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 The suiting thread v2

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kotmj
post Jul 15 2010, 08:59 PM

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QUOTE(beau @ Jul 15 2010, 10:54 AM)
Thanks-I like the "V" cut at the rear of the trousers as it allows some flexing of the waistline especially after one too many bowls of laksa
*
A split waistband is quite different from a fishtail back. This is a split waistband

user posted image

while this is a fishtail back

user posted image
kotmj
post Jul 15 2010, 09:12 PM

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Just trying to cheer you up.
kotmj
post Jul 15 2010, 09:47 PM

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i doubt that statement


Added on July 15, 2010, 9:56 pm
QUOTE(bloke1 @ Jul 15 2010, 09:30 PM)
Even a Caraceni jacket won't make me any happier.


Added on July 15, 2010, 9:46 pmOn a more happier note, I think my thumb looks nice.
*
You should show your face someday.


Added on July 15, 2010, 10:02 pmuser posted image
user posted image

The best so far by yfyf.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Jul 15 2010, 10:02 PM
kotmj
post Jul 16 2010, 02:15 PM

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QUOTE(beau @ Jul 16 2010, 12:08 PM)
[img=http://img45.imagevenue.com/loc396/th_51401_L1000823_122_396lo.JPG]
        [img=http://img11.imagevenue.com/loc156/th_51677_L1000824_122_156lo.JPG]
     
These are sleeve button holes when they are done well.


Added on July 16, 2010, 12:11 pm

Nice

Would you happen to know where he tailored/purchased his suit ( as the case may be )?
*
Most of his suits are from WWChan in Hong Kong, but the specimen I posted is atypical of a Chan.
kotmj
post Jul 16 2010, 07:20 PM

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QUOTE(beau @ Jul 16 2010, 06:30 PM)
Thanks

Finish of suit from the picture appears fine with the following exceptions:-

1. Stripes do not seem to be aligned on lapel & arm
2. Pipping on pocket (jettings) do not seem to have aligned stripes

I have not tried WW Chan but have read & heard wonderful reviews about them.

The samples I have seen were reasonably impressive.

May try them if my HK trips stretch for a week instead of the current 1 / 2 day jaunts.

My HK tailor experience have not been pleasant:-
I have deliberately omitted the prices as it was sometime back (pre 1997 ) when I visited the establishments below:-
1. H Baroman
    This was allegedly the best tailor ( & the most expensive ) in HK once upon a time. Frequented by Tai-Pans, it had a reputation that rivaled the Row.
    I visited the shop ( the mall between Standard Chartered & HSBC Building ) & was attended to by some officious individual. When I requested to view samples of their work ( I do this with every tailor I visit irregardless of country), the officious individual gave me a look & quoted a price in a tone that implied that I couldn't afford their services. In almost the same breath , he told me that I should have a dark 2 piece suit-So much for bespoke services. Needless to say I did not make anything there. I am of the view that they are living on their past glory similar to some houses on the Row.

2. Sams tailor , Burlington House, TST
    Sams allegedly makes cheap suits for the famous & uniforms for HM's Arm Forces You will see pictures of Prince Charles, George Bush (Sr) & Bill Clinton adorning his wall. The prices he quoted me was cheap even by HK standards . When asked when the next fitting will be, the Indian gentleman who attended to me said that there is no need for one as they are very experienced in assessing a customer's figuration!! ( I was a bespoke virgin then & didn't know better )The measurement process etc was very quick & the man nodded in agreement to all my requests ( higher arm holes , waisted jacket etc)
   The suit arrived in the mail a week later . The only 2 things positive I can say was the suit was cheap ( & looked correspondingly with the price paid ) & the trousers was well tailored.
   I will post pictures at a later date as evidence of my folly.

