• This topic has 38 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by LHS.
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  • Suit buying
  • nicko74
    Full Member

    Just come back from a frustrating trip to House of Fraser, where the salesman made clear that I’m an odd shape and needed a different suit. He wouldn’t actually tell me which brands or lines to try in order to find that suit though…

    So the problem is a pigeon chest and cyclist thighs – say a slim 38″ jacket with a regular 34″ waist trousers. Off the peg suits have 32″ trousers with 38″ jackets, or 34″ trousers with 40″ jackets.

    Any recommendations on where to get something reasonably stylish, not too footballer-esque, that would fit the bill? Say around £400?

    Cheers

    lunge
    Full Member

    Somewhere you can buy a jacket and trouser separately or where they’ll make adjustments for you. Slaters or TMLewin spring to mind.

    Drac
    Full Member

    Somewhere you can buy a jacket and trouser separately

    House of Fraser.

    nickdavies
    Full Member

    http://www.raja-fashions.com/make-an-appointment?country_name=United%20Kingdom

    Go see these guys on one of their tours. Once you’ve had a custom suit made you won’t go back to off the peg….

    hmanchester
    Free Member

    I have a similar problem but get the suit adjusted after purchase and it works out well.

    I’ve been very impressed with Charles Tyrwhitt suits. Good materials, working cuff buttons, non fused construction. You can also buy seperates and lots of sizes, so get trousers that fit your thighs and then have them adjusted at the waist. Anything under a 4 inch reduction at the waist should look fine – I’ve gone from 36 – 32.5″ with no problem.

    Don’t get the slim or tailored fit imo. They just look at bit amateur hour.

    TM Lewin also a good shout.

    Use quidco for an additional discount.

    globalti
    Free Member

    Just go to M&S and be done with it; they will sell you any jacket with any trouser and the quality is excellent.

    Alternatively, if you’re lucky enough to live near one, Boundary Mill Store. The assistants will scour the shop for you if you go at a quiet time.

    tommyhine
    Full Member

    I always find TM lewin suits are good material but generally poorly made and haven’t really lasted any leng of time (trousers normally)
    I have the same issue (and I’m sure most do on here) of large thighs and seemingly smaller waist and generally buy a size or two up in the trousers and have the waist tailored in (normally less than £40) so they fit perfectly.
    any of the high street suit shops should be able to sort you out, Charles Trywitt has always shown good value and good quality expecially if you any where near their bicester village branch.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    they will sell you any jacket with any trouser and the quality is excellent.

    I thought everywhere did this?

    I bought my last suit from Ted Baker, for some reason their cut is just a perfect fit for me.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Nicko, whereabouts are you based?

    nicko74
    Full Member

    London for a few days, then back to N America

    nickdavies: how are those Raja ones? I’ve seen them advertised in a few places, and in theory it’d be a good solution. Just depends on the final product, really

    tinsy
    Free Member

    Debenhams have lots of suits & you pick the bits that fit… might be a different colour but you cant have everything..

    samuri
    Free Member

    Charles Tyrwhitt for me. Very well made suits, fit cyclists build great and they’ve always got a sale on.
    Shirts are fantastic too.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Grand. In that case, try Roderick Charles (several branches, City and Jermyn Street). Excellent value for money and make suits that fit over cyclist thighs!

    Not fully made to measure, but tailored to fit.

    hmanchester
    Free Member

    you pick the bits that fit… might be a different colour but you cant have everything..

    I can’t work out if this is a joke or not?!

    KonaTC
    Full Member

    Just go to M&S and be done with it; they will sell you any jacket with any trouser and the quality is excellent.

    +1

    nicko74
    Full Member

    CFH: is that while you wait/ same day for Roderick Charles?

    I’ve a couple of mates who swear by Charles Tyrwhitt as well, so obviously that’s worth a look too.

    SaxonRider
    Full Member

    There was a time when I would have agreed with the M&S suggestion, but not anymore. In the last few years, I have found their suit to be ill-fitting, and not nearly as nice in terms of seam quality as I would have expected.

    tinsy
    Free Member

    I can’t work out if this is a joke or not?!

    50/50.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Depends on the branch/timing, Nick.

    I’d try Jermyn St first. Top blokes (and lady!) in there!

    nickdavies
    Full Member

    I’ve not used Raja before myself, but know others who have and rate them. I’ll be giving them a try next time i’m in Hong Kong. I have the benefit of working over there quite a bit so get my stuff made over there, my usual tailor’s gone a bit expensive and has started turning out shirts made from dishcloths though…. I’ve been in their showroom, so it’s a legit company and the products look nice quality. You get what you pay for though, don’t expect a £300 suit to be any better than a £300 suit from the likes of Charles Tyrwhitt etc, but it will fit for that price!

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Nick, I’m in HK pretty often as well, and have heard many people beginning to doubt in the quality of the stuff made over there. Seems a lot of the old HK tailors are trading on past glory and the ‘when in Hong Kong, get a suit made’ history.

