The waistcoat conundrum.

[Melcombe]

Not a previously unpublished book by Robert Ludlum, but a new project for 2023 that involves some cloth acquired a while ago & overlooked for too long - there's 7.3m of it.. It's a 9oz pinstripe.

Very boringly, I always take the same approach - SB jacket and 2 pairs of trousers which will normally use up 4.5 - 4.75m. Anticipating therefore that I shall have over 2m spare, what to do with it? The options are:

1 - Just keep it for a rainy day - possibly 3rd pair of trousers in the distant future?

2 - Waistcoat. I don't normally, but maybe I should start at my age... ?


If (2) I have 2 further questions:

(a) should I have 1 pair of trousers made high rise probably with a fishtail back to wear with the waistcoat?

(b) would a jacket be cut generally larger / differently in prospect of a waistcoat? I shall probably wear the suit more often without a waistcoat and don't want the coat hanging off me.

All advice gratefully received!

[Anikolov1]

Dear Melcombe,

When I order a 3 piece suit I order the coat, a waistcoat and two pairs of trousers - one with a fishtail back and one with a normal waistband.

I wear the fishtail ones with the waistcoat and the other when I don’t wear the waistcoat.

The coat is cut marginally larger to accommodate the waistcoat but that’s figured out at the fitting.

Best,
A

[Concordia]

Don’t forget— with the waistcoat, you won’t be obliged to button the jacket nearly so often. So there is a little room to play with. A light worsted won’t be adding much to your circumference anyway.

[andy57]

When I order a 3 piece suit I order the coat, a waistcoat and two pairs of trousers - one with a fishtail back and one with a normal waistband.

I wear the fishtail ones with the waistcoat and the other when I don’t wear the waistcoat.

The coat is cut marginally larger to accommodate the waistcoat but that’s figured out at the fitting.

Don’t forget— with the waistcoat, you won’t be obliged to button the jacket nearly so often. So there is a little room to play with. A light worsted won’t be adding much to your circumference anyway.

I agree with both of these gentlemen, especially regarding the need to have your trousers cut much higher if you intend to wear a waistcoat.

[Luca]

I have found waistcoats to be quite wearable, in a suit.

As Concordia said, the outfit can look v. nice with the jacket open and the waistcoat showing fully. If for any reason you take yourt jacket off (I know...), you till look quite "dressed" with the waistcoat.

[andy57]

It's that time of year, here in Northern California, when three-piece suits can be worn without overheating. Indeed, overcoats, too! Today I wore, for the first time this year, my navy nailhead three-piece:

IMG_2338 by Andrew Poupart, on Flickr

I'm holding a Tudor box because I took delivery of a custom, limited edition Tudor Back Bay 58 that I and some colleagues commissioned. I filmed a short unboxing video that you can find on Instagram, should you be curious.

IMG_2331 by Andrew Poupart, on Flickr

The pirate flag on the dial has meaning.

[Leonard Logsdail]

My wife thinks I look far more elegant - and slimmer - when I wear a 3 piece suit. Funny, but I thought I was both those things anyway??????

[Melcombe]

My wife thinks I look far more elegant - and slimmer - when I wear a 3 piece suit. Funny, but I thought I was both those things anyway??????

You absolutely are - the waistcoat simply draws attention to that reality..

With the benefit of the sage advice given above, I have gone for the 4-piece arrangement with the 2 styles of trousers. I have also chosen a waistcoat (with lapels) that has a same-material back rather than made from lining material - something a little different.

I hadn't mentioned that the pinstripe is a chestnut brown, which is also not a common sight at work 'down our way' (London W1). There is however a preponderance of young, floppy haired* chaps with blue suits / white shirts / no tie - and, frankly, it's time to take a stand against this growing orthodoxy.

I am commissioning a badge to announce "Yes! - Brown in Town!" to deal with the inevitable commentary that will follow from colleagues.

(*Although if I had any hair left myself, maybe I'd wear it floppy too).

I'm holding a Tudor box because I took delivery of a custom, limited edition Tudor Back Bay 58 that I and some colleagues commissioned. ...

The pirate flag on the dial has meaning.

Didn't think I needed a Tudor until seeing that...

[andy57]

My wife thinks I look far more elegant - and slimmer - when I wear a 3 piece suit. Funny, but I thought I was both those things anyway??????

You absolutely are - the waistcoat simply draws attention to that reality..

With the benefit of the sage advice given above, I have gone for the 4-piece arrangement with the 2 styles of trousers. I have also chosen a waistcoat (with lapels) that has a same-material back rather than made from lining material - something a little different.

You might find that is warmer than you might imagine. I've never made or worn such a waistcoat, but I have heard it first hand. That may be exactly what you want, of course.

The Tudor BB 58 is a very nice piece and sits nicely on the wrist. Definitely worth a look. And it has two advantages over its more celebrated big brother: it is a lot less expensive and it is obtainable.

[Anikolov1]

My wife thinks I look far more elegant - and slimmer - when I wear a 3 piece suit. Funny, but I thought I was both those things anyway??????

You absolutely are - the waistcoat simply draws attention to that reality..

With the benefit of the sage advice given above, I have gone for the 4-piece arrangement with the 2 styles of trousers. I have also chosen a waistcoat (with lapels) that has a same-material back rather than made from lining material - something a little different.

I hadn't mentioned that the pinstripe is a chestnut brown, which is also not a common sight at work 'down our way' (London W1). There is however a preponderance of young, floppy haired* chaps with blue suits / white shirts / no tie - and, frankly, it's time to take a stand against this growing orthodoxy.

I am commissioning a badge to announce "Yes! - Brown in Town!" to deal with the inevitable commentary that will follow from colleagues.

(*Although if I had any hair left myself, maybe I'd wear it floppy too).

Melcombe,
I myself prefer the cloth back waistcoats and if the suit is meant to be worn in actually cold weather, I have them made with a cloth back. I think it’s far more elegant, but waistcoats are more comfortable to wear with a lined back if it’s warm.

Congratulations on your commission, please share pictures when you have some.

[Nem500]

I had a waistcoat (part of a suit) made with the back using the same fabric as the front. It looks much more elegant if you take off the jacket (God forbid). Happy to post pictures if it helps.

Depending on the fabric it might work as an odd waistcoat too. It’s probably marginally warmer but I couldn’t really tell the difference.

One thing to note is that waistcoats are cut closer to the body, so they are less forgiving to body shape changes. A waistcoat with a lining back can have the back entirely replaced if the seam allowances are insufficient. To do the same with a “self-backed” waistcoat you’ll need to have kept some cloth.