Sharp Dressed Man: Bespoke to "Suit" Your Budget
(Please note I AM completely and fully endorsing A Suit That Fits. But, as usually, shop wherever you choose and where you feel most comfortable!)
I have always admired a man in a great suit. The enticing, masculine lines created by a well-fitting suit on the proper man can send ocular thunderbolts to anybody lucky enough to be around him when he's wearing one. Some men see a suit as something they must wear for their jobs, a necessary evil not a frivolous virtue, with still others donning one when absolutely forced. I believe the reluctance of wearing a suit for some men stems from viewing it as conformist and a visible sign of "elitism;" however, I contend that poor fit is also a culprit and I can certainly understand not wanting to wear anything that fits you like a choir robe on one hand or a sausage casing on the other, both being less than ideal. Yes, nothing says "Stick it to the man!" quite like eschewing a suit in favor of, well, anything. You may see the pieces of a suit on these types, like just the jacket or just the slacks, but never the two together which could sap the wearer's rebellious side of strength and purpose. But what many men don't realize is that a suit doesn't have to be poly-blend sack and it doesn't even have to be completely serious all the time. Instead looking at the garment itself as a prison, a custom or "bespoke" suit can actually be the key that opens the cell door to your freedom, in ways of which you've probably never dreamed.
The suit as we know it today started life in England during the 19th century for wear in the country. It was called a 'lounge suit' and was different from the more formal and metropolitan-oriented 'morning suit;' the traditional morning suit is exceedingly rare today and , for those unaware, is this. The suit (lounge) is actually somewhat "informal" with the business suit being a lounge suit structured and suitable for conducting work affairs. I can't see the difference myself but suit gurus assure me there is one! An interesting side bar about the morning suit is that at Royal Ascot, the most famous horse racing event in Great Britain and arguably the world, male attendees are restricted to wearing this kind of suit and a hat in the Royal Enclosure or cannot be permitted to enter; ladies cannot bare their midriffs and must wear a hat. The Royal Ascot event draws 300,000 people to Berkshire with nearly everyone dressed to kill.
The suit was co-opted by continental Europeans, namely the Italians, and Americans and then slightly changed to the tastes, and builds, of their respective home markets. While an Italian(or French) suit is characterized by a robust padded shoulder, lightweight fabrics, no back vent and a strongly taken in waist to emphasize a man's 'V' shape, an American suit (think Brooks Brothers) features moderate shoulder padding, various fabrics of various weights, little-to-no tapering in the waist and a single back vent; the American cut is considered the most casual of all three styles. A traditional British suit was often made from heavy fabrics like tweed and worsted wool which could stand up to England's chilly and wet weather, providing durability and ensuring longevity of the outfit for many years. The typical cut of a British suit is moderately tapered sides (slight waist cinching), minimal padding in the shoulders and two vents in the back to aid in sitting when it's buttoned. The British suit and it's distinctive cut is seen by some, especially those on The Row, as the quintessential suit and this article is mainly referring to it.
No matter the suit, or any item of clothing that you decide to wear, it is important to make sure that it fits you very well. The intended purpose of a finely tailored garment of any kind is to minimize the "flaws" of one's body, if possible, and accentuate it's attributes without sacrificing style and comfort. There are companies that are taking this whole idea in custom clothing and running with it and I think the results are stunning.
A Tip That Fits
A fellow RepGeek member, beloved and respected by me regardless of our publicly diverging viewpoints, asked about suits and where he could get one in London without blowing all of his cash at the likes of Savile Row stalwarts Gieves & Hawke. And in the process, he still wanted to get the same bespoke attention to detail, quality and service. I must admit, this was a tall order and one I really didn't think could be done. Custom clothing of any kind is prohibitively expensive for most ordinary people let alone a whole suit. But it must be acknowledged that every person on Earth is unique unto themselves and clothing tailored specifically to your taste and style is a hard dream to resist. Sure, some people's bodies are similar to another's and an off the rack item is certainly good enough but, at the end of the day, we all have our own distinct shapes, shapes that with attention and care can stay with us almost our whole adult lives. The little things that physically make us different are the very reason customized clothing is so alluring for everyone in any income bracket. Most people thought true custom clothing like those made by the hand of an actual skilled individual at affordable prices was impossible, which it was. I was even one of those skeptical people. Well, thanks to globalization, however you feel about it, that's no longer the case.
