My first suit :)

[Graeme]

Well, im sure you all remember i was looking for, then bought a 1950's flecked suit.
It arrived this morning and a few of you had requested pics.

This is the suit

At first i thought it wouldnt fit, then i found out it would but may be slightly long in the arm/leg and an inch big in the chest.
I also had plans to get it altered to a notch lapel.

Well, i think it fits pretty good really. What do you think? I am also won over by the lapels so there staying!

It is slightly big in the chest but they were worn baggier in the 50's and i dont think it looks bad. Worse case ive got 4 months to eat lots of pies
Sleeve length seems ok too

Bad pics im afraid and it needs pressing.

Excuse the hair/stuble

Front view

flap in

flap out, i like the angled breast pocket

back

trousers

I know a few of you like your details, i can take more pics or describe parts if you wish.

All in all, i love it. Bought for my wedding but i can see me buying/wearing more now

 

[kschurch]

Hey Graeme,

that's a nice looking suit. I look forward to seeing it after alterations. However, I wouldn't change the lapels. Single breated with a peak lapel is pretty cool. And there is always a posibility that the change would never look quite right or possibly ruin the suit completely.

It's way cool as is. Good job.

Cheers,

Church

 

[Feraud]

I would love to have worn something like that for my wedding.
If you can take outdoors pictures it will show the details better.
Maybe take a few pictures of the labels.

 

[Johnnysan]

Nice suit...I wouldn't change a thing! :eusa_clap

 

[Graeme]

Thanks folks, ill take better outdoor pics soon.

Im not going to change anything i dont think.
Do you think the arm length is ok? Does it 'look' too big in the chest?

shoulders fit perfectly, as does the trousers wiast. Not sure whether to take up the trousers a little, what do you think? Hard to tell without shoes, getting them on sat.

So, pics of labels, anything else?

Lapels are deffinately staying

I hadn't seen it from the back, i like it

 

[Mark from Plano]

At first i thought it wouldnt fit, then i found out it would but may be slightly long in the arm/leg and an inch big in the chest.
I also had plans to get it altered to a notch lapel.

:eusa_doh:

Well, i think it fits pretty good really. What do you think? I am also won over by the lapels so there staying!

Oh, thank God!

It is slightly big in the chest but they were worn baggier in the 50's and i dont think it looks bad. Worse case ive got 4 months to eat lots of pies
Sleeve length seems ok too

I know a few of you like your details, i can take more pics or describe parts if you wish.

All in all, i love it. Bought for my wedding but i can see me buying/wearing more now

I would say that it is a bit too big everywhere. You are a thin guy and the suit makes it look like you borrowed you big brother's clothes. To make it fit you you need to (at a minimum) get some taken out of the body (waist & chest). The sleeves are WAY too long (an inch, perhaps?). You should be able to see about 1/2 inch of shirt cuff when it is properly tailored. Also the trousers are a bit too long for my tastes. I prefer a cleaner look without puddles of fabric around the shoes.

I'm uncertain about the shoulders (some pics make them look slightly big, others I'm not so sure). Also the body of the jacket is none too short, but too long? Maybe not.

Of what I've outlined, the chest alternations are likely to be the most expensive, but frankly to make it look right it would seem pretty important. The rest is fairly inexpensive to do. If the shoulders need to be narrowed it could start running into some money ($250?).

It's a great suit and whatever the alterations cost are likely worth it.

Good luck.

 

[Graeme]

Thanks, im going to take it to the tailors anyway to get a button fixed and get it pressed properly. Ill see what they say about the sleeve length.
I already enquired about costs to do sleeve/leg length and its cheap enough

The shoulders do fit perfectly, although as you say, it does sometimes look a little wide. Its not though.
It is quite a long jacket but as im tall with long arms im not too bothered.

Not sure about chest alterations, thats getting a bit envolved. I know its a little large, ive 5" of space in the chest. I didnt want it to be slim fitting though. Ill see what the tailor suggests.

 

[Graeme]

Forgot to say, the jacket fits better in the waist than the chest. Maybe the guy it was made for was about my size but with just a bigger chest. Maybe i should tailor my body to the suit

I think i may just take the sleeves/leg up slightly although probably not as much as an inch. Dont really want to be seeing too much shirt cuff.

I guess fit is quite a personal issue. Theres proper tailored fit, personal preference fit and era specific fit. By that i mean, different age groups of a certain era would wear there clothes differently.


The trousers arent quite as long as they look. The button poped off and they wouldnt saty up properly. They are a little long but not as bad as the pics look.

Appreciate peoples opinions, keep em coming

 

[classyguy]

I think it fits pretty good.

