Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with clothing and Suits

Call it "Tailor Tourism"

rileyray3000 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:52:19 -0800

I'm thinking about taking a suit holiday. As in, going to a country where not only can I have a fun vacation, but I can get a bunch of suits made for a good price. Where should I go? When I was teaching in Korea back in 2001 I got a few suits made for me on a lark. Some were the kitschy kind of fun suits that you get made when they're 70 bucks American and you think "what the hell." In my case that was one red satin number and five iridescent sharkskin suits in colors ranging from blue to yellow to brown - all as shiny as a marine's dress shoes.

Goodfellas was one of the only American movies I saw over there. I think it left a mark.

But in addition to those suits I also got one charcoal gray suit made and one light brown one. Those two have been my standby suits ever since. I get compliments every time I wear them, they fit me perfectly and I worry about the day they finally fall apart.

Thus I've been considering a "Suit Holiday." Something where I go somewhere like South Korea, have an exotic trip, and get a bunch of suits made to take home and last me another decade.

But I'm wondering if South Korea IS the way to go here. Maybe Hong Kong? Or Taiwan? Or the Philippines? Or Indonesia? I'm totally open.

Where is the place I can get the best bang for my buck and get 5 or ten suits made to take home with me? Where would YOU go on a Suit Holiday?

The film itself shaved points off my IQ...but the wardrobing was good.

Mike Mongo — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:16:28 -0800

Who makes the suit Ryan Reynolds wears in the wedding scene in the recent film The Proposal? Alright, this is embarrassing to ask because in doing so I must admit I sat all the way through The Proposal "starring" (haha) Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. That said, at the end of the "film" (hoho), Reynolds attends a wedding and is in a really great suit.

Simple, austere, black, stylish, tasteful, and light. (Note: it is NOT the suit worn earlier in the film during the movie's eponymous proposal moment. That's an sort of drab office number.)

Is the a repository of such information? Is there a way I can find out?

Men's suits in Vancouver Canada?

thewalrus — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:11:30 -0800

What is the best place to buy ready-to-wear or slightly altered men's business suits in Vancouver BC? Bonus points if the place sells both ready to wear and provides custom tailoring services at reasonable prices.

Will not covering up this tattoo negatively impact me at my upcoming job interview?

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:17:45 -0800

I have a job interview on Wednesday for a very interesting non-profit organization involved with animal research (for good purposes). All of my suits are skirt/jacket combos. I'm very short...too short for pant suits, and no time for alterations. The skirt suits wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have a huge tattoo on my leg. In my former career in creative arts, tattoos were acceptable and even commonplace. I'm not sure if this is a big deal with the new field. Nylons look silly over the work, and tights make me look like a little girl. Plus, it's very hot out. Is showing the tattoo something I should worry about? Do you think it will be viewed negatively? Any suggestions to help make me look more professional? FYI, the work covers my shin/ankle/foot and is water, leaves and flowers. This is in California.

How can a skinny guy find a slim-cut suit?

ZaphodB — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:09:16 -0800

How can I find a small, very slim-cut suit, either online or in Nova Scotia? I'm in dire need of a suit or two - ideally, a very slim-cut, two-button, single-breasted suit. But there are two problems. First, I'm pretty thin - 5'9" and 125 pounds. 16" shoulders, 28" waist, and a very thin waist. From trying out suits in stores over Christmas, this would probably mean a 34R, but my overall shape means that the traditional boxy suit just drapes over me. A Hugo Boss 34R was no-go, but a Dior Homme 34R was absolutely ideal (and, alas, about 2000 dollars more than I had). So I need a European-cut suit.

The second problem is, I'm a university student in rural Nova Scotia, and thus don't really have the opportunity to walk into a suit shop. I can travel into Halifax if need be, but I've had no luck in the past finding off-the-rack suits, so I'm reluctant to make the trip unless someone can name a specific place that might help. I have no problems buying online, but I honestly don't know where to start looking.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I'd like to not be too spendy - 750 dollars would probably be my outside limit. Thanks for any help.

Find me a great suit jacket, quick!

logovisual — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:12:54 -0800

I'm tall (6'4"), I'm skinny (195lbs), and I need a black suit jacket before the end of the day today (I have the pants, but I'll buy new ones if need be). Obviously the time constraint eliminates any kind of custom garment. Basically, I need to know what stores I should be looking at in New York City -- I like a closer, more European fit, and I don't want to break the bank. First stop is H&M, but I'm not optimistic about what I'll find there. Other suggestions?

Who will buy my suit?

Drexen — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:13:17 -0800

I live in London. Where should I sell my suits? I recently inherited about 20 suits from my step-dad, and for the past few months they've been hanging in a cupboard while I figure out what to do with them. I've picked out about half a dozen I want to keep, and I'd like to get rid of the rest.

