Men's Suits

[@contradevian]

Can you still fit in it?

Bit tight round the waist but yes

[SarahBell]

It's about the time of year when I do a bit of clothes shopping in the sales, and was after a new suit.

Slaters.

[crashmonitor]

Indeed I have a distinctly 'mod' suit from the 60's in my wardrobe.

To my shame I seem to follow fashion and out what is not in. It probably comes from an aversion to clutter. but what goes around does eventually come around.

When I was buying an overcoat recently the shop assistant commented on my oversized suit. Now we are not talking Spandau Ballet 80s style, but just what was normal five years ago. So that is now at the Charity Shop and replaced with a close fitting one.

I guess they need suckers like me to keep the tills ringing.

I also blame the fact that a friend has lent me the complete Are You Being Served, now those guys were suited and booted to perfection.

[giesahoose]

I know exactly what you mean - I'm also 32" waist but have footballer's thighs. If I buy trousers to fit my waist then I can never get them that far :angry:

I've got big thighs too and always wear my trousers away there first.

Regarding the buying quality statement earlier, I've started doing that with almost everything i buy now. You can buy stuff now for a few pounds but it will come out of the first wash shapeless and faded. Utter waste of time.

[erat_forte]

All my suits come from charity shops, they are all high quality fabric well tailored and over 30 years old and fit me pretty well, none was more than £10.

[Ash4781]

I need a new suit. I went into Moss and they seemed to have changed much of their range to tighter fits and lowered the quality. I never got on with the massive tent like suits. They seemed to have a lot of suits on sale price (I suspect that is the normal price ) as loads of them seem to be wool/polyester mixes. Anyway I picked up a 3piece ted baker suit for 200 (listed as 350£ £) but debating whether to return it. It's the wool mix that makes the suit feel scratchy / static electricity compared to my old worn out 100% wool. Maybe recently they have had to up the poly mix to keep suit cost down?

I would consider M&S but last time I tried them they were a poor fit at least for me. 

 

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

On 04/01/2014 at 5:25 PM, TheBlueCat said:

Same observation from me too - it's just the same in Canada. The last suit I bought I had made to measure whilst I was visiting Hong Kong. It cost about 200 pounds and fits perfectly. With any luck it'll last me until the next time I visit.

Yes HK or Far East is the best option. That said, you can get something tailored with good quality material all from the UK for about £700, which isn't bad seeing as the "designer shops" can charge £500-600 for an off the peg which may not be that much better than your £149 suit - some of these designer suits are probably knocked out in the same factory somewhere like Indonesia or Vietnam before having a brand label sewn on.

[thombleached]

If you're anywhere near London look up Roger (think his last name is gustav) - owns London Taylors near now bow - Mile End tube stop. I've used him 3 times in 15 years and always amazed at what I get. 

My dads had some success with sending measurements out to Thailand and having suits made out there and shipped over. 

[blobloblob]

Check out Raja Fashions from Hong Kong. They tour around hotels so you can make an appointment near where you live to get measured.

[assetrichcashpoor]

13 hours ago, blobloblob said:

Check out Raja Fashions from Hong Kong. They tour around hotels so you can make an appointment near where you live to get measured.

Are they any good? A lot of those companies have a bad reputation.

I don't like the fit of most suits that are on the market. It's surprising given the obesity crisis in the UK that most men's clothes are skinny fit but most men aren't skinny.

Where I used to work one of the apprentices used to wear some painfully skinny jeans, to the point I'd be surprised if he could sit down. It didn't help that as his apprenticeship progressed so did his waistline.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

11 minutes ago, assetrichcashpoor said:

I don't like the fit of most suits that are on the market. It's surprising given the obesity crisis in the UK that most men's clothes are skinny fit but most men aren't skinny.

[Battenberg]

I've always fancied being a suit fitter. Not sure why but every time I go in one of the suit shops I have the urge to grab a tape measure. Even worse I find myself wanting to recommend a selection of ties I think would go better with that shirt to anyone who so much as glances in my direction. 

I have a rep who worked a lot in men's retail when he was younger. He tells me tales which make a specialist retail section sound so much more exciting. 

[Ash4781]

I went in a house of Fraser store today and the staff said that most of the suits in there were bitty eg. All the old carp bits add bobs rolled out for sale . The staff member said come back on Feb lol! This might explain why when I click and collected a blue suit jacket what was in the box was a charcoal moth ridden jacket. Presumably they rotate out the shite out of the stock rooms ?

 

 

[bendy]

On 04/01/2014 at 1:16 PM, StainlessSteelCat said:

I am hoping not to buy any trousers until the current skinny leggings fashion is over. Missus once bought me some skinny jeans and I couldn't get them over my calves either. I am by no means a fat lad (32 inch waist and a keen runner) - but it seems the latest fashions are designed for anorexic metrosexuals or those suffering from muscle wastage.

If you buy a good wool suit, do make sure you have some protection from moths. I had my £250 wool suit for 20 years (it would only come out for weddings, funerals and job interviews) until last year when the moths scoffed it in the space of 12 months. Gutted I was.

