Vents

[kidkim2]

What is your preference regarding vents?  What does your tailor recommend?  (And how emphatically?)

(a)  Center?  (Fred Astaire)

(b)  Side? (Prince Charles)

Â

 None at all?  (Cary Grant)

 

[johnnynorman3]

I like all three. I think that it depends on the cut of the suit and your body though. For example, I can't wear a double vent if the suit is not tapered a little at the waist -- the vents just don't fall properly. I just ordered a made to measure by WW Chan and went with double vents. Off the rack I have purchased 3 ventless, 1 center vent, and 1 double vent. The key is making sure the vents hang properly on your body. IMO, it is easier to get away with a "not perfectly fitting" suit if it is ventless.

 

[The_Foxx]

To me, only americans wear single-vented suits-- and we never look good wearing them. I haven't seen anyone wear double vents and not look good with one hand in the trouser pocket, not to mention it avoids the big problem with no vents: lots of wrinkling, as you're forced to sit on the jacket itself.

I switched to strictly double vents a few years ago, and there's no going any other way for me.

 

[LabelKing]

To me personally double side vents are the most aesthetically pleasing.

No vents is usually characteristic of Italian suits.

 

[TomW]

My preferences in order are:

Side vents - my overwhelming favorite

No vent

Center vent - deals too good to pass up...

the older I get, the more I refuse to buy anything not tailored with side vents.

 

[montecristo#4]

Absolutely agree with TomW.

 

[houston]

Are side vents more British and no vent Italian? Also, I recently bought a canali suit during a sample sale. The canali rep looked at me oddly when I asked about a center vent and told me almost all they do are side or no vent.

 

[jcusey]

Are side vents more British and no vent Italian? Also, I recently bought a canali suit during a sample sale. The canali rep looked at me oddly when I asked about a center vent and told me almost all they do are side or no vent.

The Italians have a way of taking good clothing ideas, improving on them, and making them thoroughly their own. Yes, I think that the British first used side vents, but they're so common on Italian jackets nowadays that you can't really call them British anymore.

 

[ernest]

2 vents which was for jumping at the begining

 

[Mike C.]

It's crazy that given the astheticaly pleasing look of side vents, one cannot find a suit of this nature in America for under $1000.

Also, side vents do not look good on everyone. One of my friends has a huge ass, and the flap in the back sticks out when he wears side vents. It looks REALLY funny.

 

[NavyStyles]

I prefer side vents, but most of my suits have center vents. Take what you can get...

 

[TomW]

It's crazy that given the astheticaly pleasing look of side vents, one cannot find a suit of this nature in America for under $1000.

Also, side vents do not look good on everyone. One of my friends has a huge ass, and the flap in the back sticks out when he wears side vents. It looks REALLY funny.

Finding suits with side vents for little money is fairly easy, I just bought 2 HSM Gold Trumpeter suits with side vents at Nordstrom's Anniversary sale for $240 ea. You do have to look harder, but they are there. Off 5th in my area has several at $599 from Zegna, Valentino, Hugo Boss and others - and since they don't seem to move as quickly as the more traditional center vented ones - most will be on clearance in a few months.

I agree that people with larger rears probably shouldn't wear side vents, unless they are very carefully tailored. No vent at all is often the best choice for those with more ample asses.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I agree that people with larger rears probably shouldn't wear side vents, unless they are very carefully tailored.

Actually, I think double vented is more flattering for a big backside. A single vent should hang down dead straight like a plumb line. You close the jacket and let us say, your rear pushes the single vent two inches apart. The vent being two inches out of the true is clearly visible.

Go now for side vents: the two inches become one inch on either side. Adding to this the fact that the sides of a double vent are cut at an angle, any distortion from the true is more difficult to detect. Of course it is a question of degree. Your butt might be so big that it pushes out regardless, but than the jacket is a very bad fit and miles too tight around the waist.

No vent at all is often the best choice for those with more ample asses.

Again, a question of degree. If your butt pulls the fabric all over the place, that's not a pretty sight.