• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

can you tell a suit's qaulity by just looking?

B|aze

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
341
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
-Many times, the inner label on the lining will say something like "Super 100's wool." Super 100 and above is very good
facepalm.gif
 

VikingsFan82

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
122
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by JPHardy
Pick stitch, check
No Polyester, check
Super 150's, check

http://www.mensusa.com/products.aspx?id=363


You've distorted my statements.

I didn't say that all cheap suits are made from polyester.

I didn't say that all cheap suits lack pick-stitching.

I didn't say that all cheap suits are made from sub Super 100's wool.​

All I said is that sometimes, the things I mentioned can be indicators of cheap suits.

Take a logic class, dude.

Still, one of the best ways to determine the quality of a suit is with the canvassing "pinch-test."
 

VikingsFan82

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
122
Reaction score
0
Blaze, don't facepalm at me either.

Sure, there are fabrics that are tons more softer and supple than Super 100s, but it's well-established the Super 120s range is the threshhold for "hard-wearing" wool. Especially if it's "worsted" (less fuzzy carding).

I like how people keep taking potshots at me without elaboration.

As a corollary to my Super 120s statement, I might also add that Super 120s wool from a maker like Zegna or Loro Piana is going to much better-quality than a no-name brand like the one in JPHardy's post.
 

luftvier

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
3,917
Reaction score
620
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
Two visual indicators that come to mind:

-Pick stitching around the lapels (most cheap brands don't do this)
-Many cheap suits are made of polyester fabric, which gives them a tacky-looking sheen
-Many times, the inner label on the lining will say something like "Super 100's wool." Super 100 and above is very good


Problem is that nowadays a lot of cheap retailers have caught on and added pick stitching as a pure aesthetic. Someone posted a great video of some idiot who bought a Jos A Bank suit and thought the pick stitching had to be removed. Anyone have a link to that thread?

Many cheap suits are also made of inferior wool or blends.

Many cheap suits use Super 100s as well.

There's a bunch more to this, but I have run out of patience typing on my Blackberry.
 

B|aze

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
341
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
Blaze, don't facepalm at me either.

Sure, there are fabrics that are tons more softer and supple than Super 100s, but it's well-established the Super 120s range is the threshhold for "hard-wearing" wool. Especially if it's "worsted" (less fuzzy carding).

I like how people keep taking potshots at me without elaboration.

As a corollary to my Super 120s statement, I might also add that Super 120s wool from a maker like Zegna or Loro Piana is going to much better-quality than a no-name brand like the one in JPHardy's post.


The Super 120s only means that it's max 17.75 micron in diameter and new wool....that doesn't mean it's high quality.
 

VikingsFan82

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
122
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by B|aze
The Super 120s only means that it's max 17.75 micron in diameter and new wool....that doesn't mean it's high quality.
I'm talking about Super 120's, 100% WOOL (NO BLENDS) from a good maker like Zegna or Loro Piana. How many cheap suits have you seen with that?
 

VikingsFan82

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
122
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by luftvier
Many cheap suits are also made of inferior wool or blends.

Yes, and the label will usually indicate the "blend." My H&M suit is a wool blend from a no-name fabric manufacturer.

I was talking about 100% wool.
 

Joe Cool

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2009
Messages
448
Reaction score
1
I prefer it when guys just leave the sleeve tag on. That way I can just walk right up, read the tag and draw my own conclusions.
 

blackbowtie

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
833
Reaction score
46
Originally Posted by furo
Generally a cheaper fused suit will have zero roll in the lapel, but that's not to say ALL cheap suits have no roll ... just on average it's the easiest way to tell a nicer suit from a poorly constructed one.

This is probably true until your dry cleaner destroys the roll in the lapel by ironing it flat.
 

Sterling Gillette

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2008
Messages
1,126
Reaction score
40
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
Take a logic class, dude.
I'd say, dude, you better do your homework.

Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
Sure, there are fabrics that are tons more softer and supple than Super 100s, but it's well-established the Super 120s range is the threshhold for "hard-wearing" wool. Especially if it's "worsted" (less fuzzy carding).
That's simply wrong. I dont know one single traditional tailor who recommends using these modern fabrics a/k/a toilet paper over traditional ones.
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
I like how people keep taking potshots at me without elaboration.
I like how you post clichees you read in a newspaper article.
Originally Posted by VikingsFan82
As a corollary to my Super 120s statement, I might also add that Super 120s wool from a maker like Zegna or Loro Piana is going to much better-quality than a no-name brand like the one in JPHardy's post.
This, too, is wrong or at least depends on the maker. A great number of much higher regarded woollen mechants than Loro Piana or Zegna don't even sell Super XXX cloth.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,182
Messages
10,579,221
Members
223,890
Latest member
MakersGumy
Top