Why no love for the three piece suit?

[Mute]

Does anyone have an opinion on pinstripes on a 3-piece suit? If the pinstripes are subtle, it can work nicely, but if they are bold, it looks rather clownish. Bold pinstripes in general are garish, but a bold pinstriped 3-piece suit can look like a clown suit or pajamas.

I would like to add that pinstripes on a grey suit seem more muted than equally bold pinstripes on a navy suit. I've seen bold pinstripes on a grey suit, and they seem acceptable if not appealing, but bold pinstripes on a navy suit are too obvious and flamboyant.

Any opinions?

I think it's a solid choice. How bold depends on the taste of the wearer. Unless you're going for a pattern or colors that really sticks out, I don't think it's flamboyant at all.

 

[chocsosa]

I like your TF and Suitsupply (surprisingly) the best. I have a question for you about your TF: Did you have the shoulders adjusted? Did you narrow the shoulders and remove most of the shoulder padding? That's what I do with TFs.

I did do some re-shaping with my tailors.. they did a great job.. if you have seen me on the WAYWRN thread, you would have read some of the re-construction jobs my old tailors did on a lot of suits I owned.. they were the most talented team of tailors I have worked with here in the U.S... It's a lovely suit.. unfortunately, I don't have to wear it as much anymore as I don't work at an office anymore (remote the last 4 years), and outside of church service, it probably gets worn once every other year (the TF one at best)

All your three-piece-suits look great! The price tag does not matter as long as they fit you well and you enjoy wearing them.

Best regards

Pascal

I put the makers so that people could see that from the outside in, high fashion suits look pretty similar when tailored right.. with high-end suits, however, it's more about the subtle details and finishes that separate the good ones from the great ones..Thanks for your words, Pascal!

 

[Professor Χάος]

I personally consider this an example of a fashion disaster. The pinstripes are too bold, giving him the appearance of a well-dressed inmate or that he's still wearing pajamas. Given the vest, as well as the bold stripes, there are simply too many stripes everywhere, which distract the eye from the man wearing the suit, which is where the focus should be. The suit is meant to enhance the appearance of the wearer, not to overwhelm the eye with a flashy exhibition.

I've seen tasteful navy pinstripe 3-piece suits. The pinstripes are usually subtle or have a blue tint, so they don't contrast too strongly with the navy color. Furthermore, Henry is too large to wear 3-piece or double breasted suits. The vest on the 3-piece and double breasted cut give him extra girth, that he does not need. 3-piece and double breasted suits look best on thinner/taller men, like @chocsosa. For men who are body builders or larger or short, or a combination of those features, they should stick with a two piece, which will slim their frame somewhat.

 

[Professor Χάος]

I consider this a classy ensemble and I would buy this suit in 1 second if I found it at a decent price (or probably overspend even if it was expensive). Note the blue tint of the stripes blends into the navy color of the suit, giving the suit an extra visual dimension without overwhelming the eye. The overall effect is quite dramatic, and I'm sure girls would fall all over themselves if they saw a man walking down the street similarly attired (which is the primary point of dressing well after all..haha).

 

[Pascal1980]

Actually I have a "city suit", a navy-blue three-piece-suit with white pinstrips. It was the classic uniform of the banker in the city, London, Frankfurt and NewYork alike. I like it a lot and I am of average height (5'11", or 1,80m) and build (~80kg or 176 lbs). The lighting of the second photo also makes a negative difference.

The pinstrip suit with the subtle blue pinstrips looks great as well.

Best regards

Paslca

I personally consider this an example of a fashion disaster. The pinstripes are too bold, giving him the appearance of a well-dressed inmate or that he's still wearing pajamas. Given the vest, as well as the bold stripes, there are simply too many stripes everywhere, which distract the eye from the man wearing the suit, which is where the focus should be. The suit is meant to enhance the appearance of the wearer, not to overwhelm the eye with a flashy exhibition.

I've seen tasteful navy pinstripe 3-piece suits. The pinstripes are usually subtle or have a blue tint, so they don't contrast too strongly with the navy color. Furthermore, Henry is too large to wear 3-piece or double breasted suits. The vest on the 3-piece and double breasted cut give him extra girth, that he does not need. 3-piece and double breasted suits look best on thinner/taller men, like @chocsosa. For men who are body builders or larger or short, or a combination of those features, they should stick with a two piece, which will slim their frame somewhat.

View attachment 2225011 View attachment 2225013

 

[Professor Χάος]

Actually I have a "city suit", a navy-blue three-piece-suit with white pinstrips. It was the classic uniform of the banker in the city, London, Frankfurt and NewYork alike. I like it a lot and I am of average height (5'11", or 1,80m) and build (~80kg or 176 lbs). The lighting of the second photo also makes a negative difference.