With the first luxury most likely being an excellent wife and bright, well-behaved children, the penultimate luxury for a man has got to be a bespoke suit from a prestigious, ultra-luxury tailor; the equivalent of which for women is the haute couture dress by a respected and lauded atelier. At the this point, "Teh Posh" was out her element because while she knew what a luxury bespoke suit was supposed to look like and feel like under her touch, she didn't know where most men should go to get an inexpensive one, a real one and not a replica, and what to keep an eye out for if she did. Well, the one thing I know about me is that I know what I don't know and when I know what I don't know, I ask those more knowledgeable or go searching for the answers myself. The challenge offered to me by the member had me flipping through the online Rolodex and emailing a fellow analyst who deals with the retail industry at our firm's British subsidiary. He promptly responded and conferred with his counterpart at Barclays, mainly to get confirmation of the company he recommended being a sound choice. I passed the bit of info I'd gained onto this RGer but was curious about the whole company's claim to fame, if you will. Although I trusted the advice I quickly passed on because of my colleague's smarts in the UK retail sector, I wanted to know more so other RG members could use the information for themselves or someone they knew, making the decision to use this company, or those like them, easier for all.
Zoot Suit Riot
The company I was told about is called A Suit That Fits, co-headed by the innovative, attractive Warren Bennett and his friend David Hathiramani since June of 2006. Warren Bennett actually got his master's degree in aeronautical engineering and is a graduate of the selective Collège des Ingénieurs in Paris. He was always enterprising and had a passion for business, however, and started importing goods from Nepal and India after frequent travels there. It was during one of his travels back to Nepal that he discovered a finely crafted, handmade wool suit created by a family of tailors, of which there are quite a few in Nepal. He, along with the friends who helped him start the brand, were tired of spending so much money on expensive suits for work and came to see the talented family, and others like them, as an opportunity to bring what amounts to luxury bespoke tailoring to many people while keeping prices down and quality up. These were not fairly unskilled Malayasian garment factory workers but highly qualified tailors who had been making suits and other clothing items for decades. He kept in contact with this family and brought their suits back to Britain to start his aptly named company, continuing to use only family-run tailoring workshops so quality and corporate accountability would remain first rate.
To understand what ASTF is exactly in the way of "bespoke," you have to know a little about what bespoke isn't. First, the term "bespoke" was coined sometime in the 17th century when tailors had all the cloth used for clothing on premises. When a customer selected a bolt of fabric for their garment, that bolt was said to have “been spoken for” and couldn't really be used by other customers who came after that original client until their garment was completed first. Material of high quality or intricate design at that time was not as easy to come by as now because textile technology was still in its infancy. The term is used primarily in reference to men's garments like haute couture is for women's clothes; however, there is difference in how each can be and is applied. Haute couture is a term protected by law and cannot be used by just any person who sews a dress; there are strict standards and practices that a fashion house must meet in order to use the term haute couture on any product they make. Bespoke, on the other hand, has been ruled by the British Advertising Standards Authority to be acceptable to use on products that do not incorporate enough of what are considered traditional construction methods, much to the chagrin of the SRBA (Savile Row Bespoke Association) who has been pushing to have the term protected for decades with little success. Say what you want to about France, but they protect ALL artisan industries within their country, from food to clothes! The SRBA defines 'bespoke' as being comprised of many things including but not limited to: hand work used almost entirely on all clothing items, including the "individually cut paper pattern;" personal service, qualified advice, a large selection of fabrics and/or the keeping of all records, like client measurements, for future orders; involvement by participating houses in an approved training scheme, which is basically like apprenticing. By this definition and all accounts, both inside ASTF and outside, they appear to be a bespoke tailor of the first order.
