Ongoing Bespoke Projects

[Egdon Heath]

For the persons above who liked the idea of two (cuff) button spacing to be as a four-button with buttons two and four removed, a simpler way to tell that to your tailor is that you'd like the buttons to be a button-width apart. Most cuff buttons are 24L or 5/8ths inch (I don't speak metric, but man, do I know my lignes.) Die's preferred spacing is one inch. Lancaster's babe a few posts above is none other than Mama Partridge of 70s tee vee drift and is spaced about a heartbeat from Elmer Gantry.

 

[dieworkwear]

For the persons above who liked the idea of two (cuff) button spacing to be as a four-button with buttons two and four removed, a simpler way to tell that to your tailor is that you'd like the buttons to be a button-width apart. Most cuff buttons are 24L or 5/8ths inch (I don't speak metric, but man, do I know my lignes.) Die's preferred spacing is one inch. Lancaster's babe a few posts above is none other than Mama Partridge of 70s tee vee drift and is spaced about a heartbeat from Elmer Gantry.

I feel like "button width apart" can lead to some confusion, as then the tailor might think you want a three-button sleeve with the middle button removed. In the photos I posted, you can see how the buttons are space out enough to look intentional, but also not so spaced that you could fit a third button between them. In that kind of placement, to me, it just looks like you asked for a three-button cuff and the tailor forgot the middle button.

This is what happened to my first two-button cuff order.

 

[mozi]

Background, I've done one commission each with Carrara and Drakes and two with Ring Jacket. They each have different silhouettes so there’s that.

I’d say value wise, Carrara and RJ tied for my favorite, with Drakes second.

Drakes has a very different (unstructured/casual) style that works for certain items, but at this point I’m gravitating more towards the Carrara/RJ style.

Hi -

I've gotten MTO through Ring Jacket through the Armoury. Was also interested in trying Carrara.
Would you say are the main differences between Ring Jacket and Carrara?

 

[The Chai]

Thanks. The Tofanis were going to put corozo on the suit but I found some blue horn buttons with a matte finish in London. I’m having them put those buttons on the suit. It seems most Neapolitan tailors prefer shiny buttons but I prefer matte.

The Japanese love lacquer buttons

 

[Bespoke DJP]

For the persons above who liked the idea of two (cuff) button spacing to be as a four-button with buttons two and four removed, a simpler way to tell that to your tailor is that you'd like the buttons to be a button-width apart. Most cuff buttons are 24L or 5/8ths inch (I don't speak metric, but man, do I know my lignes.) Die's preferred spacing is one inch. Lancaster's babe a few posts above is none other than Mama Partridge of 70s tee vee drift and is spaced about a heartbeat from Elmer Gantry.

Dear @Egdon Heath,

If you tell your tailor to leave a button-width space, yes, all the above-mentioned confusion may be caused; 24Ls that you are using are 15.0mm in diameter, therefore, would it be more wise to suggest a smaller space than that, for instance circa 12.0mm?

One of the unsaid issues - to my eyes at least - is that in almost all pictures posted of two-button sleeves, the position of the first button is way too low to the edge of the sleeve; perhaps in the ivy era that was the right thing, but aesthetically things have changed.

In my recent SCs I prefer the one-button approach: I use 23L cuff buttons (14.8mm) with a precise 5.0cm spacing from the sleeve edge; by mere coincidence, some time after my said SCs were delivered from my tailor, I saw in person a neapolitan SC made for my cloth merchant and the one cuff button was placed approx. 5.5cm above the sleeve edge, creating a very becoming result!

Cheers,

Dimitris

 

[hpreston]

Hi -

I've gotten MTO through Ring Jacket through the Armoury. Was also interested in trying Carrara.
Would you say are the main differences between Ring Jacket and Carrara?

I have only done one MTM sport coat through Carrara, but hope to do more with them through NMWA. I have two MTM suits from The Armoury. I say this to note that I have no experience with trousers from SC.

There are more similarities than differences. Both house styles (comparing NMWA Sartoria Carrara (SC) model with The Armoury Model 3 by RJ) have full canvas construction, light shoulder construction, 3r2 lapel/button configuration. The subtle differences I noticed are; lower gorge and slightly wider lapel on the SC coat when compared to RJ.

RJ is made in Osaka, Japan, SC is made in Tuscany Italy. Turnaround time is similar between the two. The process is slightly different between the two.

