TimeOut

Hi, I noticed most of you professionals have immaculate taste in suits. As a young professional I haven't had much exposure with big name brands and tailors; so I hope you can guide me in the right direction to look sharp at work! haha

I'm thinking of something along these lines and I like the suit jacket on this one. Do share with me your experience--big brands, tailors. PM me if its more convenient for you 
p.s. this one is by zegna

and always with two pairs of trousers. Not badly priced and very good quality. I recommend.

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Everyone has such fine taste, its so much harder now lol
zileri, zegna both sounds equally good.

Great discussion I learnt a little bit of something abt suits frm everyone!

Almost forgot, how many fittings do we do over there?

Zegna was my first choice, when they did everything in Italy/Switzerland.

Today I would recommend REGENT for business suits, Loro Piana for more casual jackets and Attolini for shirts ...

Recommendation: no compromise when it comes to tailoring quality - only in quantity

Oliver

posted on this same forum something about 

Dear Young Professional:

First, for a person to look sharp and classy the most important factor is the fit, i.e., how does it fit you and your body type. Example, I think that a portly, overweight man looks better in pleated trousers than flat front ones. Also, my own feeling is that the portly man looks better in a double breasted suit than in a single breasted one. (But, these are my own opinions).

Next, since you mentioned a specific brand I take it that you are not thinking about a custom made clothes. With that in mind, I would still hesitate to recommend a specific brand because each manufacaturer designs its clothes differently. Some design the trousers with pleated fronts while others make flat fronts. As to jackets, do you prefer a 2-button jacket or 3-button jacket or a double breasted one? Some manufacturers design for a fuller figure while others design for a slimmer figure. This is particularly true with respect to shirts. There are some excellent branded shirts that I refuse to even consider because they are cut far too large for my body size so that to alter them would be like remaking the entire shirt. Remember that there are limitations on how much can be done with alterations.

So, my suggestion is that you go to a haberdashery store or higher end department store that carries a number of the better brands and employs only well knowledgable sales people (I hesitate to mention any store or brand for fear of shilling). Try on suits by different manufacturers and determine which ones feel best and fit best. Many stores have shirts that customers can try on for fit and size. Also, select your suit before you go to shirts because the two can either enhance or detract from each other. For example, think carefully before wearing a striped shirt with a suit having a large bold pattern. I think that the last item for consideration would be the tie. It should complement the shirt. Again, I don't think that you would want to wear a bold patterned tie with a striped shirt - but that same tie might look very well with a solid colored shirt. A knowledgeable sales person can help you bring everything together. In the final analysis, this coordination of elements is more important than the brand names. If your suit and shirt are correctly fit and properly coordinated you will look well even in lower end clothes.

Finally, I am pleased to hear that you are concerned about how your clothes will look on you. Unfortunately, I think, too many professionals are not.

Keep smiling

Harv

Hi,

Often a brand has a "look" or "fit" distinctive to them. But be careful, brands which are "brand extensions" of an original signature brand - think Hugo Boss - may have lost that design DNA.

Besides Zegna, Pal Zileri and Regent already mentioned (if you ever meet Olivier, you would give his advice lots of weight!)

I would add

Corneliani
Canali
Kiton
Isaiah
Eton
Etro

And to the extent you can find "originals" (not bespoke) Armani, Miyake and Kenzo.

I used to LOVE Brioni but find their current stuff much too off the shelf and mass for their price.

You should do a little research and learn the real substance behind "quality" of a suit or jacket or slacks, beyond the marketing blah blah. (Sorry if this sounds pedantic, it isn't meant to)

For example, I like Zara - I like their cut, I like their material. But I also realize there is a reason they are so (relatively) inexpensive. Same with A/X...so price - value figures more in the picture than when I am being fitted for Kiton or Isaiah. Current Brioni is on the other end of this spectrum - they are off the chart (meaning I wouldn't consider them) at anywhere near retail.

