Where do you buy your clothes?

[Louis Balfour]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

While I wholeheartedly endorse your suggestion , I think you may find prices have changed a bit in the last couple of years.
Richard James, whom you mention below, would seem to be offering an off the peg suit for RRP £1300+.
I haven't checked them out personally, but would have done yesterday based on you mentioning them had I know in time.

I was visiting my 'usual' tailor for a jacket to match a pair of trousers they made up for me early 2019.
At the time these particular trousers cost under £300. The quote for a matching jacket is just north of £1500.
Of course man maths equates that to 'a bespoke suit for under £2k' which, sounds pretty good.
It must be a cost of cloth thing to some extent because they have quoted a full seersucker suit for £1600.

Anyway, inline with this thread and another regarding ill fitting off the peg clothes as per another thread, it's worth pointing out to anyone who cares that many(most?) tailors will create almost anything you like, including denim jeans, chinos, shirts, sweaters and the like.
They won't have that precious Calvin label, but at least they will fit.
Not all good / reasonable tailors reside on Savile Row.

Richard James made me a 3-piece in light wool (Harrison’s IIRC) last year for about the same figure.

In February or March they do a promotion, which is 20% off I think.

Their RTW stuff looks good, from my brief look at it. But it seemed no cheaper than their MTM.

Their bespoke business does three grades of tailoring. Full bespoke, hand-made made to measure and machine made MTM. Their hand-made MTM are sewn in Italy and look like it. They look almost tacked together but are lovely. The machine made stuff is exceptionally good and sewn in Mauritius.

I started using Savile Row tailors because provincial ones all seemed to be rubbish. I figured that the competition on the Row would ensure a better standard, and so it has proved to be. After a bit of trial and error I’ve settled on one bespoke tailor and one MTM.

I have found that, with both tailors, they have offered me really good value, as the relationship has developed. I have not needed to ask. I think, once they consider you “theirs” they want to keep you.

[TheJimi]

What's the difference between "made to measure" and "full bespoke"?

[Goaty Bill 2]

TheJimi said:

What's the difference between "made to measure" and "full bespoke"?

About 3-6 months and 2-4k

One description;
New & Lingwood; Bespoke vs made-to-measure

[Louis Balfour]

TheJimi said:

What's the difference between "made to measure" and "full bespoke"?

The pattern.

Full bespoke a pattern is made to your exact dimensions.

Made to measure they use a standard pattern and adapt it to your shape.

[ZedLeg]

I never wear a suit but I don’t think I could ever justify 6 weeks rent on one.

I thought I was being extravagant spending £400 on a winter coat

[toasty]

TheJimi said:

I must admit, I'd love to get stuff properly made for me.

Size wise, I'm pretty awkward for most of the off-the-peg stuff due to having a narrow waist (28-30, depending) and a wide upper body, with a sleeve length that is S, yet my arms and torso are anything from M to XL and I'm 5'10.

Edited by TheJimi on Thursday 18th January 12:04

Spoke London make some great quality clothes tailored for different sizes. Not especially cheap but the fit is perfect.

[TheJimi]

toasty said:

TheJimi said:

I must admit, I'd love to get stuff properly made for me.

Size wise, I'm pretty awkward for most of the off-the-peg stuff due to having a narrow waist (28-30, depending) and a wide upper body, with a sleeve length that is S, yet my arms and torso are anything from M to XL and I'm 5'10.

Edited by TheJimi on Thursday 18th January 12:04

Spoke London make some great quality clothes tailored for different sizes. Not especially cheap but the fit is perfect.

My suits are off-the-peg but tailored for me. They fit me superbly actually, and while I do fancy a proper made to measure suit, I don’t wear them nearly enough to justify it. That and my body tends to change shape on a yearly basis – an upside (or downside, in this case!) of weights-based training - and hence the daft sizes described above

[Goaty Bill 2]

TheJimi said:

My suits are off-the-peg but tailored for me. They fit me superbly actually, and while I do fancy a proper made to measure suit, I don’t wear them nearly enough to justify it. That and my body tends to change shape on a yearly basis – an upside (or downside, in this case!) of weights-based training - and hence the daft sizes described above

Having OtP tailored for a better fit is a good option. I have had several jackets adjusted as, like most people, none of my wardrobe was bespoke or MtM at one time.
It may be worth considering that a good MtM tailor and any bespoke tailor will make suits/jackets/trousers to enable adjustment in or out as required.

