What do you ask your tailor?

[cinema]

Hello,

I am planing to dip my toe in the world of bespoke and have a sports coat and possibly a SB suit made.

My first foray will be in London but decidedly off row. From reading the forums but the tailor seems to have a good reputation (Though I am more than keen to receive your recommendations.) However all the comments say that you need to know precisely what you are asking for and clearly detail your requirements.

I haven't a clue.

I am 5'10" with a 40" chest and 32" (ish) waist. Blond hair and fair skin. My back does curve a little inward at the bottom and most off the peg suits do curve in tightly following the contours of my spine.

For the sports jacket I'm thinking something like this JQ creation (would that I could afford him!)

How many vents should one have? Should the cuff buttons work? Should the jacket be cut to completely eliminate the bend in my lower back? How low should it hang?

Sorry to bombard you with so many questions but I am keen to make the first attempt at bespoke a fruitful one.

For the suit, like many readers I'm sure, I am looking for some sort of Connery James Bond meets George Clooney fusion. Probably in a dark grey. But I'll need a very good suit to look like those two! I don't need to wear a suit for work, so this will be more for evening wear in both London and Los Angeles.

Again I have little idea about fabric weight and construction so all pointers will be very gratefully received.

Many Thanks,

Matt

[SMCK]

This subject is well covered on this site. Use the search function.
Read the topic just above yours here at the moment; 'New suit at George', some of your questions are mentioned.
To my mind at least the two lower cuff buttons should be openable.
The coat lenght should be somewhere between top thumb joint and closed knuckle while standing comfortably straight.
I personally feel that black suits, as in George Clooney's ( with the exception of morning and evening formal wear) are really really nasty!
Grey would be fine. Good luck with it.

[Simon A]

Clooney is 50 trying to look 20; I wouldn't use him as a role model. You can see a thousand and one wrinkles in his rather tight trousers, and the shine from his rather wrinkly superfine wool jacket (which he has forgotten to button up) could take your eye out. These photos are a good example of how not to make a suit.

Try an English fabric a little heavier and a little more matte (and hence conservative) in finish. They are much cheaper, look better and fresher even after very heavy wear, and will last several times as long. I get over ten years wear out of super 100's workhorse suits, and that is with some very punishing treatment in industrial conditions. If you work in the city, a well tailored suit with good solid English cloth may last you twenty years; think of how little money per year of use that is! If made properly it isn't too hot to wear at all.

I suggest you peruse Michael's excellent essay from Esquire, written here http://www.thelondonlounge.net/forum/vi ... =32&t=8706

Regarding your other inspiration, Connery, take a look at these:


While his posture is giving this mediumweight outfit all kinds of hell, it doesn't look shiny or flimsy, it looks quite natural and solid, and enhances his masculine image.

I am sure you will have great fun with this first commission and I wish you good luck with it.

[cinema]

Thank you both for taking the trouble to get back to me. Ironically it is George who I am considering as my tailor.

Thank you for the terrific photos of Connery that's just what I'm after in a sports jacket.

I'll certainly follow your advice and look into English fabrics.

Thanks again for helping through this process.

[Costi]

Welcome to the Lounge, cinema!
Start with simple things - your choice of a gray suit and sports coat sounds excellent - and practise dressing stylishly. Rather than aim to look like SC or GC consider bespoke as an instrument that enables you to look like yourself. Well fitting clothes with a simple cut and discreet styling (a bit of texture, good proportions) leave you the freedom to combine, associate, accessorize as you please according to your taste and imagination. People will notice your style rather than your fancy clothes.
You might choose a gray nailhead for an evening town suit - single breasted with notch lapels, 2 flapped pockets, 2 vents, 2 or 3 buttons, pleated (and cuffed, if you prefer) trousers. The sports coat might be a herringbone tweed, 3 buttons (rolled below the top one, if you like the idea), patch pockets (or flapped for more of a town look), 2 vents.
Beware of the temptation to add too many features on your first bespoke commissions, it is counterproductive both for the expression of your style and for your tailor, who needs to focus on fit until he perfects your pattern. Instead of exerting all your freedom of choice in 5 minutes when you design your clothes (leaving you with few possibilities to look different later on), keep your freedom for the years to come when you dress with the simply designed clothes that you make now. A good bespoke wardrobe is not one that only you could ever wear, but one that any man could wear (if he were the same size) and yet look stylish and different from any other.
Good luck and good fun - looking forward to seeing pictures!