Harv mentions body type appropriateness - I agree. I also suggest you consider a personal "fit" style - Corneliani and Pal Zileri tend to be a tighter, more "tailored" fit. (Tailored has many meanings...here I mean narrower, more body shape hugging)

Canali and Zegna tend to be slightly "fuller cut" even if equally "tailored"

Think straight vs slim fit vs skinny jeans vs boot cut vs bell bottoms in jeans.

If you get more into this, you'll start to see a Neapolitan style vs Roman vs Parisian vs London...not to mention the technical details of each style (like armhole high or lower)

And materials...

So like watches and cars, so too clothes - raw material quality + design + execution + attention to detail + price=YOUR style choice.

Have fun!

...who are discussing clothes and shoes.  LOL!

Daos

PuristS are PuristS

Oliver

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Picked a navy blue, probably going with a superwool 100 or 120.
I might not want it to cover the bum fully and break this rule lol.

I bet this is a daily event for most of u. However its my first hahaha. I really, really hope it can meet my expectations. *see 1st picture (by zegna)* :P

I would also suggest you spend a bit extra and go for bespoke or custom tailoring for the correct fit and style. Your tailor will have access to hundreds of fabrics (including those of Zegna).

Otherwise you are just buying off the rack with or without modification to fit you. Brand name suits may not necessarily be designed for your body shape. However, if there is a brand that fits your shape well then that's a bonus.

I started out with Zegna suits which I had to have modified. I now am having my suits personally created by a master tailor as new suits are needed. The difference in fit and feel is tremendous (And also in cost and that's the catch).

Tailored shirts are also suggested. Finding the right fit off the rack is sometimes hit or miss unless the brand offers fractional sleeve lengths.

Next step, bespoke shoes.

And I even know a bespoke tie maker locally.

Regards,
Richard.

I don't have any personal experience yet when it comes to bespoke shoes.
From my understanding, we pay a premium for it to be made to measured, but isn't a size X feet..just size X. There might not be much marginal difference compared to an off-the-rack.

A relatively unknown Shanghai tailor resides in Hong Kong tailored my 2 piece suit so well in terms of comfort, fit and material quality.

No fitting at all and it was done within 48 hours.  He is much much better than a lot of tailors from big brands.

Regards

Ling

But I guess the most important thing in life is that, as long as you like it and happy with it its all good.

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...my favorites were always Chester Barrie, Oxxford Clothes and, when I wanted something less conservative, D'avenza Roma.

...including shirts, ties, etc. Isaia Napoli for summer clothes. Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten and Neil Barrett for smart casual. Kiton and Berluti for shoes.

I have the sartorial elegance of road kill, so I wouldn't dream of commenting on suits (and I haven't worn one in over a decade).

One thing I do notice is that how you wear it is as important, if not more important, than what you wear.  You see people at weddings who are wearing something expensive but are obviously not used to wearing such items and just don't look right - they're inside their clothes but not wearing them, if you see what I'm trying to say.  Other people can be wearing something far simpler and look far better as they know how to wear it.  I have a friend who doesn't meet any of the current criteria for what a beautiful woman is "supposed" to look like, yet she looks amazing elegant in the simplest things, mainly through presence and poise.  It doesn't matter what you wear if your body language says "insecure" or "victim"  or "hiding something".

nick

Its all about wearing the clothes and not letting the clothes wear you.

Told the tailor I would like to have natural shoulders, and no padding for the shoulders. He mentioned that it is a difficult task as Zileri traditionally *has to add that in* their custom made suits. So right now I'm still without a jacket as he has to check with his high-ups to see if my request is possible.

I always believe that we should be how we are and not try to over-compensate in anyway.

Dear Young Professional:

Every Thursday the New York Times has a section on Styles.  Today's (February 23, 2012) lead article is entitled "How to Wear A Tux".  Within the article is also a discussion of how not to weat it.

If you can access the article, either in hard copy or from th Web, you will surely enjoy it and may even find it helpful.

Remember, dress with class and

Keep smiling

Harv

Aite got it. I'll do my best LOL