Suit off the peg
Are there any members of this forum who have any experience with suits from Charles Thyrwitt, Jermyn Steeet ?
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Mar Andreas
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:58 pm
- Contact:
Hello, and welcome to my first posting on the London Lounge!
Regarding Tyrwhitt suits: my father, who has not yet been persuaded of the need to have suits made on Savile Row, and who, indeed, seldom wears a suit, acquired a dark blue, two-button suit in the so-called 'sharskin' cloth from Tyrwhitt last year, at a cost of around £400, and paid I think £15 to have it taken in a little.
It is certainly not a *top* quality, handmade garment, but it is well made and a very good fit on a slim man. The coat has a nice 'hourglass' shape and is obviously of English design, although Tyrwhitt's suits and casual jackets are made in Eastern Europe. They are not fused, but stitched with a hand-stiching machine (an oxymoron, I know!) and have horse-hair canvas and buttons made from a natural material called corozo, which I believe derives from nuts, and does a reasonable impression of horn. The cuff buttons all work.
I also have some casual jackets and ties from Tyrwhitt, and find them excellent for the price. Don't bother with their shirts though - if you want good shirts at a very reasonable price, go to T.M. Lewin. You will find that many aficionados dismiss Charles Tyrwhitt out of hand as a supplier of cheap commercial tat; however, as with most outfitters, the quality varies according to the source of their stock, and one must simply be discriminating when making purchases.
I hope this ramble helps somewhat.
Best regards,
Andrew
Regarding Tyrwhitt suits: my father, who has not yet been persuaded of the need to have suits made on Savile Row, and who, indeed, seldom wears a suit, acquired a dark blue, two-button suit in the so-called 'sharskin' cloth from Tyrwhitt last year, at a cost of around £400, and paid I think £15 to have it taken in a little.
It is certainly not a *top* quality, handmade garment, but it is well made and a very good fit on a slim man. The coat has a nice 'hourglass' shape and is obviously of English design, although Tyrwhitt's suits and casual jackets are made in Eastern Europe. They are not fused, but stitched with a hand-stiching machine (an oxymoron, I know!) and have horse-hair canvas and buttons made from a natural material called corozo, which I believe derives from nuts, and does a reasonable impression of horn. The cuff buttons all work.
I also have some casual jackets and ties from Tyrwhitt, and find them excellent for the price. Don't bother with their shirts though - if you want good shirts at a very reasonable price, go to T.M. Lewin. You will find that many aficionados dismiss Charles Tyrwhitt out of hand as a supplier of cheap commercial tat; however, as with most outfitters, the quality varies according to the source of their stock, and one must simply be discriminating when making purchases.
I hope this ramble helps somewhat.
Best regards,
Andrew
Welcome, Andrew. I agree, being a happy T.M. Lewin customer.
Welcome to the LL, Andrew!
The only experience I have with Tyrwhitt is their messing collar stiffeners.
See link bellow:
http://ctshirts.scene7.com/is/image/Cha ... RACOL?$278$
I do not wear it very often. Does any one have experience with this kind of metal inlay for the shirt collar? I think it is a bit too heavy.
The only experience I have with Tyrwhitt is their messing collar stiffeners.
See link bellow:
http://ctshirts.scene7.com/is/image/Cha ... RACOL?$278$
I do not wear it very often. Does any one have experience with this kind of metal inlay for the shirt collar? I think it is a bit too heavy.
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Mar Andreas
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:58 pm
- Contact:
Hello Marcelo, and thankyou to you and NCW for your kind words of welcome.
Removable collar stiffeners are found on all good English shirts - indeed, I would not advocate buying any shirt which does not have them, since they prevent the ghastly 'curly collar' problem which occurs in cheap shirts after washing. Stiffeners are not always metal. Some are made of animal bone, some of mother-of-pearl, most of plastic. Most shirtmakers supply shirts with plastic stiffeners already fitted, though Tyrwhitt supply brass, as you have here, as standard. Like many shirtmakers, Tyrwhitt will also sell its customers sterling silver stiffeners bearing the company's name. Turnbull & Asser sell beautiful silver stiffeners with their name on one side, and the house paisley design in relief on the other
As for the matter of weight, I use silver or mother-of-pearl stiffeners for this very reason: they help to hold the collar points down on the chest of the shirt and keep the collar looking sharp.
It is worth being aware of the fact that there is no standard size or shape of stiffener, or of the little pouches in the collar that hold them, so don't buy an expensive pair of precious metal stiffeners in one of the many jewellers and outfitters that sell them without checking that it will fit your shirts first.
Best wishes,
Andrew
Removable collar stiffeners are found on all good English shirts - indeed, I would not advocate buying any shirt which does not have them, since they prevent the ghastly 'curly collar' problem which occurs in cheap shirts after washing. Stiffeners are not always metal. Some are made of animal bone, some of mother-of-pearl, most of plastic. Most shirtmakers supply shirts with plastic stiffeners already fitted, though Tyrwhitt supply brass, as you have here, as standard. Like many shirtmakers, Tyrwhitt will also sell its customers sterling silver stiffeners bearing the company's name. Turnbull & Asser sell beautiful silver stiffeners with their name on one side, and the house paisley design in relief on the other
As for the matter of weight, I use silver or mother-of-pearl stiffeners for this very reason: they help to hold the collar points down on the chest of the shirt and keep the collar looking sharp.
It is worth being aware of the fact that there is no standard size or shape of stiffener, or of the little pouches in the collar that hold them, so don't buy an expensive pair of precious metal stiffeners in one of the many jewellers and outfitters that sell them without checking that it will fit your shirts first.
Best wishes,
Andrew
I have no need to dress scare crows.
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