Best suit for a chesty build...

[mark221]

I am a stocky guy, 5'11", and my chest is 12 inches larger than my waist(48 chest, 36 waist), and my hips are a relatively slim 41", for a guy my size. I do not currently own a suit, but only have blazers and slacks. I really want a good suit, probably navy worsted, but there's so much to choose from out there. My last good blazer was a Joseph Abboud DB navy blazer, with a low stance, and it has a super fit. Got it at Mark Shale in Atlanta, back when they had good stuff. Andy,do you or any of your site members have an idea of what cut of suit may look best on my build? Tho I haven't tried a three button jacket, I'm thinking that it will not suit me at all well. Give me your thoughts guys, thanks.
Mark Fowlkes

[pt4u67]

With a 12 inch drop you may want to consider a few options. One is MTM. The other is find a suit that fits through the shoulders and chest then perhaps see a good alterations tailor to have the waist taken in.

[Eustace Tilley]

With measurements like yours, MTM or bespoke will be best and worth the incremental cash.

[Nathan Detroit]

What about high quality suit separates? I'd like to know what good quality, good value suit separates and MTM people might recommend... I have a similar problem, a 10-inch drop, from 44 to 34; not that I'm superman, just have a big rib cage ("barrel-chested").

[Mark from Plano]

I think that cost is your issue here. You will not find any OTR suits with a 12 inch drop, so your choices are going to be (in decending order of cost/quality):

1. Bespoke
2. MTM
3. Suit Separates.

One choice for separates is JAB. I know that they sell their Signature line (fused, but still fairly decent quality) as separates.

[PJC in NoVa]

I'm somewhat in this neighborhood, build-wise: 49" chest (I normally wear a size 48R jacket) and a 38 to 40" waist (depending on diet & exercise I fluctuate w/in that range).

I've found that Austin Reed athletic-cut (8" drop at size 48) 2btn suits can work, also BrooksEase 2btn separates by Southwick of MA.

Check out www.sirshop.com in GA for AR athletic-cut suits at decent prices. AR is a UK brand, but these are made under license in the USA, I believe by HartMarx. They're not bad for fused suits and make good workaday officewear. I would rate them as somewhat better in quality than the JAB Signature line, especially the newer Siggys that are made overseas (or south of the border, to be more precise).

You might also want to look into the suit separates sold by Charles Tyrwhitt. They have 3 lines: basic English fabrics (3btn), Italian fabrics (2btn), and finer English fabrics (2btn). All the assembly work is done outside the UK. I have inspected the first range at CT's Jermyn Street store and would rate it as a good everyday suit, with an interesting feature or two such as working cuff buttons (warning: these can be a drawback if your arms aren't 'standard' length for the CT jackets, as my arms luckily are). The latter two fabrications I'll be checking out when I drop by one of the CT shops in NYC later this month.

The problem w/ CTs in the higher ranges is that even on sale they cross into modestly-priced MTM territory: e.g., for the $750 sale price on their English-woven 150s suit separates, one can readily get a suit made by LS Menswear or any number of traveling tailors widely discussed on this forum. There may also be durability issues w/ finer fabrics such as 150s.

Finally, Dann Online Clothiers offers Corbin suit separates, among other brands.

FWIW, someone 5' 11" and thickly built is probably better described as burly rather than stocky, as the latter term tends to connote shortness as well as thickness of build.

[JLibourel]

You and I are somewhat similar. Usually, I have about a 10" drop. For a long time, I had few problems in getting jackets and suits in 46 Long that fit well. In recent years, as the button stances have gotten higher, just about all RTW jackets don't fit well. The lapels "pop." As one clothing salesman explained it, I am a size 48 through the chest and a 46 through the shoulders. Eventually, this led me to the "bargain bespoke" services of W.W. Chan, with whom I have been extremely well pleased.

[upnorth]

Do tailors charge more for men who are of a larger build since more fabric would be used?

I understand that in some cases of bespoke shoes, a premium is levied on those with size 14 feet and above.

[prince029]

Mark, I would suggest a 2 buttons jacket (low stance, or even 1 button), 3 buttons jacket wouldnt suite you as JLibourel puts it, the lapels could "pop"

upnorth, most tailors charge extra for larger build men, I dont

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www.princehenry.biz

[ChicagoTrad]

Mark, I would suggest a 2 buttons jacket (low stance, or even 1 button), 3 buttons jacket wouldnt suite you as JLibourel puts it, the lapels could "pop"

upnorth, most tailors charge extra for larger build men, I dont

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www.princehenry.biz

This is very good advice. I wear a 42 and have a fairly developed chest and shoulders with a 34 waist. Almost any 3 button jackets make me look fat or boxy (the exception being a 3/2 where the top button is rolled over into the lapel). The older 2 button Polo USA suit jackets were almost perfect for me, slightly lower stance, long, not-too-wide lapels were quite nice.

As others have said, it will be difficult finding something to fit RTW, although some of the separates or the "athletic" cut suits are worth checking out.

[Infrasonic]

+1 on the two or one button option. I'm big in the chest and three button just doesn't work, popping lapels etc.

3 button looks good on skinny guys with no shoulders to my eye.

I

[eagle2250]

Been there, done that...MTM is, IMHO, the most satisfactory option. However, I have also had a good number of RTW suits/sportcoats altered to fit, with quite satisfactory results.

[s4usea]

I'm a 42" with a 10" drop, and I thought I could't wear 3-button suits until I picked up a slim-cut Brioni. I get many compliments in it, and I don't look wider at all.

[cglex]

Before you order a MTM suit, you need to know what style suit in which you will look your best, 2 button, 3 button, darted, not, etc. Your post suggests you don't know. Go to several retailers and try on lots of suits, focusing on which cut looks best on you. Ideally, find a retailer that stocks a wide range of inventory and also has a MTM program.

[upnorth]

I don't have a really large build but I normally take a size 44R which fits perfectly across the shoulders. I do maintain a drop of 9-11 inches depending on my training and diet and have pretty much given up on RTW suits and separates. Even if I suppress my jackets at the waist, it still doesn't really feel right, especially with striped suits.

I'm short at 5' 9" and have come to realize over the few years that the best jackets to suit me are SB 2 button jackets with little or no padding. I can take a 3 button suit provided the button stance are low or if the lapel rolls naturally to the 2nd button but it somehow still doesn't look better than a 2 button suit.

I'm also interested to know what this fora members think of the dressing amongst those wrestlers in WWE. I thought the one who made Batista's suits did a good job.

[VS]

My husband has wide shoulders and a larger chest and wears a 48"L no matter what his waist size is (36 - 38"). He has a long torso.

He prefers English cut, MTM, with side vents, in dark colors. He had two of the Alexandre suits made and they look great and fit very well.