New Linen Suits in the UK?

[Edward]

Anyone got any advice as to where I might be able to pick up a decently vintage-looking linen suit off the rack here in London? As has happened before, I find myself in need of one at short notice, for this Summer's round of graduations and work-related dinners (alas, the gala dinner in Beijing next month will be lounge suits only - black tie would be markedly easier for me). I plan to have a look at what Roderick Charles have in as well as Oliver whatsit, but it's always good to have other options to hit on Saturday. Hackett have some very nice looking stuff which, crucially, appears in photos at least to have a decently high waist and wide leg (sick of this damn hipster cut most places have - in both senses of the word), but alas they're well outside my budget. I need to keep it down to £500 or less...

 

[herringbonekid]

i can almost guarantee that Hackett's trousers won't be high waisted enough for the vintage enthused.
personally i would get a jacket and trousers made up by Old Town in Linen. plenty options there.

 

[Two Types]

Have a look at Pakeman Catto & Carter. I have never bought from them but the jacket is a nice shape:

 

[Two Types]

I can see you in this pink number from Oliver Brown:
http://www.oliverbrown.org.uk/gentlemen/shop-by-product/suits/lightweight-suits/linen-suits.html

(the trousers have side adjusters, if that's something you like)

 

[Two Types]

Might be worth checking Lipman and sons (either Fleet Street or Charing Cross Road). I do have a memory of seeing linen jackets in there.

What about Ede & Ravenscroft? They do linen jackets, I'm sure they must have trousers to go with them.

 

[GHT]

Might be worth checking Lipman and sons (either Fleet Street or Charing Cross Road). I do have a memory of seeing linen jackets in there.

Do you know, I bought a Crombie, cashmere overcoat from Lipman's in Fleet Street, back in 1977. It still fits, a little tight perhaps, but nontheless I can, and still do, wear it. How reassuring that they are still in business.

How does a hundred and fifty quid for a linen suit sound? Try Peter Christian, I have never been disappointed.

 

[Edward]

Thanks for the help, all.

i can almost guarantee that Hackett's trousers won't be high waisted enough for the vintage enthused.

I certainly expect they're not what we'd call high rise. (Pity, as otherwise it all looks very nice). At least the waistcoat covers the beltline and they have a decently-wide leg, which is more than can be said for most of the competition... (the other odd thing is the almost total lack of trouser cuffs in so many places. When did that disappear so completely?).

personally i would get a jacket and trousers made up by Old Town in Linen. plenty options there.

That's the ultimate aim; when I priced it out it was surpringly much cheaper than I had expected - in and around the same price as the likes of Charles Tyrwhitt for a three-piece with a spare pair of trews. The only killer is that while there's a chance they'll be able to get me one sorted for July graduation, I also need to be sorted for a ceremony in June... (If only I could find the one I wore last year, it's still fine.... got the jacket so far, but my flat seems to have eaten the trousers....). I'm in touch with them, though, and if they can do it for me in time - and, crucially, if they can accomodate me jacket-wise (they only go up to a 44, which is my usualy size, but all depends on how they measure that out; if they go with very neat vintage cut on the Borough jacket, I might need a 46 by their standard, which they don't do.

Have a look at Pakeman Catto & Carter. I have never bought from them but the jacket is a nice shape:

Does look nice... Actually looks a bit like the shape of the one I had from Roderick Charles (alas, currently too fat for its trousers) a few years ago. Very nice suit indeed. I might well look in on them again when they next have a sale. Their house cut is quite mid-fifties, to my eye at least. (Very similar to an actual 50s suit I have).

I can see you in this pink number from Oliver Brown:
http://www.oliverbrown.org.uk/gentlemen/shop-by-product/suits/lightweight-suits/linen-suits.html

(the trousers have side adjusters, if that's something you like)

I'm definitely going to check them out. I could get away with the petrol greeny-blue one for graduation, but I suspect they'd veto me sitting on the platform in pink. Pity... I actually rather like it. And I didn't go to Oxford...

Might be worth checking Lipman and sons (either Fleet Street or Charing Cross Road). I do have a memory of seeing linen jackets in there.

What about Ede & Ravenscroft? They do linen jackets, I'm sure they must have trousers to go with them.

Ah, good ideas... I'll have a looksee.

Do you know, I bought a Crombie, cashmere overcoat from Lipman's in Fleet Street, back in 1977. It still fits, a little tight perhaps, but nontheless I can, and still do, wear it. How reassuring that they are still in business.

They do seem to have a lot of nice stuff in a traditional cut. I bought a pair of black tie trousers from them last Summer, very nice.

How does a hundred and fifty quid for a linen suit sound? Try Peter Christian, I have never been disappointed.

Jinkies, that might be just the stop-gap I need for now... how quickly do they deliver? If I go that route, I'd need to be ordering at the weekend for delivery middle of next week....

 

[herringbonekid]

Edward, i hope the Old Town option works out as i really think you'll get a better vintage style suit.
not sure what colour you're after but cream seems to be missing from their linen options, which seems a bit odd as its a standard choice for linen.

