SPIER & MACKAY - Official Affiliate Thread

[1st Step]

Looking At The Field Jackets Sleeve Length, I Don't Find This Helpful!

S$M Website;

SLEEVE
Starting at the centre back, just below the collar. Measure across the top of the shoulder then straight down the arm to where you want the sleeve to end. Make sure your arm hangs naturally and relaxed.

Is This Correct?

 

[XxLogo]

Looking At The Field Jackets Sleeve Length, I Don't Find This Helpful!

S$M Website;

SLEEVE
Starting at the centre back, just below the collar. Measure across the top of the shoulder then straight down the arm to where you want the sleeve to end. Make sure your arm hangs naturally and relaxed.

Is This Correct?

Sleeve on these size charts is from the shoulder seam, not from center back

 

[James McGuinness]

Sondrio Olive heavy cotton suit from this season. This fabric is so good, hard to resist not buying the brown one too.

View attachment 1719736 View attachment 1719737 View attachment 1719739

I love this color. Is this suit this item? https://www.spierandmackay.com/product/di-sondrio---dark-green--46907974-nesc-01-fw21

The pictures on the S&M site make it look brown, not green.

 

[VeritasAequitas]

Hi all!

So, I’ve just received my 4th S&M suit + 1 sport coat. They’re all the same size but I’ve noticed the fit differently. EG the S&M core suit fits wonderfully while the Filarte is really snug.

Is this a common thing?

 

[norMD]

Hi all!

So, I’ve just received my 4th S&M suit + 1 sport coat. They’re all the same size but I’ve noticed the fit differently. EG the S&M core suit fits wonderfully while the Filarte is really snug.

Is this a common thing?

I guess that is what they call manufacturing margins.

 

[nnnnick]

Was going to say the same thing, it looks absolutely amazing.

Does have me tempted again for MTO, but I wouldn't know where to start if I wanted a fit like that.

Curious to know if you had any particular guidelines @nnnnick

Sorry @wilcthree. Couldn't find how to quote your post


Thanks to everybody for the kind words. English is not my native language so sorry for mistakes in the text. Where are no special tricks with my MTO. I'm 43, 5'9" tall and my weight is 160 lbs. I started buying from S&M around three years ago. I bought sport coats, suit and trousers. The suit and sport coats were NEO cut and size 38R contemporary/32 contemporary high rise trousers. All fitted quit good but not perfect off the rack (sleeve shortening, expanding the waist and altering the back sit curve were necessary). At one point my colleague asked me where I bought my suit and forwarded him to S&M. He was 40R contemporary and I was able to compare the fit of 40 (as I live in Moscow/Russia ordering multiple sizes for myself to compare the fit was not an option due to customs and back shipping fees too high). After that I realized that my perfect size would be 39R contemporary. I tried my first MTO for my birthday as a present from my wife. It was a sport coat in Abraham Moon tweed in size 39R contemporary. I used the basic measurements only changing shoulder (reducing to as in size 38 as I have narrowish shoulders) and changed the sleeve length to the slightly longer than I prefer length as I was not sure if sewing tolerances could make them shorter than I want. It turns out great. The only problem is that I have square shoulders and almost always have a small hump of fabric under the collar on the back. Back when where was no parameter to adjust shoulder slope in MTO. In case with S&M I needed only a little iron work from my tailor under the collar to fix the problem. At the moment I had been wanting the double breasted gray flannel suit for 5 years but couldn't find it RTW. So I prepared with choosing the fabric and desired details and waited for Canada Day. This year it was free upgrade for full canvas construction. I used the same measurements as for my tweed MTO sport coat. I also put in the notes to make buttonholes on both lapels, no shirring on the sleeve head and don’t cut the holes in surgeon cuffs. For high rise trousers I asked for deeper pleats and also expand the hip measurement by 1 inch and the hem by 1 inch also. I put my order on the 1-st of July and received it in September. The only problem was that S&M made the sleeves without the cuffs at all (no vent). After some conversation with the MTO department I suggested to save the time and money by S&M remaking the sleeves only so I can replace the wrong ones here at my tailor. They remade the sleeves but this time the factory made exactly the same wrong sleeves. So the waiting continued. After that they managed to do that correctly but didn’t make any buttonhole stitching. I decided not to gamble and asked the MTO department to ship new sleeves as is. I finally received the correct sleeves on 1-st of December and took the suit to my tailor (I made the cuffs and altered the back sit curve on the trousers myself so no alterations were needed for these). My tailor detached the wrong sleeves, attached the correct ones and made buttonhole stitching. All this costed around 140 USD. I forwarded the invoice to the MTO department and they agreed to refund half of that on my store credit. What else can I say. My body shape is not ideal but around average. The problems are slightly barreled chest, narowish square forward shoulders and shorter arms. The sleeve pitch was good from the beginning on RTW. For the clean fit also helps a quite substantial fabric weight. It will be very suitable next week as we expecting -13 Fahrenheit here.