Well, now that that's settled, what isn't bespoke? A suit you walk into Men's Wearhouse and buy, with a few nips and tucks to better "fit" you, is NOT bespoke and not even really customizing of any kind in the true sense; that whole product and experience is considered 'made-to-measure.' The suits in stores like this, including Macy's, TopShop, JC Penny and H&M, are machine made suits cut to standardized patterns that are then, if possible, slightly altered by a local seamstress or tailor, who may even be on site, to better conform to your body's contours. There are also handmade suits using some bespoke techniques that are still machine cut from standard patterns made in an assembly line fashion. I don't say all of this to mean that any of these methods will produce a suit you'll dislike because that may or may not be the case. However, a suit properly crafted with everything YOU want from the very start with YOU in mind will usually negate many disappointments, due to improper sizes or lack of choice, normally found with shopping for a suit. The way to appreciate wearing a quality suit is knowing what went into that garment's genesis.
A Suit That Fits can make, in addition to custom shirts, jackets, tuxedos, waistcoats and trousers for both genders, just about any type of suit or tailored outfit that you need, including hacking outfits for shooting events, traditional yachting/boating attire and equestrian clothes, all custom made to your exact specifications and design details. Their suits provide a great deal of quality and allow for an amazing level of choice; millions of options is what they advertise. You have control over buttons, colors, material, cut, thread, lapels, waistcoat cut, linings, pleats, pockets, ticket pockets, belt loops and more. You can even provide your bolt of fabric, if you'd like. And while the suits are hand cut and hand sewn, there's one part of the suit's construction that would have given me pause until I was educated by suit guru Thom Loire at Ask Andy About Clothes.
The suits made by ASTF are "fused" and let me explain what that means in this context and why that shouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for all you suit sticklers out there. A fully-canvassed suit is constructed typically in three layers: the top, which is what you see; a back layer, which is usually the lining; and the third layer is a middle piece of fabric usually made out of cotton canvas or mohair canvas that is sewn into place at the edges of a suit. This middle piece of fabric "floats" in between the top and back layer, giving the suit jacket its shape. In a half-canvassed suit, only the upper half of the jacket has this canvas lining with the bottom half being "fused" with a material that becomes a type of glue when heated. A fully-fused jacket has this material throughout and keeps its shape based on the quality of the glue-like material used, and not a piece of fabric. For all you non needle and thread types like me, an example of this is that hemming tape they sell at fabric stores or Wal-Mart, although the kind used for a suit is much stronger and lasts light years longer.
Mr. Loire kindly explained that many upscale brands, like Ralph Lauren, Canali and even Brioni were fusing, either fully or only half, many of their suits, suits with price tags of $4,000 and up. He stated that the canvassing of a suit didn't necessarily denote that suit's quality, just more hand work, which some companies forgo to increase productivity and, of course, revenue. There's plenty of suits that are full-canssed that are overall bad suits; a $6,000 fused suit will ALWAYS be better than a $400 canvassed suit.
Many companies on Savile Row even fuse suits, some openly and some secretly. For example, James & James and Davies have stated that fusing gives them greater control of the material and consistency, especially with lighter fabrics which prove harder to tailor effectively for the correct drape (drape refers to how the suit hangs on a person's body). If a highly esteemed and expensive suit maker like Davies can offer a fused pashmina and vicuna suit woven with actual platinum thread for $25,000, surely A Suit That Fits can offer a fused suit as well! Mr. Loire explained it's how the quality of the materials and how the suit is constructed that will ultimately decide the resilience of the garment, to which I agree. Savile Row suit makers, like many companies are having to turn to new and different technologies to remain competitive in the cutthroat fashion industry. It really comes down to adapt or die and these firms want to live.
When I contacted Lara O'Shea, a top ASTF company executive who graciously answered all my questions for this article and gave me these amazing photos, she said, "In order to give the value we offer, our suits are all made with fused canvases. We will, however, be launching an optional fully-floating canvas in the new year which will be offered for an additional cost."
While there are plenty of customers who had a great experience with ASTF, they have had some growing pains along the way with some customers saying things like this. When I inquired about these complaints, Warren Bennett, co-CEO of ASTF, contacted me personally to say, "Unfortunately, the thousands of customers who absolutely love the service do not post to this website, but we treat complaints such as these very seriously, working to resolve their particular issues and working to ensure that we make the process better for our customers in the future. We continue to invest heavily in our processes and in our quality to ensure that problems like these are minimised." He let me know that each of those issues were resolved in a satisfactory fashion for the customer and in what way. This kind of upper corporate level commitment to quality speaks volumes about A Suit That Fits, a company whose output exceeds all the houses on Savile Row combined.
