"old fashioned" 3 piece suits

[Lionheart]

Hi Folks,

I was just wondering if anyone knows of a suitmaker that still makes the classic 3 piece suit? What I'm looking for is a suit with a vest (and the vest must have it's own lapels on it). Even more, if anyone knows a brand name that still makes them and where to obtain one, I would be eternally grateful.

Thanks.

 

[Zach R.]

Indy Magnoli has some stellar suits on his site, I'm planning on ordering one sometime in the spring:

https://host385.ipowerweb.com/~indyprop/osCommerce/catalog/

Oh, and welcome to The Fedora Lounge!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Hickey Freeman, Brooks Brothers, Southwick, Polo can make you one made to measure with lapels on the vest. though they will have large armholes.

This one from the Brothers Brooks looks great, I preffer no lapels on the vest.

The price is good for a modern suit and the cut is great, though still same problem... modern low slung armholes that make the jacket hard to wear.

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Armholes on Indy Magnoli

Hello Gents,

What are the armholes like on the Indy Magnoli suits?

Cheers

Peter

 

[Lionheart]

Hickey Freeman, Brooks Brothers, Southwick, Polo can make you one made to measure with lapels on the vest. though they will have large armholes.

This one from the Brothers Brooks looks great, I preffer no lapels on the vest.

The price is good for a modern suit and the cut is great, though still same problem... modern low slung armholes that make the jacket hard to wear.

Thanks very much for the advice - one question about "modern low slung armholes": do you mean the armholes on the vest or the armholes in the jacket?

 

[Senator Jack]

What are the armholes like on the Indy Magnoli suits?

3Piece,

Here is what I posted at another thread.

Well, continuing on with the armholes, I'm in a bit of a jam. I bought the Magnoli Goldfinger suit and while Magnoli did a great job with it, the tailor, unfortunately, cut it wrong. They gave me the modern low armholes, and after a lot of consideration I decided to send it back to Bangkok for recutting. My problem is that Indy is away till February and I'm now dealing with the tailor directly.

I want to be sure to get the tailor the right measurments for armhole cut. Any suggestions? I've taken the circumference of my shoulder, and the inseam sleeve measurement too, and of course, the pit-to-pit, but how does one clearly get across the idea of raising the whole thing up a bit?

If you go to the Magnoli site, click on the Goldfinger suit; another fellow who bought it has his picture posted. You can see in one picture that where he has his arm raised there is too much material gathered below. This was my problem with the suit, and I hope to have it rectified.

Overall, the suit is incredibly well done, and if it weren't, I wouldn't be going through this trouble. As I suspected, getting measured for a suit by e-mail turned out to be extremely difficult, but once the first is done, at least they'll have my measurements on hand and I'll be able to order more without that difficulty.


Before anyone buys a made to measure suit on line, please ask me any questions thought necessary. It was a process.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Lionheart]

If you go to the Magnoli site, click on the Goldfinger suit; another fellow who bought it has his picture posted. You can see in one picture that where he has his arm raised there is too much material gathered below. This was my problem with the suit, and I hope to have it rectified.

Ah, I see what you mean - I just took a look at the goldfinger suit picture on thier website. The armholes on the suit jacket are cut too low.

I'd be curious to see how they handle fixing that problem. Hope all goes well for you - looks like the price they are charging for the suit would certainly cover a fix like that!

Thanks again.

 

[Matt Deckard]

If the vest armhols are low slung it is a small issue as they are not connected to sleaves... nothing rides up from movement.

When I was taliking about the Brooks Brothers suit I was reffering to the jacket.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Another option

I received an unsolicited catalog in the mail the other day from Paul Fredrick, and noticed they have three-piece suits, and the vest has notched lapels. Don't know anything about this company, though.

http://www.paulfredrick.com/catalog/PFProductDetails.aspx?Category=Suits&ProductId=RQ1007V

Brad

 

[Lionheart]

I received an unsolicited catalog in the mail the other day from Paul Fredrick, and noticed they have three-piece suits, and the vest has notched lapels. Don't know anything about this company, though.

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the tip - I will check it out. On a side note, the picture of you in your avatar is handsome - you wear it well!

 

[Wild Root]

My major complaint is?¢‚Ǩ¬¶.

On modern vests (or waist coats to the gents a crossed the pond) I find they are too baggy and not fit close enough and give a baggy effect. When I lay a modern vest down in quote on quote my size, and lay a vintage vest next to it in my size, the vintage vest looks smaller and more trim! The modern vest makes me feel I should grab some tent poles and start a Circus!

