London vs. FL Stores for Suits

Thanks Blackhood, your suggestion about the difference between high end RTW suits and the entry level MTM suits is great. I will put a lot more stock into the OTR suits in those stores you have listed, and if I find one that is on the mark, I will ask about tailoring options.

I've heard many student friends recommend Bicester - what are the chances of finding a good RLBL suit there in a small chest size (their 36s fit me pretty much perfectly for an OTR suit)? As I'm already in Oxford I feel like a 25 minute journey is worth the risk of returning empty handed, but it sure would be nice to know in advance!

Bicester is great if you know what you are looking for and have an eye for fabrics/construction which allows you to snap up a good deal or leave out stuff which may be well priced but ultimately not really worth purchasing.

Since you say you have no eye for this kind of thing, OP, read more on the forum about how a well fitting suit should look. It would be great to take a sartorially experienced friend or even another SF'er who is looking to make a trip up there and is also based in Oxford. Sales staff are usually pretty gormless and are only fit for scanning things through the till - especially in places like Bicester.

If you go down to London, I would heartily recommend Jaeger at this level - they don't get much attention here (I suspect because they are not big in the USA) but they make some very, very satisfactory garments for the price and I have always been pleased with my purchases.

With Hackett, I would also suggest being quite careful with what you buy, because they have a certain Chelsea-boy 'look' which flatters some and makes others look slightly ridiculous.

OP, forget MTM. Many of us have bought OTR with care and wear it happily with minimum alterations. In fact, I have bought a few things which fit me perfectly without the need for any alterations at all. Altering can be expensive and also requires you to know exactly what needs/can be done when you purchase something which you will alter. Perhaps you should keep this cost in mind when deciding.

Lastly, when you shop, don't trust the label, trust your own senses - how the thing feels, how it looks, the weight and texture of the cloth. Use the mirrors, and trust your gut. Wear a nice shirt and nice pair of shoes so that you can weigh up trousers as well.

Cafe Coton also make some nice shirts, while you're there.

From one Oxford resident to another, Ede & Ravenscroft is a better bet if you need advice about proper fit, etc. Bicester is great if you can go multiple times (to increase the odds of finding something in your size at the right price), you know what you what, and have a reasonable idea about fit.

Certainly, if you haven't been to Bicester before, it's worth a look around just for the sheer breadth of shops, and the ability to try on different looks in each one to train your eye for what works. But if you want advice, I'd suggest Ede.

Originally Posted by VelvetGreen

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With Hackett, I would also suggest being quite careful with what you buy, because they have a certain Chelsea-boy 'look' which flatters some and makes others look slightly ridiculous.

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by Chelsea boy? I'm assuming preppy or poncey, but in New York Chelsea boy has quite a different connotation.

Also to the OP - definitely pick something up in London. London is a menswear mecca. Shopping for a good suit in Florida would be like looking for sunscreen in Siberia.

Thanks Velvet and Holdfast, I will go to those stores in Oxford that I have mentioned earliar and get some price qoutes and as much general advice as I can pick up before I make a trip to Bicester. With Bicester being so close I can afford to make multiple trips up, so I am going to be patient and keep snooping around for something that really fits.

Consider MTM from Sims & MacDonald on Lamb's Conduit Street in London, a proper bespoke tailoring operation with history.

If you want to go over there in the next two weekends Gene, let me know via PM. I'll probably head up later this weekend after I get a chance to see the Oxford stores.

Originally Posted by Gene Parmesan

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I've heard many student friends recommend Bicester - what are the chances of finding a good RLBL suit there in a small chest size (their 36s fit me pretty much perfectly for an OTR suit)? As I'm already in Oxford I feel like a 25 minute journey is worth the risk of returning empty handed, but it sure would be nice to know in advance!

Originally Posted by mjphillips

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Out of curiosity, what do you mean by Chelsea boy? I'm assuming preppy or poncey, but in New York Chelsea boy has quite a different connotation.

Also to the OP - definitely pick something up in London. London is a menswear mecca. Shopping for a good suit in Florida would be like looking for sunscreen in Siberia.

Just Googled it, haha. I don't think Hackett is seen as particularly gay and that's not what I meant at all! Although I do like to hit the gym. Yes, I meant preppy for all intents and purposes.

Originally Posted by Ich_Dien

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Consider MTM from Sims & MacDonald on Lamb's Conduit Street in London, a proper bespoke tailoring operation with history.

Seconded. Good recommendation, that.

Just an update for the lurkers out there:

I wasn't very impressed with the selection at Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, or Burberry. RL had more suits than the other two, but I saw many with pinstripes, which I am not interested in.

Jaeger and Aquascutum had a better selection of suits, and both have rather large sales going on ATM. Aquascutum in particular was selling suits for 50% off the clearance price. So suits that were originally 350-400 GBP are now 110 GBP. How much of a marketing scheme this was, I don't know, but there were a few dark grey OTR suits that had a nice feel and look to my naive eyes.

I am going back to Ede and Ravenscroft tomorrow, which I might add, I was far more impressed with than the stores in Bicester, mostly due to the extent of knowledge the salesmen possessed. My plan of action is to determine whether the 550 GBP RTW suit from E&R is worth two suits from Aquascutum. I have no problem paying an extra 300 for a suit from E&R that fits much better than an Aquascutum, but I would like to know what the extra 300 is paying for, although I am sure the tailors there will let me know. They seemed rather honest and uninterested in pushing a sale on me the first time I came in.

You get an extra pair of trousers at E&R.

Outlet shopping is not for everyone and for OP who needs some guidance, I can see how Bicester is not the best choice. After owning several suits, then a place like Bicester would be OK if you don't mind the tour group mobs. Just saw a nice charcoal RLBL 3-piece suit for 399 quids at Bicester but was one size too large for me, so I passed. Also saw a cashmere unlined RLPL blazer for 500 quids, though I didn't like the black color, though it probably would work for wearing out to clubs.

I agree timeless, although I think it was good to go see a massive outlet market like Bicester for the first time; in the future I may go there again just to search for steals. In any case, I am going to appreciate the consultation I am getting at E&R that much more now, and solid point Ich_Dien.

Once I make a purchase I'll throw a picture up here for a critique, although I expect the tailors at E&R will be steering me in the right direction. Thank you to everyone for the excellent guidance and suggestions.

I guess if you need that in-store service & guidance Bicester isn't the place for you. So, Ede & Ravenscroft isn't a bad conclusion.