Why are Allen Edmonds shoes so uncomfortable

[ValidusLA]

My tailors CMT price is $350 for trousers. Granted I have a slight discount and not many of his clients do CMT.

Paying $1000 for trousers is .... definitely not necessary.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I went with a sort of "anti-fit" oversized raglan coat that apparently is in old movies. The main draw was being able to choose my own fabric.

Anyway, my point on the $500 trousers thing was that affordable bespoke exists, it just often isn't obvious or publicized. I do realize now that pricing discussions are destined to circle the drain.

I like those in the Crombie style too. Not much of a fan of raglan sleeves, but they look better on others.

Well, again: I'm not too caught up in prices either. I was just pointing out that things can get expensive in this hobby, and it's ironic that those who purport to have frequent meetings with ancient tailoring masters are loath to admit this.

 

[FlyingHorker]

Nobilis' comment about people who whine over $500 trousers reminds me of someone I know. This person has a lot of experience commissioning bespoke clothes from Neapolitan, Florentine, and Savile Row tailors. He's one of the most stylish guys I know.

One day, we were getting lunch and talking about a trouser maker who was starting his own firm. The trouser maker was planning to charge people $1,000 for bespoke pants. The guy I was having lunch with said, "do people really pay $1,000 for pants?" I told him that's on the lower end of the price scale for traveling tailors who visit the US. The friend said that's insane and he couldn't wrap his head around such prices. He pays about $300.

Hmm I do find that surprising, I assumed all tailors in those regions charge that much.

With the tailor I use, the only way I found out about him was through word of mouth. An old salesman heard me use the word full canvas at a Men's Warehouse and basically told me "You'll be more satisfied with this guy."

I wonder if those tailors are similiar in that they have next to no internet or marketing presence.

 

[TheChihuahua]

Nobilis' comment about people who whine over $500 trousers reminds me of someone I know. This person has a lot of experience commissioning bespoke clothes from Neapolitan, Florentine, and Savile Row tailors. He's one of the most stylish guys I know.

One day, we were getting lunch and talking about a trouser maker who was starting his own firm. The trouser maker was planning to charge people $1,000 for bespoke pants. The guy I was having lunch with said, "do people really pay $1,000 for pants?" I told him that's on the lower end of the price scale for traveling tailors who visit the US. The friend said that's insane and he couldn't wrap his head around such prices. He pays about $300.

I think most people find trousers to be more of a disposable item? A suit is a long term piece, while casual pants fill a short term utility need?

i would gladly pay a few thousand for a suit. But trousers? What am I missing, why would I do that?

I guess in today’s world where suits aren’t worn as often I could see why people might be more into more casual/less professional atttire, more for social occasions or a relaxed workplace environment? Or are these trousers to be mixed with sport coats for work?

as I mentioned, I live in the tropics. I wear a suit to work. If I’m not at work, I can’t remember the last time I was wearing any type of long legged pants (golf shorts or beach attire 99% of the non-working hours)

 

[Nobilis Animus]

My tailors CMT price is $350 for trousers. Granted I have a slight discount and not many of his clients do CMT.

Paying $1000 for trousers is .... definitely not necessary.

Well, if a suit costs you $2000 - let's just say - you're technically paying at least 700 for the trousers. Much more for more expensive suits.

That was my original point in the other thread.

 

[FlyingHorker]

My tailors CMT price is $350 for trousers. Granted I have a slight discount and not many of his clients do CMT.

Paying $1000 for trousers is .... definitely not necessary.

I think this is part of it for me too. I don't think CMT is common with my tailor. Not sure if he gives me a discount, but everything he quotes me on seems reasonable.

I like those in the Crombie style too. Not much of a fan of raglan sleeves, but they look better on others.

Well, again: I'm not too caught up in prices either. I was just pointing out that things can get expensive in this hobby, and it's ironic that those who purport to have frequent meetings with ancient tailoring masters are loath to admit this.

Oh for sure.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I think most people find trousers to be more of a disposable item? A suit is a long term piece, while casual pants fill a short term utility need?

i would gladly pay a few thousand for a suit. But trousers? What am I missing, why would I do that?

