Advice Requested on a Suit Unseen

[Shangas]

What Ho, everybody!

Today, I chanced across a suit at my local charity-shop.

It's navy blue with chalk-stripe. They're thicker than pinstripes. Single-breasted, and I believe, bespoke...I wasn't able to find any maker's label on it, and there's no sign that there ever was one (stitch-holes, etc).

Here's my issue...

1. I really like it.
2. It's $15.
3. It *NEARLY* fits me.

I'm pretty sure the jacket fits well in the shoulders, and the sleeves (although they may need to be shortened).

The trousers are the real issue, though.

They've a waist of 34-35 inches (mine is 30-32). I could wear it with a belt, or I could do braces. Are those extra 2-3 inches in the waist likely to be an issue?

The legs are much too long (I've an inside measurement of 28in). I suppose that the extra fabric could be folded up inside the trousers, taken up and then sewn in place to create new hems? The legs are at least 30in.

Help! Should I buy it and have it altered, or should I pass?

I'm 5'6" tall, I've a waist of 30 inches. Inside leg of 28 inches. Shoulder to shoulder, I'm about 16-16.5in. (I can wear up to 17 inches across, comfortably).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Sure, I would buy it. Those alterations seem pretty easy - I would imagine with your evident sewing skills (these - waist/legs - are hand sewing jobs; all you need to know is a back stitch) they should be easy for you. They are exceptionally easy sewing jobs.

If you fit some suspender buttons, you'll be able to get away with a slightly too large waist and have it look better than a slightly too large waist with a belt (bunching of the waistband). If it's not a particularly vintage-special (i.e. not 20s-50s), you might even try to take the excess from the legs and fabricate some side-adjustor cinch belts for the waist, too.

Go for it! It's only $15. It's not like you'd be dropping hundreds - and you get the Karma bonus of giving money to charity.

bk

 

[Shangas]

Hi Baron, thanks muchly for your speedy reply!

It's very much a vintage-feel sort of suit. It's made of VERY heavy fabric. Compared with ANY suit that I've seen today, in any number of stores, the fabric is very thick. In my experience, and it's limited, modern suits tend to be made of thinner fabrics. Older suits, of thicker ones, back when winters were colder and central heating less prevalent.

I intend to go to the shop tomorrow and have a look at it. I shall bring my measurements, and my measuring-tape, to inspect it in greater detail.

If anyone else cares to chime in, please do! I'd like to get as many views as I can on this.

Re: Suspenders I have half-dozen sets of buttons which I've collected over the years. I keep them specifically for bracifying trousers (is that a word? Bracifying? It is now!)

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Try to sneak some camera phone pictures of it as well, if you decide not to buy it. We might be able to advise you on the date of it if we see the features. A general shot of the jacket and trousers waist closure should do it … And should it be old, and just too small for you - HINT! Old and just too big for you, you might be quids in.

 

[Shangas]

I shall certainly take a camera along with me. I know the people who run the shop (I volunteer there). I don't think they'll worry about photographs. I'll ask just in case, though.

I'm sure of this much, yes the suit is second-hand, but it's not a modern second-hand, if you get my drift. It doesn't feel like it was made 5, 10, even 20 years ago. No suit that I've touched of that age has ever had fabric this thick. I also don't think it has the...'look'...of a modern suit, if that makes any sense.

It doesn't have suspender-buttons, fishtails, side-cinches and suchlike, but I'm sure this wasn't made anytime within the last 20-30 years. At least I don't think so. For all I know, I may be totally wrong.

Photos will come tomorrow, if I can get my backup camera to work (my regular camera bit the dust on my holiday and no-longer works properly).

 

[Two Types]

Buy it. For $15 - even if you determine that it is the wrong size adn has no vintage value you could use it to experiment with making alterations.

 

[Tomasso]

I'm pretty sure the jacket fits well in the shoulders, and the sleeves

You don't mention the jacket length. A critical aspect of fit which very few men get right these days.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

You're right. Shoulders and length are the only things that have very, very little leeway for alteration. They've got to be right!