My other gripe you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll have to endure is that the vest don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have four pockets! Some don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t even have two! Why is there such a lack of detail in vests today? They also lack the swallow tail cut in the front! Most I see off the rack are of the strait a cross style that looks some what ill. Now, the Brooks Brothers suits seem to look good in the photos but, they lack a good photo of the vest. It remains a mystery as to what the vest looks like.

The arm holes of the suit jacket are too large on any given suit modern or custom! Now, I have a custom made suit from a small tailor in Canada and he gave the suit proper vintage cut arm holes!!! Look up Tam the Tailor in Winnipeg Manitoba! You?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll like him!!!

Any way, good luck in your search my friend! I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m sure you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll find something that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s well suited for you.

=WR=

 

[KR]

I would also endorse Indy Magnoli, he has some great suits! I got my first suit from him in November and am looking forward to getting a few more made soon. Really nice quality.

 

[Senator Jack]

KR,

How were the armholes on your Magnoli suit. Indy sent me an email that the armholes are low UNLESS you request high. Just wondering what you got.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Thanks

Senator,

Thanks for the info, will check out Indy Magnoli, and may even check if they want to repro the Russian Style PJ's as you suggested in th PJ's link.

Matt I must say I think the Brooks Brothers 3 piece is a very nice looking suit, and if it were still available in my size I would probably buy it. It does seem to have a nice tapered cut.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Mr. Rover]

On modern vests (or waist coats to the gents a crossed the pond) I find they are too baggy and not fit close enough and give a baggy effect. When I lay a modern vest down in quote on quote my size, and lay a vintage vest next to it in my size, the vintage vest looks smaller and more trim! The modern vest makes me feel I should grab some tent poles and start a Circus!

Go take a look at Jack Black in King Kong in the movie-viewing room in the beginning. Sans vest, he looks quite thin in that scene, which is quite odd knowing what Jack Black's physical stature is like.

I also like his "safari" pleated belt-back linen suit when they got to Skull Island.

My friend got a 3-piece suit made in Hong Kong, and he has to use the adjuster on the back to get that tight fit, and even then, it doesn't fit like my 30's vests.

 

[Lionheart]

Go take a look at Jack Black in King Kong in the movie-viewing room in the beginning. Sans vest, he looks quite thin in that scene, which is quite odd knowing what Jack Black's physical stature is like.

I also like his "safari" pleated belt-back linen suit when they got to Skull Island.

My friend got a 3-piece suit made in Hong Kong, and he has to use the adjuster on the back to get that tight fit, and even then, it doesn't fit like my 30's vests.

I've seen Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong", and I know what you mean. I wonder why tailors (or suitmakers) don't give the same "cut" on the vests that they used to in the 30's? Maybe tastes have changed, but as far as I'm concerned, sometimes you have to truly "go back in time" to get the look that is the most complimentary. There was an "art" to the suits back then, and an "artistic aprreciation" from the guys who sported the suits. They "dared to look good".

Thanks to everyone who has posted thier advice and experiences on this thread. It has been *very* invaluable, and made me focus more on what truly looks good, and what I need to look for.

 

[Wild Root]

Always a pleasure!

Don't mention it, we're always happy to help. Yes, I'm speaking on behalf of the guys here. I'm sure they agree with me.

=WR=

 

[KR]

KR,

How were the armholes on your Magnoli suit. Indy sent me an email that the armholes are low UNLESS you request high. Just wondering what you got.

Regards,

Senator Jack

The suit has low armholes. I really needed a suit for an event last November and about 4 days before the event is when I found out about Magnoli suits. I sent him a pm to find out if it was at all possible to get a suit in that amount of time (It isn't of course).

Well Indy was the nicest guy and when it turned out I was about the same size he was he sent me one of his suits! I really can't thank him enough for helping me out.:cheers1:

I look forward to soon ordering a suit tailored to me and I'll be requesting the high armholes.

 

[geo]

It's possible to still get an "old fashioned" 3-piece suit, with a little effort. I got this one, in charcoal chalkstripe:

It didn't come with a vest, but they make single and double breasted vests in linen, tweed, and silk:

single breasted with 6 buttons and lapels:

double breasted, looking much like the one in the "Recently made 1930's suit" thread:

So, I found out that it's possible to have a vest made in the suit fabric (add 20% to the cost of the vest and about 6 weeks waiting), and I ended up with a 3-piece charcoal chalkstripe with a single-breasted vest with lapels. Next time I'll try the single-breasted jacket double-breasted vest combo.

 

[GateXC]

How are the suits from Pakeman? Quality? Fit? Etc?