3. Ah Man Hin Cheong, Mandarin Oriental Mall.
    I was recommended by a friend who swears by this establishment.
    I took the opportunity to sample their services when I was in HK for 1 week.
    The service was reasonably polite ( this is HK BTW) & they spent some time talking to me to assess my needs etc before reverting with their recommendations. The thing that struck me was the comment " I think we can do better " when the cutter who measured me looked at the suit I was wearing.
   He recommended an English Fabric ( 130s wool ) which was reasonably crease resistant and a scarlet lining of Shantung Silk. He also made notes of the usual details & requirements ( single or double breasted, how many buttons on cuffs, pleated or flat front trousers etc.
   He then proceeded to measure me & spoke in a dialect I did not comprehend ( I think it was Shanghainese ) to a younger individual who duly noted the details. This went on for quite a while & I reckon that at least 30 to 40 measurements were taken before he called it a day & informed me that I could have my first fitting in 2 days.
   Time came for the fitting and I was reasonably pleased with the works in progress. The crunch came when I started asking some questions on whether the length of the jacket could be left as is. The sifu was not very pleased as he felt that the jacket was too long & should be shorten ( I like my Jacket slightly on the long side ) , higher & smaller arm holes , less padding on shoulder etc.
   The exchange I had was similar to your initial encounter with Ah Loke. Si Fu shook his head retorting in English & Cantonese (not nice sir etc.. or words to that effect.
   Nevertheless , he took down what I thought were my instructions & feedback.
   Second fitting came 2 days later with the semi finished suit & I was surprised that my feedback was largely ignored in favor of the Si Fu's !!
   I made my requests again and another polite exchange in Cantonese & English, along with the occasional Shanghainese phrases ensued.
   " How you move your arms like that if I make jacket the way you want?" etc..
   Nevertheless, he took down what I thought was my feedback & request & ask me to return 2 days later for the final fitting. I asked for the suit not to be finished to enable adjustments to be made, if necessary.
   The final fitting was that- a finished suit with the exception of the cuff buttonholes . I was shocked to discover than none of my feedback was taken into account at which point I was so exasperated ( I was supposed to leave HK that day )
   The prices , I remember were not cheap even for those days . The best way to describe the suit is it's made for a much older individual. Not one of my favorite suits which is a pity given the reasonably fine finish ( with the exception of the cuff button holes which could have been better )
  Not a repeat customer here!!

Nevertheless I've had some good experiences as well with regards to bespoke shirts in HK.

1. David's shirts ( Mandarin Oriental Mall near Ah Man Hin Cheong )
   I have some shirts from there which are 10 years old ( which I still wear occasionally ) The finish of the shirts are excellent ( matching panels & stripes etc ) but the fit could have been better.

2. Ascot Chang ( various locations -I go to the one at Princes Building )
    Ascot Chang claims to be the best shirt maker in HK and ranks itself with the world's best with corresponding prices to match. The fit & finish of the final product is excellent as it the service. The only bugbear is the constant
push to have shirts made in the most expensive fabric with the highest thread count ( D & J Andersen etc ) . A sure way to see disdain on the face of the sales person is to request for "lesser" fabrics eg Acorn 100s 2 ply.
I might as well asked to have shirts made in polyester!!

Thanks for providing feedback & sharing your experiences with us. I am still new on the local scene & hope to benefit from your knowledge
*
Sam's is a tourist trap. You can read about him on styleforum. Nobody has anything good to say about him.

I actually showed Ah Loke a pic of a AMHC suit to give him an idea of what I wanted at the first fitting. It was made for whoopee, a young American-Chinese guy formerly based in HK and Singapore with an uncanny ability to make tailors give him what he wants. Here is the AMHC suit of his I printed out for Ah Loke to take inspiration from:

Attached Image Attached Image Attached Image Attached Image Attached Image

As you can see, the fit is technically perfect and the silhouette is most youthful.

The no. 1 problem bespeakers have when guiding their tailors is to make their tailors take them seriously as capable bespeakers. 99.999% of customers are perfectly clueless, but try guiding their tailors anyhow, and tailors pretend to listen. If they are insistent, tailors try to demonstrate that they know better. There is always a point in a conversation (I hold such conversations with engineers, technicians, purchasers etc. everyday as part of my job) when someone subtly tries to brush off your demands. You will only notice this from the body language -- a short break in eye contact, a somewhat stiff posture. You must catch the person at this point and BORE IN. "No, you don't understand," you say, "on Tuesday when I put this on again I want to see a waist so f***ing narrow it can hardly fit me." Then you pause. And pause. "Do you get it?" you ask him. You dwell on this. Never let him brush it off.

It is great to have such a big timer as you on this forum.