It is important to remember that corporate responsibility is a high priority for ASTF which is amazing considering their size. ASTF is paying 50 percent over the local rates in Nepal to attract the best tailors and ensure the continuing quality of each garment they manufacture. In addition to this, ASTF donates five percent of their Nepalese costs to the local Hindu Vidyapeeth school where Warren Bennett himself taught during his year off. The company is currently funding a new science block to allow students to learn the sciences Bennett and his colleagues loved throughout school, like math and physics.
I believe ASTF's products and services can be summed up quite succinctly as bespoke customization and details for less money than made-to-measure with the simplicity associated with ready-to-wear. They are harnessing tried-and-true tailoring methods with modern technologies which enables you to get a very high quality custom made suit at a cost of a cheaply constructed one. I know the global economy is down the toilet but that doesn't mean your wardrobe has to be too! Now more than ever you have to hold onto your money and I hope A Suit That Fit helps everyone here do that.
If you're in, near or going to London and need a hand made suit or a fabric swatch, contact them by email or this phone number, 020 3006 7999, for a personalized fitting at one of their show rooms; afterward, you can pick the suit up there or have it delivered. If you can't get to their stores because you're not in Britain or would rather measure yourself at home using their instructions, just input your dimensions into their online wizard after choosing the suit details and wait for it to arrive on your doorstep, nicely packaged. If you're completely lazy and in the London area, at work or at home, they'll send somebody to you for a fitting!
Suit Sage: Win Chesterfield
I was able, again thanks to my analyst colleague in the UK, able to get the terribly busy and terribly talented Winston Chesterfield, composer, lawyer and style columnist at Men's Flair to answer some suit and clothing questions (I also suspect he's a Jude Law impersonator!). We're almost the same age, have a almost the same outlook on personal style and Mr. Chesterfield is ALMOST as smart as me. :D If he hadn't agreed to this interview, this article couldn't have gotten written so I want to give him a big thanks for helping me help RG. Here, he talks about style, England, suits, casual clothes and A Suit That Fits; he can be reached for questions here.
Posh: What should a man look for in his casual wear and what should he look for in a suit?
WC: Casual wear possesses greater opportunities for experimentation. The concept of casual clothing is that it should look out of place at formal functions but this really depends on a particular gentleman’s interpretation of ‘casual’. Formality has declined over the centuries and this means that casual clothing and formal clothing can blur into one, depending on an individuals choice. In my casual clothing I look for comfort and style equally; as far as I am concerned ‘casual’ is a dangerous word as I believe in good practice. Slumming in pyjamas or tracksuits is just not something I am interested in at any time. I use the time I am not in a shirt and tie to play with other decorations and colours in my wardrobe.
In a suit, a man should look for a good material but an excellent fit. Although I believe material to be important, the overall fit of a suit is crucial; the finest worsted aside, no suit should be too long or too wide. I would advise plumping for smaller rather than larger sizes. Off the rack trousers rarely come with an ideal length – it’s so simple and inexpensive to get them tailored. The suit is not something merely to cover a man’s skin. It is a glorious expression of his capability and understanding. He will be better represented in a suit that fits him well.
Posh: You did a recent editorial about the demise of the suit and called it the "most splendid invention in the history of fashion." Why do you feel this way?
WC: I have long been of the view that a well-cut suit is rather like a series of phonetics lessons with Professor Higgins; it can have a marvellous effect on your social standing. There is a widely held view that jeans and t-shirts are the most flattering clothes for a man but I believe the dark silhouette of a good suit can make a duke out of a dustman. A suit is more powerful than the odd jacket and trouser; it is an accomplishment and heralds an arrival into a particular mode of living.
Posh: To me, the England of the past and present cares greatly for details in almost everything from furniture to clothes to education to art. How do you think England has affected fashion the world over?