Agree - I'm a little confused by the whole slim/skinny fits but tend to opt for slim and that seems to be okay although a little tight.  i would imagine my BMI is unhealthy despite being around 10% bodyfat now.  Not easy to grab a suit that's 40' jacket 38' waistcoat and 30/32' troosers of a slim fit unless you completely ignore training your legs!

 

On 04/01/2014 at 8:36 PM, Guest eight said:

I know exactly what you mean - I'm also 32" waist but have footballer's thighs. If I buy trousers to fit my waist then I can never get them that far :angry:

As above - hopefully the whole thing is just a shift divide as people become a different shape and it's the industry that has to catch up.  It is very strange though that obesity is on the rise but then so is the whole fitness movement with youngsters training more and drinking/drugging less.

On 05/01/2014 at 7:51 PM, erat_forte said:

All my suits come from charity shops, they are all high quality fabric well tailored and over 30 years old and fit me pretty well, none was more than £10.

Would love if I had the time to regularly trawl charity shops for clothes but alas is not the case.  Fair play to you.

6 hours ago, Battenberg said:

I've always fancied being a suit fitter. Not sure why but every time I go in one of the suit shops I have the urge to grab a tape measure. Even worse I find myself wanting to recommend a selection of ties I think would go better with that shirt to anyone who so much as glances in my direction. 

I have a rep who worked a lot in men's retail when he was younger. He tells me tales which make a specialist retail section sound so much more exciting. 

Are you sure that's the only thing you want to measure when you see a chap in a suit

[blobloblob]

10 hours ago, assetrichcashpoor said:

Are they any good? A lot of those companies have a bad reputation.

I don't like the fit of most suits that are on the market. It's surprising given the obesity crisis in the UK that most men's clothes are skinny fit but most men aren't skinny.

Where I used to work one of the apprentices used to wear some painfully skinny jeans, to the point I'd be surprised if he could sit down. It didn't help that as his apprenticeship progressed so did his waistline.

Colleagues have bought suits and been delighted. I got some shirts from them and they are excellent.

[ccc]

I only have one suit and it fits perfect. I think it's a 'slim' fit as I quite like the look of it on. I can't stand this skinny jeans nonsense. Looks ridiculous.

My suit trousers just look fitted rather than skin tight. And I've got pretty decent quads on me. Not huge though.

I'm lucky as I seem to be able to get a suit off the shelf that looks like it was tailored for me.

38

32

32

Measurements probably helps. I'm literally a mannequin !! 

[Patfig]

Just bought a suit jacket only yesterday tried Moss Bros not impressed ending up with a M and S luxury merino wool jacket and I am impressed with it.

[assetrichcashpoor]

10 hours ago, blobloblob said:

Colleagues have bought suits and been delighted. I got some shirts from them and they are excellent.

Thanks I'll give them a try. 

Originally I was put off by using these types of companies, I had planned to get a made to measure suit for my wedding but I had lost some of the contact details of a company I had seen advertised. When I googled the the company name all I could see was bad reviews of their products and service so I thought I'd give the whole sector a miss. 

[The Masked Tulip]

Some suits here on sale at M&S. Limited sizes left but a bargain if one fits.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/l/offers/sale/mens?facetOpen=true&cachedFilters=FID_20453501+96+0+130+0+130&priceMin=0&priceMax=130&currentPriceMin=0&currentPriceMax=130&lastSelectedSize=&resultsPerPage=96&display=model&sortBy=sku_colour_rank|1&pageChoice=1&selectedAccordions=checkbox-2000|checkbox-10|checkbox-5|checkbox-1105

[crashmonitor]

47 minutes ago, The Masked Tulip said:

Some suits here on sale at M&S. Limited sizes left but a bargain if one fits.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/l/offers/sale/mens?facetOpen=true&cachedFilters=FID_20453501+96+0+130+0+130&priceMin=0&priceMax=130&currentPriceMin=0&currentPriceMax=130&lastSelectedSize=&resultsPerPage=96&display=model&sortBy=sku_colour_rank|1&pageChoice=1&selectedAccordions=checkbox-2000|checkbox-10|checkbox-5|checkbox-1105

The problem for me is that you have a young end fashion range like Next where no way is a skiiny fit going to fit manly calves, but they will have your  waist size. Then at the other end you have M and S where there is more room but the assumption is that your waist starts at 32 or 34"

[jfk]

I would go with the all wool suits too, hate the scratchy synthetic feel of poly - and if I'm paying a lot of money I want quality!

M+S used to good, crap and expensive now.

Last suit I bought was from Slaters, it was a Ted Baker endurance one, really good quality and fit actually, I got one of the staff to measure me and get something actually fitting.

Charles Tywritt suits seem pretty good quality although bit more expensive. 

[bendy]

Anyone like Debenams suits?  I do but unless you go to the store there seems to be no chance of getting pretty anything in stock online!!

[MrPin]

All my formal wear comes from this place....

 

http://www.pimpdaddy.com/

[Butthead]

Having tried a few places, I've settled on TM Lewin as my suit source of choice. They tailor the trousers to length as a matter of course and the quality seems generally pretty decent. My legs are fairly chunky but their slim fit suits sit well on me, don't find the trousers tight at all.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Got a smashing tan suit last week from the Spastics for a tenner. Fits like a glove (42/34) albeit is F&F brand (Tescos) - will just have to keep it buttoned-up to hide the label.