 

[exfalso]

Sorry @wilcthree. Couldn't find how to quote your post


Thanks to everybody for the kind words. English is not my native language so sorry for mistakes in the text. Where are no special tricks with my MTO. I'm 43, 5'9" tall and my weight is 160 lbs. I started buying from S&M around three years ago. I bought sport coats, suit and trousers. The suit and sport coats were NEO cut and size 38R contemporary/32 contemporary high rise trousers. All fitted quit good but not perfect off the rack (sleeve shortening, expanding the waist and altering the back sit curve were necessary). At one point my colleague asked me where I bought my suit and forwarded him to S&M. He was 40R contemporary and I was able to compare the fit of 40 (as I live in Moscow/Russia ordering multiple sizes for myself to compare the fit was not an option due to customs and back shipping fees too high). After that I realized that my perfect size would be 39R contemporary. I tried my first MTO for my birthday as a present from my wife. It was a sport coat in Abraham Moon tweed in size 39R contemporary. I used the basic measurements only changing shoulder (reducing to as in size 38 as I have narrowish shoulders) and changed the sleeve length to the slightly longer than I prefer length as I was not sure if sewing tolerances could make them shorter than I want. It turns out great. The only problem is that I have square shoulders and almost always have a small hump of fabric under the collar on the back. Back when where was no parameter to adjust shoulder slope in MTO. In case with S&M I needed only a little iron work from my tailor under the collar to fix the problem. At the moment I had been wanting the double breasted gray flannel suit for 5 years but couldn't find it RTW. So I prepared with choosing the fabric and desired details and waited for Canada Day. This year it was free upgrade for full canvas construction. I used the same measurements as for my tweed MTO sport coat. I also put in the notes to make buttonholes on both lapels, no shirring on the sleeve head and don’t cut the holes in surgeon cuffs. For high rise trousers I asked for deeper pleats and also expand the hip measurement by 1 inch and the hem by 1 inch also. I put my order on the 1-st of July and received it in September. The only problem was that S&M made the sleeves without the cuffs at all (no vent). After some conversation with the MTO department I suggested to save the time and money by S&M remaking the sleeves only so I can replace the wrong ones here at my tailor. They remade the sleeves but this time the factory made exactly the same wrong sleeves. So the waiting continued. After that they managed to do that correctly but didn’t make any buttonhole stitching. I decided not to gamble and asked the MTO department to ship new sleeves as is. I finally received the correct sleeves on 1-st of December and took the suit to my tailor (I made the cuffs and altered the back sit curve on the trousers myself so no alterations were needed for these). My tailor detached the wrong sleeves, attached the correct ones and made buttonhole stitching. All this costed around 140 USD. I forwarded the invoice to the MTO department and they agreed to refund half of that on my store credit. What else can I say. My body shape is not ideal but around average. The problems are slightly barreled chest, narowish square forward shoulders and shorter arms. The sleeve pitch was good from the beginning on RTW. For the clean fit also helps a quite substantial fabric weight. It will be very suitable next week as we expecting -13 Fahrenheit here.

What a nightmare.

 

[nnnnick]

What a nightmare.

Yes for some people. I was not in the rush and everything was manageable and I'm happy with the end result. But you have to have some bravery from the beginning to play this game ?

 

[exfalso]

Yes for some people. I was not in the rush and everything was manageable and I'm happy with the end result. But you have to have some bravery from the beginning to play this game ?

Trust me, I know. This is what I received after four in-store MTM orders.

 

[VeritasAequitas]

I guess that is what they call manufacturing margins.

Yea perhaps. IDK.

 

[exfalso]

Hi all!

So, I’ve just received my 4th S&M suit + 1 sport coat. They’re all the same size but I’ve noticed the fit differently. EG the S&M core suit fits wonderfully while the Filarte is really snug.

Is this a common thing?

I guess that is what they call manufacturing margins.

It seems to happen frequently enough, based on this thread.

