I guess I was fortunate. I started being interested in vintage clothing when in my early 'Teens. There happened to still be a "neighborhood tailor" down the road from my house. This was back in the Eighties, and the tailors there ranged in age from a guy in his eighties (the grandpa) to his grandson who was in his 20s. Since I was a broke kid, now and then they'd do alterations for me for next to nothing. One day the old man remembered having some suits they had made for a customer "years ago", and that he thought that I could "just about walk into them". Five minutes later, he comes back downstairs with two of the most beautiful Dupioni silk suits I'd ever seen. In fact, they were THE FIRST Dupioni silk suits I'd EVER seen... Made back in 1957 for a guy who never picked them up. One was this wild pewter color, with dark blue slubs and sheens of peacock blue and lavender. The other was sort of a British tan color with golden brown slubs and sheens of peach and darker brown , if you can imagine that. They were each different cuts, the grey suit was a 2 button coat, more or less a business suit, only a bit "zootier" than the norm. The tan one was a real Pip... It had a "sport collar", an action back, shirred sleeve caps, a self-belt and no buttons... Something you could see Desi Arnaz wearing. Anyhow, they fit very well with very slight adjustments. Those fellas sold me those incredible suits for only $30.00 each WITH the adjustments! I guess the most valuable lessons they taught me were to always ask to see the tailors' old "Flash Books"... The style catalogs, and pick and choose from there. They also taught me general rules of thumb, as far as certain things like lapel width and cuff depths go. Sleeve end opening size. Where one's jacket sleeve should hit one's wrist, trouser length and break. They taught me about fabrics, they explained different styles of pockets, lining patterns... Etc. I did business with those fine Gentleman right until the day they closed their door for good, that was in the Winter of 1994. I'm fortunate to have had Mentors like them.
Sounds like they were great people. It’s great that you had mentors who were so kind and helpful. I’ve been into style for about two years, (I’m 14, as opposed to just being a hobo who never learned how to dress well). My Dad was apparently very stylish when he was younger, and he taught me most of the stuff I know about suits. Lapels, pocket styles, the right shirts to wear, and most importantly for me, the difference between single, and double breasted suits. I only have one suit, which he bought me, a dark blue double breasted wool suit. It fits perfectly.
@@billysinge8977 Hiya Billy! Say, if you scour Thrift stores and Vintage Clothing stores, you're liable to come away with some REAL GEMS... I currently happen to wear a 43 Long coat and take a 38 inch waist... I still find a suit here and there... If you wear, say a 40 Reg jacket, you could actually get away with finding up to a 42 Long and have it tailored down... Especially by a Master Tailor... They can do miracles in most cases. I recently saw 3 beautiful Oxxford suits, probably early-90s vintage, they all had a 1940s vibe to them. They were in PERFECT shape... They were only like $9.00 each... But damn if they weren't made for a guy that HAD to be 4'11" and about 250lbs! There ain't much ya can do with something like that... Unless, of course ya happen to BE 4'11" and around 250.😁 Long story short... Most of the pieces in my personal collection are vintage items... I have MANY Sport Coats that go back to the late 1930s , then I own a lot of "high end" stuff from the 1970s and 90s... Believe it or not, a lot of stuff from the 70s was INCREDIBLE... except for maybe the trouser cuts at the time... But as far as jackets, many were TASTEFULLY done. Look for Brioni, then there was LeBaron... There was Pierre Cardin BEFORE it was "just" a brand name. A real rarity, but something GREAT to find, are the high-end Dress shirts from the 1970s... Beautiful Egyptian cottons, broadcloth, Oxford... And if the shirts were in any way "Continental", they had beautiful Spear collars (not TOO "Disco-ish") wonderful sewing details, nice darting, etc. Usually what I do, is put together a 30s or 40s Sport Coat with a 1970s shirt, a 1940s necktie, 1980s or 90s high-waisted slacks, some high quality shoes and belt, and top it off with a vintage hat from my collection. The 40s/early 50s style just "works" on me.... And even people I've known for years, that KNOW Vintage Fashion, always have to look twice because the pieces I'm lucky enough to find nearly replicate the rare originals. I suppose the more Conservative one would want to look, would depend on color, cut and fabric. But believe me... If you scour those Second Hand shops, Thrift stores and Estate sales... You can find wonderful pieces... One bit of advice- BE CHOOSY! Make up your mind on EXACTLY the piece you want. You'll eventually find it. Case in point... I must have had 100 pairs of black wool Gabardine pants at one time... Always bought them when I'd see 'em, but only 2 pair ever looked like/fit like what I WANTED, and what SUITED me. But the "hunt" is lot's of fun. It's a great hobby. Also, remember to throw a few bucks a week into a coffee can or something. After a year or two, take what you saved to a Tailor and have them MAKE EXACTLY what you envision. I'm in Central Ohio nowadays... But there's a wonderful Tailor Shop in downtown Cincinnati that I visit once a year for a NEW "vintage" suit... Prices there start at $650 for a jacket and trousers... A REAL DEAL TAILOR! Hey- Cheers to you Enjoy your Sartorial Adventure... At your age, it'll still be YEARS of fun.
@@Dan-ei2be Hiya Hi... Well, it depends on WHERE you live. If it's a larger OLD city, chances are that there's STILL an old Tailor Shop there. I live in Central Ohio nowadays... Those old shops have gone the way of the Dodo around here, but there's a GREAT one in Downtown Cincinnati. There are a few up around Cleveland. And then there's one in Indianapolis that I know of. Also, don't forget to scour your local Estate sales, Garage sales, Junk Shop, Thrift stores, etc... Just knowing WHAT to look for is the "secret". If you find high-quality stuff in any of those places, as long as it's CLOSE to your size, and it's REALLY what you've been looking for, even a good Seamstress can alter it for you at a nominal cost. Cheers! Have FUN on the hunt!
Biggest suit regret -- Wearing an Indochino tuxedo on my wedding day. Jacket was too short, pants were too tight and too short. I had gone back for 3 alterations in the store and the associates were adamant that the tux fit perfectly. About 3 weeks before my wedding, I was introduced to my local bespoke tailor and started REALLY kicking myself about not going to him first. As an accountant, I didn't think spending the money was necessary. Now, it's all so clear. I don't know if I should thank you or hate you for teaching me "the way." My future self will want to give you a big hug, but thinking about all the money wasted hurts. I suppose if it weren't for you, it would've been more money wasted. So thank you!
Anthony- Don’t feel bad. I have often found that even the best laid wedding plans when it comes to mens dress go wrong. Take me for instance. I had a beautiful suit for my wedding. My wife and I decided we weren’t going to go on the tuxedo route, so we just went with conservative dress. It had a conservative cut, no heavily padded shoulders or anything weird like that. It was just a nice navy flannel. With beautiful black patent leather shoes. A nice white pocket square. A tasteful corsage. And then what do I do? I finished it with the worst ever 90s printed silk tie- Everything that you can imagine that was bad about 1990s neckties was in this thing- shiny, shimmery, swirly designs, abstract, wide blade. It looked like I was wearing a rainbow trout around my neck on my wedding day. With a single stroke, my “timeless” Outfit was rendered permanently dated. My advice for your wedding photos? It sounds like you got a nice tuxedo that was just too small for you. Just whip out the old Photoshop, and a little bit of presto change-oh, and in 10 years you won’t even remember that you looked different on your wedding day.
The burgundy suit can be fixed relatively easy. Since it's patch pockets you can take it to your tailor and he can remove them and make them into flap pockets. He needs to rip the lining so it will cost a little more but if you really like the suit you can fix this.
As someone who's been thinking about getting a custom suit for a while now, I found this video more helpful than the previous video because it provides some examples of the choices you made, why and how they worked out. I can see myself getting caught up with many of these decisions. Would it be worth putting a video together with "Options to consider if you're looking for a more formal custom suit" "options to consider if you're looking for a more versatile custom suit", etc and then walking through the possible options and the way these options match together?
Humility. What a breath of fresh air. That said, who hasn’t made a custom suit mistake or several! I have a Prince of Wales 3 piece I had made in Korea 7 years ago that is tan, black and wait for it... pink. Sigh.
From a 17 year old who is getting his first bespoke suit you have my thanks keep doing what you do! I love everything, the watches the honesty you have it all! As a great watch fan i would love to see more videos about them and how you incorporate them into your outfit.
I chose black solid fabric for my first custom suit :( I feel like I can only wear it to funerals or super formal weddings. And in my personal opinion, if I'm going to spend $1,000+ on any suit I want to be able to wear it frequently and for it to be versatile.
