An Open Letter to Matt Deckard

[Feraud]

Cute children aside...

worthlesswithoutpics

Let's see many and detailed photos!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

worthlesswithoutpics

That's this thread's entire premise.

.

 

[GBR]

That's this thread's entire premise.

.

Hopefully all the areas mentioned "The fit, fabric, construction, silhouette, lining, buttons, buttonhole work, and dozens of minute details are just outstanding" can be seen. I'll add the suit being worn without the coat so all the details of the trousers can be seen - pockets, back formation etc etc and the full inside of the coat showing pockets and other features. Let's see the lot that only a personal examination could reveal.

Then tell us when you are coming to the UK!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hopefully all the areas mentioned "The fit, fabric, construction, silhouette, lining, buttons, buttonhole work, and dozens of minute details are just outstanding" can be seen. I'll add the suit being worn without the coat so all the details of the trousers can be seen - pockets, back formation etc etc and the full inside of the coat showing pockets and other features. Let's see the lot that only a personal examination could reveal.

That's my hope as well.


.

 

[filfoster]

Game, set, match...ing

It appears that you are unfamiliar with the Matching Myth.

This was good info. I have learned something, no small feat for a closed mind.

 

[billyspew]

Then tell us when you are coming to the UK!

Oh, yes please!

 

[scotrace]

Having also seen Matt in one of his suits, and getting a chance to have a close look at it... Marc is not stretching the truth at all. Matt has gone and done what so many of our members have dreamed of or unsuccessfully attempted.

 

[Lensmaster]

It appears that you are unfamiliar with the Matching Myth.

And looking closely at the pictures provided, particularly the second one, the stripes on Matt's jacket don't match up. The do very closely at the outside of the shoulder but as the seam gets closer to the neck you can see that the stripes aren't matching. I wonder if it was purposely tailored that way knowing that all the stripes couldn't be matched on a properly made jacket. People will quicker notice how the outside of the shoulder looks than the inside closer to the neck. So at a casual glance the whole shoulder seems to match.

 

[cookie]

Over the years, I've had to constantly wrestle with customers to educate them that if you're tailoring a hand-made coat properly, it's practically impossible to match the stripes through the shoulder seam, if you still want it to fit properly.

In other words, because of more-or-less equal amounts of fabric in non-bespoke being used on the front and back of the seam, the stripes can more easily be matched. However, this happens at great cost to fit, style and comfort.

Mmmmm...over to the experts..

 

[Matt Deckard]

She's right /\

And this is a great subject that I think doesn't get enough discussion and clarification.

Lapels can match pretty well depending on the stripe width... shoulders can rarely match.

Lapels are easier to work with than shoulders. There are three pieces that are visible with the lapels (collar and right and left lapel) and if they are cut correctly and the stripes are at a workable distance apart you'll get a good match, often you see stripes just all over the place, I like them even on both sides and if possible, perfectly meeting at the seams. So even if the angle of the seam on the lapel makes it hard for certain types of stripes to meet, I want the stripes to at least be mirrored on both sides... and that is also not easy.

For the shoulders it depends on the separation of the stripes. It's a bigger distance to cover over a curved shoulder, this means a curved seam and two pieces of fabric meeting not head on, but at angles. I've had this talk with tailor after tailor... Asked Andrew Ramroop and Angus Cundy on Savile Row, talked to a few New York tailors and tailors out here in California as well.

Matching shoulder stripes? I don't do that, though I am getting my cutters to match the leading stripes at the end near the sleavehead when they can, and that is a cutting feet in itself to mirror the front and back panels... like on the gray suit in the pic.

There are examples of vintage suits with the stripes matched on the shoulders and it took some skill on the tailors part and a heavier fabric to pull it off... The match often required stretching (manipulating) part of the fabric. It didn't harm the fit or the wear, but it is rarely done nowadays. My opinion is that it's just another skill that isn't trained or learned and fabrics today being thinner on average don't take well to being stretched out.

I'm okay with just the lapels since it's easy and doesn't require special manipulation.

 

[mike]

She's right /\

And this is a great subject that I think doesn't get enough discussion and clarification.

Lapels can match pretty well depending on the stripe width... shoulders can rarely match.

