Looking to Buy My First Suit :)

[JackieMatra]

I had two 3-piece suits made for me, to my precise and somewhat unusual specifications, back in 2010, with "bells and whistles" such as working buttons on the sleeves and outside hand stitching, out of circa 150 thread count fabric, for under $1,100 US, each, and I could have had them made from less expensive fabric for about 5/8 of that.
If I were you, and I was willing to spend as much money as you say you are, then I would certainly go looking for a tailor who might be willing and able to make you a suit of clothes, just for you, that was exactly what you wanted and fit you well.
I would suggest that you ask everybody that you know who might have had their clothes tailor-made for advice, and do some serious searching on the internet, as well as in the telephone book.

P.S. Here's what one of my suits that I mentioned above looks like.

 

[JackieMatra]

I would also suggest that you don't just look in your immediate area.
I found that here, on the east coast of the U.S.A., prices for tailor-made clothing can vary enormously from city to city. Seven of the nine tailors whom I spoke with in the Washington, D.C. area all quoted me prices about thrice what I paid, and the eighth actually wanted ten times as much. In contrast, there were tailors with websites, in New York and Philadelphia, who were asking only about one and half times what I paid.

 

[Rudie]

Shangas,hit up Benny Reese. He has always 200-300 vintage suits in store and ships worldwide. Ask him what you want and give him your measurements. Benny is on Facebook.If there is somebody who can help you out right at this moment it's probably him.

 

[GHT]

Why don't you buy a decent vintage suit?

Indeed, why not?

In Australia? I doubt we'd have any.

A quick search on the internet revealed this: It may not be the colour or style & size that you are looking for, but it proves that with a bit of patience and an hour at your computer, you will find exactly what you are looking for.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VTG-50s-L...07&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=20150313114020&meid%
3De6a3b5138d8e4023ab7747054c3c93b2%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D121815781648
That suit fits me, now you have me addicted to suit searching.

 

[GHT]

Shangas,hit up Benny Reese. He has always 200-300 vintage suits in store and ships worldwide. Ask him what you want and give him your measurements. Benny is on Facebook.If there is somebody who can help you out right at this moment it's probably him.

There are many such as Benny Reese, how's your search going? One place worth a try has to be Savvy Row.

 

[Rudie]

I don't think there are many that stock several hundred genuine 30s/40s suits at any given time. If you have more sources of that caliber I'd be happy to know them.

 

[GHT]

If you have more sources of that caliber I'd be happy to know them.

Tweedman Vintage are rather good.

 

[Luis]

What about these guys???
Has anyone ordered from them? Website seems to be good.
They make a lot of custom stuff.
http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/

 

[hatsRme]

Sigh... How I miss Filene's Basement. Or even "Building #19," the "world's messiest department store," filled to the rafters with deals; some okay, some AMAZING. New Brioni suits were $2000 US. Other less crazy priced suits were also available for those of us with short arms and deep pockets.

 

[Mathematicus]

I know it's sligtly off topic, but has someone ever tried sending a perfectly fitting suit coat to an online tailor (like Ravistailor or Mysuitshop) and having them copy the measurements for a new one with the desided features?

 

[Luis]

I would be worrying my suit not coming back, getting lost/damaged.

 

[Shangas]

I was so busy with everything that I completely forgot about FL for about a month!

Anyway...here's the suit...

First shot is me and my two-year-old nephew, Ryder! Say Hello, Ryder!

Me, taken by one of my cousins.

Before you ask...

1. The cufflinks are 9ct gold Edwardians.
2. Yes, that's a watch and chain.
3. Yes, I tied my bowtie myself.

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

Which route did you go? Tailor or outfitter? If the former, you should have gone for four waistcoat pockets, and had the tailor shot for leaving your trousers too long!

 

[Benproof]

It looks absolutely fine Shangas!

Just the minor points - I feel Dirk's comment about the trouser length too. Still better long than cropped ankle suit trousers which I find extremely irritating the more I think about just a little extra fabric to cover the ankles.

The waistcoat with 6 buttons is quite something - that's a lot of buttons. It seems to centre attention to the contrast row of buttons for me. The lapels are very neat and small sizing. I know mens magazines and idiot designers like Paul Smith keep on advertising how the attention to details like having a red handerchief contrasting in the pocket shows a man has been thinking about attention.

To me it just makes me think of boogers and snot and why would anyone not use more hygienic disposables instead of a silk handerkerchief. I guess I'm more likely to put my work punchcard or metro tube ticket in my top pocket to reflect my utilitarian values

Great stuff though. Glad you're pleased with the outcome. The pocket watch is a great feature - all the better when it's original. Which reminds me, I need to get my pocket watch fixed....

 

[Shangas]

To answer your questions...

1. Got the suit from a shop.
2. We had the trouser-length altered. I insisted on doing it myself, but dad wanted his damn tailor to do it, so I let him go ahead and try. The result is what you see there. I told him it was too long, but he wouldn't listen. I've altered enough of my own trousers to know my inside leg.
3. I agree that a four-pocket waistcoat would've been better (and I prefer them) but this is the best I could find.

 

[JackieMatra]

3. Yes, I tied my bowtie myself.

Cool. That means that you probably tied your shoe laces yourself, as well.
(It required a lot of study of illustrated instructions and videos before it finally dawned on me that they both used the precise same knot.)

 

[Mathematicus]

Still better long than cropped ankle suit trousers which I find extremely irritating the more I think about just a little extra fabric to cover the ankles.

This is music to my ears.

Anyway, it looks quite good to be a modern OTR. The strange thing with waistcoat is that it's quite long because trousers have lowish rise. But let me say that it doesn't look bad at all, on the contrary the lack of any hideous buckle or shirt peeling under yelds a very streamlined look.

 

[Benproof]

Haha... I thought the ankle crop trend look originated from Italian mafioso clothiers trying to divert the trouser fabric for clandestine purposes like the rest of the 3 piece suit

One of the kids next door was the first kid I ever saw the ankle crop look. I thought he just couldn't find off the rack length trousers. He's 6ft 6".
But it looked like he had long pedal pushers, rather than ankle crop trousers. What next. Ankle crop flares with mini-skirts each leg. The trend will be zip on extensions for ankle crop suits, so you can go for a proper heel drop vintage trouser look, and belly button exposing waistcoats.

I like proper coverage

 

[Mathematicus]

Haha... I thought the ankle crop trend look originated from Italian mafioso clothiers trying to divert the trouser fabric for clandestine purposes like the rest of the 3 piece suit

Ahahah I wouldn't be surprised! Italy has been the birthplace of most bad fashion. Italian young men now wear mostly super skinny cropped leg trousers with too low waist and no socks.
No wonder people got sick so much this winter...

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

Ahahah I wouldn't be surprised! Italy has been the birthplace of most bad fashion....

Is that fair? Italian style of the 50s and 60s had some lasting influence on British silhouettes after the late 1950s and a few cutters on Savile Row too.

I don't know too much about current Italian fashion (and I avoid anything to do with the Pitti Uomo clown circus), or if the fashion originates from there, but the Italians are not the only ones wearing shrunken cotton leggings and ladies' jackets.