Man, this makes me feel better! Lol I’ve made some questionable sartorial choices in my custom, and made to measure suits. One that really stands out is I had this 10 ounce navy chalk stripe flannel. In my insanity, I had it made with heavily padded shoulders, wide peak lapel’s, slanted pockets and ticket pocket, very heavily roped shoulder sleeve heads, 3 roll 2, no vent, and Then the trousers were plain bottom with a strong taper. Instead of coming out looking like I was sartorially sophisticated, I looked like I was about to go hold up the first federal savings and loan! Lol The final nail in the coffin was when a co-worker asked me if my suit “came free with the getaway car”! Hahaha. Matt
Great video. Love to hear the errors. One of my biggest errors was when I was ordering my shirts from Turnbull & Asser. Going through books and books of fabric and I decided that I would make one of them a shirt to wear with a tux. Of course, I thought that but didn't quite communicate that. So, they made the shirt the "normal" way - meaning without french cuffs, cufflink holes, or buttonholes for studs. I still use it without the studs or cufflinks, but it grates on me everytime! At least I can use it for less formal outings. A Q - in your experience, have you noticed a difference between tailors that measure, create patterns, cut and assemble in-house versus those that do not? I ask because I seem to notice a distinct difference between the T&A fit and comfort versus a different Baltimore-based custom tailor that measures and sends the measurements up to NYC for creation. The two tailors I have used that did everything in-house delivered shirts that have been much more comfortable.
I hope you guys doing well in these times. I had a great suit made and went back for more. However, because of past positive experience bias, I took their suggestion for a slim fit. During fittings, I didn't really test the fit and it looked right standing up straight, plus I put my faith in the craftsmanship. I even decided to double down during fitting and had one more made in a different fabric. I ended up with two unwearable "straight jackets" that I can only wear with a t-shirt comfortably even when we opened the back and sleeves to the max... And the lapels were skinny enough to look off the rack. Never slim fit again. Even with a slim figure, I do not understand why someone would willingly restrict their movement to that degree and pay for it. That experience got me interested in the Armani suit Richard Gere wore in Pretty Woman. Might be dated, but does it look comfortable and well proportioned... Stay safe!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the details of your suits. I'll pay more attention with my next suit. I liked the fabric of the brown suit, but the last had the best overall appearance. The flip side of realizing your mistakes is that you're still growing. 🙂
Lesson from my first custom: Don't ASSUME the tailor knows what you want. A no brainer really. I always wanted a high rise classic style trouser but all my off-the-rack trousers were really low at the waist. And it was the only ones I could wear when visiting the tailor. My tailor asked me if all my trousers were at that height and I stupidly said "yes". Back in my mind I assumed the tailor knew that classic styling demanded higher rise trousers. I thought he would have changed the rise as per his recommendation. But now I have to live with a pretty well-fitted suit with really low rise trousers.
My first ever suit was bought out of the window from a store in 5th Ave (the first suit I bought myself without advice). I had zero clue of what I was doing. It looked great in the window, or so I thought. It was 100% polyester. It was black. It was 3 piece. It cost $99 (in 1998). I tried it on, the pants were too long but they said they would adjust it in a couple of hours. They shortened the trousers without adjusting for width. My folks at home in Ireland (I was on a Summer student visa) just burst out in laughter when they saw it. Worst of all was the swishing sound the very baggy plastic fabric made when I walked, as if I was wearing plastic bags. Oh well live and learn 😀. $99 well spent for the lesson of what not to do when buying a suit 🙂
This is the more reason why u r like a godfather to many of us .You do not have any idea how you are changing the lifes of million of people who are not even subscribers.
I recently did a custom suit and the one minor regret I have is the waistcoat has 4 buttons instead of 5. Nothing major and frankly I don't think I'll wear the waistcoat that much but you live and learn. I was concerned about the width being 4" but the tailor thought I'd look good in it having a 42.5" chest. I actually am glad I went with his suggestion in that instance. Being a more formal navy suit I went with minimum padding. I'm not sure if I should have went with no padding since I have muscular shoulders because of how the shoulder line looks slightly off but frankly I have seen this happen with different types of jackets I have since I have a slightly disproportionate left vs right shoulder. Overall I'm happy with my suit and looking forward to getting more custom made and bespoke.
My first custom suit is my first real suit (I've had sportcoats before but never a suit). I had it made by Indochino for my wedding. Since it was for my wedding I decided to have some fun with the stylistic choices. I got a medium green suit to match the wedding colors, with a double breasted vest with lapels and peak lapel jacket with ticket pocket. I purposefully went a bit more bold than I typically would being that it is for my wedding. Well, the Indochino suit would've fit perfectly if I gained 75 pounds. I may be overweight, but they thought I was HUGE. Waistband was gigantic, pants rise was hilariously short, the slightest bend would show buttcrack, and they were ballcrushers for sure. Jacket and vest are 3 inches too big around the belly, and the overall placement of the pockets makes me look fatter than I've ever been. I ordered this suit 3 months ago and I am still in the process of getting it remade with my wedding coming up in 8 weeks! The pants remake arrived the other day and I am actually rather impressed, they're very close to perfect. I am still waiting on the jacket and vest remakes, lets hope they come out good. Because the fit was so bad, It's hard to know if I made any poor decisions in the overall stylings. So far as I can tell though, I think I should've chosen a wide peak lapel rather than the regular peak lapel, to go with my wider build and the double breasted vest (I have come to realize that wide lapels, ties, and double breasted jackets look fantastic for my build), and maybe go without the ticket pocket. I think my biggest regret is the fabric. It's a cotton and polyester blend that just feels kinda cheap. It'll look great in the wedding photos and everything and the color is exactly what we wanted but I wish it was wool with a very small pattern or texture to it. It has a flatness to it that reminds me of a pair of chinos. After the wedding, I think the suit will mostly just become a pair of green chinos in my closet. At least it'll look great in the wedding photos, assuming they get me the remade jacket and vest in time!
Before I got interested in the world of classic men’s wear, I didn’t understand/notice any of these differences. Nowadays it’s pretty hard to look at those skinny lapels on my old suit jackets and don't feel like ‘dang I should have gotten in this game earlier’. Better late than never I guess.
JK Chang You can still wear jackets with narrow lapels as long as you wear narrow ties with them. Slim lapels are classic too. Think John F. Kennedy or James Bond as played by Sean Connery.
@@countalma9800 yep but what I meant more was that had I not gotten interested in classic mens wear, I would not have known that there's a difference coming from these little details in the first place. I never looked at the width of lapels or thought about why some jackets have patch pockets while others aren't. That kind of thing.
Another thing to consider, and I know this is left field but it is a big deal if it gets messed up, is if you carry a concealed firearm for work, or just in general. Tell your tailor were you carry and take your rig, with the tailor's permission, with you when you take measurements. You don't have to take a real pistol... you can use one of those rubber guns they use for training to give proper dimensions. I told my tailor, "I carry here, or here", and I patted the locations for visual reference. She knew what to do without further ado -- but she is the finest tailor in the state. She has an almost supernatural knack for knowing what you want. I also wore my best fitting suit when I went to see her the first time, too. That told her everything without having to talk endlessly about minutia. When I saw her for my second suit she said, "Put it on", and that was it. She pinched and placed needles and chatted about the weather. We didn't talk about the suit at all.
Really enjoyed the video. I recently had a custom suit made in a mid grey windowpane. The fit is amazing but the only thing I would change about it is not having a ticket pocket on one side (to have a double-pocket look) as I have single pockets on both sides. Perhaps I would also have asked for a double breasted jacket as well but that’s not the end of the world. I had the trousers adjusted 3 times as they were too tight and glad I did as they fit perfectly now. Don’t be afraid to ask the tailor to change it if you are not comfortable with how the suit looks or it doesn’t fit/doesn’t feel right etc.
Your videos are really good! My first custom suit was from spier and mackay - full canvas, grey sharkskin. My problem with it was not ordering the right size for the pants - there were so many options, but fortunately I took it to my tailor and he brought the trousers up so there was no break. I decided to get the Neapolitan cut which I really regret - it's just not a good look on me. I ended up selling on ebay. The next two I bought were much better...I've got the trousers down, but the jackets are a bit snug. The first one I bought which i am wearing now is a 38 R slim...I like how it looks unbuttoned, but it is snug when I button it. So...logically, the next suit I bought was a 39R Slim...still too snug - not convinced it's really a 39R. SO...I am going to do it again and will stick with my off the rack size - 38 Regular contemporary fit. I figure if I get it fully canvassed it will fit better on my torso. Also...thank you for the tip about the peak lapels! Spier and Mackay's are over 4 inches, which, to me, look a bit too wide, but they said I could so a 3 3/4"
Regret: a beautiful, beautiful medium grey POW DB suit as part of a project I did with Enzo Custom. The suit fit-perfectly. After getting the photos back, I thought the sleeves were a little too full. So, I had them slimmed. The clothier looked at me and asked “are you sure you want to do this?” I said yes. They ended up being too tight. Thankfully, nothing was cut, so they were able to fix it for me. The lining is still a little wrinkled on one side, but I think a good steam and a little more use may end up doing the trick
He Spoke Style We’re good, actually. Because we only slimmed the sleeves by half an inch, the seamstress didn’t have to cut any fabric. So, they were able to pretty much reverse the mistake I made. I think some of the lining in the sleeve is a bit wrinkled-which can show a bit. But, it’s definitely minor, and will hopefully resolve itself with steam. If not, I can always have my own alterations tailor (who I’ve worked with for over a year now) fix it for me.
