Suit Supply Suit -- Age Appropriate?

[RDiaz]

Sincerely, I wouldn't recommend bespoke to someone who doesn't have an interest in classic menswear, unless he was extremely hard to fit with RTW and/or MTM.
A nice bespoke suit can be made immensely more comfortable than RTW, with its fitted armscye, drape where needed, etc., but for most people, that doesn't justify the extra cost. We can appreciate the beauty of the silhouette and lines on a Rubinacci, Liverano, or Steed jacket, and may be willing to pay the premium, but we're geeks after all!

 

[kulata]



Again, speaking from ignorance here--I didn't know who Tim Gunn was until this thread. But we expect our professors to be smarter than our students. We expect our coaches to understand strategy better than our players. We hope our politicians are smarter than the people they represent. Why wouldn't we expect our style advisers to dress better than those that they advise (even their best pupils)? I don't think that he wearing something bespoke will lessen the impact of him saying "Suit Supply is probably the best bang for your buck out there." If anything, it would increase it--the better dressed he is, the more people will trust his advice. That being said, if Suit Supply is what does it for him--and he says he can't live without it, so perhaps it does--then more power to him. There's no need to go bespoke if he's found something perfect for him OTR. Some random pictures of the guy (for folks like me who couldn't put a face to the name)

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

A paddock jacket in pinstripes....interesting choice.

Leadership and consultancy are completely different and that is where you are going wrong. Consultants aren't leaders, they give advise, albeit right or wrong. Tim Gunn is simply putting his money where his mouth is.

 

[unbelragazzo]

Clag, he already is "dressing better" than his audience.

Wearing a bespoke suit DOES lessen the impact. You don't think "these suits are great, I wear them too - and they're not that expensive" resonates more than "well I of course wear bespoke suits from England but for a peon like you, maybe try this brand that I've heard of and looked nice when I passed by their store"?

It amazes me that you think recommending a product he actually uses carries LESS integrity than recommending one he doesn't.

 

[Claghorn]

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I wasn't suggesting that he only wear bespoke--merely that a mixture of otr and bespoke may appease folks like DR while also appealing to the masses. A happy medium between providing a goal to achieve and a dream to strive for (the dream not necessarily bespoke...but a sartorial tradition beyond what SS provides).

I have no issue with TG exclusively wearing SS. Ultimately, he makes people better dressed. Really, I was just using him as a proxy for the general decline of "elites" and leaders being replaced with consultants (thanks for the terms kulata).

In the 1930s and 40s, The Book of the Month Club promoted authors like George Orwell, Arthur Miller, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, etc. As Zakaria puts it, "it believed in the democratization of culture--in fact it was spearheading it--but it did so by elevating people rather than bringing standards down." When TIME bought out the BOMC, the focus shifted to putting anything that people would buy on it.

Hmmmm...looking at it like that, I suppose TG isn't really a particularly good proxy for this process. Or at least, as an example, he's a mild case at worst.

 

[David Reeves]



Leadership and consultancy are completely different and that is where you are going wrong. Consultants aren't leaders, they give advise, albeit right or wrong. Tim Gunn is simply putting his money where his mouth is.

Would you say fashion has leaders then? If so who do you think they are?

 

[othertravel]



Would you say fashion has leaders then? If so who do you think they are?

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I wasn't suggesting that he only wear bespoke--merely that a mixture of otr and bespoke may appease folks like DR while also appealing to the masses. A happy medium between providing a goal to achieve and a dream to strive for (the dream not necessarily bespoke...but a sartorial tradition beyond what SS provides).

I have no issue with TG exclusively wearing SS. Ultimately, he makes people better dressed. Really, I was just using him as a proxy for the general decline of "elites" and leaders being replaced with consultants (thanks for the terms kulata). 

In the 1930s and 40s, The Book of the Month Club promoted authors like George Orwell, Arthur Miller, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, etc. As Zakaria puts it, "it believed in the democratization of culture--in fact it was spearheading it--but it did so by elevating people rather than bringing standards down." When TIME bought out the BOMC, the focus shifted to putting anything that people would buy on it.

Hmmmm...looking at it like that, I suppose TG isn't really a particularly good proxy for this process. Or at least, as an example, he's a mild case at worst.

This discussion is getting alot more interesting. To echo Claghorn's (and by extension Fareed's point) maybe the process of democratization has eliminated 'leaders'. Or alternatively, everybody can be a leader.

 

[kulata]



Would you say fashion has leaders then? If so who do you think they are?