I guess in today’s world where suits aren’t worn as often I could see why people might be more into more casual/less professional atttire, more for social occasions or a relaxed workplace environment? Or are these trousers to be mixed with sport coats for work?

as I mentioned, I live in the tropics. I wear a suit to work. If I’m not at work, I can’t remember the last time I was wearing any type of long legged pants (golf shorts or beach attire 99% of the non-working hours)

If you're paying several thousand for a suit, you just did pay $1000 for the trousers.

 

[TheChihuahua]

If you're paying several thousand for a suit, you just did pay $1000 for the trousers.

Oh in that sense I get it.
But stand alone trousers?
Although the more I think about it, if I did live in a location with cooler weather and long pants wore worn with more regularity, it’s not that bad.

 

[ValidusLA]

Well, if a suit costs you $2000 - let's just say - you're technically paying at least 700 for the trousers. Much more for more expensive suits.

That was my original point in the other thread.

Oh I'm not saying it's hard to pay more, I'm saying it's not necessary.

My shop is so reasonably priced that there are probably SF members who would insist it can't be bespoke.

 

[dieworkwear]

I think most people find trousers to be more of a disposable item? A suit is a long term piece, while casual pants fill a short term utility need?

i would gladly pay a few thousand for a suit. But trousers? What am I missing, why would I do that?

I guess in today’s world where suits aren’t worn as often I could see why people might be more into more casual/less professional atttire, more for social occasions or a relaxed workplace environment? Or are these trousers to be mixed with sport coats for work?

as I mentioned, I live in the tropics. I wear a suit to work. If I’m not at work, I can’t remember the last time I was wearing any type of long legged pants (golf shorts or beach attire 99% of the non-working hours)

They are trousers meant to be worn with sport coats.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Oh in that sense I get it.
But stand alone trousers?
Although the more I think about it, if I did live in a location with cooler weather and long pants wore worn with more regularity, it’s not that bad.

For stand-alone trousers it's different. But then we're talking about the difference between a few hundred dollars, not thousand. What @ValidusLA quoted was the range at which people were balking.

But this is a forum where most of us have at least one superfluous item which costs $200 and could be had for $20, so the kind of reverse-snobbery that suggests there's something wrong with being aware of the cost of doing business, as it were, is pure bosh.

 

[rikod]

The discussion in that thread wasn't even about bespoke, but that some thought anything over 200 or whatever for trousers was too expensive or a rip-off, and me trying to explain that it's hardly the most expensive item in this kind of hobby.

That's very different from looking down upon people who can't afford bespoke. And I'd personally rather talk about other topics too - but it's difficult to do when everyone's so caught up in 'the rules' or else sensitive to other recommendations beyond the usual Styleforum offerings.

You said it yourself, this thread evolved , and about bespoke, it's a big expensive deal in developed countries. When I was living in the Dominican Republic, almost everything was bespoke (except shoes), the prices were not a lot higher than RTW, and fine job they did.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

You said it yourself, this thread evolved , and about bespoke, it's a big expensive deal in developed countries. When I was living in the Dominican Republic, almost everything was bespoke (except shoes), the prices were not a lot higher than RTW, and fine job they did.

I was actually referring to the previous one, but yes. I can't say I've had any experience with tailors in the DR, but I imagine a lot of things are cheaper elsewhere. Most first world countries are horribly overpriced in everything.

 

[thedose]

I'm at the development of this thread, but also impressed that it's matured this way -- carry on gentlemen!

 

[stuffedsuperdud]

If you're paying several thousand for a suit, you just did pay $1000 for the trousers.

If you want to do the price breakdown that way, then yea. For my tailor though, the pants of a suit are almost an afterthought, and he just charges $300 + fabric beyond the cost of the jacket. It only takes him 4 hours for him to make a pair of pants by himself after your pattern is established, so $75/hr for his skills is fair. $250/hr though is a funny joke that Satoria Atelier House of Greaves, Huntsdude & Pamela Anderson and Sheepshead is playing on igents.