Hey Brian, I actually work at a popular menswear chain as a consultant and I hate to see it but alot of my coworkers do tend to be pushy at times. I always make sure to take my clients needs as a priority, and only suggest when necessary - but alot of these guys would rather care about their wallet then their client.
I am glad that we all have made mistakes, and I am not the only one. What we were even thinking back then? My mistake: Did a combo of one flap pocket and another one is jetted.
Biggest issue with my first suit was time!! I decided to do a tailored suit for my wedding, and I didn’t realize the time frame could drag. The suit had to go for adjustments twice and this created more unwanted anxiety. I ended up purchasing Kenneth Cole suit that fitted perfectly.
I've have done many mistakes and I'm sure there're a lot of them left. The one I most remember is getting this light grey peak lapel double breasted suit, which I bought many years ago. The main problem was it doesn't feel natural... Let me put it in this way, the color looks like for a summer suit, but because it was double breasted full canvas, it looks and feel like a winter suit... it just doesn't feel any right... Another big mistake was buying (a lot of) casual square pattern shits which I've almost never use... Mainly because since I'm a lawyer I use suits all the time and that shirts (not just because the pattern but because they are casual) doesn't looks good with a suit... And finally, I deffinetly regret buying some cemented genuine leather shoes just because the brand on them, instead of looking for good quality leather and construction. Saludos desde Perú!! 🇵🇪
Thanks for sharing you experience. I am also in the tought process of doing my first bespoke suit and I've been searching for 2 months exactly what I should and shouldn't do and figuring out what's my personal style. It was supposed to be made by the beginning of 2021 but this pandemic made it impossible to make predictions. I live on a very remote place, no bespoke atelliers around me and the tailor I know is over 70 years old. Looks like I will have to count on luck by this time.
Hi Tony, Mabey You could have the pockets removed from your burgundy suit and have flaps made out of the fabric from the pockets and have pockets made from the inside. The liner could be removed to do it and be put back in place. It might be worth a try, you might like the Suit better and be able to enjoy it. putting a couple of hundred dollars into it could be worth it, you probably have a lot of money in it already. Jeff
Some very good advice here. I was struck by what you said about the burgundy suit, how you regard it to be formal. I thought that darker colours (e.g. black, grey, dark blue) would be regarded as formal, as opposed to lighter or brighter colours such as burgundy, which are more 'playful' and casual, and hence not formal (regardless of conservative features such as side vents and peak lapels)? A final observation: I toyed with the idea of patch pockets, but invariably always opted for 2" flap pockets. I'm glad, because now after years of quietly assessing the look, it seems to me that patch pockets only work around half the time, whereas a proper 2" flap pocket will work all the time. Thanks again for this helpful video.
Just got my first 2 custom suits. Wanted to get one for my wedding and they had a deal on 2. Went for the basics with navy and charcoal. They navy is a bit lighter shade than i had intended. Wish i had picked a darker shade but still not a deal breaker by any means
My first 2 custom suit mistake was the guy suggested me to try more trendier colours (wine / shiny blue) and told me That he'll make the suits that fits perfectly on my body although at that time it was tricky for a guy like me (6'3 ft and thin body structure) to get perfect fit on clothes and i endep up wearing those 2 expensive suits only once each in my life because that were to tight for me to sit walk and move + the colours was not so basic and versatile and cannot wear that on most of the occasions... This mistake I've made 5 years ago and I've learned alot by that glad that now I acutally know what I want and can easily rejects the opinion of others if it's not what I want... 😄
Went with Indochino for my first every custom suit- the fabric and fit was great after going in with the suit for their “Perfect fit” tailoring session, however their associate did not put in functional buttons as an option or even ask... the sleeves look cheap now even though it’s a custom suit... they did want to make it right by saying they could have the tailor fix it but it added way too much time in the tailoring process against a wedding I needed the suit for.
I agree with all your comments especially because it's your opinion and your personal thoughts on style. But you're going to have so many guys thinking.. "send that stuff my way cause ain't nothing wrong with any of them" 😂
Love the video. Yeah patch pockets is super casual. It's personal choice, but I'm not a fan of the exposed stitching. Looks like a bespoke fitting template. I did a ton of research before ordering mine. Being short and stocky, compared to the 6foot 5 models wearing the suit I want to order, made it a bit daunting. I got slanted welted pockets on my suit. Let's hope it has the slimming effect I was going for 🤞
Grrrrreat video! Always fun to watch the more human side of you, whether it be mistakes or bloopers at the end of the video. My thoughts: The second suit I think can work because of the more unusual colour choice, the patch pockets don't seem too bad. For the first one, it doesn't seem like you made bad choices but I guess it just doesn't fit into your wardrobe. The last one, I guess it goes to show how some seemingly small details can go a long way! Thank you for sharing this, as always hope you and everyone and HSS stay safe and well. - Han
Brian you should make a video on where to buy the best dress shirts. And if possible, to categorize them by budget. Would be highly appreciated by your community I think.
Nice video. I also made that first mistake on my first custom suit. It was an impeccable charcoal grey suit but it has narrow lapels.... I still wear it tho. Best 900€ spent of my life.
I’m 55. I only own 2 suits that fit properly. A charcoal Suit Supply from their MTM program and a navy Indochino suit. The Indochino suit has narrow lapels and now I hate it. Lapel width was not an option. I’m trying to convince myself if I ever want to wear a suit with a tee shirt and sneakers that’s the one to wear! It hasn’t been a huge problem as I don’t have occasion to wear a suit very often. Thanks for your great content, keep it coming!
They've updated their options and they now have slim notch, medium notch and wide notch lapels. They also have peak and wide peak lapels. Granted their lapels run slim (less than 3" at the end) EXCEPT for their wide ones which run in at about 4". I am a regular customer there and can tell you that no, they arent perfect but with any bespoke/MGM outfitter if you want the 'perfect' fitting suit each time you order one with the same measurements, you MUST keep a steady body size/weight. Otherwise you're wasting your money and may as well go back to off the rack. Because at least there you can try on stuff right away and get an approximate size should one gain or lose a lot of weight. If you are an odd size/in between sizes and are keeping a steady weight for long periods of time (months years) then mtm/bespoke is for you. Just my 2 cents.
Great content, as always. I really like the third suit, it has a very casual vibe to it and fits you very well, although I do get what you say about the lack of cuff on the pants. It does feel a bit off.
Just when through my first experience of bespoke suit. 2 pieces suit from light grey wool in very classic style, Single breasted, 2 buttons, notch lapel, double vent, flap pocket I got 2 trousers, both no break: - One with flat front, belt loops and no cuff - One with 2 pleated, side tab and 1.75 inch cuff What my reget are: 1. I have no ideal about the button holes, all was sew first then cut open 2. The suit sleeve buttons: all 4 are functional, kissing nonstacked style but 1 seem defect and stacked. I don't realize it until got home. 3. I don't choose the lining so they just use black with subtle paisley
VBC, Ariston and Scabal? Wow didn't know we were flexin' THAT early on! The fabric on my first couple of custom suits were some made in Asia off brand lol. But I have since learned my lesson!
Holland & Sherry fabric is the Gold standard for fabrics. I have a blue houndstooth pair of trousers made from that company's fabric and it is the bomb. rs
Some of your viewers shop goodwill and other thrift stores for suits. Just for fun a video of you picking one or two suits from these places and having your tailor fit them would be great. I've picked up quite a few Italian and other quality suits and jackets for 10 bucks or so. C'mon, let's see how inexpensive a person can go and still look good. Would benefit viewers who are currently financially stressed.
Thank you so much for such useful advice! Would you be able to do a video on your sports jacket collection? It would really help me and I suppose many other people who would start their journey towards purchasing certain versatile and a capsule collection of sports jacket. Thanks!
Fantastic presentation. How about using those patch pockets to make jetted pockets or maybe even flap pockets? Just curious. Not yet had a custom suit, though can add a regret which applies: getting hung up on a color. Green so hard to find, saw what thought was a green sport coat, and after a couple wears and learning more about details, realize it is an orphan. All good, this Fall found a decent quality light green with a very thin light blue windowpane suit for $5. Looking forward to warmer weather so can wear it! Hope this helps.
I made a lapel mistake with my custom suit also. I put a three inch peak Lapel on the suit. I should have known that it was a mistake when the retailer (Richard Bennett) told me that the jacket was fashion forward. At least I can wear the pants separately.
My friend, that grey flannel suit is gorgeous and looks fantastic on you! I don't think the cuff on the pant would add much if anything but a small accent. And I love the pairing with the suede monk straps.
I think both suits look good on you, Im lucky I went for the modern staple notch lapels, double vent, 1 inch cuff, tapered legs and monogramed lol. I too wish I would have had some guidance the only thing I wish I had were functional buttons on my suit cuff.
