Newc's Bespoke Adventure.

[Newcomer]

Hi NewC.

It may be just my eyes but I don't think Chris's house cut (evident from both your pieces) flatter your physique. You are very slim (rail slim and tall perhaps) and the garments just hang on you like they are wearing you rather than the other way around.

I might get roasted for this but I think you need a more shapely cut (silhouette) to accentuate your slim and angular build. You can still get a good drape cut (which would look beautiful on you) but better shaped to flatter your physique. The heavy shoulder padding on your current garments don't help either as you've got your own shoulders and don't need much help there. I'm certainly not suggesting a SkinnySuit but something cut a bit closer to your frame will flatter your physique better.

Also, when I look at the full suit, I don't see a seamless transition from top to bottom. It seems to my eyes the jacket and pants and not congruent. Can't quite put my finger on it, it just doesn't transition seamlessly.

The suit and the brown jacket to my eyes are a "copy & paste" so my comments apply to both. Perhaps this is something you can address with Chris on your next commission but I've also heard that Chris is not very flexible when it comes to experimenting outside his house cut.

Just my 2 cents

Alan Bee

AB - thanks for the response - I will respond in more detail at some point today.

Cheers, Newc.

 

[Caustic Man]

FWIW, Chris's styling isn't my cup o noodles, but I think it looks good on newc. The last thing I'd want to do with someone tall and skinny is make them look skinnier. Certainly you can go wrong with that and end up making someone look like they are covered in a sack, but I don't think that's the case here.

 

[Newcomer]

Alan,

I sincerely appreciate your thoughts. Feedback is always beneficial.

For reference, let's use the following picture:

As an initial matter, I would like to put a few things in context. By no means whatsoever do I approximate "very slim" - let alone "rail slim and tall perhaps" or "slim and angular" - although I certainly appreciate the kind words. I do have fairly broad shoulders, and I have a fairly narrow waist (specifically, around my navel). However, I have large and long hips - indeed, in the jacket above, the coat is hugging my hips. My hips are actually wider than my shoulders. To my chagrin, I have far more of an hourglass-shape than a v-shape. I think that Blekit or Slewfoot would be moderately representative of my shape. Nonetheless, I have become quite proficient at hiding my imperfections.

A jacket that is cut too close to my physique has a tendency to look terrible. I distinctly remember seeing a few of your garments on the Unfunded Liabilities thread - and the aggressive suppression that you have on your jackets would cause me to look like a pear (further, I favor a slightly looser fit under any circumstance - aggressive jackets are not to my taste, I like to dress on the conservative side and do not like to project an aggressive look). Indeed, when I commissioned the brown jacket, I actually asked for it to be less aggressive than the grey suit (in real life, the grey suit is actually my closest fitting garment). The chest is considerably fuller and "drapier" on the brown jacket.

Your comment regarding the transition from jacket to pants on the grey suit is something I would like to address with Chris at some point. The pants are a bit too tight (I gained five pounds after my last fitting with the pants than I have never again lost) and I feel that the tightness has skewed where the pants sit and accordingly the transition from jacket to pants. I too am struggling to pinpoint the issue. When I visit Chicago next, I intend to bring the grey suit. Keen observation .

A couple small comments. First, the shoulder padding on both jackets is actually minimal to nonexistent. Believe it or not, the shoulders are almost completely natural. I have neapolitan garments that have considerably more wadding. Second, I do not agree with your assessment regarding Chris' flexibility. I have had my hands on dozens of Chris' garments for dozens of Chris' clients, and they are all unique to varying extents.

One final note. This obviously goes without saying, but there is a huge difference between (a) how a garment looks in pictures and (b) how a garment looks in real life. I have garments that photograph incredibly well, and consistently yield a high amount of praise from fellow SFers. However, some of these garments never look completely right when I take a look at myself in the glass of my building when I walk into work. Both of my garments from Chris - and particularly the brown jacket - move extremely well. I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana - arguably the most menswear ambivalent/backward place in the United States - and I have had numerous people actually approach me and/or stop me on the street and ask me about the brown jacket (this has literally never happened before with anything that I have ever worn). In person, it is truly striking, especially the way it moves.

In any event, Alan, I truly appreciate your comments. I think it is critical to constantly evaluate the fit of your garments and to consider improvements or minor variances.

Newc.

 

[Newcomer]

We should do a Chicago meet up for that weekend with a few other members, if you're interested and won't be too busy.

We may have to schedule the meetup for another weekend - it is my bachelor party and I cannot promise that I will be awake or alive at any point after mid-Thursday. Other than that, would love to come meet some of the Chicago folks.

 

[Caustic Man]

Bachelor parties take precedence. Congratulations and have fun!

 

[nathan flowers]

Testing quote system. You guys can ignore this.

 

[LA Guy]

Testing quote system. You guys can ignore this.

Check, check...

 

[sugarbutch]

I wish to note the exceedingly civil and well intentioned exchange we just witnessed. There is hope for us yet.

 

[Newcomer]

Thanks bruh, glad you enjoyed

 

[Newcomer]

Last wear of the season - an uncharacteristic drop in the temperature today.

 

[Alan Bee]

Alan,

I sincerely appreciate your thoughts. Feedback is always beneficial.

For reference, let's use the following picture:

As an initial matter, I would like to put a few things in context. By no means whatsoever do I approximate "very slim" - let alone "rail slim and tall perhaps" or "slim and angular" - although I certainly appreciate the kind words. I do have fairly broad shoulders, and I have a fairly narrow waist (specifically, around my navel). However, I have large and long hips - indeed, in the jacket above, the coat is hugging my hips. My hips are actually wider than my shoulders. To my chagrin, I have far more of an hourglass-shape than a v-shape. I think that Blekit or Slewfoot would be moderately representative of my shape. Nonetheless, I have become quite proficient at hiding my imperfections.

