, and I think a lot of people would do well hearing about success (and otherwise) of others prior to delving in. Not just pictures, but process.

To me, the most important element in MTM has been starting with a well fitting garment and making adjustments from there, rather than starting from measurements and no point of reference of how they translate into fit. I've had decent success with Jantzen for shirts (as documents in several threads here), and am working on a suit with Steven as well, that I hope to post pictures of soon.

 

[mccvi]

Nice post. The newest Aver is a really smart fabric, and the lower button stance (ty as well foo) looks much better.

Maybe I, too, will give Aver a try for SC.

 

[TheWraith]

Well done. Very interesting and entertaining post, elgreco. Some very nice suits, jackets etc. Wear them in good health

 

[NaturalShoulder]

Thank you for your very helpful post. I plan to place an order with Steven Aver early next year. The flannel jacket is a beauty.

 

[dr. locktopus]

It's very promising to see successes. I think, for most uneducated people, indochino is an attractive option because you can see the expected results before you buy. Whereas with Steven Aver, TaT, etc. you see fabric, and a few finish products, thus making the project a bit more daunting.

I'll definitely be working with Mr. Aver in the future.