The Gentlemen's Compendium - Buying/Wearing/Looking after suit

Dr Galen

Thread number 2 in our series of threads, providing a bit of advice and insight into the life of the Modern Gentleman.

As the results of the poll made this the second most popular option, here we go, with the Gentlemans Club Guide to Suits.

I'm going to send a PM to the Mods of the Fashion & Appearance forum, who might be able to help us on this, and maybe some of their posters will have some good tips. Don't forget that forum isn't just for girls lads, so if you have more fashioney related questions give them a shout, they appear to be a lovely bunch

Dr Galen

Summary/Index post

Otis Driftwood

Good stuff Dr G,Ive created and stickied a thread with a link to the first thread.

Now,onto this thread.

How often should one get your suit dry cleaned?

When not being used,should it be kept in its suit bag or is it ok to hang in a wardrobe?

dudara

Just for the record, the suit maketh the man.

Nothing like a man in a good suit.

Count Duckula

Can I give my top ten wearing a suit tips -

1. Always, always, ALWAYS buy two pairs of trousers with every suit jacket. The trousers will wear out so much quicker, and you will never be able to buy a matching pair that fits the jacket years later. If you already have a second pair then that's not an issue.

2. If you're going to wear a jacket and trousers that don't match perfectly (either through choice or circumstance), then make it very clear that you're aware of that. Wearing a jacket and trousers in very slightly different shades looks terrible (hence why buying new trousers later never works) - go for an ensemble that plays off that difference; a light jacket with dark trousers, or the other way around. Slightly less professional, but it still looks fine.

3. Ties should fall to the waistband of the trousers. No lower, and certainly no higher. You're not a cheeky schoolboy anymore.

4. Please make sure your shoes are clean. Shiny is not necessarily a requirement, but clean is. Filthy shoes will stand out and ruin the image.

5. Hang your trousers by the creases; it keeps them in shape longer.

6. DO YOUR TOP BUTTON UP WHILST WEARING A TIE. I CANNOT stress that one enough. If you're not wearing a tie then it's fine; if you are, then do it up. If your collar is too tight when you do it up, then buy shirts with a bigger collar. They come in all sizes, dontcha know?

7. Always wear a belt, even if you don't need one. It simply looks better.

8. When wearing a jacket, do up the middle button but leave the other two undone.

9. Never store bulky items in your trouser pockets and DEFINITELY not in your jacket pockets. It puts them permanently out of shape. Put them in your briefcase.

10. Unless you want to wear a hole in the lining of your suit, don't wear a shoulder bag or satchel. It'll scrape away the lining.

And just for fun, but equally important:

11. Unless you're black and from Miami in the 1980s, please do not wear a white linen suit. You just look an eejit.

DazMarz

For suits:

-canvas suit bags are preferable, as plastic/artificial ones can leave suits to lose much of their natural moisture and the fabric loses its shape/colour.

-do not always dry clean suits; this can lead to loss of natural moisture as well and can make suits lose shape over time.

-and for the love of God, do NOT wear white socks with a suit... particularly a black/navy suit while wearing black shoes. nothing worse than white socks with that...

BopNiblets

Count Duckula wrote: »

And just for fun, but equally important:

11. Unless you're black and from Miami in the 1980s, please do not wear a white linen suit. You just look an eejit.

Next you'll be saying rolling up the sleeves on your suit isn't cool! :rolleyes:


Bought a new suit recently, had an interviewer say it was nice, and a few friends, but oddly, some Italian dude who had a load of suits he was selling in the back of his car pull up on the street beside me and call me over saying I was so elegant and try and sell me one! Haha.
"Right, let me just try on those pants here in the street!"

CDfm

Some jackets are made to be buttoned

4 button jacket 4 buttons to be buttoned

3 buttons - centre button only

2 button - some say both but i dont button or the top button

leave the bottom button of a waistcoat unbuttoned - some say for a watch chain but its more comfy when you sit down

cufflinks work best with double cuffed shirts -otherwise they are not really an addition.

