Suit brand recommendations for tall and skinny guys (190cm/6ft 3)

[mjdn]

Hello everyone,

I've only registered an account on this forum today, but as far back as 2011, I've found this place very helpful for advice on formal menswear. If any of you would be able to help me out here with some recommendations, I'd be very grateful.

I'm fairly tall and skinny (190cm / 6ft 3, 82kg), so have always had a problem finding OTR suits and shirts to fit properly. I'm looking to expand my formalwear wardrobe. My current wardrobe is fairly limited. I have two OTR suits: a Charles Tyrwhitt (due to retire) and a Gieves and Hawkes, a pair of Cheaney Oxfords, and some TM Lewin shirts. (Though TM Lewin comes in for a bit of grief here, it's the only brand that's ever fit me off the rack, and after a trip a few years ago to pretty much every shirt shop on Jermyn street, London, I couldn't find any alternatives).

Since covid, my workplace has become very informal and slobby, but I'm looking to move employers and would like to improve my wardrobe before then. My budget has increased since my Charles Tyrwhitt and TM Lewin purchases (though it looks like inflation has too!), so I now have better options. Brands in London would be best, though Paris and Milan are also options (I suspect Italians will be closer to my skinny fit, but I'm not keen on the Neapolitan shoulder). Also Dublin for tailors, but I doubt that.

For shirts, are there brands with the same range of fits as TM Lewin off the rack? I'm reluctant to spend the money on custom shirts, when I could put that money to a custom made suit instead.

For suits, I'm willing to try MTM or fully tailored if that will work out better (up to about €2k if inflation hasn't made that a laughable figure). I'm looking for a very basic, two piece, single breasted suit, nothing fancy in terms of cut or material.

Any recommendations of brands to peruse would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TheIronDandy]

If you're in London, I strongly suggest you check out Cad&the Dandy. While they do some RTW, the real appeal is that they do full bespoke at rates MUCH lower than other Saville Row tailors, comparable in price to many MtM outfits.

I'm 194cm and about 93kg, and I find it almost impossible to find things that fit well; at your weight, it would probably be even harder to find something that fits. I've had multiple things made from Cad through their Swedish sister company, and I've been very happy both with fit and with quality.

Not exactly the advice you were looking for, but as a fellow beanpole(ish) suit wearer, I know our options are sometimes limited.

 

[Hₑighthere]

If you aren't looking to spend very much on shirts, maybe ones from specialists like 2tall or Girav would fit you better. (It sounds as though you've probably tried the 'tall' sizes from places like M&S and Moss, although their websites are a better source than their high-street shops.) However, you might find that pairing an inexpensive RTW shirt with a custom suit causes the shirt to let the suit down, so to speak. I get all my shirts MTM now, but my proportions are even more unusual.

 

[mjdn]

Thank you both for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!

(It sounds as though you've probably tried the 'tall' sizes from places like M&S and Moss, although their websites are a better source than their high-street shops.)

Yes, unfortunately, most labels scale width with length. So for the bean poles among us, it's either short sleeves or a poorly fitting shirt. Thanks for those two recommendations, I will check them out.

If you're in London, I strongly suggest you check out Cad&the Dandy. While they do some RTW, the real appeal is that they do full bespoke at rates MUCH lower than other Saville Row tailors, comparable in price to many MtM outfits.

I'm 194cm and about 93kg, and I find it almost impossible to find things that fit well; at your weight, it would probably be even harder to find something that fits. I've had multiple things made from Cad through their Swedish sister company, and I've been very happy both with fit and with quality.

Not exactly the advice you were looking for, but as a fellow beanpole(ish) suit wearer, I know our options are sometimes limited.

That's a great endorsement, thank you. It looks like bespoke could be the best option for me, rather than endless shopping. Now I just need to spend some time learning about fabrics!

 

[ppk]

I'm similar - 6ft/183cm 145lbs/66kgs. I have a short torso and long legs and I really detest slim fit clothing - makes it tough to find RTW stuff.

I have found MTM works really well for me. I'm not ready for pure bespoke yet.

I have really dialed in my fit with Luxire and I can get almost perfect fitting clothes through them. It did take some patience. The other good thing is that they can source great fabric - especially Dugdale. You just have to request it.

Just started a suit with them in a beautiful brown cavalry twill from Dugdale. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[TheIronDandy]

That's a great endorsement, thank you. It looks like bespoke could be the best option for me, rather than endless shopping. Now I just need to spend some time learning about fabrics!

Just be aware, the bespoke process can be a bit... addictive.

I'll give you some unsolicited advice, if you don't mind (if you do mind, feel free to stop reading here )

Don't overthink it too much. Get a good idea on your NEED (like "formal business suit" or "informal tweed jacket that is still dressy enough for lunch at a nice restaurant in the city"), don't get too obsessive over fabric weights, lapel shapes or cloth mills, at least not for your first pieces. Every bespoke house has a "default style" (the house cut), and that will usually be your best bet (if the tailor has a RTW sortiment, you can try some of that on and use it as a base line. But remember, you're not a designer (ignore this if you are actually a designer) and neither is your tailor.

