Ongoing Bespoke Projects

[JohnMRobie]

What problem do you see with the fronts?

I’m not a tailor so I’m hesitant to diagnose the issue but visually they look quite open - to the extent that it doesn’t look like lowering the button stance and increasing the rise would solve it. I’d be curious of someone more technically proficients opinion but it looks like you’ve also got one side that’s sweeping back and looks like it’s aggressively pulling away from you.

 

[mktitsworth]

I did get to talk to someone more technically proficient about the photos and get their opinion. The one comment that was made was that this tailor seems to like to move forward in fittings in ways that can make fixing certain issues harder. One thing though is that none of these were set up to be fit pics. I wasn't worried about getting good fit analysis pics on this visit because it's a first fitting.

Overall, the CMT price together with the cost of buying my own fabric sits in a price/value sweet spot that I like. They were finishing up the basting when I got there. I've been having trouble fitting RTW in a way that I like and I'm satisfied with the way things are going so far.

 

[sugarbutch]

@mktitsworth my concern is that is that I don’t see a positive progression in the fit or style of the clothes this person is making for you. I appreciate the long-term advantage of having a local tailor and that it might be worth some growing pains to get there, but so far what I’ve seen hasn’t been flattering on you and draws attention to what I imagine you’re trying to deemphasize.

 

[mktitsworth]

@mktitsworth my concern is that is that I don’t see a positive progression in the fit or style of the clothes this person is making for you. I appreciate the long-term advantage of having a local tailor and that it might be worth some growing pains to get there, but so far what I’ve seen hasn’t been flattering on you and draws attention to what I imagine you’re trying to deemphasize.

That's part of the reason that I post these days. I see the progression in things because I'm the customer and I'm there for the fittings. I can go through the jackets that I've taken and critique what I do and don't like about them, but the one that came out best was the last. That said, I'm willing to use the eyes of the community to see things about my new commissions that I don't see because I'm blinded by how much I enjoy the process.

All of the pictures of that jacket were taken before it got seriously pinned up and then taken apart and resewn while we hung out and drank scotch. An important item of note was that the sleeve length was finally on target. So was the pant length, even if I didn't like the rise. The silhouette was cleaner after the second go around and the button point lowers. It's still high, I think, but it looked much better after the second go round than after the first.

Tell me more though. What is it drawing attention to that I'm trying to deemphasize? My gut? That's a complicated subject right there. But let us break it down.

 

[sugarbutch]

That's part of the reason that I post these days. I see the progression in things because I'm the customer and I'm there for the fittings. I can go through the jackets that I've taken and critique what I do and don't like about them, but the one that came out best was the last. That said, I'm willing to use the eyes of the community to see things about my new commissions that I don't see because I'm blinded by how much I enjoy the process.

All of the pictures of that jacket were taken before it got seriously pinned up and then taken apart and resewn while we hung out and drank scotch. An important item of note was that the sleeve length was finally on target. So was the pant length, even if I didn't like the rise. The silhouette was cleaner after the second go around and the button point lowers. It's still high, I think, but it looked much better after the second go round than after the first.

Tell me more though. What is it drawing attention to that I'm trying to deemphasize? My gut? That's a complicated subject right there. But let us break it down.

Yes. As I sit here repeatedly rebuttoning the button on this shirt that used to fit perfectly, I can relate. All of the jackets we’ve seen so far scissor away under the button, and your trousers seem to be cut to sit under your belly, so it pokes out and becomes the center of attention. David Lane’s tailoring shows that even bigger guys can expect to have a coat cut to flatter their shape. You should be getting better results than this. Even if these new photos show an earlier stage of the process, I think what everyone’s seeing is that the tailor is not cutting for your body. After this many pieces, I would expect to see jackets needing minor tweaks like sleeve length, a ripple in a sleeve, or something similar. This looks like it was cut for someone else.

 

[mktitsworth]

Yes. As I sit here repeatedly rebuttoning the button on this shirt that used to fit perfectly, I can relate. All of the jackets we’ve seen so far scissor away under the button, and your trousers seem to be cut to sit under your belly, so it pokes out and becomes the center of attention. David Lane’s tailoring shows that even bigger guys can expect to have a coat cut to flatter their shape. You should be getting better results than this. Even if these new photos show an earlier stage of the process, I think what everyone’s seeing is that the tailor is not cutting for your body. After this many pieces, I would expect to see jackets needing minor tweaks like sleeve length, a ripple in a sleeve, or something similar. This looks like it was cut for someone else.