[cinema]

Many thanks for all the continued advice. This really is a most helpful and informative forum.

[cinema]

Sorry for going quiet for a while, I've been away working and sadly my job doesn't require me to wear a suit.

I have paid a visit to George in Cleveland Street. He was as brusque as some people have described but I'm sure he must get a lot of timewasters so perhaps it's understandable. It did leave me a little concerned as to how he would be moving forward. I have been reading Younglawers thread and I'm curious to get his opinions of the final result.

I'm also wondering if anyone has had any experiences with C Antoniou or Graham Browne? I am looking to build a long an hopefully fruitful relationship with a tailor. Ideally that person Woul be able to produce the full gamet of garments from DJs to coats.

Incidently I had a fitting at Stephan Haroutunian shirt makers in Fulham. A friend of mine suggested I pay them a visit. It's the first time I have ever been measured for anything and it's certainly addictive. I ordered a simple blue shirt, I'll keep you posted on the result.

[carl browne]

I encourage others to try bespoke the same way a junkie would encourage others to shoot up.

1. Spend some time and effort finding your tailor. Satisfy yourself that he's good at his job, then satisfy yourself that the thing you want is also the thing he wants to make for you; you should be of one mind. If you are not of one mind, and you have a good tailor, remember that there's a good chance that the thing he wants to make for you might suit you better than the thing you want. Leave yourself open to some persuasion, but once you've been through this a few times, you should be marching in lockstep.

2. The first commission should be simple. Don't ask for lots of strange pockets, flaps, gussets, patches, cuffs or other gewgaws and don't make your tailor cope with strange cloth or make him match up difficult patterns. Let him address himself on the first go to fitting you. If you have a really great tailor, you could conceivably be together until one of you dies; save the patterns and gewgaws for subsequent commissions.

3. Always follow Costi's advice.

C

[Costi]

Always follow Costi's advice.

Always follow Carl's advice!

[cinema]

Thanks for all the advice. Trust me I'm following it!

[A.Hacking]

Cinema,
I have had three commissions with Graham Browne - summer trousers, a sb suit and recently a pair of Plus 2s.
I expect to use them for the odd jacket I will ahve made with the LL blue herringbone when it comes out and also a db suit in Minnis grey flannel in the New Year. Russell is extremely affable and approachable.
I suggest you go to Simon Compton's blog www.PermanentStyle.blogspot.com, search on Graham Browne and look at some of the clothes that he has had made there including a beautiful Cashmere jacket, suits and a couple of coats.
I once saw a customer leaving the shop in a purple tartan three piece suit with velvet collar and pocket flaps. Maybe not to my taste but thechap looked sharp and it shows that GB are not afraid of the unusual.
Good luck.

[cinema]

Thanks for the information, I'll pop in and have a chat with them.

[cinema]

As a quick side note I picked up my first shirt from Stephan Haroutunian shirt makers in Fulham yesterday.

It's terrific it fits like a glove all the details as specified and all for £69!

[cinema]

So finally after all your terrific help and advice the following is what I am planning to ask my tailor:

Jacket:
Single Breasted
Fitted shape
Dark Grey
Nailhead???
Dark Blue lining
Two Buttons
Notch Lapels
Two Flapped Pockets
Interior Pockets to allow room for passport (Airline ticket?) Comb, pen etc.
High arm holes?
Buttonhole loop
Horn buttons
Four working buttons on each sleeve
Hand sewn buttonholes

Trousers:
Higher waist (no belt but adjustable)
Single Pleated Trousers
I keep my Wallet in Front right trouser pocket along with coins (coin pocket?)
Two rear pockets

Where to wear my iphone?
I currently have a leather pouch that attaches to my belt at my left hip, but it does rather influence the way my cloths hang. Perhaps a pocket in the Jacket?

I'm planning to visit Graham Browne between Christmas and the New Year (Snow permitting) so all comments and suggestions gratefully received.

[A.Hacking]

Cinema,
if you had a look at the Permanent Style blog you should let them know that when you call in. In those few days between Christmas and New Year they are offering a discount to PS readers commissioning a new suit. Obviously it would not be the done thing to claim the discount if you haven't seen the blog
I may even see you in there myself - I plan to use the discount to pay for an extra pair of trousers.

All the best for the hols.

A