The pinstrip suit with the subtle blue pinstrips looks great as well.

Best regards

Paslca

Are the pinstripes on your suit as bold and prominent? Perhaps their spacing is wider?

 

[othertravel]

I consider this a classy ensemble and I would buy this suit in 1 second if I found it at a decent price (or probably overspend even if it was expensive). Note the blue tint of the stripes blends into the navy color of the suit, giving the suit an extra visual dimension without overwhelming the eye. The overall effect is quite dramatic, and I'm sure girls would fall all over themselves if they saw a man walking down the street similarly attired (which is the primary point of dressing well after all..haha).

View attachment 2225017

Who’s the maker of this suit?

 

[Professor Χάος]

I don't know. I found this picture online.

Who’s the maker of this suit?

 

[Mute]

The Cavill suit does stand out quite a bit. If the stripes were sparser and farther apart I think it would have been ok. Or like you said, if that had just been a two piece, probably good to go.

 

[Pascal1980]

Are the pinstripes on your suit as bold and prominent? Perhaps their spacing is wider?

Yes, the spacing is wider. The strips are bold, prominent nonetheless.

 

[Professor Χάος]

Yes, the spacing is wider. The strips are bold, prominent nonetheless.

In truth, part of my motivation for critiquing bold pinstripe suits, is that I'm considering one for myself. It's not a 3-piece, but I can always find the vest. It's a Tom Ford, and its possible that the pinstripes are not quite as bold as the picture suggests.

I've been doing a little research, and "boldness" of the stripe seems to be a function of how many lines of thread are used in the weaving of the pinstripe. Bolder pinstripes are created out of 3-6 thread lines (sorry I don't know the technical name for the weaving patterns). Less prominent pinstripes tend to be made from 1-2 or even one thread line that is broken up at regular intervals.

This is the Tom Ford suit I am referring to. After careful examination, I was able to determine that the pinstripes are created by two alternating thread lines, giving the pattern a slightly wavy structure.

What do you guys think? Yea or nay?

 

[Professor Χάος]

I actually own several pinstripe suits, of various degrees of boldness.

Orazio Luciano, which has the most prominent pinstripe, but the pattern is spaced widely apart and somehow muted to be very tasteful. Its one of my favorite suits.

Several Zegna Milano pinstripe suits, one chalkstripe navy, the other a standard grey pinstripe, and the third is a dark navy with a subtle pinstripe pattern.

Two Isaia suits, in mid grey pinstripe and an unusual natural blueberry 3-piece with a darker pinstripe than the rest of the body.

Two Canali pinstripes, one in royal blue with a blue pinstripe, and the other a double breasted grey which is very gangsta...

I probably have one or two others that I can't remember, so I'm obviously not averse to pinstripes, but the pattern shouldn't be too bold as to dazzle the eye.

 

[Professor Χάος]

The Cavill suit does stand out quite a bit. If the stripes were sparser and farther apart I think it would have been ok. Or like you said, if that had just been a two piece, probably good to go.

Yeah. Its definitely an example of overkill.

 

[Pascal1980]

In truth, part of my motivation for critiquing bold pinstripe suits, is that I'm considering one for myself. It's not a 3-piece, but I can always find the vest. It's a Tom Ford, and its possible that the pinstripes are not quite as bold as the picture suggests.

I've been doing a little research, and "boldness" of the stripe seems to be a function of how many lines of thread are used in the weaving of the pinstripe. Bolder pinstripes are created out of 3-6 thread lines (sorry I don't know the technical name for the weaving patterns). Less prominent pinstripes tend to be made from 1-2 or even one thread line that is broken up at regular intervals.

This is the Tom Ford suit I am referring to. After careful examination, I was able to determine that the pinstripes are created by two alternating thread lines, giving the pattern a slightly wavy structure.

What do you guys think? Yea or nay?

View attachment 2225515

Looks comparable to mine, and thus I like it. I also have a vest and the same lapels.

I receive complements for it from clients and at conferences in London, combining it with a white cotton pocket square and black or navy dress shoes with a mirror shine.

Best regards

Pascal

 

[Professor Χάος]

Looks comparable to mine, and thus I like it. I also have a vest and the same lapels.

I receive complements for it from clients and at conferences in London, combining it with a white cotton pocket square and black or navy dress shoes with a mirror shine.

Best regards

Pascal

That's encouraging. After all, a big part of why we're here is to feed each other's irrational fashion obsessions. ha ha. If it works out, I may contact TF in order to purchase the corresponding vest.

You can see the alternating weave I was talking about. In bolder pinstripes, the pattern consists of 3-6 lines of threading, instead of 2.