Lapels are easier to work with than shoulders. There are three pieces that are visible with the lapels (collar and right and left lapel) and if they are cut correctly and the stripes are at a workable distance apart you'll get a good match, often you see stripes just all over the place, I like them even on both sides and if possible, perfectly meeting at the seams. So even if the angle of the seam on the lapel makes it hard for certain types of stripes to meet, I want the stripes to at least be mirrored on both sides... and that is also not easy.

For the shoulders it depends on the separation of the stripes. It's a bigger distance to cover over a curved shoulder, this means a curved seam and two pieces of fabric meeting not head on, but at angles. I've had this talk with tailor after tailor... Asked Andrew Ramroop and Angus Cundy on Savile Row, talked to a few New York tailors and tailors out here in California as well.

Matching shoulder stripes? I don't do that, though I am getting my cutters to match the leading stripes at the end near the sleavehead when they can, and that is a cutting feet in itself to mirror the front and back panels... like on the gray suit in the pic.

There are examples of vintage suits with the stripes matched on the shoulders and it took some skill on the tailors part and a heavier fabric to pull it off... The match often required stretching (manipulating) part of the fabric. It didn't harm the fit or the wear, but it is rarely done nowadays. My opinion is that it's just another skill that isn't trained or learned and fabrics today being thinner on average don't take well to being stretched out.

I'm okay with just the lapels since it's easy and doesn't require special manipulation.

Fascinating attempt at a thousand words. Hows about those photos instead

 

[Feraud]

Here is a good shot of the lapels.

 

[John in Covina]

Having had the opportunity to see several of Matts suits, I continue to say, Well Done Sir! Looking forward to the day it's my turn.

 

[Rhabryn]

Deckard,
I sincerely hope that you'll keep your suits well-priced despite the success that you (should) recieve over the next few years.

I'm currently a student, but when I finally get ahold of some gainful employment, one of the first things I want to do is contact you about replacing a good portion of my suit wardrobe.

Sadly, I'm also in the mid-west - so doing that will, in itself, be a feat (re: fittings, etc.)

Anyway,

Cheers and good luck,
Rhabryn

 

[Fletch]

Sadly, I'm also in the mid-west - so doing that will, in itself, be a feat (re: fittings, etc.)

If you think being fitted will be difficult, wait till you try wearing it. As a midwesterner myself, I know how very difficult it can be for a well-dressed male not to appear pretentious and foolish.

I don't want to discourage you, but we do need to be aware of the codes our clothing carries when, and where, it's worn. It's nothing you can read in a book, either. Most men's clothes officially have no codes, but they're there. They're just unwritten.

 

[HungaryTom]

Admiration

Isabel is soo cute there.

Great suit.

 

[Feraud]

Having also seen Matt in one of his suits, and getting a chance to have a close look at it... Marc is not stretching the truth at all. Matt has gone and done what so many of our members have dreamed of or unsuccessfully attempted.

Agreed. I am a fan of Deckard's black three piece shown below.
Here he is holding court in NYC.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Furthermore, I believe that Matt is getting better at it over time. His newest (pinstriped) suit is the finest one of the bunch that I've seen.

.

 

[benstephens]

I have to say, that pictire in the black suit, the roll on the lapels is stunning.

Ben

 

[Rhabryn]

If you think being fitted will be difficult, wait till you try wearing it. As a midwesterner myself, I know how very difficult it can be for a well-dressed male not to appear pretentious and foolish.

I don't want to discourage you, but we do need to be aware of the codes our clothing carries when, and where, it's worn. It's nothing you can read in a book, either. Most men's clothes officially have no codes, but they're there. They're just unwritten.

Thank you for the advice, and I assure you that I know it well.
Among most circles outside of the legal profession I at-least have the excuse that I am in the legal profession. Granted, this can lead to individuals then thinking of me as stuck up, but largely for the reason that I am a member of that profession - not because I'm well dressed.

However, oddly enough, those within the profession are aware that few in the profession put in the effort to dress well. That being said, I've had a few instances where I've (apparently) alienated others in my workplace due to my efforts to dress as professionally as possible. It made me rather sad to realize it - I didn't think myself as any different than anyone else, from our non-lawyer staff to our chief - nor did I treat anyone with less than the utmost respect and my touchstone overly-friendly attitude - yet I managed to make at least some of them feel that I thought myself better.

I truly wish I could understand it.

However, I've decided to just keep on dressing how I dress and, once I find a "permanent" place of employment, I will be there long enough for my colleagues to look past the lapels and realize that the huge smile, caring attitude and willingness to chat about just about anything is genuine.