Well on the positive side with those 2.5 inch lapels you must be very humble according to the italians and I agree with them! Thank you for sharing Brian and the video was very helpfull for someone like me who’s new to the custom game
Ich have a two jackets with a relatively skinny 3inch peak lapel. It doesn't look bad, and people told me how great these jackets look and fit but to me it sticks out instantly. There are some other minor style details like this. There is one suit that is single breasted that i'd prefer to be a double breasted 6 and 2 now. Then there is a 6 and 2 that i think would look better as 6 and 1, and a 6 and 2 that I'd prefer as single breasted 2 button notch lapel now. I have some trousers with belt loop that i'd like to swap against side adjusters. In hindsight there is always some minor thing with my custom suits that I would change if I had the chance to do it. But it doesn't take the fun away of wearing them.
The first custom suit I ever ordered was from a cheap online-mtm, so at least financially it's not too bad that I do not wear it anymore. I did not have any clue about suiting back in the days and decided to order the suit without a chest pocket, what looks extremely odd. Now, I have two more custom suits from a way better mtm-service and I already know what I want. 3,75" lapels, double vents, 2" cuff, pleats and a chest pocket of course. ;-)
Would love to see you do video on proper suit etiquette! One of my biggest pet peeves is when I see a gentleman with his phone in his front pocket, his keys in the other front pocket and his big bulky wallet in the back pocket of his trousers while not utilizing his inside pockets on the jacket properly. You could also cover where the break of the shirt and jacket sleeve should hit on the wrist as well as jacket length. Last but not least where the trouser should be on the waist and the break of the hem. Or maybe I should just get over it lol!
Glad to see I was not the only one. I haven't got a made to measure suit yet, but a shirt at Lanieri. Their online measuring guide is very well made but I was so disappointed by the result. I thought I had taken my measures with care but the shirt ended up way too long. Even after alterations, it doesn't look good. Also I don't like the fabric... Talking about shirts, I love how yours look. Do you get them made to measure? And where?
I forgot to tell my tailor to add side adjuster on my first bespoke suit with her. It was something I knew I had wanted but just totally forgot to text her until I saw the final product. Unfortunately not enough fabric left over to get them now. Also pants are just a tad bit too wide for my tastes.
That's a good idea, but sometimes the fabrics are discontinued (lots of mills only make limited amounts of that exact fabric, even if they make something almost the same it'll stand out), and fabrics lose their colour over time which isn't obvious until you layer the new fabric on top for the cuff. It's why it's suggested to buy two pairs of trousers with bespoke suit, instead of just ordering another pair down the line.
I have to say you could easily take off the patch pockets and use the fabric from the patch to have the flap pockets put in as a replacement. Not the hardest alteration at all. The stitches from the patch's should steam out easily and it would be unnoticeable. You may even have enough fabic left of the patch to put cuffs on the pants if you have a narrow enough hem. I tailor clothes myself, totally achievable with a skilled shop.
Another thing that should be mentioned is when you decide to first go bespoke you should have an understanding of the types of lapels. I'm not talking about the general terms of notch, peak, and shawl, but the ones the tailor will list out such as semi notch, fish mouth, half clover, clover, semi peak, and etc. When I first went bespoke I knew what was a notch, peak, and shawl lapel but when my tailor asked me about the terms I just listed I was confused as rarely people talk about them and show you the differences.
what I learned from this video is never get a suit from a barber shop. On a serious note, I gave away half of my early bespoke suits. Some had small lapels and notch lapels ( which I no longer like) and belt loops. I go with suspenders and side adjusters now. Interesting about pick stitching, I never considered it. It looks too casual. I would maybe consider it for a bespoke blazer I want to pair down with denim or a more casual look. But side note: the blue suit with the skinny lapels, I suggest you pair it down with a turtle neck or polo; or similar shirt. It will be more wearable without a tie or dress shirt and looks much better as a casual look.
My mistake on my first bespoke suit was no having the material draped over me to see how it worked with my colouring and fit. Material can look wonderful in a patch book but once you have a couple of meters spread across you, it can be a distastes. My next suit, I had my wife chose the material after draping it over me. The other problem was the material was a pattern black. Black suits are a mine field and best left for the tuxedo. Live & learn. Mickey G
Hey Brian!!! Great to see you, how are you and your family holding up during this plague? I assume that you are on the east coast.. take care of yourselves.. Great post, I always appreciate the honesty in your decisions for the design of your suit. Lol I'm a 40 short with a 32-33 waist... I might be inclined to help you? Dude, always enjoy your videos! Great job!
Depends on what situation you think you'll wear the suit more. Broadly, plain bottom is more formal, a cuff can be more casual. good to have cuffs if you want to wear as a separate as well.
BIGGEST REGRET OF MINE: Getting my trousers way way way too tight. I’m a skinny guy as is (always skip leg day lol) and looking back at pics from a few years ago I followed that trend too hard with a few of my suits.
Lol my suit regrettable faux paws would also be with my first tailor made suit. I "knew " how this suit needed to be in order to demand respect at first sight. Lol I selected a chocolate birdseye tweed from a VERY reputable fine mens shop. I imagined myself being a offical grown up because I was having a hand tailored suit made on a Tuesday afternoon by myself. It too had patch pockets.
Great video! Please do a video on custom dress shirts. I am thinking about making a made to measure Brooks Brothers dress shirt. What are your thoughts on it?
I actually think the gray flannel suit is fantastic though I agree I probably wouldn't have gone with the patch pockets there. And truer words have never been spoken as "just because you can, doesn't mean you should"...haha. Thanks for the video though. And I dont know if I slept through it or not, was the 100k winner announced? I know it's been a crazy couple of weeks so its entirely possible I did. Anyway, thanks again Brian and stay safe out there everybody.
I think the suit looks fabulous on you. Yeah the pants are bit highwater (I've never personally liked that look), but the flaps you can hide into your jacket and the lapels look fine. However, I don't have to wear the suit which means if you don't feel comfortable in the suit you won't wear it.
Green herringbone three-piece... a fun experiment... until I wore it. I use the jacket a fair deal as an odd jacket (though I wish it were darker), but I've only worn it as a suit a few times. Thankfully, it was MTM instead of custom, so not as much of a loss... Also, all of my trousers are too short...
The tailor should have left enough fabric to lengthen them, very irresponsible to not do this. MTM should always consider future alterations to some degree for the price you pay.
My biggest regret is really fairly minor. I went with a blue suit with a bold green lining, which is fine in and of itself but I got the matching green lining on the waistcoat, and it feels so bold I don’t know that I’ll ever really want to take the jacket off and just be wearing the waistcoat.
For 99% of the population, I don't think they would think there's anything off with any of the suits, especially given that fit is the most important part of a suit and all 3 fit very well.
Hello Brian, regards from Spain, great content and really good way you tell us, I have a question for you, you mention in some of your videos VBC (what doesn’t man?) thank you.
Keep following you and very informative tips. Love all your content love from Philippines. Whats your favorite color of suit aside from black and blue?
I guess I was fortunate. I started being interested in vintage clothing when in my early 'Teens.
There happened to still be a "neighborhood tailor" down the road from my house. This was back in the Eighties, and the tailors there ranged in age from a guy in his eighties (the grandpa) to his grandson who was in his 20s.
Since I was a broke kid, now and then they'd do alterations for me for next to nothing.
One day the old man remembered having some suits they had made for a customer "years ago", and that he thought that I could "just about walk into them".
Five minutes later, he comes back downstairs with two of the most beautiful Dupioni silk suits I'd ever seen. In fact, they were THE FIRST Dupioni silk suits I'd EVER seen... Made back in 1957 for a guy who never picked them up.
One was this wild pewter color, with dark blue slubs and sheens of peacock blue and lavender. The other was sort of a British tan color with golden brown slubs and sheens of peach and darker brown , if you can imagine that.
They were each different cuts, the grey suit was a 2 button coat, more or less a business suit, only a bit "zootier" than the norm.
The tan one was a real Pip... It had a "sport collar", an action back, shirred sleeve caps, a self-belt and no buttons... Something you could see Desi Arnaz wearing.
Anyhow, they fit very well with very slight adjustments. Those fellas sold me those incredible suits for only $30.00 each WITH the adjustments!
I guess the most valuable lessons they taught me were to always ask to see the tailors' old "Flash Books"... The style catalogs, and pick and choose from there. They also taught me general rules of thumb, as far as certain things like lapel width and cuff depths go. Sleeve end opening size. Where one's jacket sleeve should hit one's wrist, trouser length and break. They taught me about fabrics, they explained different styles of pockets, lining patterns... Etc.
I did business with those fine Gentleman right until the day they closed their door for good, that was in the Winter of 1994.
I'm fortunate to have had Mentors like them.
Sounds like they were great people. It’s great that you had mentors who were so kind and helpful. I’ve been into style for about two years, (I’m 14, as opposed to just being a hobo who never learned how to dress well). My Dad was apparently very stylish when he was younger, and he taught me most of the stuff I know about suits. Lapels, pocket styles, the right shirts to wear, and most importantly for me, the difference between single, and double breasted suits. I only have one suit, which he bought me, a dark blue double breasted wool suit. It fits perfectly.
That sounds incredible. I can’t seem to find those knowledgeable tailors around my area.
@@billysinge8977 Hiya Billy!