Dr Galen

If you are going to be wearing a suit a fair bit do your best to save and buy yourself a good one.

The day to day suits that you pick up on tw high street are grand, but that's it. For a few hundred, you'll be able to get yourself a good suit, that will fit you well and last for ages ( years ). Keep it for semi special occasions and treat it well. It's an investment.

Stay away from anything too stylised like the things you see in Ruver Island etc. Anything shiny is a bad idea. The amount of those cheap shiny things I see every day amazing. They might look great on a hanger but really after a while they don't look that great.

c - 13

A patterned shirt with a plain tie, or a patterned tie with a plain shirt looks good, a plain shirt with a plain tie is acceptable but a patterned shirt and patterned tie rarely looks good.

Something I've only started to learn myself recently

OldGoat

Count Duckula wrote: »

And just for fun, but equally important:

11. Unless you're black and from Miami in the 1980s, please do not wear a white linen suit. You just look an eejit.

+ 1 on your 1 to 10 list but this^^^?!?!
Forgive my ungentlemanishness but poppycock sir, poppycock.
White linen summer suits are an essential part of a gentlemans wardrobe. :cool:

RedRebel

Probably stating the obvious here, but if it helps one person then it's worth it.

Black belt with black shoes. Brown belt with brown shoes. No exceptions.

OldGoat

Don't be put off by all the snobishness bandied about (usually by me) concerning suits. Inexpensive suits can and do look great. You don't have to spend €1000 on a hand made suit.
Buy one for €100 and enjoy it.

Setun

OldGoat wrote: »

+ 1 on your 1 to 10 list but this^^^?!?!
Forgive my ungentlemanishness but poppycock sir, poppycock.
White linen summer suits are an essential part of a gentlemans wardrobe. :cool:

Good advice all around I think! I used to wear suits a lot while I was going through my 1930s-revisited teenage phase many years ago. It was a lot of fun but in retrospect I probably looked like an idiot! :P I would love a linen suit though...

Dr Galen

OldGoat wrote: »

Don't be put off by all the snobishness bandied about (usually by me) concerning suits. Inexpensive suits can and do look great. You don't have to spend €1000 on a hand made suit.
Buy one for €100 and enjoy it.

I'd actually +1 this, even though I might have come across as snobby in my post above.

There are loads of decent cheap suits out there, keep an eye out for sales, you can pick up bargains in them in most of the high street stores.

Heading North or across to the UK is also a great bet for deals on suits. Some of the outlet style places have cracking deals from time to time, you can pick up something really nice for less than £100. Just pay attention to things like the length of the jacket. To my mind, there is nothing worse looking than someone looking like they are wearing their bigger brothers suit jacket, get something that fits.

irish_goat

If you don't mind the risk and know your size perfectly then ebay can get you some bargains on suits. I bought a brand new quality tuxedo for £32 last year.
I know sizes can vary sometimes but you'll find a lot of people selling high street labels for a fraction of the price so all you need to do is go to the high street shop, try on a suit there and then go back to ebay knowing exactly what size you need for a particular brand.

Anyone have any experience with travelling with a suit but only taking hand luggage?

Mr Cawley

Some coats have a small split up the back from the bottom, held together by a thread. Should the thread be broken??? Hope that's understandable.

I judge a man by his tie, sloppy made/fitting tie = sloppy man.

Otis Driftwood

Defo should be broken.Its basically the same as pockets being stitched shut,helps the suit hold its shape while on the rack.

evil_seed

What about the tag on the sleeve of the jacket of the suit that says the of the suit eg Remus Umo. Usually its around the cuff of the left sleeve? I always remove them but I have friends who leave them on and I think it looks silly

Otis Driftwood

It does,remove!

Hazys

Good guide on what to look for when buying a suit and how it should fit:

http://www.gq.com/how-to/fashion/200...-to-buy-a-suit

Slideshow & Video

Dr Galen

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Defo should be broken.Its basically the same as pockets being stitched shut,helps the suit hold its shape while on the rack.

yes to the stitch and deffo yes to the sleeve tag

I actually leave the pockets stitched though. Its discourages me from putting anything in them, which will knock the jacket out of shape and also helps retain some shape when the suit is hung up.