"Fashion" has leaders, a more appropriate term would be trendsetters and for the general public the current "fashion" leaders would be people like Justin Timberlake, David Beckham, Mad men.......#insertcurrentpopcultureherohere. Personally, I don't acknowledge any "fashion" leader but will adopt advise from different sources and inspirations from icons like Miles Davis, Agnelli etc.

 

[David Reeves]



This discussion is getting alot more interesting. To echo Claghorn's (and by extension Fareed's point) maybe the process of democratization has eliminated 'leaders'. Or alternatively, everybody can be a leader.

Sounds like a rather grey Borg like society. Everyone can be a leader but not necasarily a good one. One can be trained to lead but probably not with verve. I think there is also something to be said about specialization, about being a professional in a field for a long time. Of course these days people change careers a whole lot more, and there are pros and cons to this I think, but also sometimes there is a touch of arrogance.

 

[SeaJen]

The reason TG "promotes" SS seems to be that he likes it That simple.
"This suit is from Suitsupply, which is a company out of the Netherlands. Their first non-European outpost was here in New York about two years ago, and I read a review in the New York Times and thought ... 'this sounds too good to be true,'" Gunn said. "I went down to SoHo to check them out, and I haven't been back to Saks, Bergdorfs or Barney's since. This suit is $600! It's phenomenal." (today.com)

The fact that he walks the walk, not just talks the talk, makes his opinion all the more authentic and if he can persuade the multitude to get away from voluminous khakis and polo shirts as the de facto "business casual" I'm good with it.

 

[faribeana88]

I've read every post in here and I have one thing to say. As a 24 year old new to the job market and new to making my own money. I have no other choice but to start out with brands like SS. I look at their suits and when I get in them and feel the fit of the suit, it makes me strive to want to eventually get to Bespoke levels. David Reeves, I have seen your website and your awesome craft and believe me if I could afford your suits, I would have them in a heart beat because even at 24, I want to dress well and command the attention of those who don't get what it means to care about your appearance as much as other things in life becuase a man is as good as his first impression.

I see the many points made in this thread and I hope that everyone understands its a matter of circumstance. TG being a bespoke person as he is probably is/was trying to win brownie points with the "Average Joe" who sits in front of his TV thinking "Look at this doucebag flaunting his $5,000 suits ( I know I've said that about Shannon Sharpe a couple of times who frequently wears $8K + suits to broadcast sports)

I look at tailors like you DR and hope that one day I can save and be able to buy a suit that was made for me and ONLY ME! I feel companies like SS serve mostly to bridge the gap between the heights of fashion (Bespoke) and those who are working to get there (ME!!!)

Thanks for hearing a young man out.

 

[chocsosa]

I've read every post in here and I have one thing to say. As a 24 year old new to the job market and new to making my own money. I have no other choice but to start out with brands like SS. I look at their suits and when I get in them and feel the fit of the suit, it makes me strive to want to eventually get to Bespoke levels. David Reeves, I have seen your website and your awesome craft and believe me if I could afford your suits, I would have them in a heart beat because even at 24, I want to dress well and command the attention of those who don't get what it means to care about your appearance as much as other things in life becuase a man is as good as his first impression.

I see the many points made in this thread and I hope that everyone understands its a matter of circumstance. TG being a bespoke person as he is probably is/was trying to win brownie points with the "Average Joe" who sits in front of his TV thinking "Look at this doucebag flaunting his $5,000 suits ( I know I've said that about Shannon Sharpe a couple of times who frequently wears $8K + suits to broadcast sports)

I look at tailors like you DR and hope that one day I can save and be able to buy a suit that was made for me and ONLY ME! I feel companies like SS serve mostly to bridge the gap between the heights of fashion (Bespoke) and those who are working to get there (ME!!!)

Thanks for hearing a young man out.

^ This...well said Farib!

 

[Faye]

My husband is having thesame problem and question. he is a couple of years older than you. The issue isnt just size, it's style. While he doesnt want to dress like HIS father, he doesnt want to dress like his sons, either - nothing too trendy or style conscious. Where to shop??

 

[calcoast]

After reading the last four pages I completely forgot about the op lol.

 

[pinchi22]



My husband is having thesame problem and question. he is a couple of years older than you. The issue isnt just size, it's style. While he doesnt  want to dress like HIS father, he doesnt want to dress like his sons, either - nothing too trendy or style conscious. Where to shop??

I think Suitsupply´s Lazio and Napoli models fit the bill. They´re more tailored than your grandpa´s suit, but within the classic paradigm. They´re Grown Men´s Wear (tm) - the jacket still covers the but. If I were your husband, I´d avoid SS´s more trendy models such as the Havana, where that´s not the case.