My step-dad was really into his suits. Some were made especially for him on Savile Row, some are tailored, and some are just by good labels. They mostly date from the mid-seventies, but there are no unfortunate zoot suits or similar - just typical plain or pinstriped business fare. I know some of them cost in the hundreds of pounds when they were bought. Some of them could do with cleaning, some with pressing.

So, do I have any chance of getting a decent price for them, and if so, where? Do I try my luck on e-bay, or are there any shops or traders who'll buy them from me? I live in East London and I have no car, so it's kind of difficult for me to transport them, but I'm willing to find a way to lug them about if it'll help me sell them.

SartorialFilter: keeping cool in men's business attire?

tellumo — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:32:28 -0800

It's interview season for me, which means suits and ties. I don't mind suits in cool weather, but it's been very warm here recently, and sweating all the way through an interview doesn't exactly scream "professionalism." How can I stay cool? I think part of the problem is that I have a fairly quick metabolism; I prefer to wear short sleeves whenever possible. But an undershirt, a shirt, a tie, and a suit jacket all combine to make me very warm indeed. I've heard people recommend linen for keeping cool in hot weather, but I don't think I can afford it and it wrinkles in a light breeze anyway.

Ideally I'd like some combination of undershirt, shirt, tie, and jacket that is fairly inexpensive, looks good, requires minimal maintenance, and is comfortable in outside temperatures around, say, 80-85 F with moderate-to-high humidity.

Thanks!

Shopping the sales -- how does it work, when does it happen, where do I go??

croutonsupafreak — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:06:18 -0800

Over the next few months, I need to buy a lot of new clothes to bulk up my professional (woman's) wardrobe. I want everything I buy to fit well. Slacks, skirts, blazers need to be lined. I will not buy anything without trying it on first, so web and catalog shopping is out. I don't have the budget to buy this all at full price. What kinds of strategies can I employ to get the best deals possible? Are there specific stores I should be shopping in? Are there sales I should watch for? Are there specific dates, weekends or times of year when I can get the best deals? How can I find out about and obtain about great coupons and upcoming sales? Those are the questions, here's a little background.

I am normally a cheapo shopper, and I'm pretty clueless about nice business wear.

My boss and the most respected senior women in my work place tend to wear suits about half the time, and nice skirts or slacks with sweaters or blazers the rest of the time. I've also become that my boss notices what people where when -- "Didn't she wear that earlier this week?" etc.

So I want a classy and robust wardrobe.

I hope to gradually acquire:
* 2 summer work skirts
* 2 summer work dresses
* 2 winter work dresses
* 2 fitted pullovers (1 v-neck, one crew neck)
* 2 cardigans
* 1 black turtleneck (fitted, black, thin)
* 2 pairs winter work pants (tropical wool, lined, not black)
* 1 classic pant suit in a light color
* 3 wool blazers (varied neutral colors)
* 1 light summer blazer
* nude stretchy camisole
* 2 belts -- dark brown and a lighter color
* more socks and pantyhose
* Light colored summer office shoes (pumps)
* 1 pair of knee boots
* 1 pair of ankle boots.

I can't afford it all at once, and I want to get the most bang for my buck while still going after high quality stuff. Hence my obsession with sales and deals.

How should I approach this?

Hong Kong Bespoke

subtle-t — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:36:29 -0800

Your experience with Hong Kong Tailors. Please share your experiences with Hong Kong Tailors, who do you recommend? Who should be avoided? Is someone better at one thing (shirts) than another (suits)? What should I know before going in? I'll be there this summer, and thus am not just looking for someone who does US tours for measurements and ships the work back.

I did search Askme, it seems that although it's been mentioned several times, it's always been tangential to a general bespoke question, or a HK tourism question. Thanks!

Stop my suit trousers from wearing out between the thighs!

viama — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 04:35:05 -0800

How do I stop my suit trousers wearing out so quickly? The area between thighs always seems to pill up and eventually wear out, especially on pure wool suits. My thighs are a bit on the large side, I'll admit. Blended fabrics seem to fare much better.

How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error?

SpecialK — Tue, 20 Jul 2004 15:57:29 -0800

ClothingFilter: I need to find a tailor to make some alterations to an expensive sportcoat. The retailer I bought it from only does alterations to new items, and their tailor works for them... I've always had good experiences with that tailor, but the other things I've gotten done (through the place that dry cleans my clothes) really sucked. How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error? Also, does anyone know what the standard turnaround for getting some shirts laundered is? I just started having to wear all this professional stuff regularly, and while I know how to dress and how to select clothes, I'm finding I'm really clueless on the maintenance part. The cleaner in my neighbourhood wants 3 days to wash, starch, and press shirts...

Any other dry cleaning tips would be appreciated. I already know little things like not to leave the plastic tabs in your shirt collar when you send them out to get them cleaned... but like I said, other than that, I'm clueless.