    As such, I get all mine made in the UK these days. Still sorely tempted to get a proper tropical suit made up on my next trip out there, though!

    tinsy
    Free Member

    what the f is a tropical suit?

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    To dispel any possible notions of a safari suit, or Don Johnson Miami Vice era tailoring…

    A super light weight fabric suit, normally cut a little differently to give more air to the warmer regions of a chap. 🙂

    nickdavies
    Full Member

    Yeah CFH, it’s going that way. Quality is going down, price is going up and exchange rate has been killing it completely! Not just the suits though… it irks when it’s the best part of a tenner for a bottle of philipine san miguel in wan chai!

    Still a few out there who are good, but I think the cheaper stuff is no better than what’s in the UK quality wise for the price, but you get a fitted service.

    I’ve never thought linen is an appropriate suit material though 😉

    TooTall
    Free Member

    Get anything – it’ll be a better quality and fit than 99% of what I’ve seen in the USA.

    If there is a Slaters near you, give them a try. They seem to carry a lot of different brands, therefore lots of different cuts. The Jermyn Street option would be good for you – have a walk down there and see what fit you best.

    RichPenny
    Free Member

    Flashie, earlier 🙂

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    So close, Rich! So close!

    philipine san miguel in wan chai!

    Amazonia, I hope? Might have to be a STW HK Beer arranged!

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    Last suit I bought was a French Connection one from Moss Bros in Peterborough.

    Walked in and the woman came straight over to me asking me what I was after. I was a bit like ‘oh, here we go….’ but told her and she immediately said because of this, that and the other I don’t recommend X suits, try this one instead. Fitted perfectly.
    She then suggested a Ted Baker suit, with the caveat that she didn’t think it would fit quite as well, but would be easier to look after (less creasy & machine wash, I think). She was right on the money again, it didn’t fit quite as well as the first one she recommended so I went with her original choice. I was well impressed.

    al1982
    Free Member

    try Next, well made and you can buy trousers and jacket separately to the req size.

    i was after a suit (£400ish) a month or so and tried TM Lewins, M&S, house of Fraser etc, but ended up with one from Next for £200 ish, was very pleased with it

    nicko74
    Full Member

    Was thinking that for CFH. You want the crumpled look as well to lend you a proper ‘back country’ air. 😉 Possibly while carrying an elephant gun? (or am I confusing cliches)

    So Charles Tyrwhitt and Roderick Charles on Monday.
    TM Lewin I’m afraid I’m prejudiced against; their stuff just feels a bit cheap.

    fr0sty125
    Free Member

    If you are looking to spend up to that much on an off the peg suit I would spend a bit extra and go to one of the many well priced tailors and get something that truly fits. With a suit you have to think about quite a lot of shapes and sizes such as sleeve length so a tailored suit is really worth it. Also I tailored shirt is well worth it if you really want to look the part!

    sc-xc
    Full Member

    I am in this very boat. Have been round M&S, Debenhams, Next – just need something 34 waist that fits round the thighs.

    I prefer pleated, as flat front give my legs no room – and no one makes them on the high street! Just looked at Charles Tyrwhitt, but can’t find the option to reduce waist size accordingly (36 waist are generally fine round the thighs)

    I am toying with the idea of getting a grey trouser/blue blazer combo – too old school for an office nowadays?

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    The old sizing shapes are so out of date now! If I buy a jacket to fit my correct chest size the trousers are huge and baggy, likewise with collar sizes on shirts, the correct neck size means there’s enough room in the shirt for two!

    DT78
    Free Member

    Sounds so familar…. I’ve found Ben Sherman and Ted baker suits both fit well for a 40R / 34R.

    I was trying to just buy normal non suit £40ish trousers in debenhams and they all appear to be designed for guys with stick legs and no balls. I can’t understand how they sell any of them.

    sc-xc
    Full Member

    ^ yep. I am collar 17.5″, and have to have slim fit. I am not slim….

    footflaps
    Full Member

    With Ted Baker and most places you buy the Jacket and trousers separately, so can just get the best fit for each.

    sc-xc
    Full Member

    One of my current suits is a Ted Baker – but I am not impressed with the quality. My trouble is, my waist is 34″, but my thighs need a 36″!

    igm
    Full Member

    Baulmer suits at Slaters. Plenty of thigh room and they door the alterations included in the (very reasonable) price.

    The Aquascutum stuff wasn’t bad either – if they still have any.

    Also Van Gils.

    Wouldn’t touch M&S or Next with a barge pole if I’m honest – quality they ain’t, not even value for money (in my most humble opinion of course).

    LHS
    Free Member

    Another vote for Charles Tyrwhitt. I always stop in when over from the US. You can always get them to throw in free tailoring. A good quality off the peg suit tailored to your fit for under £300.

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