The length of the jacket is perfect...you should be able to cup your hands under the sides of the coat and you can clearly do that from the pictures.

The only thing that would really need altering is the chest; everything else is pretty much personal taste.

Great find.

 

[slicedbread]

First of all, that's a fantastic suit!

However, I'm goign to have to agree with Mark. Despite what your tailor may say, it'd look a whole lot better if the chest/waist were taken in a bit...If you don't want a slim look, that's fine, but (if it's not too expensive) get it taken in at least a little bit...

 

[Mark from Plano]

Forgot to say, the jacket fits better in the waist than the chest. Maybe the guy it was made for was about my size but with just a bigger chest. Maybe i should tailor my body to the suit

I think i may just take the sleeves/leg up slightly although probably not as much as an inch. Dont really want to be seeing too much shirt cuff.

I guess fit is quite a personal issue. Theres proper tailored fit, personal preference fit and era specific fit. By that i mean, different age groups of a certain era would wear there clothes differently.


The trousers arent quite as long as they look. The button poped off and they wouldnt saty up properly. They are a little long but not as bad as the pics look.

Appreciate peoples opinions, keep em coming

I suppose that the most important thing is that you are happy with the fit. However... one last thing and I'll shut up about it.

Not sure where you've gotten the idea that well dressed guys from a certain era wore their clothes too baggy, but I'd suggest that you do a Google images search for pics of Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Fred Astaire...guys from those periods that really knew how to dress. I'd be very surprised (especially since I just did it ) if you're able to find more than one or two where they aren't showing the "perfect" 1/2 inch of "linen" at the wrist. Don't mean to be argumenative...and believe me, I'm done on this point...but since it's your first suit and since it's for your wedding...

All that said, it really is a great suit.

On the other hand, if it's a 42 I hereby modify everything nice I've said about it...it's awful and you can send it to me and I'll take the nasty thing off your hands.

 

[Jovan]

I have to agree with what has been said. I personally try to shoot for only a quarter inch of shirt cuff showing, though.

 

[thunderw21]

It's a great suit you have there.

As other have said, taking in the waist a bit will add some nice shape to the suit. The sleeves are a bit long.

And let me express my sincere happiness that you are leaving the lapels as they are. Vintage SB jackets with peaked lapels are classy and should not be fiddled with.

 

[Graeme]

I agree on the chest, if it can be altered easily/well then i will, i also agree on the sleeves being a little long.

I do love it and will wear it as it is if i have too.

As for different era's, different fit, i think ive not explained myself properly.

A couple of examples.

1950's, young rocker kid buying a suit will wear it differently to a 1950's bank manager.

1960's gangster look worn slimmer than 1960's estate agent.

Thats the kind of thing i mean.

Look at it in a modern way. I can wear a 32/32 trouser but 33/33 is more comfy. In jeans i wear 1 34/34 and consider that to fit properly, i.e. the way i like it too look although technically they dont fit and are too big.

People like you mentioned will be wearing clothes that fit them properly, not that fit in a way that lends itself to a certain cultural group.

Not sure if i explained that very well but you get the idea.


The jacket looks like it fits better from the back which is strange.

Another thing i was thinking, the trousers fit in the waist great, the jacket was made for the same person (obviously) so the jacket should fit well in the waist (which it does). Would changing just the chest measurement make the suit look completely different?

 

[Graeme]

Oh and i suppose it is a 42 the jacket measures 46 apparantly (i havent checked) and my chest is 41.

 

[Feraud]

For your first suit I would say do not go tailor crazy. Take up the hem on the pants and wear the suit. The sleeves look o.k. to me but you will know better after having worn the suit for an evening. Get the sleeves fixed if necessary.


The back of the jacket in this photo does not look horrible. Photos of you in daylight will better show the fit. Again I say wear the suit and see how the jacket feels to you.

back

Photos (excluding movies) of menswear frequently show outfits that are not perfectly fitted. A little loose or tight is normal for how real people wear clothes.

 

[Graeme]

That just about sums up my thoughts too

Daylight photo's when i get a day off, although i dont think that will be untill the end of feb now!

 

[surely]

hey there my young and skinny friend. imho the answer to your problem is obvious: take some steriods and start pumping iron. in no time you will bulk up just enough to fit the suit....

 

[Graeme]

Apart from the steroids, the thought has already crossed my mind.

Unfortunately, i can already eat poorly and do no exercise without putting on weight so that options out.
Just leaves body shaping exercises and im too lazy for all that

 

[Nigel Fisher]

That's a great suit. I really like the flecked look on any suits, and you wear that well.