Say, if you scour Thrift stores and Vintage Clothing stores, you're liable to come away with some REAL GEMS... I currently happen to wear a 43 Long coat and take a 38 inch waist... I still find a suit here and there... If you wear, say a 40 Reg jacket, you could actually get away with finding up to a 42 Long and have it tailored down... Especially by a Master Tailor... They can do miracles in most cases.
I recently saw 3 beautiful Oxxford suits, probably early-90s vintage, they all had a 1940s vibe to them. They were in PERFECT shape... They were only like $9.00 each... But damn if they weren't made for a guy that HAD to be 4'11" and about 250lbs! There ain't much ya can do with something like that... Unless, of course ya happen to BE 4'11" and around 250.😁
Long story short... Most of the pieces in my personal collection are vintage items... I have MANY Sport Coats that go back to the late 1930s , then I own a lot of "high end" stuff from the 1970s and 90s... Believe it or not, a lot of stuff from the 70s was INCREDIBLE... except for maybe the trouser cuts at the time... But as far as jackets, many were TASTEFULLY done. Look for Brioni, then there was LeBaron... There was Pierre Cardin BEFORE it was "just" a brand name.
A real rarity, but something GREAT to find, are the high-end Dress shirts from the 1970s... Beautiful Egyptian cottons, broadcloth, Oxford... And if the shirts were in any way "Continental", they had beautiful Spear collars (not TOO "Disco-ish") wonderful sewing details, nice darting, etc.
Usually what I do, is put together a 30s or 40s Sport Coat with a 1970s shirt, a 1940s necktie, 1980s or 90s high-waisted slacks, some high quality shoes and belt, and top it off with a vintage hat from my collection.
The 40s/early 50s style just "works" on me.... And even people I've known for years, that KNOW Vintage Fashion, always have to look twice because the pieces I'm lucky enough to find nearly replicate the rare originals.
I suppose the more Conservative one would want to look, would depend on color, cut and fabric. But believe me... If you scour those Second Hand shops, Thrift stores and Estate sales... You can find wonderful pieces...
One bit of advice-
BE CHOOSY! Make up your mind on EXACTLY the piece you want. You'll eventually find it.
Case in point... I must have had 100 pairs of black wool Gabardine pants at one time... Always bought them when I'd see 'em, but only 2 pair ever looked like/fit like what I WANTED, and what SUITED me.
But the "hunt" is lot's of fun. It's a great hobby.
Also, remember to throw a few bucks a week into a coffee can or something. After a year or two, take what you saved to a Tailor and have them MAKE EXACTLY what you envision.
I'm in Central Ohio nowadays... But there's a wonderful Tailor Shop in downtown Cincinnati that I visit once a year for a NEW "vintage" suit... Prices there start at $650 for a jacket and trousers... A REAL DEAL TAILOR!
Hey- Cheers to you Enjoy your Sartorial Adventure... At your age, it'll still be YEARS of fun.
@@Dan-ei2be Hiya Hi... Well, it depends on WHERE you live.
If it's a larger OLD city, chances are that there's STILL an old Tailor Shop there.
I live in Central Ohio nowadays... Those old shops have gone the way of the Dodo around here, but there's a GREAT one in Downtown Cincinnati. There are a few up around Cleveland. And then there's one in Indianapolis that I know of.
Also, don't forget to scour your local Estate sales, Garage sales, Junk Shop, Thrift stores, etc... Just knowing WHAT to look for is the "secret".
If you find high-quality stuff in any of those places, as long as it's CLOSE to your size, and it's REALLY what you've been looking for, even a good Seamstress can alter it for you at a nominal cost.
Cheers! Have FUN on the hunt!
Those suits sound like they were made for some wiseguys.
Biggest suit regret -- Wearing an Indochino tuxedo on my wedding day. Jacket was too short, pants were too tight and too short. I had gone back for 3 alterations in the store and the associates were adamant that the tux fit perfectly. About 3 weeks before my wedding, I was introduced to my local bespoke tailor and started REALLY kicking myself about not going to him first. As an accountant, I didn't think spending the money was necessary. Now, it's all so clear. I don't know if I should thank you or hate you for teaching me "the way." My future self will want to give you a big hug, but thinking about all the money wasted hurts. I suppose if it weren't for you, it would've been more money wasted. So thank you!
Many thanks, Anthony. Means a lot. Hope you are well.
Anthony- Don’t feel bad.
I have often found that even the best laid wedding plans when it comes to mens dress go wrong. Take me for instance. I had a beautiful suit for my wedding. My wife and I decided we weren’t going to go on the tuxedo route, so we just went with conservative dress.
It had a conservative cut, no heavily padded shoulders or anything weird like that. It was just a nice navy flannel. With beautiful black patent leather shoes. A nice white pocket square. A tasteful corsage.
And then what do I do? I finished it with the worst ever 90s printed silk tie- Everything that you can imagine that was bad about 1990s neckties was in this thing- shiny, shimmery, swirly designs, abstract, wide blade. It looked like I was wearing a rainbow trout around my neck on my wedding day.
With a single stroke, my “timeless” Outfit was rendered permanently dated.
My advice for your wedding photos? It sounds like you got a nice tuxedo that was just too small for you. Just whip out the old Photoshop, and a little bit of presto change-oh, and in 10 years you won’t even remember that you looked different on your wedding day.
Just when I thought I couldn’t like you more you post this . . . and I thought I was the only one to make suit regrets! Thanks for keeping it real.
Always. Appreciate the support and the comment.
The burgundy suit can be fixed relatively easy. Since it's patch pockets you can take it to your tailor and he can remove them and make them into flap pockets. He needs to rip the lining so it will cost a little more but if you really like the suit you can fix this.
As someone who's been thinking about getting a custom suit for a while now, I found this video more helpful than the previous video because it provides some examples of the choices you made, why and how they worked out. I can see myself getting caught up with many of these decisions. Would it be worth putting a video together with "Options to consider if you're looking for a more formal custom suit" "options to consider if you're looking for a more versatile custom suit", etc and then walking through the possible options and the way these options match together?
Humility. What a breath of fresh air. That said, who hasn’t made a custom suit mistake or several! I have a Prince of Wales 3 piece I had made in Korea 7 years ago that is tan, black and wait for it... pink. Sigh.
Lol. Wear it under a plain overcoat, which you should never remove, just undo.
From a 17 year old who is getting his first bespoke suit you have my thanks keep doing what you do! I love everything, the watches the honesty you have it all!
As a great watch fan i would love to see more videos about them and how you incorporate them into your outfit.
Bespoke @17. Lucky kid. I'd say it won't fit for very long tho
I chose black solid fabric for my first custom suit :( I feel like I can only wear it to funerals or super formal weddings. And in my personal opinion, if I'm going to spend $1,000+ on any suit I want to be able to wear it frequently and for it to be versatile.
Man, this makes me feel better! Lol
I’ve made some questionable sartorial choices in my custom, and made to measure suits.
One that really stands out is I had this 10 ounce navy chalk stripe flannel.
In my insanity, I had it made with heavily padded shoulders, wide peak lapel’s, slanted pockets and ticket pocket, very heavily roped shoulder sleeve heads, 3 roll 2, no vent, and Then the trousers were plain bottom with a strong taper.
Instead of coming out looking like I was sartorially sophisticated, I looked like I was about to go hold up the first federal savings and loan! Lol
The final nail in the coffin was when a co-worker asked me if my suit “came free with the getaway car”! Hahaha.
Matt
The most genuine and authentic youtuber, whose videos I would not like to miss
Most of the viewers of this chanel would never know this, but this chanel is also a slow internet very friendly. I welcome this.
Great video. Love to hear the errors. One of my biggest errors was when I was ordering my shirts from Turnbull & Asser. Going through books and books of fabric and I decided that I would make one of them a shirt to wear with a tux. Of course, I thought that but didn't quite communicate that. So, they made the shirt the "normal" way - meaning without french cuffs, cufflink holes, or buttonholes for studs. I still use it without the studs or cufflinks, but it grates on me everytime! At least I can use it for less formal outings.
A Q - in your experience, have you noticed a difference between tailors that measure, create patterns, cut and assemble in-house versus those that do not? I ask because I seem to notice a distinct difference between the T&A fit and comfort versus a different Baltimore-based custom tailor that measures and sends the measurements up to NYC for creation. The two tailors I have used that did everything in-house delivered shirts that have been much more comfortable.
I hope you guys doing well in these times.
I had a great suit made and went back for more. However, because of past positive experience bias, I took their suggestion for a slim fit. During fittings, I didn't really test the fit and it looked right standing up straight, plus I put my faith in the craftsmanship. I even decided to double down during fitting and had one more made in a different fabric. I ended up with two unwearable "straight jackets" that I can only wear with a t-shirt comfortably even when we opened the back and sleeves to the max... And the lapels were skinny enough to look off the rack. Never slim fit again. Even with a slim figure, I do not understand why someone would willingly restrict their movement to that degree and pay for it. That experience got me interested in the Armani suit Richard Gere wore in Pretty Woman. Might be dated, but does it look comfortable and well proportioned...
