SPIER & MACKAY - Official Affiliate Thread

[FlyingHorker]

I've never had a problem wearing tweed indoors but ymmv. I wear heavy tweed jackets over Shetland sweaters with heavy flannel trousers and am fine. If you're moving about a lot, that might be different. Several tips:

1) If you wear a jacket open, it should never get too hot (unless you have a sweater on too). That front ventilation is key. Try wearing an overcoat open inside while sitting down. Even that isn't nearly as warm as you might expect.

2) I think shirt choice also matters. I always wear an OCBD and I think oxford cloth is more breathable than most think (I prefer an oxford to many lighter options in 90+ degree weather). Perhaps more important is looseness. Clothes that are too tight run much warmer in my experience. This matters a lot for clothing that touches the skin.

3) I think the body is good at adjusting. When I started doing heavy layering, I may have found it a bit warm at first, but eventually I got used to it.

Interesting, I find OCBD's to wear quite warm for me except for winter. Granted, I don't wear loose shirts.

I'll keep all this in mind though, especially keeping the jacket open. Thanks for enabling!

 

[TheShetlandSweater]

Interesting, I find OCBD's to wear quite warm for me except for winter. Granted, I don't wear loose shirts.

I'll keep all this in mind though, especially keeping the jacket open. Thanks for enabling!

Sure thing. And with tailoring--especially Neapolitan tailoring--there is little as satisfying as heavy tweed.

And again, try wearing an overcoat open inside as a test. If all you are doing is sitting, it's pretty hard to overheat.

 

[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!

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By the way, I considered going MTO with a similar Magee fabric, so here's the Magee swatch compared to the Zanieri RTW. I find they look very, very similar. The Zanieri has a larger herringbone pattern and slightly coarser fabric, but there's much less of a difference than I imagined, considering the price difference. I think the primary attraction of MTO would be longer lengths. Hope it can be useful for anyone considering MTO outerwear.

 

[AtlRock]

For comparison - Simon Crompton's (Permanent Style) Donegal overcoat fabric

 

[AtlRock]

I just received my first S&M item (a BF purchase) Minnis Navy Mocklino Neo Sportscoat. It fits perfect .... lucky me!

 

[wilcthree]

Cooler temps in LA:
OCBD Italian button down collar shirt, navy serge sport coat, and light gray BG flannel trews: Spier
Suede chukka boots: Cobbler Union

 

[delfam]

Anyone have the knit dress shirts and can provide a picture wearing it? and how do you like them?

Brown Knit Shirt | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

Also, what is the go to OCDB to get from Spier? I want something fairly casual that you can wear with jeans (so not shiny but also looks good enough with chinos.

 

[jbarwick]

Anyone have the knit dress shirts and can provide a picture wearing it? and how do you like them?

Brown Knit Shirt | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

Also, what is the go to OCDB to get from Spier? I want something fairly casual that you can wear with jeans (so not shiny but also looks good enough with chinos.

I do the standard cheaper OCBDs. I have not tried the lightweight but people are saying good things. I tend to size up both sleeve and neck so I can wash and throw in the dryer without care.

 

[milktoast]

Cooler temps in LA
Shirt, sport coat, and trews: Spier
Boots: Cobbler Union

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I feel like I've asked before, but what size cuff do you usually go with for your trousers? They're spot on.

 

[wilcthree]

I feel like I've asked before, but what size cuff do you usually go with for your trousers? They're spot on.

I go for 1.75” cuffs. They look bigger and more prominent in pics, but they all measure 1.75”. Props to my tailor, cuz he just knows what he’s doing as it relates to hem, cuff, and silhouette.

 

[TheLawBeard]

Does anyone have a real life/world picture of the full canvas Fox brown and red check? I’d love to see what brown it actually is in real life. Been staring at it a while but it’s one where I’m worried the stock photos might not be reality.

 

[milktoast]

I go for 1.75” cuffs. They look bigger and more prominent in pics, but they all measure 1.75”. Props to my tailor, cuz he just knows what he’s doing as it relates to hem, cuff, and silhouette.

Nice, good to know. I've been fretting jumping into cuffs (only have them on two of my trousers), but hope to change this philosophy in the new year. I still have a suit that I bought during that $200 sale last year that I need to have altered, so that may be a good piece to really hone them in on.

 

[chiggyv]

Anyone have the knit dress shirts and can provide a picture wearing it? and how do you like them?

Brown Knit Shirt | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

Also, what is the go to OCDB to get from Spier? I want something fairly casual that you can wear with jeans (so not shiny but also looks good enough with chinos.

Blue university stripe is by far my most worn Oxford. Unfortunately, finding stock can be hit or miss and the cloth hasn't been in MTM for some months.

 

[wilcthree]

Nice, good to know. I've been fretting jumping into cuffs (only have them on two of my trousers), but hope to change this philosophy in the new year. I still have a suit that I bought during that $200 sale last year that I need to have altered, so that may be a good piece to really hone them in on.

I hear you. I was decidedly anti-cuff until about 2.5 years ago. I’d be rocking firmly with a plain hem for well over ten years. Fooled around with the cuff, and have liked them so far. I began trying out cuffs and pleats at the same time after being firmly against those details for a long while. It takes time.

 

[exfalso]

On the MTM discussion - I too flew up to Toronto to get measured. A lot of my items needed remakes because of grossly inaccurate measurements. My most recent jacket (Marling & Evans undyed wool herringbone) did not but it also didn't turn out quite right. They slightly missed the mark on the flapped patch pockets despite implementing it well in RTW this season, and more importantly it feels just a bit short. I went back and forth w/ Spier about it because IMO it's 0.2" out of the +/- 0.5" error range they provide, but they reiterated that when measured prior to shipping out it was within spec, so I'm not sure what to make of it. It wasn't cheap so I'm wearing it, and it's arguably fine (bisects me) but I prefer it a bit longer. Ultimately I didn't put up a fight because Spier didn't bat a lash at my prev remakes and I've been happy w/ my MTM shirts and trousers. They suggested I just request a slightly longer length on my next custom makeup to mitigate this risk (my other recent jacket was also on the shorter end of the range at 29" when I asked for 29.5"). It's not bespoke so I don't expect more given the great value S&M represents, but I am starting to want for a higher-range w/ tighter allowances and more handwork that I could pay more for.

My condolences.

Your experience sounds suspiciously similar to mine. I had four in-store MTM orders in the past three years, none of which matched the measurements on the order sheet, except they refused to do anything, let alone pay for alterations. The trousers were 1" off at the waist and 2" at the hip after alterations, for example.

So I asked the MTM/MTO team to do an inspection this time. After reiterating about the "factory tolerances" multiple times, they decided it would be a good idea to alter the trousers without my consent and send it to me, and this is the end result. I suspect this is not the only case where they'd lie about doing in-store inspections.

They have now refused to do a remake again. I think it is time for me to jump ship -- I had 4 pending custom orders, which will all be cancelled. In retrospect, I do not think it was worth all this trouble (not just time and money) trying to fix the MTM pattern only to have them altered afterwards. It's impressive how little things add up and you end up on a pricing ladder just slightly below local bespoke suits.