Yet another wedding advice thread

[HCapLonghorn]

and last but not least, the Canali. definitely appears to have more shoulder structure than the others.

 

[dieworkwear]

That's OK, but I like The Armoury's suit better. The Canali has some bubbling on the chest. Don't know if that can be taken out with a pressing, but The Armoury fits cleaner.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

Thanks, Purple Label vs Armoury for the final round. A friend feels the Ring Jacket is a bit big on the shoulders. I wonder if that’s more the unpadding/extension optically

 

[HCapLonghorn]

@dieworkwear - does the Armoury excess cloth between the elbow and sleeve head bother you? It’s a bit more than other brands.

 

[dieworkwear]

@dieworkwear - does the Armoury excess cloth between the elbow and sleeve head bother you? It’s a bit more than other brands.

Not sure which part of the excess cloth you're talking about, so I've drawn a circle and line here. If these don't refer to what you're talking about, let me know.

1. The line is the excess cloth in the chest. In tailoring, this is called a drape cut, although The Armoury doesn't actually do a proper drape cut. Without getting into the technical reasons why, the drape cut simply means that the chest has been cut in a way so that excess fabric "drapes" cleanly and vertically along the armhole. The Armoury suit is what enthusiasts would call a swelled chest -- it's full, but not a proper drape. But it's a close approximation of the same thing.

The drape cut is not very popular with most people, but it's popular for a small section of tailoring enthusiasts (including me, as most of my suits and sport coats are a drape cut). The style was invented about a hundred years ago by a Dutch-English tailor named Frederick Schlote, who noticed that when you belt up a Guard's coat, the chest puffs up and gives the person a more athletic figure. The drape cut approximates this effect without the use of the belt, and I like it because I have narrow shoulders and wide hips. I find that a drape cut helps me fill out the upper half of my body and gives me a more flattering V-shaped silhouette.

Most people, however, just want a very clean chest, which is to say a chest that sits close to the body. Some may also associated slim, clean suits as "youthful" and a drape cut as "old man." I don't mind the associations, as I like how older men dress. But these are all the social connotations that come with this cut.

2. The part that I circled is just the result of a full sleeve. The Armoury cuts their coat with an extended shoulder and a full chest (or a swelled chest). Again, an extended shoulder and full chest help give you that V-shaped torso. If you create this sort of silhouette, you will naturally need larger sleeves to keep things looking proportional.

The circle just shows where the full sleeve wrinkles because of the fullness.

You're a slim guy, so you can wear slim or fuller suits. It would just be a matter of preference. I'm partial to fuller suits with extended shoulders, full sleeves, and a swelled/ drape chest because I think it looks more classic and masculine. The style has a great history with dressers such as Cary Grant and all the Golden Age/ Old Hollywood characters. But this is just my preference, and given your build, I think you can go either way.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

Thanks for the detailed response. It may just bunch up more on me as I sit all the time. One friend noticed it and thought the shoulders were oversized, but I really think he’s seeing the sleeve head wide fabric.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

Update: I spoke with the pleasant folks at the Armoury (Alex and Jeff) and they recommended a return. Understood the issue and were very helpful.

So my next question @dieworkwear is will Sartoria Carrara fit the same? Otherwise I’ll just go RL. Thanks for all the help.

 

[dieworkwear]

Update: I spoke with the pleasant folks at the Armoury (Alex and Jeff) and they recommended a return. Understood the issue and were very helpful.

So my next question @dieworkwear is will Sartoria Carrara fit the same? Otherwise I’ll just go RL. Thanks for all the help.

If you don't like the extended shoulders and full chest, then the Carrara will prob also not be right for you.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

hey @dieworkwear - i've actually decided on a regular Polo Ralph Lauren suit below. Its not as form fitting as the RLPL but looks really nice.

I'm now looking, per your general advice, on a brown sports coat. I'd like an upper tier brand that isn't extended shoulder. Do you have any recommendations? here are the S&M that likely fit pretty well (i have a S&M contemporary suit) but I wouldn't mind a step above.

Brown Check - Neo Cut | Sportcoat | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

Bottoli - Medium Brown Hopsack | Sportcoat | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

 

[dieworkwear]

hey @dieworkwear - i've actually decided on a regular Polo Ralph Lauren suit below. Its not as form fitting as the RLPL but looks really nice.

I'm now looking, per your general advice, on a brown sports coat. I'd like an upper tier brand that isn't extended shoulder. Do you have any recommendations? here are the S&M that likely fit pretty well (i have a S&M contemporary suit) but I wouldn't mind a step above.

Brown Check - Neo Cut | Sportcoat | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

Bottoli - Medium Brown Hopsack | Sportcoat | SPIER & MACKAY

Spier & Mackay

www.spierandmackay.com

I assume the Polo RL suit is the navy one in your two photos? If so, it looks really nice on you.

Unfortunately, I don't know the RTW market very well, so I don't know what to recommend. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

Regarding the two S&M jackets you posted

1. The patterned jacket: I feel this will probably be a more exciting or satisfying jacket to wear, but it might be harder to wear multiple times a week without people noticing. On the other hand, if you don't wear a tie often, I find that patterned sport coats really add something to an outfit. First, they don't take much coordination to pair with a patterned shirt, such as a basic striped shirt. At the same time, they lend some visual interest if you're wearing a solid-colored shirt.

2. The solid jacket: If you want something very basic and easy to wear, I think this will work well. If you often wear a tie, then a solid, textured jacket like this will pair with ties and shirts easily, especially if you like to mix shirt and tie patterns. While you can mix three patterns (jacket, shirt, and tie), it's often easier to just mix two patterns because you don't have to pay as much attention to whether the patterns clash. Additionally, a solid-colored jacket like this in a soft, neutral color is something you can wear two times a week with professional clothing, and it still passes. This might be useful if you have a small tailored wardrobe.

My brain is a little fuzzy right now, but hopefully the above makes sense.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

Thank you - well written despite the fuzziness!

I may order both and return one. I, too, prefer the patterned one but worry on someone sitting down it may be too "loud." I have solid navy and grey herringbone SCs currently but honestly wear too much blue so a brown sports coat seems ideal.

It's a once a month jacket for dinners, conferences, etc.