For fabrics, I can recommend the classic "City of London" bunch, which has a lot of mid-weight suit fabrics at reasonable prices. Usually for your first commission, going with a "safe" fabrics and designs are the best: dark navy or mid-to-dark grey, twill or plain weave. It's easy to go crazy with superfine wools or cashmere blends, but remember: a bespoke suit will likely be a HUGE upgrade to anything you have already, you don't really need to go crazy with unusual fabrics. If you're buying for the long term, a harder wearing fabric is usually a better investment than then very smooth but more fragile Super 160s wool.

 

[mjdn]

I'm similar - 6ft/183cm 145lbs/66kgs. I have a short torso and long legs and I really detest slim fit clothing - makes it tough to find RTW stuff.

I have found MTM works really well for me. I'm not ready for pure bespoke yet.

I have really dialed in my fit with Luxire and I can get almost perfect fitting clothes through them. It did take some patience. The other good thing is that they can source great fabric - especially Dugdale. You just have to request it.

Just started a suit with them in a beautiful brown cavalry twill from Dugdale. Keeping my fingers crossed.

These are great recommendations, thank you. I will check them out. Hope the suit works out for you - let us know how it goes!

Just be aware, the bespoke process can be a bit... addictive.

I'll give you some unsolicited advice, if you don't mind (if you do mind, feel free to stop reading here )

Don't overthink it too much. Get a good idea on your NEED (like "formal business suit" or "informal tweed jacket that is still dressy enough for lunch at a nice restaurant in the city"), don't get too obsessive over fabric weights, lapel shapes or cloth mills, at least not for your first pieces. Every bespoke house has a "default style" (the house cut), and that will usually be your best bet (if the tailor has a RTW sortiment, you can try some of that on and use it as a base line. But remember, you're not a designer (ignore this if you are actually a designer) and neither is your tailor.

For fabrics, I can recommend the classic "City of London" bunch, which has a lot of mid-weight suit fabrics at reasonable prices. Usually for your first commission, going with a "safe" fabrics and designs are the best: dark navy or mid-to-dark grey, twill or plain weave. It's easy to go crazy with superfine wools or cashmere blends, but remember: a bespoke suit will likely be a HUGE upgrade to anything you have already, you don't really need to go crazy with unusual fabrics. If you're buying for the long term, a harder wearing fabric is usually a better investment than then very smooth but more fragile Super 160s wool.

This is very good advice, and it fits with how I think. I really am just looking for the most generic business suit. The only things I really care about are: [1] a great fit, and [2] a fabric that will accept some punishment. I'd imagine that this is fairly quotidian stuff for a London tailor, and they won't need to reinvent the wheel for me. When you refer to the classic "City of London" bunch of fabrics - is this a term of art? I couldn't figure out what they are.

While I'm happy to accept the advice of a professional, finding one who [1] knows their stuff, and [2] can be trusted, is the difficult part. It's a problem in many areas of life where one needs a person with specialist skills (a mechanic, a lawyer, a doctor, etc.). How do you learn just enough to be able to communicate your needs, and how do you evaluate whether that person has the skills and trustworthiness.

 

[TheIronDandy]

These are great recommendations, thank you. I will check them out. Hope the suit works out for you - let us know how it goes!



This is very good advice, and it fits with how I think. I really am just looking for the most generic business suit. The only things I really care about are: [1] a great fit, and [2] a fabric that will accept some punishment. I'd imagine that this is fairly quotidian stuff for a London tailor, and they won't need to reinvent the wheel for me. When you refer to the classic "City of London" bunch of fabrics - is this a term of art? I couldn't figure out what they are.

While I'm happy to accept the advice of a professional, finding one who [1] knows their stuff, and [2] can be trusted, is the difficult part. It's a problem in many areas of life where one needs a person with specialist skills (a mechanic, a lawyer, a doctor, etc.). How do you learn just enough to be able to communicate your needs, and how do you evaluate whether that person has the skills and trustworthiness.

To get the basic terminology down, I think asking around on SF and maybe reading a few guides. I recommend dieworkwear.com (though it's rarely updated he has a big archive), putthison.com (same thing - big archive) and permanentstyle.com (if you can look past his tendency to suggest that people buy 10k watches, his knowledge of English bespoke is extremely good)). Other people may have other recommendations.

City of London was the name of a fabric bunch, but googling it now I can't find it (it might have been re-named). It held reasonably priced, mid weight worsted fabrics, very much suited (pun intended) for business suits. At any rate, I think most tailors will have a bunch or two of fabrics like this - good, solid suit fabrics that are neither to heavy or too light.

I would suggest that you swing by Cad (or another tailor you're considering), ask to browse some fabrics and see what the cost would be. Make sure they know you won't make an order the same day (if they get pushy or snobby about this, you know you don't want to do business with them!)