New Suit trouble

[Orgetorix]

I realize I may need to be careful that the colors match up, but if I get lucky, would this work?

This is the trouble. You'd be extremely unlikely to find trousers that match. For blacks to look OK together, they practically have to be cut from the same bolt of cloth. Even different bolts of cloth from the same manufacturer can look slightly different because of differences in the finishing and such. If you try to wear pieces from different manufacturers, you're almost certain to look mismatched in certain lighting situations. I see women wearing black separate pieces (jacket with trousers or a skirt) together all the time in DC, and it never looks right.

Baron Kurtz is the only one I've known to find exactly-matching black suit pieces--and they were NRA pieces from the same era, so it's not inconceivable that they actually were cut from the same cloth.

This is why it's inadvisable to buy those orphaned tuxedo jackets and tailcoats that you see on Ebay all the time. If it doesn't have trousers that were originally made with the jacket, it probably won't match.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

^^^

He's right.

But it all depends what you want. If no-one you know is going to realise, and it won't bother you (it would bother me to distraction) then go with it. Just remember that although people may not know they see the unmatched trousers/jacket, their brain does. And that can generate a bad impression. They may not be able to articulate why the outfit didn't look right, and they may say that sartorial matters make no difference to them, but they do . . . at least sub(un)consciously. I am well known around these parts for my hatred of such attitudes, but the realist in me knows that people will make judgements based upon how you appear.

All in all, i wouldn't try to match trousers to a jacket in this way.

Is contrast not an option?

bk

 

[Anthony Jordan]

^^^

Is contrast not an option?

bk

I am thinking half morning dress/stroller, but perhaps that's just me...

 

[Undertow]

Thank you all for your advice! Now that you mention it, trying to coordinate the two different blacks would be so complicated and next-to-impossible that it really wouldn't be worth it; especially WHEN I can't coordinate it properly and end up with a mismatched suit.

Oh well. It was worth a try. I'm glad I asked you guys before making yet ANOTHER erronous purchase! [huh]

 

[Orgetorix]

I am thinking half morning dress/stroller, but perhaps that's just me...

The occasional AA illustration and Churchill photo notwithstanding, I think I have a problem with a notch lapel jacket as a stroller, especially if it doesn't have a matching waistcoat. The stroller just seems to beg for peak lapels.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I'd put the suit away until your plans have the desired effect

I would have to agree. You bought a suit that was too small planning to lose weight. offtopic: Hmmm, too small and too lose that close together reminds me of the punchine of a great Lautrec joke...) With the store going out of business, it was probably too good a deal to pass up. Completely nderstandable.

But why put all of the money into altering a too-small suit to make it larger when, once your diet & exercise regime has done its work (one assumes), you'll just have to have all of that tailoring taken out to fit your then svelter form? The waist's been let out to as far as possible, and now you're considering another tailoring fee for adding more to the waist. Whatever money you saved on buying the suit on sale probably has or will be eaten up in tailoring costs. It might've been less expensive to buy a suit that fits now and then have it taken in when you shed the intended pounds.

And as others have mentioned, seeing pictures of the suit may speak volumes as to whether the alterations done so far have affected the lines and drape and so forth, and whether further altering is a good idea.

 

[Fletch]

A suit in "120's" fabric won't stand up to repeated hacking.

Yet another reason they've become the new industry standard for quality - one set of alterations and you gotta buy new! [huh]