A jacket that is cut too close to my physique has a tendency to look terrible. I distinctly remember seeing a few of your garments on the Unfunded Liabilities thread - and the aggressive suppression that you have on your jackets would cause me to look like a pear (further, I favor a slightly looser fit under any circumstance - aggressive jackets are not to my taste, I like to dress on the conservative side and do not like to project an aggressive look). Indeed, when I commissioned the brown jacket, I actually asked for it to be less aggressive than the grey suit (in real life, the grey suit is actually my closest fitting garment). The chest is considerably fuller and "drapier" on the brown jacket.

Your comment regarding the transition from jacket to pants on the grey suit is something I would like to address with Chris at some point. The pants are a bit too tight (I gained five pounds after my last fitting with the pants than I have never again lost) and I feel that the tightness has skewed where the pants sit and accordingly the transition from jacket to pants. I too am struggling to pinpoint the issue. When I visit Chicago next, I intend to bring the grey suit. Keen observation .

A couple small comments. First, the shoulder padding on both jackets is actually minimal to nonexistent. Believe it or not, the shoulders are almost completely natural. I have neapolitan garments that have considerably more wadding. Second, I do not agree with your assessment regarding Chris' flexibility. I have had my hands on dozens of Chris' garments for dozens of Chris' clients, and they are all unique to varying extents.

One final note. This obviously goes without saying, but there is a huge difference between (a) how a garment looks in pictures and (b) how a garment looks in real life. I have garments that photograph incredibly well, and consistently yield a high amount of praise from fellow SFers. However, some of these garments never look completely right when I take a look at myself in the glass of my building when I walk into work. Both of my garments from Chris - and particularly the brown jacket - move extremely well. I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana - arguably the most menswear ambivalent/backward place in the United States - and I have had numerous people actually approach me and/or stop me on the street and ask me about the brown jacket (this has literally never happened before with anything that I have ever worn). In person, it is truly striking, especially the way it moves.

In any event, Alan, I truly appreciate your comments. I think it is critical to constantly evaluate the fit of your garments and to consider improvements or minor variances.

Newc.

NewC,

As others have said more eloquently than I could, your very thorough and civil response is a reminder of what brings us all together on this forum. Kudos .... but then again, you are a lawyer hence marshaling arguments in a calm and collected manner is par for the course

I am actually surprised by some of your comments regarding your physique. And if thats case, I stand corrected and perhaps should give more credit to your tailor for the (coat) cut which makes you appear slim, broad shouldered, and angular.

Thank you for taking the time and effort to clarify some of these issue and I believe your bespoke journey (mine as well) is an iterative process.

Regarding the brown sport coat, if I could change anything, I would shorten it just a hair bit. Same length may be suitable for a lounge suit but on a sport jacket, it looks a bit off (to my eyes at least).

Alan Bee

 

[Bengan]

I might get roasted for this but I think you need a more shapely cut (silhouette) to accentuate your slim and angular build. You can still get a good drape cut (which would look beautiful on you) but better shaped to flatter your physique. The heavy shoulder padding on your current garments don't help either as you've got your own shoulders and don't need much help there. I'm certainly not suggesting a SkinnySuit but something cut a bit closer to your frame will flatter your physique better.

Newcomer's suit looks fine. Judging from this suit of yours, it is rather you who need a less "shapely" cut:

Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

 

[Alan Bee]

Newcomer's suit looks fine. Judging from this suit of yours, it is rather you who need a less "shapely" cut:

Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

Noted with thanks Bengan. Will heed your counsel.

Alan Bee

 

[seferphier]

I agree with Alan Bee that Newcomer's suit needs a better silhouette and I also agree Alan Bee's suit is way too tight.

The way the suit is shaped around Newcomer's body is great. The only thing needs to be shaped is the sleeves. If you look at BnT's suits and sleeves, you will notice how they create the silhouette by curving the sleeves in (near the elbow area) and then out. This is the key to creating a silhouette while keeping a comfortable suit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/9VNnQpBeGH/

Alan can create the same silhouette shaping the sleeves while loosening up the body to allow some breathing room.

 

[Alan Bee]

I agree with Alan Bee that Newcomer's suit needs a better silhouette and I also agree Alan Bee's suit is way too tight.

The way the suit is shaped around Newcomer's body is great. The only thing needs to be shaped is the sleeves. If you look at BnT's suits and sleeves, you will notice how they create the silhouette by curving the sleeves in (near the elbow area) and then out. This is the key to creating a silhouette while keeping a comfortable suit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/9VNnQpBeGH/

Alan can create the same silhouette shaping the sleeves while loosening up the body to allow some breathing room.

Hi Sefephier/Bengan,

My clothes aren't tight, very far from it in fact. I can sit down comfortably in either coat with the button fastened without popping a button.

Look at each of those pictures and show me where the buttons or fabric is pulling. If the fabric is pulling horizontally, then the coat is tight. In either picture, theres no pressure on the buttoning point. Just the shape (suppression) at the waist.

Yes, they are very suppressed at the waist and thats because I have a 14 inch drop (between chest and waist). My tailor has tried leaving more room in the waist (during the fitting) which leaves me swimming in the garment and leaves excess fabric in the lower back making it look a bit messy.

Everyones got their physical challenges and thats why we go bespoke. Sometimes its just impossible to conceal your physique even with the help of bespoke tailoring.

Alan Bee