Stay safe!
Thanks for that. I have several trousers on the tight side, reasoning that a suit is not worn for sitting down but for standing up in.
The third suit is perfect. No regret 👍
Appreciate the support and feedback!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the details of your suits. I'll pay more attention with my next suit. I liked the fabric of the brown suit, but the last had the best overall appearance.
The flip side of realizing your mistakes is that you're still growing. 🙂
Lesson from my first custom: Don't ASSUME the tailor knows what you want.
A no brainer really. I always wanted a high rise classic style trouser but all my off-the-rack trousers were really low at the waist. And it was the only ones I could wear when visiting the tailor.
My tailor asked me if all my trousers were at that height and I stupidly said "yes". Back in my mind I assumed the tailor knew that classic styling demanded higher rise trousers. I thought he would have changed the rise as per his recommendation. But now I have to live with a pretty well-fitted suit with really low rise trousers.
You should have rejected the suit. The customer is always right.
@@rastrats No
@@rastrats no they are not ahaha
My first ever suit was bought out of the window from a store in 5th Ave (the first suit I bought myself without advice). I had zero clue of what I was doing. It looked great in the window, or so I thought. It was 100% polyester. It was black. It was 3 piece. It cost $99 (in 1998). I tried it on, the pants were too long but they said they would adjust it in a couple of hours. They shortened the trousers without adjusting for width. My folks at home in Ireland (I was on a Summer student visa) just burst out in laughter when they saw it. Worst of all was the swishing sound the very baggy plastic fabric made when I walked, as if I was wearing plastic bags. Oh well live and learn 😀. $99 well spent for the lesson of what not to do when buying a suit 🙂
Having Clark Gable and Fred Astaire on the wall behind you is the best decoration ever.
This is the more reason why u r like a godfather to many of us .You do not have any idea how you are changing the lifes of million of people who are not even subscribers.
i totally agree with your opinion, i try to wear my custom suits as a set, and buy ready to wear blazers/sports jacket for smart casual.
I recently did a custom suit and the one minor regret I have is the waistcoat has 4 buttons instead of 5. Nothing major and frankly I don't think I'll wear the waistcoat that much but you live and learn.
I was concerned about the width being 4" but the tailor thought I'd look good in it having a 42.5" chest. I actually am glad I went with his suggestion in that instance.
Being a more formal navy suit I went with minimum padding. I'm not sure if I should have went with no padding since I have muscular shoulders because of how the shoulder line looks slightly off but frankly I have seen this happen with different types of jackets I have since I have a slightly disproportionate left vs right shoulder.
Overall I'm happy with my suit and looking forward to getting more custom made and bespoke.
My first custom suit is my first real suit (I've had sportcoats before but never a suit). I had it made by Indochino for my wedding. Since it was for my wedding I decided to have some fun with the stylistic choices. I got a medium green suit to match the wedding colors, with a double breasted vest with lapels and peak lapel jacket with ticket pocket. I purposefully went a bit more bold than I typically would being that it is for my wedding.
Well, the Indochino suit would've fit perfectly if I gained 75 pounds. I may be overweight, but they thought I was HUGE. Waistband was gigantic, pants rise was hilariously short, the slightest bend would show buttcrack, and they were ballcrushers for sure. Jacket and vest are 3 inches too big around the belly, and the overall placement of the pockets makes me look fatter than I've ever been. I ordered this suit 3 months ago and I am still in the process of getting it remade with my wedding coming up in 8 weeks! The pants remake arrived the other day and I am actually rather impressed, they're very close to perfect. I am still waiting on the jacket and vest remakes, lets hope they come out good.
Because the fit was so bad, It's hard to know if I made any poor decisions in the overall stylings. So far as I can tell though, I think I should've chosen a wide peak lapel rather than the regular peak lapel, to go with my wider build and the double breasted vest (I have come to realize that wide lapels, ties, and double breasted jackets look fantastic for my build), and maybe go without the ticket pocket.
I think my biggest regret is the fabric. It's a cotton and polyester blend that just feels kinda cheap. It'll look great in the wedding photos and everything and the color is exactly what we wanted but I wish it was wool with a very small pattern or texture to it. It has a flatness to it that reminds me of a pair of chinos. After the wedding, I think the suit will mostly just become a pair of green chinos in my closet. At least it'll look great in the wedding photos, assuming they get me the remade jacket and vest in time!
Before I got interested in the world of classic men’s wear, I didn’t understand/notice any of these differences. Nowadays it’s pretty hard to look at those skinny lapels on my old suit jackets and don't feel like ‘dang I should have gotten in this game earlier’. Better late than never I guess.
Totally true!
JK Chang You can still wear jackets with narrow lapels as long as you wear narrow ties with them. Slim lapels are classic too. Think John F. Kennedy or James Bond as played by Sean Connery.
@@countalma9800 Absolutely!
@@countalma9800 yep but what I meant more was that had I not gotten interested in classic mens wear, I would not have known that there's a difference coming from these little details in the first place. I never looked at the width of lapels or thought about why some jackets have patch pockets while others aren't. That kind of thing.
Another thing to consider, and I know this is left field but it is a big deal if it gets messed up, is if you carry a concealed firearm for work, or just in general. Tell your tailor were you carry and take your rig, with the tailor's permission, with you when you take measurements. You don't have to take a real pistol... you can use one of those rubber guns they use for training to give proper dimensions.
I told my tailor, "I carry here, or here", and I patted the locations for visual reference. She knew what to do without further ado -- but she is the finest tailor in the state. She has an almost supernatural knack for knowing what you want.
I also wore my best fitting suit when I went to see her the first time, too. That told her everything without having to talk endlessly about minutia.
When I saw her for my second suit she said, "Put it on", and that was it. She pinched and placed needles and chatted about the weather. We didn't talk about the suit at all.
Really enjoyed the video. I recently had a custom suit made in a mid grey windowpane. The fit is amazing but the only thing I would change about it is not having a ticket pocket on one side (to have a double-pocket look) as I have single pockets on both sides. Perhaps I would also have asked for a double breasted jacket as well but that’s not the end of the world.
I had the trousers adjusted 3 times as they were too tight and glad I did as they fit perfectly now. Don’t be afraid to ask the tailor to change it if you are not comfortable with how the suit looks or it doesn’t fit/doesn’t feel right etc.
Your videos are really good! My first custom suit was from spier and mackay - full canvas, grey sharkskin. My problem with it was not ordering the right size for the pants - there were so many options, but fortunately I took it to my tailor and he brought the trousers up so there was no break. I decided to get the Neapolitan cut which I really regret - it's just not a good look on me. I ended up selling on ebay. The next two I bought were much better...I've got the trousers down, but the jackets are a bit snug. The first one I bought which i am wearing now is a 38 R slim...I like how it looks unbuttoned, but it is snug when I button it. So...logically, the next suit I bought was a 39R Slim...still too snug - not convinced it's really a 39R. SO...I am going to do it again and will stick with my off the rack size - 38 Regular contemporary fit. I figure if I get it fully canvassed it will fit better on my torso. Also...thank you for the tip about the peak lapels! Spier and Mackay's are over 4 inches, which, to me, look a bit too wide, but they said I could so a 3 3/4"
Regret: a beautiful, beautiful medium grey POW DB suit as part of a project I did with Enzo Custom. The suit fit-perfectly. After getting the photos back, I thought the sleeves were a little too full. So, I had them slimmed. The clothier looked at me and asked “are you sure you want to do this?” I said yes. They ended up being too tight. Thankfully, nothing was cut, so they were able to fix it for me. The lining is still a little wrinkled on one side, but I think a good steam and a little more use may end up doing the trick
Ah, bummer. Wasn't enough allowance to let out a bit?
He Spoke Style We’re good, actually. Because we only slimmed the sleeves by half an inch, the seamstress didn’t have to cut any fabric. So, they were able to pretty much reverse the mistake I made. I think some of the lining in the sleeve is a bit wrinkled-which can show a bit. But, it’s definitely minor, and will hopefully resolve itself with steam. If not, I can always have my own alterations tailor (who I’ve worked with for over a year now) fix it for me.
Hey Brian, I actually work at a popular menswear chain as a consultant and I hate to see it but alot of my coworkers do tend to be pushy at times. I always make sure to take my clients needs as a priority, and only suggest when necessary - but alot of these guys would rather care about their wallet then their client.
My man it's 2022 and the patch pocket is IN right now. I think you chose right!
I am glad that we all have made mistakes, and I am not the only one. What we were even thinking back then?
My mistake: Did a combo of one flap pocket and another one is jetted.
Biggest issue with my first suit was time!! I decided to do a tailored suit for my wedding, and I didn’t realize the time frame could drag. The suit had to go for adjustments twice and this created more unwanted anxiety. I ended up purchasing Kenneth Cole suit that fitted perfectly.
I've have done many mistakes and I'm sure there're a lot of them left.