Added on July 16, 2010, 8:12 pm
QUOTE(beau @ Jul 16 2010, 12:08 PM)
user posted image
user posted image
     
Those buttonholes are orgasm-inducing. Who made them?

This post has been edited by kotmj: Jul 16 2010, 08:38 PM
kotmj
post Jul 17 2010, 09:53 PM

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WTF you went to AL?

The Granoff has the best buttonholes. Can't believe Bespoked at their incredible prices would thau kung kam liew like that.

Please show your AL jacket on you, I want to see the fit.
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 01:26 AM

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Jesus I get it now. That AL jacket was made with the Thomas Fisher Cape Breeze cloth! Did you get the cloth through him or directly from Dugdale yourself?
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 04:03 AM

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Of the 3, who makes the fairest jacket?
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 12:41 PM

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The sweet face in my avatar is Cheenoo's.
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 05:29 PM

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pls follow procedures. fill out the form to have your pic removed and your application will be processed (with russian efficiency).
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 05:41 PM

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Is Andrew cute or is he hot or is he a loser?
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 05:59 PM

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---

This post has been edited by kotmj: Jul 18 2010, 07:16 PM
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 06:37 PM

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QUOTE(bloke1 @ Jul 18 2010, 06:26 PM)
Ouch
*
Dun worry you look just fine.
kotmj
post Jul 18 2010, 11:57 PM

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user posted image
kotmj
post Jul 19 2010, 12:15 AM

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user posted image
kotmj
post Jul 20 2010, 11:07 PM

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I'm on the brink of buying a trouser length of light grey flannel and a suiting length of mid-weight navy worsted.
kotmj
post Jul 21 2010, 11:06 AM

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QUOTE(beau @ Jul 21 2010, 03:02 AM)
What weights are they in ? Any other details you can provide?

Sounds like a very versatile purchase which will allow you to mix & match outfits.

I personally prefer 10 to 12 oz fabrics -Depending on how they are constructed, they tend to be more crease resistant and is able to withstand greater abuse .
*
I halted myself last night and have asked the seller to provide more details on two of his cloths before I pull the trigger.

A few months ago I would have provided the links to the cloths, but if I were to do so 2 things will happen:

1. Both would have been bought before I myself have the opportunity to.
2. Next week when I drop by AL's, both lengths would be there, waiting to be made up into DBs with swappable buttons.

I'm looking for a heavier cloth. I used to feel perfectly fine in merely a twill shirt and jeans at 20 degrees Celcius, but now that I'm acclimatized to the Malaysian climate I shiver at 24 degrees.
kotmj
post Jul 21 2010, 02:14 PM

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Someone dial 999 and tell the Malaysian army the Singaporeans are invading at last!
kotmj
post Jul 21 2010, 09:49 PM

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This is #5, a plain weave
user posted image

and this is #29, a twill
user posted image


Hi Karl, I am trying to decide between this #5 and the #29.

1) What weights are the cloths?
2) What ply are they? 2x2 or 1x1?
3) Which do you think will be the longer-lasting cloth?

Thanks for taking the time.

Cheers,
kotmj


Hi kotmj,

Both cloths are 2 ply 11/12oz and my opinion cloth #29 would be harder wearing but cloth #5 is the better cloth... I bought a full piece very cheap, this cloth sould be £55-59 a suit length

Thanks, Karl


Added on July 21, 2010, 10:38 pmAnd this is the flannel from another seller

user posted image

This post has been edited by kotmj: Jul 21 2010, 10:38 PM
kotmj
post Jul 21 2010, 11:53 PM

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Beau, the best pair of traditionally-cut trousers (full, high-waisted, and with an unbroken line) I have was made for me by a grandma in a very small town above a wet market. They really should only be worn with a jacket because the thing by itself is so big and so archaic people stare at them. But they so comfortable. Perfect for 13-hour flights.

AL, OTOH, likes to cut slim trousers with a high fork. He is right in thinking they are elongating -- but they are unwearable for those of us who squat in the gym and who sit for 10+ hours a day. Too narrow, especially in the thighs, tight in the seat and the fork cuts into the family jewels. He is incredibly reluctant to make the fork lower. These are great trousers to be worn with just a shirt and standing. They look like those worn by RL models in GQ.

But maybe you will be more successful in steering him towards the right cut.

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