WC: England has two faces. One is afflicted by a sense of embarrassment and guilt, an affliction that is battled with a moral and creative expansiveness. The other face of England is quieter but rather more proud; this face echoes of the jubilation and jingoism of a forgotten era. Both contribute to the England of now and both are the result of England’s past. In fashion, this has meant that England’s dominance on the world stage in centuries gone has produced the inevitable; a transfer of fashion to, what once were, far flung corners of the globe. While the strictly anti-colonial will consider the spread of the English language evidence of vile imperialism, the fashionably knowledgeable contend that England’s influence, more so in male fashion, has been considerable and beneficial. In London, the wearing of a particular item, at one time, could send shock waves throughout the world; the imperial capital was the epicentre of the top hat trend, a trend which affected society in nations worldwide and endured for over a century. What was seen in London, had to be seen elsewhere. In that manner, England has been monumentally influential.
Posh: What are your thoughts about this revolutionary start-up A Suit That Fits? And how do you think it'll change men's relationship with the suit?
WC: I think that most men see a good suit as something they purchase as an entertainment after securing a healthy bonus. In no way is it seen by these men as a convenient and essential tool to take seriously from the first instant, which is rather unfortunate. Making good fabrics and personal tailoring readily available over the internet is the right revolution. It may not be as quaint or rewarding as the reassuring visit to a tailor; the consultation, conversation and establishment of the client/tailor ‘understanding’, but it offers a renaissance of the period in which the majority of men had to have suits made to their measurements due to the absence of ready-made items waiting on racks. Now that there is more of a choice, that the balance of ‘personal’ and ‘impersonal’ clothing has shifted back, there will perhaps be an encouraging shift towards the craft of tailoring. It will take time, but I believe we will see positive results.
Posh: Do you think “Savile Row” quality suits can be had from firms like this?
WC: Savile Row tailoring is confined to Savile Row. That sounds rather simplistic, but it’s quite true. For many who purchase their suits here, this is one of the appealing aspects of the address: exclusivity. It’s no wonder that the craftsmen on the row are reticent to allow others to use the street name in relation to their products, even those who follow the Savile Row codes of tailoring. I think quality depends on the craftsmen involved, the understanding of details and material and overall a devotion to the trade. If firms that exist in obscure backstreets or in the vast expanse of the world wide web can master this, they are going some way to achieving a name in their own right – you can’t join the Row, but you can try to beat it.
Posh: After reading your blog posts about the qualities of the Italian/Continental suit (e.g. Ermenegildo Zegna, etc.) and the American suit (Brooks Brothers), what do you think is the hallmark of a fine English suit that separates it from these other two styles?
WC: The English suit to me is likely to be more substantial in weight than the Continental and the American suit, although it is more similar to the American. A real English suit, not one of the Continental/Anglo bastardisations, is really quite heavy. The fabrics typically used are different; English suits are commonly patterned or striped whereas Continental suits are invariably plainer. American suits follow English lines more closely in terms of detail; both are likely to use peaked lapels although they can often be notched like the Continental, but the slanted pockets (and particularly the superfluous ticket pocket) are an English signature, but they are frequently seen on Continental and American suits – the influence of the English suit is considerable.
Posh: I quickly saw that you're careful to mix expensive clothes in with affordable clothes, making your whole look appear completely designer. This seems easier for women than men because our clothes tend to get discounted heavily. What advice can you offer for others who want to accomplish a designer look and save money like you?
WC: Clothing is commonly sold as a lifestyle; Armani and Lauren package their clothing brilliantly with a mystique that is hard to match. The key for a buyer looking to save money is to evaluate on simpler levels; the grey jacket from Zara might not be sold in a beautifully furnished Polo store with gentle jazz and a gas fire to warm your mind into submission but you have to analyse things for what they are. Material and structure are very important. It’s easy to fall for the idea that you are always buying a product of outstanding quality but this is sometimes illusion. Design is a lot more important than a brand and if material and structure are also satisfied, irrelevant of the price, you have a great garment in your hands.
Mixing and matching cheaper items with more expensive accessories for me comes down to individual design; by choosing to alternate between the luxury and budget categories you are creating your own outfit. This is a tonic to the consumers who walk into a single clothing store and purchase a complete look. Sartorial arbitrage takes a lot of time but it saves you a great deal of money.
