A&S critic

[hectorm]

The coat is a bit shapeless despite the cutter saying he's done something to give it more waist.... The reason given is 1) my butt is too big.

Seems like another case of the dreaded pear shape linked to Anderson and Sheppard´s soft tailoring. No matter what A&S fans say, it´s an undeniable result of that house original style on some body types.

[dempsy444]

The coat is a bit shapeless despite the cutter saying he's done something to give it more waist.... The reason given is 1) my butt is too big.

Seems like another case of the dreaded pear shape linked to Anderson and Sheppard´s soft tailoring. No matter what A&S fans say, it´s an undeniable result of that house original style on some body types.

Interesting. Why would A&S drape not work for a "pear shape"? Is there a particular style that works better?

[Pssst]

The coat is a bit shapeless despite the cutter saying he's done something to give it more waist.... The reason given is 1) my butt is too big.

Seems like another case of the dreaded pear shape linked to Anderson and Sheppard´s soft tailoring. No matter what A&S fans say, it´s an undeniable result of that house original style on some body types.

Interesting. Why would A&S drape not work for a "pear shape"? (...)

[Lugano]

I'd be delighted with the look of the chap in the grey suit. I am not much slighter than him myself.

Graydon Carter looks very good in an A&S SB blazer

http://www.styleforum.net/t/147520/a-s/ ... st_4932452

[hectorm]

Why would A&S drape not work for a "pear shape"? Is there a particular style that works better?

Anderson & Sheppard´s soft style, no doubt, conforms very elegantly around one´s shape. So if you´re very happy with your own pear, tomato or breadstick shape, then this is the style for you because it will show it like it is. Their soft style will not give you a pear shape if you don´t already naturally have it (and, by the way, in the case of great cutters like the ones at A&S, Steed, S. Hitchcock, etc. it will fit extremely well with even some illusion of waist given by the play of the drape).
But IMO A&S style works better aesthetically on people who actually have shoulders and some waist. A little more structured style -if well executed- would flatter more a silhouette that lacks those features.

[pur_sang]

well, i have a 39 inch chest, 32-33 inch waist, and a 39 inch bum... i'm six foot 2 inches tall.

i dont really consider myself pear shaped.

[hectorm]

I had my coat cut by Mr. Hall. I am not entirely satisfied with the results

The reason given is 1) my butt is too big

i have a 39 inch chest, 32-33 inch waist, and a 39 inch bum.

A 6.5 inch drop is average for a slim person (at least that´s what you get in RTW suits). But -and I hope this will not sound bad- a bum of the same girth of the chest is exactly the measurement you would expect in female beauty pageants.
My guess is that if Mr. Hall had suppressed the waist to make it more "shapely", it would have created lots of tension on your front opening and side vents (or exaggerated an hour glass figure, not precisely what we´d want either).

[dempsy444]

Ha! I see what you mean

[pur_sang]

But -and I hope this will not sound bad- a bum of the same girth of the chest is exactly the measurement you would expect in female beauty pageants.

I try not to take offense. Yes, great female bodies tend to have those characteristics, but, so do great male bodies. The difference is the drop as you mentioned, a female will have a 10-12 inch drop, whereas a male will have a 6-8 inch drop. It all comes down to proportions.

Using your logic, will someone that have a 38, 38, 38 measurement, 'a bum of the same girth of the chest' be what they expect in female beauty pageants too? You have to consider all three measurements.

All I am saying is that, I fit well in most clothes, and was just disappointed with my A&S experience.

[hectorm]

I try not to take offense.....It all comes down to proportions.

Pur_sang: you have taken it very graciously. I regret having made that reference.

All I am saying is that, I fit well in most clothes, and was just disappointed with my A&S experience.

I'm afraid I still don't get one very important point: have you figured out whether the cause of your disapointment is in this particular job they have (or haven't) done for you? or is it more related to your having chosen their peculiar house style? Maybe both?

[pur_sang]

I'm a novice in this game, so I always trust the cutter, and I tell them to do what they do best, so effectively choosing their house style.

I think A&S can do a fine job, as witnessed in the clothes the staff wears. So it could simply be a matter of iterations, but personally, I don't have 4000 pounds to throw around for each iteration. I get compliments everywhere I go when I wear the work of my other Italian tailor, so I prefer them.

I think it might also be the cloth I chose being too light, 10-11oz (I think).

I really need to up my knowledge on cloth, now I think I know why all the cutters/tailors on this forum always like heavier, sturdy cloth.

[dempsy444]

I'm a novice in this game, so I always trust the cutter, and I tell them to do what they do best, so effectively choosing their house style.

I think A&S can do a fine job, as witnessed in the clothes the staff wears. So it could simply be a matter of iterations, but personally, I don't have 4000 pounds to throw around for each iteration. I get compliments everywhere I go when I wear the work of my other Italian tailor, so I prefer them.

I think it might also be the cloth I chose being too light, 10-11oz (I think).

I really need to up my knowledge on cloth, now I think I know why all the cutters/tailors on this forum always like heavier, sturdy cloth.

I could see that with A&S since they probably don’t use much canvas. Maybe you need heavier cloth for it to drape better as a result. Whenever I see an A&S double breasted in a photo it is usually the heavier wools and flannels that look the sharpest to my eye, like a gray chalk striped flannel.

I used 11 oz for a suit made by another Row tailor on the more structured side and found it a bit heavier than I like due to the very heavy canvas they use, so canvas can make a big difference in addition to cloth weight.

It would be nice if Simon Crompton published a little book exclusively on cloth like he did on tailoring in "tailoring" by Le Snob press. I would certainly read it.

[alden]

Dempsey

Use your search function to access reams of information on cloth written by very experienced bespeakers (and cloth designers ) who are both knowledgeable and disinterested. Their advice is more valuable than that of an internet merchandiser.

If you had been reading your LL you would have learned to be wary of some 11 ozs worsteds...

And remember Mr. C. Lee's advice:

"The customer has to roll up his sleeves, put on his walking shoes and walk the beat. Along the way he will have to take some risks, trust his eyes and listen to his heart. An internet search, even a clothing forum, won't cut it. In the worst cases, those are dead-ends."


Cheers

[dempsy444]

Thanks, Alden. wise advice.

[pur_sang]

Their advice is more valuable than that of an internet merchandiser.

Cannot agree more.

Although it seems I did not read enough regarding the lightweight cloth. However, my other tailor seemed to have dealt with a similar weight cloth perfectly fine, but maybe, still a different cloth.