The one I most remember is getting this light grey peak lapel double breasted suit, which I bought many years ago. The main problem was it doesn't feel natural... Let me put it in this way, the color looks like for a summer suit, but because it was double breasted full canvas, it looks and feel like a winter suit... it just doesn't feel any right...
Another big mistake was buying (a lot of) casual square pattern shits which I've almost never use... Mainly because since I'm a lawyer I use suits all the time and that shirts (not just because the pattern but because they are casual) doesn't looks good with a suit...
And finally, I deffinetly regret buying some cemented genuine leather shoes just because the brand on them, instead of looking for good quality leather and construction.
Saludos desde Perú!! 🇵🇪
as I personally do not like cuffs, I find the third suite quite nice - though patch pockets are more suited to sport coats in my view
Thanks for sharing. I've definitely made some custom mistakes. Guess it comes with the territory.
Thanks for sharing you experience. I am also in the tought process of doing my first bespoke suit and I've been searching for 2 months exactly what I should and shouldn't do and figuring out what's my personal style.
It was supposed to be made by the beginning of 2021 but this pandemic made it impossible to make predictions. I live on a very remote place, no bespoke atelliers around me and the tailor I know is over 70 years old. Looks like I will have to count on luck by this time.
Hi Tony,
Mabey You could have the pockets
removed from your burgundy suit and
have flaps made out of the fabric from the pockets
and have pockets made from the inside. The liner
could be removed to do it and be put back in place.
It might be worth a try, you might like the Suit better
and be able to enjoy it. putting a couple of hundred
dollars into it could be worth it, you probably have
a lot of money in it already.
Jeff
Some very good advice here. I was struck by what you said about the burgundy suit, how you regard it to be formal. I thought that darker colours (e.g. black, grey, dark blue) would be regarded as formal, as opposed to lighter or brighter colours such as burgundy, which are more 'playful' and casual, and hence not formal (regardless of conservative features such as side vents and peak lapels)? A final observation: I toyed with the idea of patch pockets, but invariably always opted for 2" flap pockets. I'm glad, because now after years of quietly assessing the look, it seems to me that patch pockets only work around half the time, whereas a proper 2" flap pocket will work all the time. Thanks again for this helpful video.
Just got my first 2 custom suits. Wanted to get one for my wedding and they had a deal on 2. Went for the basics with navy and charcoal. They navy is a bit lighter shade than i had intended. Wish i had picked a darker shade but still not a deal breaker by any means
My first 2 custom suit mistake was the guy suggested me to try more trendier colours (wine / shiny blue) and told me That he'll make the suits that fits perfectly on my body although at that time it was tricky for a guy like me (6'3 ft and thin body structure) to get perfect fit on clothes and i endep up wearing those 2 expensive suits only once each in my life because that were to tight for me to sit walk and move + the colours was not so basic and versatile and cannot wear that on most of the occasions... This mistake I've made 5 years ago and I've learned alot by that glad that now I acutally know what I want and can easily rejects the opinion of others if it's not what I want... 😄
Went with Indochino for my first every custom suit- the fabric and fit was great after going in with the suit for their “Perfect fit” tailoring session, however their associate did not put in functional buttons as an option or even ask... the sleeves look cheap now even though it’s a custom suit... they did want to make it right by saying they could have the tailor fix it but it added way too much time in the tailoring process against a wedding I needed the suit for.
I agree with all your comments especially because it's your opinion and your personal thoughts on style. But you're going to have so many guys thinking.. "send that stuff my way cause ain't nothing wrong with any of them" 😂
Thanks for sharing this information... about to pull my trigger on a custom suit.
Did you make a video about your top suit that you love?
Grey flannel suit looks perfect. As you say turn up trousers would be best. I'm off to my tailor now.
Love the video. Yeah patch pockets is super casual. It's personal choice, but I'm not a fan of the exposed stitching. Looks like a bespoke fitting template. I did a ton of research before ordering mine. Being short and stocky, compared to the 6foot 5 models wearing the suit I want to order, made it a bit daunting. I got slanted welted pockets on my suit. Let's hope it has the slimming effect I was going for 🤞
Grrrrreat video! Always fun to watch the more human side of you, whether it be mistakes or bloopers at the end of the video. My thoughts: The second suit I think can work because of the more unusual colour choice, the patch pockets don't seem too bad. For the first one, it doesn't seem like you made bad choices but I guess it just doesn't fit into your wardrobe. The last one, I guess it goes to show how some seemingly small details can go a long way! Thank you for sharing this, as always hope you and everyone and HSS stay safe and well. - Han
Brian you should make a video on where to buy the best dress shirts. And if possible, to categorize them by budget. Would be highly appreciated by your community I think.
Nice video. I also made that first mistake on my first custom suit. It was an impeccable charcoal grey suit but it has narrow lapels.... I still wear it tho. Best 900€ spent of my life.
I really like this video, interesting topic. The patch pocket on the burgundy suit is really really such a shame.
I’m 55. I only own 2 suits that fit properly. A charcoal Suit Supply from their MTM program and a navy Indochino suit. The Indochino suit has narrow lapels and now I hate it. Lapel width was not an option. I’m trying to convince myself if I ever want to wear a suit with a tee shirt and sneakers that’s the one to wear! It hasn’t been a huge problem as I don’t have occasion to wear a suit very often. Thanks for your great content, keep it coming!
They've updated their options and they now have slim notch, medium notch and wide notch lapels. They also have peak and wide peak lapels. Granted their lapels run slim (less than 3" at the end) EXCEPT for their wide ones which run in at about 4". I am a regular customer there and can tell you that no, they arent perfect but with any bespoke/MGM outfitter if you want the 'perfect' fitting suit each time you order one with the same measurements, you MUST keep a steady body size/weight. Otherwise you're wasting your money and may as well go back to off the rack. Because at least there you can try on stuff right away and get an approximate size should one gain or lose a lot of weight. If you are an odd size/in between sizes and are keeping a steady weight for long periods of time (months years) then mtm/bespoke is for you. Just my 2 cents.
Men Everywhere Rise Up good to know! Thanks for the info
Great content, as always.
I really like the third suit, it has a very casual vibe to it and fits you very well, although I do get what you say about the lack of cuff on the pants. It does feel a bit off.
Appreciate the comment! Thanks for chiming in.
Just when through my first experience of bespoke suit. 2 pieces suit from light grey wool in very classic style,
Single breasted, 2 buttons, notch lapel, double vent, flap pocket
I got 2 trousers, both no break:
- One with flat front, belt loops and no cuff
- One with 2 pleated, side tab and 1.75 inch cuff
What my reget are:
1. I have no ideal about the button holes, all was sew first then cut open
2. The suit sleeve buttons: all 4 are functional, kissing nonstacked style but 1 seem defect and stacked. I don't realize it until got home.
3. I don't choose the lining so they just use black with subtle paisley
Very useful stuff. If anything I think you're being too hard on yourself. Anything short of a disaster in your first few suits is an accomplishment !
Luckily none of the suits are terrible and you can clearly see a nice progression in how nice the suits are. Great video! :)
VBC, Ariston and Scabal? Wow didn't know we were flexin' THAT early on! The fabric on my first couple of custom suits were some made in Asia off brand lol. But I have since learned my lesson!
Holland & Sherry fabric is the Gold standard for fabrics. I have a blue houndstooth pair of trousers made from that company's fabric and it is the bomb.
rs
I agree with you on the patch pockets. That's not a look I like (ever) and to me it speaks to cheap jackets (even though it isn't).
Some of your viewers shop goodwill and other thrift stores for suits. Just for fun a video of you picking one or two suits from these places and having your tailor fit them would be great. I've picked up quite a few Italian and other quality suits and jackets for 10 bucks or so. C'mon, let's see how inexpensive a person can go and still look good. Would benefit viewers who are currently financially stressed.
Thank you so much for such useful advice!
Would you be able to do a video on your sports jacket collection?
It would really help me and I suppose many other people who would start their journey towards purchasing certain versatile and a capsule collection of sports jacket. Thanks!
Fantastic presentation. How about using those patch pockets to make jetted pockets or maybe even flap pockets? Just curious.
Not yet had a custom suit, though can add a regret which applies: getting hung up on a color. Green so hard to find, saw what thought was a green sport coat, and after a couple wears and learning more about details, realize it is an orphan. All good, this Fall found a decent quality light green with a very thin light blue windowpane suit for $5. Looking forward to warmer weather so can wear it!
Hope this helps.
I made a lapel mistake with my custom suit also. I put a three inch peak Lapel on the suit. I should have known that it was a mistake when the retailer (Richard Bennett) told me that the jacket was fashion forward. At least I can wear the pants separately.
My friend, that grey flannel suit is gorgeous and looks fantastic on you! I don't think the cuff on the pant would add much if anything but a small accent. And I love the pairing with the suede monk straps.
I think both suits look good on you, Im lucky I went for the modern staple notch lapels, double vent, 1 inch cuff, tapered legs and monogramed lol. I too wish I would have had some guidance the only thing I wish I had were functional buttons on my suit cuff.
So, the lesson is getting the formality level just right. Fabric and design choices should align and be harmonious with each other.