Otis Driftwood

Id be the opposite,I always de-thread the pockets.The wallet usually goes on the inside pocket so I need somewhere to keep my smokes and change.

RedRebel

Any opinions on pocket squares? Have my first experimental one ordered online, curious to know peoples opinion on them.

OldGoat

Pocket squares are a great way to add a bit of colour to (usually) drab grey and navy suits.

Dr Galen

A pocket square, worn properly and at the right time really adds a bit of class to a suit and the gent wearing it.

Nowhere near enough picket squares in the world imho, or hats either. We should all start wearing hats again, proper hats, not those modern baseball caps neither.

sh1t.......i really need to stop the Mad Men boxset marathon i've been on lately. Anyway, point made, pocket square = classy

Otis Driftwood

What pray tell are pocket squares?

OldGoat

Pocket squares are kerchiefs usually to match or complement the suit or tie. They can folded into various origami shapes or roughly gathered and stuffed into your breast pocket.

Sugar Free

Dr Galen wrote: »

I'd actually +1 this, even though I might have come across as snobby in my post above.

There are loads of decent cheap suits out there, keep an eye out for sales, you can pick up bargains in them in most of the high street stores.

Heading North or across to the UK is also a great bet for deals on suits. Some of the outlet style places have cracking deals from time to time, you can pick up something really nice for less than £100. Just pay attention to things like the length of the jacket. To my mind, there is nothing worse looking than someone looking like they are wearing their bigger brothers suit jacket, get something that fits.

http://www.suitsdirect4u.com/ for a more local option. I've a suit from this place. Really well cut, pure wool and only 200E.

I don't think this has been mentioned before but: tailoring!

Most of us cannot afford to purchase a bespoke or made to measure suit. So we find the best fit off the rack and make do.

However, an OTR suit can be tailored to give you a better fit.
Ensuring the drape is okay and the suit fits across the shoulders and back is important.

After that though, having the suit sleeves and trousers legs tailored to the correct length really improves the overall look. Shouldn't cost more than 30E and if, like me, you're lucky enough to know a friend of your parents who is a tailor by trade, then it's even cheaper

Other common alterations include having the waist taken in and seat let out.

Gillo

Shoes - Keep them well polished, it doesn't matter how well cut and tailored your suit is a shabby pair of shoes will destroy the look

Hang it properly - no matter how late and knackered you are when you get home hang it immediatly so there's no creases to try getting rid off

Not just for suit but since this thread is kinda regarding appearances - for the love of god, stand tall nothing looks worse than someone slouching over. It doesn't matter again how well tailored your suit is if you can't hold a confident look.

Whoever said about buying a second pair of trousers,it's pure genius in my experience.

Velocitee

probably "how long is a piece of string" question but what's the ballpark figure for getting suits tailored?

Sugar Free

Velocitee wrote: »

probably "how long is a piece of string" question but what's the ballpark figure for getting suits tailored?

Depends what you need done. I don't use a commercial alterations service so I may be off with these estimates but I wouldn't pay more than 15E each for hemming up trousers, taking out the seat or shortening the sleeves. Taking in the waist may require more work and skill so could be more.

Open to correction on those prices of course.

irlrobins

Good quality suits should always be pure wool or a very high wool blend.

Personally, for my really good suit (for special occasions, etc) I go with 100 % wool. But for every day suits, sometimes have a high percentage wool blend suit is an advantage as it wears better. But def nothing shiney or cheap looking. And if it says machine washable, avoid!!!!

Some good advice here, much of which I preach and practice myself.

Wish some of the new joiners to my firm would read and follow this thread... :mad:

Dr Galen

I'm bumping this and some of the other threads, hoping to get this going again

We might need some new topics

ladhrann

Sugar Free wrote: »

http://www.suitsdirect4u.com/ for a more local option. I've a suit from this place. Really well cut, pure wool and only 200E.

