• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Thrifted suit: Alteration suggestions, please.

Asch

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,276
Reaction score
0
I'm new to the world of decent clothing and have been browsing the forum for a couple of months. Thanks for all the wisdom and entertainment!
fing02[1].gif
At a thrift shop today I picked up a lightly patterned charcoal suit that seems to fit me quite well. I'm attaching pics for your critique -- both so that I can get any sensible alterations done to it, and so that I'll be more knowledgeable next time I go suit-hunting. Any comments on the ties are also welcome. For a little context: I'm 5'9" and 135 lbs and am looking for a versatile fit, something between UCBD and OBTC.
bigstar[1].gif
Please excuse the poor shirt and the awful lighting and color (I did the best I could with GIMP). Also, the lopsided sleeve lengths is just idiosyncractic to the front photo.



 

prozach1576

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2006
Messages
850
Reaction score
68
You could easily get away without altering that at all. Looks good, IMO.
 

Tomasso

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
4,067
Reaction score
19
Aside from the sleeve pitch issue, the suit looks pretty good.
 

Leaveitothexperts

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
667
Reaction score
0
What size is that suit?


5'9", 135 lbs, I think you need a little waist suppression.
 

Asch

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,276
Reaction score
0
>>> \tAside from the sleeve pitch issue, the suit looks pretty good.

What is the "sleeve pitch issue"? You may have to spell things out for me -- still learning terminology.



>>>What size is that suit?

It's marked a 36R. My chest is about 35" and my waist 29". I'm also thinking some additional suppression would help: it seems like there's a lot of bagginess in the midsection.
 

Leaveitothexperts

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
667
Reaction score
0
From the pictures it seems you have a slightly shorter torso, so the jacket needs to be a tad longer . . . . just MHO though, I'm sure someone more experienced is going to add something . . . . .
 

Tomasso

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
4,067
Reaction score
19
Originally Posted by Asch
>>> \tAside from the sleeve pitch issue, the suit looks pretty good.

What is the "sleeve pitch issue"? You may have to spell things out for me -- still learning terminology


The wrinkling in the triceps area indicates that the sleeves are not hanging properly. Look Here
 

Asch

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,276
Reaction score
0
Vman, It's an Abboud. Fused, I know, but I don't expect it to last forever. I won't be wearing suits frequently for at least another year or two and am just trying to acquire a few nicely fitted ones and develop a sense of style.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, guys. I appreciate the help very much. It's amazing to be able to get a variety of well-informed opinions on these matters for free! (I'll be starting the 1000th "critique my Jantzen" thread when/if my first MTM shirt arrives...)
 

VMan

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
4,996
Reaction score
34
Originally Posted by Asch
Vman, It's an Abboud. Fused, I know, but I don't expect it to last forever. I won't be wearing suits frequently for at least another year or two and am just trying to acquire a few nicely fitted ones and develop a sense of style.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, guys. I appreciate the help very much. It's amazing to be able to get a variety of well-informed opinions on these matters for free! (I'll be starting the 1000th "critique my Jantzen" thread when/if my first MTM shirt arrives...)


One of my favorite jackets for business or more conservative-type things (I.E. Costume National jacket would not be acceptable) is a navy blue Abboud nailhead. Beautiful fabric, nicely constructed, fit me perfectly right from the Goodwill. Pretty modern details - double vented, high stance two button.
 

Sator

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
3,083
Reaction score
39
I would suggest a tad more waist suppression. If you look at the coat from the side, the small of the back is hidden by the drape of the skirt. I like to see the curve of the back coming through a bit more. You are also quite slim and you should consider this your best assest rather than hiding it underneath so much drape.
 

Mute

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
1,205
Reaction score
127
Looks like a nice suit. I'd just get a bit of waist suppression and maybe take it in a tad in the skirt area. A great thing about a suit in this color is versatility. Any one of the ties you displayed will work nicely if you choose the right shirt and pocket square.
 

j

(stands for Jerk)
Admin
Spamminator Moderator
Joined
Feb 17, 2002
Messages
14,663
Reaction score
105
It looks like the pants are sagging a bit in the seat, but it should be something simple to fix, where a tailor will know what to do when he sees it. Probably just taking in the waist and seat a bit will do it.

And as if it hasn't been said enough, get the waist trimmed down a little bit.
 

Asch

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,276
Reaction score
0
Terrific, sounds like there's a lot of consensus!

Would it be possible to roughly quantify what you all mean by "a little bit" with regard to the waist suppression, or is that impossible without seeing the suit in person? I have limited experience with tailors but in my few encounters I have been frustrated by their lack of direction, leaving it up to the naive customer to decide what's best. Perhaps I just need to find a good tailor. I'm concerned that if I ask the tailor for "a bit of waist suppression," his interpretation of this may be as hard to predict as asking a barber for "short" hair.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,174
Messages
10,579,196
Members
223,889
Latest member
CBDJointPlusGumy
Top