Last week we looked at the updating an old favourite, this week we're talking about shiny new things!
At a certain point, no matter how well made it was, a well-worn suit reaches a point of no return, where even the best tailor can’t salvage it.
Or perhaps you’ve spent 6 months wearing the same sweatpants and you just feel like it is time for something new.
Or maybe you don’t need an excuse and it is just something you feel like doing.
Whatever the reason here are a few things to think about when buying a new suit:
****This guide is specifically aimed at custom, MTM and Bespoke suits. For a guide on how to buy a RTW suit see a previous article: https://kipperandchalk.com/blogs/news/how-to-buy-a-ready-to-wear-suit
It should be expensive.
A new suit should be something which costs you enough money that you want to treat it properly, care for it, ensure it lasts. If you don’t value the money you paid for it, then you won’t value the garment.
HOWEVER. There is a big caveat here.
Expensive is relative. I do not mean that everyone should buy a £6000 suit or nothing at all. What I mean is that if you buy what you consider to be a cheap suit, whether it costs £200 or £2000, you will treat it as a cheap suit. And it will end up being a false economy. A well-made suit will have been made with longevity in mind, but if you bundle it up into a gym bag, cycle to work in it, hang it up without a hanger or any of the myriad ways in which people mistreat their clothes, the clever design features and careful craftsmanship won’t save it. So please treat your suits like they are precious, and they will last forever.
Think about what it is for
When you are choosing your cloth, consider how and when you will wear this suit. Is it for all year round? Or is it for weddings, which are usually in the summer months (although this is becoming less of a truism these days). Will you wear it everyday or just once a year?
For a work suit, or something which will be worn frequently, choose something in a mid-heavy weight, around 12/13oz. Not only is heavier cloth more durable, it ages better too, so the more you wear it, the better it will look.
But if your normal means you will only need a suit for the occasional meeting then maybe you want something lighter, more luxurious, a silk blend for example.
There is more to tailoring than navy
The exciting thing about work place attire becoming less formal is that tailoring has become a passion rather than a necessary evil. And that is evident in the current trend for more interesting colours and patterns. The new cloth bunches from huddersfield are filled with burgundy, forest green, windowpane checks, I’ve even seen an upsurge in pinstripes! If that all sounds a little intimidating, start with a textured navy: herringbone, birdseye, puppy tooth.