I always wondered what the actual factory tolerances were, as the answer seemed to change every time I ask. For shirts I think it is 1-2%, and I have been told it is something like 1.5 cm for suits. I always assumed this meant 1.5 cm in total (i.e. circumference).

It turns out that it is actually up to 1.5 cm in half measurements. So if the waist on a jacket is supposed to be 30", the actual garment waist could be as small as 28.8".

 

[MacGuffen]

Finally received my Black Friday order. I've been missing some real life pictures in this thread of the grey polo coat, so here are some for you guys. I'm glad I sized up!

 

[dukenukem4ever]

Yes for some people. I was not in the rush and everything was manageable and I'm happy with the end result. But you have to have some bravery from the beginning to play this game ?

The suit looks amazing on you though, congrats!

 

[dukenukem4ever]

Finally received my Black Friday order. I've been missing some real life pictures in this thread of the grey polo coat, so here are some for you guys. I'm glad I sized up!

View attachment 1720811
View attachment 1720812
View attachment 1720813
View attachment 1720814

Looks amazing on you!

 

[SteveMc]

Sorry @wilcthree. Couldn't find how to quote your post


Thanks to everybody for the kind words. English is not my native language so sorry for mistakes in the text. Where are no special tricks with my MTO. I'm 43, 5'9" tall and my weight is 160 lbs. I started buying from S&M around three years ago. I bought sport coats, suit and trousers. The suit and sport coats were NEO cut and size 38R contemporary/32 contemporary high rise trousers. All fitted quit good but not perfect off the rack (sleeve shortening, expanding the waist and altering the back sit curve were necessary). At one point my colleague asked me where I bought my suit and forwarded him to S&M. He was 40R contemporary and I was able to compare the fit of 40 (as I live in Moscow/Russia ordering multiple sizes for myself to compare the fit was not an option due to customs and back shipping fees too high). After that I realized that my perfect size would be 39R contemporary. I tried my first MTO for my birthday as a present from my wife. It was a sport coat in Abraham Moon tweed in size 39R contemporary. I used the basic measurements only changing shoulder (reducing to as in size 38 as I have narrowish shoulders) and changed the sleeve length to the slightly longer than I prefer length as I was not sure if sewing tolerances could make them shorter than I want. It turns out great. The only problem is that I have square shoulders and almost always have a small hump of fabric under the collar on the back. Back when where was no parameter to adjust shoulder slope in MTO. In case with S&M I needed only a little iron work from my tailor under the collar to fix the problem. At the moment I had been wanting the double breasted gray flannel suit for 5 years but couldn't find it RTW. So I prepared with choosing the fabric and desired details and waited for Canada Day. This year it was free upgrade for full canvas construction. I used the same measurements as for my tweed MTO sport coat. I also put in the notes to make buttonholes on both lapels, no shirring on the sleeve head and don’t cut the holes in surgeon cuffs. For high rise trousers I asked for deeper pleats and also expand the hip measurement by 1 inch and the hem by 1 inch also. I put my order on the 1-st of July and received it in September. The only problem was that S&M made the sleeves without the cuffs at all (no vent). After some conversation with the MTO department I suggested to save the time and money by S&M remaking the sleeves only so I can replace the wrong ones here at my tailor. They remade the sleeves but this time the factory made exactly the same wrong sleeves. So the waiting continued. After that they managed to do that correctly but didn’t make any buttonhole stitching. I decided not to gamble and asked the MTO department to ship new sleeves as is. I finally received the correct sleeves on 1-st of December and took the suit to my tailor (I made the cuffs and altered the back sit curve on the trousers myself so no alterations were needed for these). My tailor detached the wrong sleeves, attached the correct ones and made buttonhole stitching. All this costed around 140 USD. I forwarded the invoice to the MTO department and they agreed to refund half of that on my store credit. What else can I say. My body shape is not ideal but around average. The problems are slightly barreled chest, narowish square forward shoulders and shorter arms. The sleeve pitch was good from the beginning on RTW. For the clean fit also helps a quite substantial fabric weight. It will be very suitable next week as we expecting -13 Fahrenheit here.

Thanks for the detailed experience @nnnnick. Excellent fit on the suit!
I'm pretty sure I'm 39" as well and was thinking going directly to MTO (never ordered a sport coat from S&M), but after reading through your experience, it becomes evident one needs to get a decent fit in OTR first, understand what needs tweaking, and only then go to MTO.