So the interesting thing about this set of commissions is that they're all documented in google photos so that I can go back through and look for these things. I don't really see a scissoring, and mostly the jackets progress to minimize that area of the shirt and tie between the jacket and the pants.

I would see what the final piece looks like. I've just gone through and looked at the progression of the jackets that have moved forward, and there is definite progression. I'd put this in perspective to those.

One thing I'd posit is that I've been tracking my weight and I'm up 10-15 lbs from when I was measured. So my body has shifted to accentuate those things that need addressing. For a first fitting, that could make things look off before any alterations are made. *shrug*

I'll take your thoughts to heart though. I don't think anything you've said is a reason why I should stop doing what I'm doing, but it's worth consideration.

 

[sugarbutch]

So the interesting thing about this set of commissions is that they're all documented in google photos so that I can go back through and look for these things. I don't really see a scissoring, and mostly the jackets progress to minimize that area of the shirt and tie between the jacket and the pants.

I would see what the final piece looks like. I've just gone through and looked at the progression of the jackets that have moved forward, and there is definite progression. I'd put this in perspective to those.

One thing I'd posit is that I've been tracking my weight and I'm up 10-15 lbs from when I was measured. So my body has shifted to accentuate those things that need addressing. For a first fitting, that could make things look off before any alterations are made. *shrug*

I'll take your thoughts to heart though. I don't think anything you've said is a reason why I should stop doing what I'm doing, but it's worth consideration.

Yeah, you are definitely best positioned to judge the actual results. At some point, please share some fit pics in the wild. I genuinely hope this journey is fruitful for you.

 

[JohnMRobie]

So the interesting thing about this set of commissions is that they're all documented in google photos so that I can go back through and look for these things. I don't really see a scissoring, and mostly the jackets progress to minimize that area of the shirt and tie between the jacket and the pants.

I would see what the final piece looks like. I've just gone through and looked at the progression of the jackets that have moved forward, and there is definite progression. I'd put this in perspective to those.

One thing I'd posit is that I've been tracking my weight and I'm up 10-15 lbs from when I was measured. So my body has shifted to accentuate those things that need addressing. For a first fitting, that could make things look off before any alterations are made. *shrug*

I'll take your thoughts to heart though. I don't think anything you've said is a reason why I should stop doing what I'm doing, but it's worth consideration.

Here’s the side that looks like it’s swinging out and back. Also kicks out significantly more than the other side. This is present when it’s unpinned and you’re in the robo pose as well as when it’s pinned

I’m not a tailor but it also seems like the solutions may be limited because it looks like the pockets have been cut? Odd for an early fitting.

 

[mktitsworth]

Yeah, you are definitely best positioned to judge the actual results. At some point, please share some fit pics in the wild. I genuinely hope this journey is fruitful for you.

I'll share them as they happen, probably WAYWRN. But what I've gotten so far is feedback that I feel will help me in talking to the tailor moving forward on things that I don't necessarily see. E.g. I may move the buttoning point down again. I'm increasing the rise on the trousers. None of that means that this isn't comfortable or a perfectly reasonable when all is said and done. What I'm finding most fruitful in the process is how freeing it is.

View attachment 2303083
Here’s the side that looks like it’s swinging out and back. Also kicks out significantly more than the other side. This is present when it’s unpinned and you’re in the robo pose as well as when it’s pinned
View attachment 2303085
I’m not a tailor but it also seems like the solutions may be limited because it looks like the pockets have been cut? Odd for an early fitting.

These are interesting. Thanks. Like I said, I'm not sure how useful they are at this point because the tailor ripped the jacket open and made changes during the fitting. The thing I'll say about both is that both are taken before even being pinned in place.

 

[mktitsworth]

Oh, and I've had the same thought about the early point at which he puts on or expresses the pockets, but as I've been looking at pictures of bespoke garments in this thread and following tailors on IG, it's a pretty common practice.