Well on the positive side with those 2.5 inch lapels you must be very humble according to the italians and I agree with them!
Thank you for sharing Brian and the video was very helpfull for someone like me who’s new to the custom game
For the flannel suit trousers, you could attach a separate piece of the same fabric. I've never done it before but I think it's doable.
Ich have a two jackets with a relatively skinny 3inch peak lapel. It doesn't look bad, and people told me how great these jackets look and fit but to me it sticks out instantly. There are some other minor style details like this. There is one suit that is single breasted that i'd prefer to be a double breasted 6 and 2 now. Then there is a 6 and 2 that i think would look better as 6 and 1, and a 6 and 2 that I'd prefer as single breasted 2 button notch lapel now. I have some trousers with belt loop that i'd like to swap against side adjusters. In hindsight there is always some minor thing with my custom suits that I would change if I had the chance to do it. But it doesn't take the fun away of wearing them.
The first custom suit I ever ordered was from a cheap online-mtm, so at least financially it's not too bad that I do not wear it anymore. I did not have any clue about suiting back in the days and decided to order the suit without a chest pocket, what looks extremely odd. Now, I have two more custom suits from a way better mtm-service and I already know what I want. 3,75" lapels, double vents, 2" cuff, pleats and a chest pocket of course. ;-)
Would love to see you do video on proper suit etiquette! One of my biggest pet peeves is when I see a gentleman with his phone in his front pocket, his keys in the other front pocket and his big bulky wallet in the back pocket of his trousers while not utilizing his inside pockets on the jacket properly. You could also cover where the break of the shirt and jacket sleeve should hit on the wrist as well as jacket length. Last but not least where the trouser should be on the waist and the break of the hem. Or maybe I should just get over it lol!
Agreed it looks dumb! Not buttoning ones jacket looks dumb too.
Glad to see I was not the only one. I haven't got a made to measure suit yet, but a shirt at Lanieri. Their online measuring guide is very well made but I was so disappointed by the result. I thought I had taken my measures with care but the shirt ended up way too long. Even after alterations, it doesn't look good. Also I don't like the fabric... Talking about shirts, I love how yours look. Do you get them made to measure? And where?
Just remembered to watch this but I already got my custom suit. Unfortunately, I got skinny lapels on mine. (2 3/4 inches)
I just stumbled upon your channel and I have to say you are the best sartorialist channel on youtube! awesome videos!
I forgot to tell my tailor to add side adjuster on my first bespoke suit with her. It was something I knew I had wanted but just totally forgot to text her until I saw the final product. Unfortunately not enough fabric left over to get them now. Also pants are just a tad bit too wide for my tastes.
For the last suit, why don't you just order the same fabric and make a new pair of pants with cuff?
Totally possible.
That's a good idea, but sometimes the fabrics are discontinued (lots of mills only make limited amounts of that exact fabric, even if they make something almost the same it'll stand out), and fabrics lose their colour over time which isn't obvious until you layer the new fabric on top for the cuff. It's why it's suggested to buy two pairs of trousers with bespoke suit, instead of just ordering another pair down the line.
I have to say you could easily take off the patch pockets and use the fabric from the patch to have the flap pockets put in as a replacement. Not the hardest alteration at all. The stitches from the patch's should steam out easily and it would be unnoticeable. You may even have enough fabic left of the patch to put cuffs on the pants if you have a narrow enough hem. I tailor clothes myself, totally achievable with a skilled shop.
Another thing that should be mentioned is when you decide to first go bespoke you should have an understanding of the types of lapels. I'm not talking about the general terms of notch, peak, and shawl, but the ones the tailor will list out such as semi notch, fish mouth, half clover, clover, semi peak, and etc. When I first went bespoke I knew what was a notch, peak, and shawl lapel but when my tailor asked me about the terms I just listed I was confused as rarely people talk about them and show you the differences.
For the flap pockets, you can tuck them inside the pockets to form piped/jetted pockets? My tailor would advise me that
Looking forward to see your suggestions about homewear mr. Sacawa!
what I learned from this video is never get a suit from a barber shop.
On a serious note, I gave away half of my early bespoke suits. Some had small lapels and notch lapels ( which I no longer like) and belt loops. I go with suspenders and side adjusters now.
Interesting about pick stitching, I never considered it. It looks too casual. I would maybe consider it for a bespoke blazer I want to pair down with denim or a more casual look.
But side note: the blue suit with the skinny lapels, I suggest you pair it down with a turtle neck or polo; or similar shirt. It will be more wearable without a tie or dress shirt and looks much better as a casual look.
My mistake on my first bespoke suit was no having the material draped over me to see how it worked with my colouring and fit. Material can look wonderful in a patch book but once you have a couple of meters spread across you, it can be a distastes. My next suit, I had my wife chose the material after draping it over me. The other problem was the material was a pattern black. Black suits are a mine field and best left for the tuxedo. Live & learn.
Mickey G
Hey Brian!!! Great to see you, how are you and your family holding up during this plague? I assume that you are on the east coast.. take care of yourselves..
Great post, I always appreciate the honesty in your decisions for the design of your suit. Lol I'm a 40 short with a 32-33 waist... I might be inclined to help you?
Dude, always enjoy your videos! Great job!
when will you release the winner for HSS give away! I am so excited for it!
Make a 5 gray or navy blazer outfit ideas!
Great stuff. Could you possibly drill down a little more on cuffs on the trousers. Are there suits where you think you shouldn't add a cuff?
It's all about your personal preference. If you like a slim look, don't cuff.
Depends on what situation you think you'll wear the suit more. Broadly, plain bottom is more formal, a cuff can be more casual. good to have cuffs if you want to wear as a separate as well.
Great - thank you both!
BIGGEST REGRET OF MINE: Getting my trousers way way way too tight. I’m a skinny guy as is (always skip leg day lol) and looking back at pics from a few years ago I followed that trend too hard with a few of my suits.
Lol my suit regrettable faux paws would also be with my first tailor made suit. I "knew " how this suit needed to be in order to demand respect at first sight. Lol I selected a chocolate birdseye tweed from a VERY reputable fine mens shop. I imagined myself being a offical grown up because I was having a hand tailored suit made on a Tuesday afternoon by myself. It too had patch pockets.
Doesn't sound so bad, would probably be a nice sport coat atleast if the suit didn't work for youe taste.
That suit you got in 2013? A classic "WOMP! WOMP! WOOOMP!" moment there, Ryan. Haha!
What I'm wondering : when your pants are rather short, couldn't you wear something like black Balmoral cap toe boots with that?
Ruben Van Hoye
That’s. Great suggestion. I love cap toe boots. I would definitely wear that with that suit.
Great video! Please do a video on custom dress shirts. I am thinking about making a made to measure Brooks Brothers dress shirt. What are your thoughts on it?
Another great video brother love all the insider tips!
I actually think the gray flannel suit is fantastic though I agree I probably wouldn't have gone with the patch pockets there. And truer words have never been spoken as "just because you can, doesn't mean you should"...haha. Thanks for the video though. And I dont know if I slept through it or not, was the 100k winner announced? I know it's been a crazy couple of weeks so its entirely possible I did. Anyway, thanks again Brian and stay safe out there everybody.
Thanks, Jeremy. Haven't announced the winner yet. Things have gotten pretty crazy recently. Stay tuned.
This is a great video. Advice I will remember. Thanks
Dope video! I love your editing.. really makes your videos pop! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I appreciate that!
@@hespokestyle 🙏🏾💪🏾✊🏾
I think the suit looks fabulous on you. Yeah the pants are bit highwater (I've never personally liked that look), but the flaps you can hide into your jacket and the lapels look fine. However, I don't have to wear the suit which means if you don't feel comfortable in the suit you won't wear it.
Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention..☺️
Green herringbone three-piece... a fun experiment... until I wore it. I use the jacket a fair deal as an odd jacket (though I wish it were darker), but I've only worn it as a suit a few times. Thankfully, it was MTM instead of custom, so not as much of a loss... Also, all of my trousers are too short...
The tailor should have left enough fabric to lengthen them, very irresponsible to not do this. MTM should always consider future alterations to some degree for the price you pay.
Mistake = $4000 3-piece wolf of Wall Street banker striped suit that was painted on me as a 22 year old. Now I’m 30 and 30lbs heavier…no bueno
My biggest regret is really fairly minor. I went with a blue suit with a bold green lining, which is fine in and of itself but I got the matching green lining on the waistcoat, and it feels so bold I don’t know that I’ll ever really want to take the jacket off and just be wearing the waistcoat.
For 99% of the population, I don't think they would think there's anything off with any of the suits, especially given that fit is the most important part of a suit and all 3 fit very well.
I totally support you points. What you think about peak lapels with ticket pockets on a suit? Would it be too much?
Hello Brian, regards from Spain, great content and really good way you tell us, I have a question for you, you mention in some of your videos VBC (what doesn’t man?) thank you.
Thanks, Miguel! VBC = Vitale Barberis Canonico
Keep following you and very informative tips. Love all your content love from Philippines. Whats your favorite color of suit aside from black and blue?