For someone who doesn’t fit the usual Asian build like me, buying something off-the-rack - unless in Europe or North America - isn’t really the best option.
I have learned to accept the fact that I will never be stick-thin to fit into a minimalist Jil Sander suit or a shrunken Thom Browne but hey, I look good in Paul Smith and Ralph Lauren.
Growing up having a go-to tailor has made life easy for dad and myself. I mean, not because nothing looked good on us –
we just like things our way from the right cut to the right break.
( I have always been a fan of street style star, Nick Wooster. His personal style is just spot on!) Finding the right tailor isn’t always easy. First, you should always need to know what to ask for.
I know a couple of guys who know too much terminology, bordering on menswear know-it-all, also known as that cuckoo asshole but if you don’t know your body well enough, you’ll still look like a boxy Lego figure or worse, Gumby.
(His suits are tailored to perfection!)Make sure you know how a suit is supposed to fit, and find a tailor you trust to get it there.
I have had my share of impulsive bespoke suits from who someone swore was the best – guess what,
I never wore it despite 5 alterations.
(Madras blazer in pure perfection - I drool!)To bespoke virgins, here’s what to look and ask for the next time you get suited up. Trust me, it’ll be orgasmic!
1.Suits now are snugger in the shoulders and more fitted. Take note, fitter suits doesn’t mean it has to be tight.
2.Your jacket sleeve should be no lower than your wrist bone but high enough for a quarter to half-inch of your shirtsleeve to show when you move your arm.
4.Though a lot of designers are doing shorter styles lately, the ideal length hasn’t changed. I’m all for the classic cut!
5.Pant legs shouldn’t be loose nor boxy and yes, no pleats please!
6.Sartorial conservatives like me prefer no break at all but for a virgin like you, slight break wouldn’t hurt.
7.And yes, never trust a local designer who will charge you an arm and a leg for are-tagged pseudo bespoke suit. That’s just plain gross!
(Illustration by Menco Nieuwenhuis of la couleur blanche)And oh, if you insist wearing a silk suit during daytime, here’s a rope and a pole. I won’t stop you from hanging yourself.
Set up only last year by Oliver Tomalin, a young English designer, this new socially responsible lifestyle brand promises to expand through a series of ready-to-wear products, each intrinsically dedicated to a relevant charity.
The first, ‘Trunks for Trunks’ (swimming trunks for endangered Asian elephants) was inspired and motivated by the plight of the iconic animal. He saw a great opportunity to help the Elephant Family in a credible and savvy way, by creating his superbly designed collection of state of the art men's swim. Impressive!
And the best thing about this SS12 collection - it has a classic European cut like all my weekend shorts and loosely tailored for a stylish and comfortable fit.
I should be wearing one this weekend at Tali but damnit, I might as well just keep my mouth shut.
I need a tan!
Posts