 

[Shangas]

I understand that and I do realise that. The length is fine, I believe. I know, it should end on a level with your fingers and knuckles. And I believe it does. But I'll double-check anyway, just in case.

One thing I neglected to mention was the rise (of the trousers). Jacket I'm not worried about (will double-check fit etc), trouser-length I'm not too bothered about. Waist, not really. But if the rise has me undoing the fly to eat lunch, then I'll pass on the suit.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

C'mon Shangas, its $15, less than a Parmy and a pot. Buy the thing and experiment!

On the subject of suits, I'm looking to have one tailor made for a wedding I am best man at. Can you recommend a tailor in Melbourne or surrounds? Im ideally looking for a a lightweight tweed 3 piece but can"t find anything in town.

regards

Flashy

 

[Shangas]

You want a Bespoke tailor in Melbourne!? Haha!! As the Singer man said to the lady: "Wouldn't we all? Wouldn't we all?"

I'm aware of tailors in Melbourne who do alterations and such, but nobody who actually MAKES a suit from scratch. If there are such beings within our metropolis, they're very well hidden!

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Thats the feeling I was getting. You would think in a City of 4 million souls there would be someone who could put a suit together. O'h well, Bookster Tweed it is!

Thanks Shangas.

Flashy

 

[Shangas]

Welcome, Flash.

Anyway, I'm back from trying on the suit. In the end I decided it didn't fit me as well as I'd like it to. The cloth was bunching up because of how large it was. If it was a DB, it might work, but as it is...no.

As promised, here's a photograph of the suit:

There is NO label on this thing AT ALL, except one, that says it's 100% WOOL. It's a very heavy, thick fabric and quite dark, as you can possibly see.

 

[Dinerman]

I don't know if that suit is one, but I saw that fabric and cut all the time in thrift shops on Sears suits from the '80s. They were usually 3 pieces.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Not a bad looking suit, but that's one very weird mannequin you've got it sitting on!

Maybe you should reverse engineer it and try to do the alterations yourself

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That certainly looks like 80s lapels to me. fabric weigh can be confusing - you're in a vintage shop going through the 60s-80s garbage, and your fingers light on a heavy fabric. It has the look of a potentially 30s-40s fabric.

And then you it has the woolmark and a modern Marks and Spencer's label :eusa_doh:

 

[Tomasso]

The length is fine, I believe. I know, it should end on a level with your fingers and knuckles.

Using arm length to determine the proper length of a jacket is not a prefered method as men of the same height can have arms that vary several inches in length. How such a poor method came into use I do not know......

 

[MikeBravo]

Too bad about the non-fit, something better will turn up. Only last week I found a three-piece Yves St Laurent three piece pure wool suit for $30 at Savers. Nice

For the record, I have two pairs of pants that are too large around the waist for a belt and was on the verge of donating them, when I tried one more thing. I tried them with clip-on braces and they fit wonderfully, I just need to sew on braces buttons (found at an op shop) and voila.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Too bad about the non-fit, something better will turn up. Only last week I found a three-piece Yves St Laurent three piece pure wool suit for $30 at Savers. Nice

For the record, I have two pairs of pants that are too large around the waist for a belt and was on the verge of donating them, when I tried one more thing. I tried them with clip-on braces and they fit wonderfully, I just need to sew on braces buttons (found at an op shop) and voila.

One of the many, many wonderful advantages of braces. As long as the difference is not so extreme that you achieve a clown pants look, it can be extremely comfortable to wear them that way

The only really serious downfall of braces, I find, is when wearing them with a waistcoat and jacket and when one must use the facility! Of course without a waistcoat you can just slip them off your shoulders, but especially with button-ons it becomes tedious indeed with a waistcoat.

 

[Shangas]

The only really serious downfall of braces, I find, is when wearing them with a waistcoat and jacket and when one must use the facility! Of course without a waistcoat you can just slip them off your shoulders, but especially with button-ons it becomes tedious indeed with a waistcoat.

That rather depends on what one intends to do there. No. 1s are no issue. Going in to attend the other necessity of life, is another matter...Thank god for coat-hooks...