The Official-ish DC Thread

[smittycl]

Downtown looks like a painting on this blustery Fall day. Short urban ride with hopefully longer one tomorrow.

 

[Litigation Cures All]

Curious about people’s thoughts on entry-level suiting. I’ve been on a S&M binge the last year, but want to give other options a try. Planning to try Kent Wang. Does anyone have experience with both brands? Are they direct competitors or at different levels? They both offer name brand mills from England and Italy, produce their garments in China, and offer full canvass, high quality construction suits around the $600-$700 range. S&M offers half canvass standard in the $200-400 range.

 

[smittycl]

Shiny Suit Monday. I can’t believe a it’s almost 80 out today.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Curious about people’s thoughts on entry-level suiting. I’ve been on a S&M binge the last year, but want to give other options a try. Planning to try Kent Wang. Does anyone have experience with both brands? Are they direct competitors or at different levels? They both offer name brand mills from England and Italy, produce their garments in China, and offer full canvass, high quality construction suits around the $600-$700 range. S&M offers half canvass standard in the $200-400 range.

I have a Kent Wang suit. I don't wear suits that often, and it's my go-to. My tailor, Christopher Kim, said that it was a very nice suit, and I defer to his judgment. Unfortunately it didn't fit great out of the box despite the measurements Kent took, so I needed to have it tailored quite a bit.

 

[smittycl]

I have a Kent Wang suit. I don't wear suits that often, and it's my go-to. My tailor, Christopher Kim, said that it was a very nice suit, and I defer to his judgment. Unfortunately it didn't fit great out of the box despite the measurements Kent took, so I needed to have it tailored quite a bit.

I have one suit and one sport coat that turned out well but also needed much further tailoring. I found KW's communications and process to be very fraught. Also, tailoring arrives stuffed into a USPS Priority Mail box. At least mine did. I gave up on them.

@Litigation Cures All it seems like you're about to make the same mistakes most of us did. You really get what you pay for. Why not just find a RTW maker that works for you or visit a local MTM like Ezra Paul or wait for a traveling tailor to come by? I've discovered over the years that short cuts never work.

 

[Kangnamstyles]

Curious about people’s thoughts on entry-level suiting. I’ve been on a S&M binge the last year, but want to give other options a try. Planning to try Kent Wang. Does anyone have experience with both brands? Are they direct competitors or at different levels? They both offer name brand mills from England and Italy, produce their garments in China, and offer full canvass, high quality construction suits around the $600-$700 range. S&M offers half canvass standard in the $200-400 range.

If you’re done with SM, I would look at Ring Jacket for rtw.

 

[smittycl]

If you’re done with SM, I would look at Ring Jacket for rtw.

I love The Armoury's RJ Model 3. If I ever decide on MTM again it will be with them or NMWA's Carrara stuff.

EDIT: Also, you get to take the train up to NYC!

 

[Kangnamstyles]

I love The Armoury's RJ Model 3. If I ever decide on MTM again it will be with them or NMWA's Carrara stuff.

EDIT: Also, you get to take the train up to NYC!

Definitely on my check list for my next trip up.

 

[mak1277]

Curious about people’s thoughts on entry-level suiting. I’ve been on a S&M binge the last year, but want to give other options a try. Planning to try Kent Wang. Does anyone have experience with both brands? Are they direct competitors or at different levels? They both offer name brand mills from England and Italy, produce their garments in China, and offer full canvass, high quality construction suits around the $600-$700 range. S&M offers half canvass standard in the $200-400 range.

Do you not like S&M or you just want to try different things?

 

[scurvyfreedman]

Do you not like S&M or you just want to try different things?

I used to buy a lot of things at Syms, when they existed. Then, Nordstrom Rack. Mostly Hickey Freeman, Canali, and Corneliani. Once I dialed in a size I moved on to eBay, both for those brands and for Savile Row suits in my size. Of course eBay can be hit and miss. You need to know how your measurements translate to suit measurements. And, of course you have to find the right deal. Many sellers hope to make a killing. I'd rather buy lightly worn higher end suits to lower end tailoring.

I have always gotten my shirts from My Tailor/Hemrajani Brothers when they come to DC. It's now Divij. I think I will get a few tailored items made by Divij eventually so they will be new to me and tailored right from the start.

 

[Litigation Cures All]

Do you not like S&M or you just want to try different things?

I love S&M. Their OTR suits/SCs fit my body type very well off the rack. The construction quality (especially if you go full canvass) is phenomenal. I’m curious as to what other options are out there and what you can get with those options that S&M doesn’t have.

 

[mak1277]

I love S&M. Their OTR suits/SCs fit my body type very well off the rack. The construction quality (especially if you go full canvass) is phenomenal. I’m curious as to what other options are out there and what you can get with those options that S&M doesn’t have.

I think you're going to be hard pressed to find a better selection, better quality and similar prices anywhere else OTR. Kent Wang only has 10 sport coats/suit coats on their website. I've heard good things about Natalino, but they also have a relatively small range. You can certainly pick & choose specific styles off those sites, but I'm not sure where else you'll find the same range.

Have you explored the MTO program at Spier? Wonder if you could find those "other options" through them while keeping the fit you like?

Beyond that, I think you're looking at a step up in price.

 

[Litigation Cures All]

I think you're going to be hard pressed to find a better selection, better quality and similar prices anywhere else OTR. Kent Wang only has 10 sport coats/suit coats on their website. I've heard good things about Natalino, but they also have a relatively small range. You can certainly pick & choose specific styles off those sites, but I'm not sure where else you'll find the same range.

Have you explored the MTO program at Spier? Wonder if you could find those "other options" through them while keeping the fit you like?

Beyond that, I think you're looking at a step up in price.

It certainly seems so. I did a MTO S&M suit that I was very happy with. You certainly have enormous options in that customization area. I am dialing in my MTM shirting with them, which will become my go-to for all shirting. I have bespoke shirts that cost 4x a S&M shirt, which I think are actually about the same in quality as S&M shirts.

 

[beepbop]

Curious about people’s thoughts on entry-level suiting. I’ve been on a S&M binge the last year, but want to give other options a try. Planning to try Kent Wang. Does anyone have experience with both brands? Are they direct competitors or at different levels? They both offer name brand mills from England and Italy, produce their garments in China, and offer full canvass, high quality construction suits around the $600-$700 range. S&M offers half canvass standard in the $200-400 range.

I'm going to second what other people have said, and suggest saving and going up to RJ if you have a good rotation going. I have a RJ for the Armoury model 3. I brought it to Field Tailors for tailoring and he was fairly impressed with the construction

 

[bicycleradical]

Can anyone suggest a good cobbler in the DC area? I've been to Bedo's and while he does a great job, he was pretty expensive. Since I'm not wearing Northampton made shoe or others of that caliber, it may be overkill to visit Bedo. Aram from AH One is an option as well.

Is there anyone else around?