[Tango13]

Louis Balfour said:

I have found that, with both tailors, they have offered me really good value, as the relationship has developed. I have not needed to ask. I think, once they consider you “theirs” they want to keep you.

>Snip<

I think it's a case of a good tailor taking pride in their work, they want you to look good as that reflects well on them. I mentioned on page 1 that I get my leathers made by BKS, Brian is putting his name on everything that leaves the factory so each suit is a reflection of him and his whole attitude to leather suit manufacture.

[RizzoTheRat]

TheJimi said:

I must admit, I'd love to get stuff properly made for me.

I had some shirts made in Kuwait some years ago. Got measured up the tailor who then told me how much material I needed, then went to the market to pick the fabric I wanted, and told the seller the name of the tailor who would pick them up. Went back a couple of days later to pick up 3 shirts that were a very good fit, total cost something like £30 each. A couple of colleagues had full suits made by the same guy.
Definitely worth considering if you're ever in a country where labour is traditionally quite cheap and hand making stuff is really common.

[vixen1700]

Bought a quite nice toggle-jacket and scarf from Diverso in St. Christopher's Place last week.

[Louis Balfour]

Tango13 said:

Louis Balfour said:

I have found that, with both tailors, they have offered me really good value, as the relationship has developed. I have not needed to ask. I think, once they consider you “theirs” they want to keep you.

>Snip<

I think it's a case of a good tailor taking pride in their work, they want you to look good as that reflects well on them. I mentioned on page 1 that I get my leathers made by BKS, Brian is putting his name on everything that leaves the factory so each suit is a reflection of him and his whole attitude to leather suit manufacture.

No one will ever know, unless they ask (and they never do) where I buy my suits and, happily, neither tailor has begun sewing theirhouse name on the outside, where it is visible.

Savile row is a beautifully anachronistic place and the tailors upon it are themselves from another era. The bespoke place refuses to call me by first name.

"Look, I've been coming here for years, will you please call me Louis?"

"Certainly Mr Balfour".

[RC1807]

WFH 100%, so only wear my suits to conferences, which accounts for maybe 6-10 days a year!

On the plus side, I’ve dropped 2 suit sizes in the last 9 months, so I’m able to wear some better quality suits I’ve owned for some time to this year’s conferences.


My brother wears suits daily in the UK and has some very decent MtM from Robert Old.

[bitchstewie]

So next on the wardrobe overhaul is underwear.

Same question cheap as hell M&S or as you (hopefully!!) wear them every single day of your life is it worth spending a little more?

[ashleyman]

I was buying Primark pants and every 6 months just putting the whole lot in the bin and buying fresh. However my wife got me some Calvin Klein and I’m now inclined to buy enough of those and try and hang onto them.

[ZedLeg]

I get all my underwear from boody, very comfortable and they last for ages.

[BunkMoreland]

bhstewie said:

So next on the wardrobe overhaul is underwear.

Same question cheap as hell M&S or as you (hopefully!!) wear them every single day of your life is it worth spending a little more?

Tom Ford has 3 rules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sGkqBWnR_A

But then his cost £40 each! And I can get 3 x CKs for that! (Which is my default choice of Brief)

Quick tip is there are several places that do discounts on mens underwear that the main brands rarely do from their own websites

eg

www.pantsandsocks.com
www.trunksandboxers.co.uk

[V 02]

bhstewie said:

So next on the wardrobe overhaul is underwear.

Same question cheap as hell M&S or as you (hopefully!!) wear them every single day of your life is it worth spending a little more?

I’ve always M&S, Calvin Klein, Uniqlo and Ralph Lauren and have never had a problem.

[bitchstewie]

BunkMoreland said:

Tom Ford has 3 rules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sGkqBWnR_A

Yes because this is how everyone on here chooses underwear isn't it

[vixen1700]

I kinda like those silky breathable tech pants from Uniqlo.

Haven't worn 'traditional' boxers for ages now.