 

[Edward]

It did surprise me that they don't seem to have a "natural linen" option, yes.... I suppose they must find that those who want a Summer suit that colour are happy with the cotton / canvas numbers they offer. (Actually, I'm tempted by the one GHT put up for that, simply because it's always nice to have a light coloured suit that can be worn out where it's more 'at risk' - whether that's me falling off a punt or whatever.) It's not a problem, though - the primary use I have for a linen suit is for work affairs such as Summer graduation ceremonies where a sober colour is required. These can get unbearably hot between weather and stage lighting, especially at the Beijing ceremony in June, when it's typically 34C out there. I have my eye on that really nice silvery-grey Old Town do their linen in, which is probably about as flash as I can get away with for this sort of event.

 

[PADDY]

My knockabout linen suit is from M&S of all places! Plus spare pants.

 

[Edward]

Mn, there's a point.... I did have a very cheap linen suit from them a few years ago which wasn't bad at all (I'm just far too fat for it now) - I think it ended up costing £60... might be worth checking out to see if they have those again for travel wear...

 

[PADDY]

Even if you get a season or two out of it Edward. Mine wasn't more than about £60! & I bought spare pants. Got one pair cuffed! (Just buy extra long). Before you know it you'll be "Our man in Havanna!"

 

[cookie]

http://www.oliverbrown.org.uk/gentlemen/shop-by-product/suits/lightweight-suits/linen-suits.html

I like this and it's Irish linen.

 

[Edward]

Even if you get a season or two out of it Edward. Mine wasn't more than about £60! & I bought spare pants. Got one pair cuffed! (Just buy extra long). Before you know it you'll be "Our man in Havanna!"

A kickabout number for travelling in is definitely appealing... Nice to know it's not only me buys extra long so I can have 'em cuffed (explaining this to the alterations people can be the trick.... last time I was in, my regular girl was off and the young lady who too kdown the details was very nice and helpful, but somehow managed to translate it into "a big hem on the inside"... Gah.).

http://www.oliverbrown.org.uk/gentlemen/shop-by-product/suits/lightweight-suits/linen-suits.html

I like this and it's Irish linen.

Definitely in the consideration.... I'm tempted by the birhgt blue one.

I'm due to speak to Old town this afternoon; I'll have to do the sums and see - if I can afford a second one I might well look into the Oliver Brown number. It's got a sort of clean, early 50s look to it (assuming the trousers are okay), which I do like.

 

[AntonAAK]

Just got an email about this offer - £99. Can't vouch for their suits although I sometimes buy shoes from them.

http://www.samuel-windsor.co.uk/sho...utm_content=redeye&utm_campaign=140525_SuitsB

 

[Edward]

Just got an email about this offer - £99. Can't vouch for their suits although I sometimes buy shoes from them.

http://www.samuel-windsor.co.uk/sho...utm_content=redeye&utm_campaign=140525_SuitsB

Their shoes are surprisingly nice for the money - I've had a few pairs. Cheaper than trainers, too.... My suede brogues are from them, much nicer to wear than a pair of trainers. Always run shy of how low their waists look, though.... I did luck into a Marksies Colleczione linen suit in brown with chalkstripes on eBay. Still tagged, never worn, £20. Very nice for casual wear, though still on the hunt for graduation. Talking to Old town on the phone, it turns out I'm gonig to need to trek up there really to be sure of sizes, so that's on hold for now, but I'm gonig to go in to that Oliver place tomorrow and check out what they're offering, get me ready for the Beijing ceremony week after next...

 

[Big J]

My knockabout linen suit is from M&S of all places! Plus spare pants.

Mmm, me too. I bought a couple of linen suits from M&S with spare pants, sizes were true, cut was good, price was low, and delivery to Japan.
To be honest, given how much I choose to wear a suit in the summer because of the humidity (which is to say, I only wear a suit in summer for events, not every day) I was pleasantly surprised with M&S. I would hate to have bought more expensive linen suits, only to have watched them dissolve in the humidity.

 

[PHIL1959]

I'll second Peter Christian, I have two. Blue and cream. Great Quality and value.

 

[Edward]

Old Town were very helpful on the phone, but it looks like I'm gonig to have to trek up to them to be sure about sizing (they're two trains, a bus and a cab away; probably four hours, all told, and I'd need to phone ahead to check they're in on the day), so I'll probably not be able to go for anything from them soon. (They did used to come to London for fittings a while back ,but I think they have enough business now they don't need to do that). I bought an Oliver Brown in the end. Lovely cut.... decently wide legs on the trousers, too. Has an early 50s feel to me, though not in a high-fashion sense (lapels aren't that narrow for one thing). The birght blue one turned out, in person, to be just too bright for graduation events, so I ended up going with the navy, which is nice and deep. Trousers don't have side-adjusters, but belt loops and braces buttons. I like having the loops to attach my keys, though I tend more towards the braces to hold the trews up! I probably have a photo somewhere, once I get it uploaded....