Posh: Your style clearly vacillates from casual one day to suits on another, with a swift amalgamation of the two when the event or situation calls for it. Why do you think this versatility is important?
WC: I feel it’s important to remain balanced in dress much in the same way it is important to remain balanced in opinion, diet and morals. Wearing a suit or denim everyday pushes you into a confined space; formal or informal. There is so much more to explore in fashion and style than choosing to follow one of these schools. Many who meet me consider me formal; some consider me lazy and unkempt. The delight is that people differ in their opinions.I believe that progression in style relies upon cherry picking; choosing the best of what we had, putting it together with what we have. This encourages evolution and renewal.
Posh: What are your feelings about the state of men's fashion, on both sides of the pond?
WC: I think that personal fashion is improving, generally speaking. The possibilities for inspiration are increasing thanks, in part, to the internet. There is no longer a sense that access to ideas is restricted to those in the business or in the know. Blogs are sprouting up everywhere and this sharing of knowledge and visions is beneficial to those who have been largely disinterested; people write of their problems and confusions and the coordination of others can have a positive effect.
In terms of the fashion industry, it is plodding along acceptably; moving discreetly in a circular fashion. Innovation may be lacking but there is certainly a good deal of sourcing; I am pleased to see the recycling of styles past.
Posh: Do you think there is a difference between the way European and American men view fashion? If there is a difference, why do think it exists?
WC: I think one can generalise enormously about the interest or collective style of a particular country, let alone an entire continent. I think that some American men are unfairly treated because of a European bias that Europe is, and has always been, the heart of world fashion. I have met, and know, many American men who take a keen interest in fashion and style and possess knowledge and innovation beyond many Europeans. However, there are differences. In Europe, with the suit, it is quite normal to be daring and brave in relation to shirt choice – pink, checks and stripes. However, in America, wearing one of these choices is still considered a little ‘flowery’ by the majority. European men are not afraid of feminine or slender tailoring. American men prefer more substantial fits. The differences are slight, but noticeable. <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style>
Posh: There are people who say that what you wear and how you present yourself doesn't matter, with many of this peculiar camp being men. Do you think this mode of thinking is valid? If not, why?
WC: In that camp that you mentioned, there are two types of person who deny the importance of self-presentation. Those who believe that self-presentation is something towards which they are not personally inclined and those who rail against it rather aggressively as an irrelevant bauble in our decorated world; those who make soap-box statements about the ‘real’ importance of life. A glance at the practices of mating and hierarchy in the animal kingdom show us that personal appearance is something which is likely to be with us, as biological creatures, until extinction. Whether we agree or disagree with the idea that we are created, or have evolved, into more sophisticated creatures I believe that focus on physical presentation is quite natural. I have no point of quarrel with the former type; they are usually persons capable of appreciating the splendour in things without feeling the need to transfer any of that splendour onto their person. I would not impose my preference for pride in physical appearance on those who are unwilling. That is why I question the validity of those who seek to impose their sanctimonious views and lazy, armchair ambivalence on me.
Posh: I have stressed in my articles, reports and in life that everything and everyone is connected to each other and has an effect in some way. How do you think that the economic crisis will influence how men choose to dress?
WC: I couldn’t agree with you more. If there is one thing that has evidenced our entwined fates so powerfully, it has been the events of the past few weeks. The onset of a recession will cause gentlemen to rethink their spending budgets. Men will certainly opt for cheaper brands with less money to spend. However, they’re also likely to purchase more long-lasting garments such as overcoats from mid-range retailers such as Gant and Hackett as they’ll be cautious about spending money on cheaper high street items, suspicious of their longevity. I expect to see a decline in high fashion sales, particularly the ‘superbrands’ market. Gentlemen might also worry for their career future which may prompt them to curb spending in clothing fields directly associated with their employment. I think some people are imagining the poetic image of a former banker in a sepia photograph from 1929, unrecognisable in tattered attire. Things being as they are, and they might get worse, I don’t think we need go that far!
Well, hopefully this may help someone. I guess the whole point is if you have a "nice watch" on your wrist, maybe the rest of you should look nice too. I don 't know. Just a suggestion. As usual, comments, (good or bad) advice and questions always welcome here. Love ya, RG.