At The Armoury (when Trunk Shows can resume) you are measured by the head cutter from RJ. When the garment arrives, the trouser hem along with sleeve length on the coat are both basted. They will have you try on the garment, make any final tweaks, then send to their local tailor for finishing of trousers and sleeves.

At No Man, you are measure by Greg, who has an amazing eye BTW. The garment arrives fully finished (with working button holes on the sleeves)

The differences in available fabrics may be the biggest difference. Ring jackets has tons of books you can work from, some deadstock fabric, and RJ proprietary fabric like Balloon Cloth and Ice Twist. SC through No Man has a smaller curated by Greg, but they are all very nice (has you ever perused Greg’s fabric selections for any MTO or MTM project, he has a great eye)

I can say that I would recommend either one, I plan to do more with both makers.

 

[brax]

If they are from the lining co., the navy ones that you have chosen are great! A very suitable alternative would be the royal blue ones (always referring to matte / unpolished horn ones), but unfortunately they only have the 23L and not their matching 32L.

Unless you'd like to enquire whether couple of 32L could be found!

Best,

Dimitris

Bravo, that's exactly right. I bought some of the navy and royal blue. I think they're great. I bought the 23L for the sleeves but cannot remember if I went with 30L or 35L for the front.

 

[brax]

The Japanese love lacquer buttons

Can you get to Hong Kong? They travel to HK and you can share your love of shiny objects.

 

[The Chai]

Can you get to Hong Kong? They travel to HK and you can share your love of shiny objects.

On the contrary I love matte stuff. I prefer matte mohair over shiny mohair

 

[brax]

Dear @Egdon Heath,

If you tell your tailor to leave a button-width space, yes, all the above-mentioned confusion may be caused; 24Ls that you are using are 15.0mm in diameter, therefore, would it be more wise to suggest a smaller space than that, for instance circa 12.0mm?

One of the unsaid issues - to my eyes at least - is that in almost all pictures posted of two-button sleeves, the position of the first button is way too low to the edge of the sleeve; perhaps in the ivy era that was the right thing, but aesthetically things have changed.

In my recent SCs I prefer the one-button approach: I use 23L cuff buttons (14.8mm) with a precise 5.0cm spacing from the sleeve edge; by mere coincidence, some time after my said SCs were delivered from my tailor, I saw in person a neapolitan SC made for my cloth merchant and the one cuff button was placed approx. 5.5cm above the sleeve edge, creating a very becoming result!

Cheers,

Dimitris

Tofanis have suggested that I do this but I've resisted as I think a 1 button jacket with a 1 button sleeve is too oney (coining that term). Thoughts?

 

[dieworkwear]

Tofanis have suggested that I do this but I've resisted as I think a 1 button jacket with a 1 button sleeve is too oney (coining that term). Thoughts?

I'm skeptical of one-button coats, but if I did one, I think I'd do a three-button sleeve. One button feels too sporty. Two-button also feels quirky. Three-button matches the elegance of the front.

 

[The Chai]

I'm skeptical of one-button coats, but if I did one, I think I'd do a three-button sleeve. One button feels too sporty. Two-button also feels quirky. Three-button matches the elegance of the front.

I second this. All my one button coats have three sleeve buttons. I don’t like four as I’m short

 

[Bespoke DJP]

Bravo, that's exactly right. I bought some of the navy and royal blue. I think they're great. I bought the 23L for the sleeves but cannot remember if I went with 30L or 35L for the front.

I believe that you might have gone with the 30L (19.0mm) buttons, as not only are they appropriate for a single-breasted jacket, but they also dimensionally match with the 23L ones; 35L (22.0mm) buttons, on the other hand, are destined for a double-breasted jacket.

At any rate, these are great choices, and when sewn, we would like to see pictures!

Cheers,

Dimitris

 

[DavidLane]

Tofanis have suggested that I do this but I've resisted as I think a 1 button jacket with a 1 button sleeve is too oney (coining that term). Thoughts?

All one button all the time. Honestly you won't really notice it as much as you might think. I have done this on my last 3 tweeds from @Toninno and I am really happy with them.

From last fall:

-DL

 

[induere_to]

Fun times at the shop today. Suit is ready for its second fitting (keep scrolling those of you that don’t like double pic-stitching):

Suit will be 1x6 with 2 buttons on the cuffs, don’t mind the machine buttonholes, that was a misunderstanding on the production side. I’m doing standard keyhole handsewn buttonholes on each lapel, not Milanese.

Trousers need some work still, lowering the back and letting out the seat. Jacket, aside from all the buttons and eyelets just needs to be taken in a bit in the sides.