I don't think this has been mentioned before but: tailoring!

Most of us cannot afford to purchase a bespoke or made to measure suit. So we find the best fit off the rack and make do.

However, an OTR suit can be tailored to give you a better fit.
Ensuring the drape is okay and the suit fits across the shoulders and back is important.

After that though, having the suit sleeves and trousers legs tailored to the correct length really improves the overall look. Shouldn't cost more than 30E and if, like me, you're lucky enough to know a friend of your parents who is a tailor by trade, then it's even cheaper

Other common alterations include having the waist taken in and seat let out.

One thing that has not been mentioned is how reasonable a made-to-measure or bespoke suit can be, especially over time. You can get a two-piece made to measure from E450 in this country (fused front), made to fit you and made by an Irishman. There are other options in Dublin and even a fully canvassed suit can be got from E800-E900.

More importantly you get to pick exactly what you want instead of just black, grey or navy.

Case in point: I got a suit 5 years ago for my graduation off the peg. It came in at E600 for a Canali (Italian brand), however I've put on weight and it can't be altered to fit me, as there isn't enough cloth in the inlays to do it. If I'd paid a little more I would still be wearing it, as a made-to-measure suit would have at least three/four inches in the inlays.

Anyway if anyone's interested I have a list of tailors in this country. And can also give a few pointers on cloth, and how to save a few pound on the transaction, (yes it can be done).

Jimmy Iovine

Sorry for digging up this but I've a few interviews coming up in the next two weeks or so. Basically I'm looking for advice on ironing my suit pants. Unfortunately my mum ironed it a while back and there are creases where there shouldn't be creases.

I've looked around the interweb and a lot of people recommend a trousers press. I haven't the money or time to buy on at the moment so I'm wondering what's my next best option. Is it the good auld iron with a bit of cloth between it and the suit pants? I'm a little lost here.

awec

This post has been deleted.

irlrobins

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Is it the good auld iron with a bit of cloth between it and the suit pants? I'm a little lost here.

That's one approach. I would have the iron too hot though.

Alternative is to take it to local dry cleaners and just ask them if they can press it without dry cleaning.

Jimmy Iovine

irlrobins wrote: »

That's one approach. I would have the iron too hot though.

Alternative is to take it to local dry cleaners and just ask them if they can press it without dry cleaning.

Yea I forgot about. I might bring it into the dry cleaners up the road and see what they can do.

TheInquisitor

This seems appropriate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdCBwMJ4xEY

irish_goat

Lads, anyone know where in Dublin would do the best value on bow ties?

GrumPy

ladhrann

irish_goat wrote: »

Lads, anyone know where in Dublin would do the best value on bow ties?

You can get decent bow ties in Kennedy & McSharry on Nassau St., silk and self-tie.

smallBiscuit

Anyone know of any suit sales in Dublin at the mo? Looking for a new one, bugger all money to spend on it

awec

This post has been deleted.

smallBiscuit

awec wrote: »

smallBiscuit wrote: »

Anyone know of any suit sales in Dublin at the mo? Looking for a new one, bugger all money to spend on it

Depends what you're after I guess and how good a fitting you're after.

Being an absolutely perfect shape (ladies take note ) I find a standard 38 fits me perfectly so no mods required, shirts I got, but a new suit and shoes are definitely wanted

awec

This post has been deleted.

smallBiscuit

awec wrote: »

Aye but is that a 38 regular fitting or do you wear slim fitting? :pac:

I got my last suit in TM Lewin but they didn't really have much selection for what I wanted. A lot of their stuff is geared toward older guys whereas I like slim suits.

Hello, did you not read? Perfect shaped body Obviously a slim fit

ladhrann

Being in perfect shape may mean many things based on your body type. For instance you could have a shoulder and back meaurement very different from the standard block.

If you can at all, I would recommend you save up and get the best quality suit you can. With some alterations you can get a E300+ish suit to look like you paid a lot more for it, the same is not true for a E200 suit.