Un-Crisp Suit Lapels

[Lawman]

All my suits seem to develop this problem sooner or later. When new, the lapels on the jacket are crisp, and lay flat when on a hanger. As time goes by, however, they lose that crisp edge, and become floppy. How do you address this? Take them in for a pressing?

Mind you, these are nice suits: Hickey Freeman, Zegna, Canali. When buttoned they will lay down, but it still bugs me.

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Mark

 

[j]

Do you have any pictures of what you mean by "crisp"? I hope you don't mean that they are smashed down flat when you get them. They should roll, or curl, gently around, projecting from the chest like so:

Some steam will usually pop lapels back into service. Don't press them yourself unless you know what you're doing, though.

 

[pengesq]

On the rare occassions when I do dry clean my suits, the lapels always come back really flat. I take a handheld steam and steam them at the fold in the back and they usually spring back to life.

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by j

Do you have any pictures of what you mean by "crisp"? I hope you don't mean that they are smashed down flat when you get them. They should roll, or curl, gently around, projecting from the chest like so:

Some steam will usually pop lapels back into service. Don't press them yourself unless you know what you're doing, though.

Nice reference from a great movie.

lefty

 

[LARon]

The suit Jimmy Stewart's wearing is my ideal. Pure class, baby, puuuure class.

 

[Jovan]

The men's wardrobe in Rope was extremely classy. Hitchcock movies tend to make an impression.

 

[Sator]

My Italian tailor call coats which lie as flat as a pancake "pizzas".

It is a pretty sure sign they have been cooked ie glued ("fused" being the industry standard euphemism).

If it is the rumply pyjama look you are concerned about that afflicts high end canvass construction coats then it is due to the use of excessively light weight super wools (usually around S150). To get around this have suits made of fabrics with decent body to them ie >11 Oz weight.

The vintage suits in Js pictures will probably be in the range of 15 - 23 Oz weight. That's why they drape so well and always look 'crisp'.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Has anybody ever seen a flannel suit with really clean looking arms? I know that I have not. I guess it is part of the vibe of the fabric.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Has anybody ever seen a flannel suit with really clean looking arms? I know that I have not. I guess it is part of the vibe of the fabric.
How do you mean "clean looking"?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by j

How do you mean "clean looking"?
I meal that Stewart's suit, as beautiful as it is, looks all scrunchy on the sleeves like all flannel suits do, while the other guy's hangs perfectly.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I meal that Stewart's suit, as beautiful as it is, looks all scrunchy on the sleeves like all flannel suits do, while the other guy's hangs perfectly.
Well, Jimmy's suit has overbuilt shoulders and his arms are up a bit. Also his sleeves are much more fitted than the other guy. If you watch the movie there doesn't seem to be much difference in how the suits drape, really.

 

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by Lawman

All my suits seem to develop this problem sooner or later. When new, the lapels on the jacket are crisp, and lay flat when on a hanger. As time goes by, however, they lose that crisp edge, and become floppy. How do you address this? Take them in for a pressing?

Mind you, these are nice suits: Hickey Freeman, Zegna, Canali. When buttoned they will lay down, but it still bugs me.

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Mark

when pressing a lapel, it must be opened flat. steam only will just make it puff up. it must be pressed flat in the open position.
a stitiched edge will stay crisp and not get puffy.

 

[A Y]

Which movie is that picture of Jimmy Stewart from?

--Andre

 

[j]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

Which movie is that picture of Jimmy Stewart from?

--Andre
Rope.

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Has anybody ever seen a flannel suit with really clean looking arms? I know that I have not. I guess it is part of the vibe of the fabric.

I never noticed that before. I just looked at three different flannels in the mirror and don't find the problem that is pictured in j's image. The jackets are from some older Oxxford suits. Two of the flannel cloths are labeled Mansion and the other is labeled Fawnskin. They were made MTM for me in 1995.

I do notice the rumple in some of my tweeds. Even with their heavier weight, they don't have the same elegant line.

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