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Why is it so hard to find a decent classic cut suit that fits a tall slim guy? Or am I looking at th

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f1234

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello there,

So here's my problem that I would very much appreciate receiving some help with:

I'm 190cm tall and slim, with relatively long arms and upper body. Wherever I go to try on off-the-rack suits sales people show me those of the fashionable kind (really short jackets, thin lapels, shiny fabrics, etc. - I think you know what I mean). These are the only ones that are long and slim enough for me. When I ask them for what I would call a proper suit (think classic British cut) they say they only carry those in sizes that are way too wide on the hips and/or too short on the sleeves for me.

Maybe the two links below help illustrate further what I regard as a "fashionable" suit and want to avoid:

https://www.hugoboss.com/uk/slim-fi...l-blend/hbeu50275006.html?cgid=21100&dwvar_hbeu50275006_color=001_Black#start=1

https://www.calvinklein.com/shop/Pr...rrorView&urlLangId=-3&langId=-3&top_category=&parent_category_rn=&storeId=10651

Is there anybody who understands this problem and can point me towards a brand/shop that offers a suit that fits tall and slim guys while not giving in to those ridiculous fashion trends?

Unfortunately my student budget doesn't allow for the tailor made option (yet).

Thanks:cool2:
Fred
 
#2 ·
Yes Sir,

Brooks Brothers is one of the best for this sort of thing and they have a great deal running right now on their Made to Measure program....20% off I believe, which, depending upon your fabric choices and what-not, you could get into one of theirs for around $600 USD give or take.

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/designyourown/designyourown,default,pg.html

Brooks Brothers over the phone customer service can help you nail down some of the details.

Thanks!
 
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#3 ·
So your budget is what exactly? I'm 1.95m, 90k and Canali fits me rather well OTR (with a couple small alterations). If you're in no hurry, you can probably find one on deep clearence for $500. On sale for about $750. Off the peg full retail is about $1'500-2'000.
 
#5 ·
You're shopping fashion brands, not trad brands like Brooks Brothers, or Hart Shaffner and Marx. Have you looked at off the rack options from Saville Row tailors? Or considered T.M. Lewin or Charles Tyrwhitt?
 
#6 · (Edited)
As to Brooks Brothers you should take caution on a few issues.

1. First off pricing is different on their U.S. & Swiss (European?) websites. Sales available to Americans are not automatically carried over to their European brothers.

2. Shipping, payment, etc. is handled by a 3rd party. I didn't really have a problem with this versus finding it a bit strange. While I'm not sure if it's an advantage or not, the 3rd party covers shipping & taxes(vat) in the given price

3. Even somewhat expensive items(up to $1'000 I believe) are left at the doorstep versus having to be signed for. I had a package go missing at one point & it was pretty much a "we'll notify x & y" situation. I later found the discarded package w/contents still intact so there was no need to follow through but it didn't seem as if they were going to make the situation easy.
 
#7 ·
Just a general comment - the OP's dilemma does run with a common theme I see on this forum, SF, and my own taste. I think there is a good number of us who want classically proportioned clothes that are just made to fit closer to the body. Although we are awash with "slim fit" options, so many of these cuts make goofy proportional changes in the garments, rather than just cutting them closer.

What I mean is we want pants cut somewhat slim in the hips and legs, but with a solid medium rise or better, and even an option of pleats. A jacket with not-wide shoulders, waist suppression, and maybe trimmer arms, but done with a normal (lower) buttoning point, wider lapels, normal jacket length, and a gorge that doesn't sit atop the shoulders. An overcoat that sits closer to the body with a defined waist, but is not cropped too short or have puny lapels.

It does take some looking to find items cut that are cut this way.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I'm in the same situation, tall and skinny. Unfortunately I think you're correct looking at Hugo Boss -- I have a few sport coats and they fit me perfect off the rack, the only one I've found that does without needing to lengthen the arms. But while they look great, the quality is poor and I wouldn't recommend paying full price.

You might want to look at Hickey Freeman's Beacon fit suits. They are slimmer without being fashion forward. Mine needed a little tailoring on the waist and arms, but definitely worth it given the outstanding quality.
 
#9 ·
alkydrinker said:
Just a general comment - the OP's dilemma does run with a common theme I see on this forum, SF, and my own taste. I think there is a good number of us who want classically proportioned clothes that are just made to fit closer to the body. Although we are awash with "slim fit" options, so many of these cuts make goofy proportional changes in the garments, rather than just cutting them closer.

What I mean is we want pants cut somewhat slim in the hips and legs, but with a solid medium rise or better, and even an option of pleats. A jacket with not-wide shoulders, waist suppression, and maybe trimmer arms, but done with a normal (lower) buttoning point, wider lapels, normal jacket length, and a gorge that doesn't sit atop the shoulders. An overcoat that sits closer to the body with a defined waist, but is not cropped too short or have puny lapels.

It does take some looking to find items cut that are cut this way.
Click to expand...
+1 on this. And I thought I was the only one. Plenty of slimmer fitting items out there, but decent width lapels, jacket length and proper rise are elusive...
 
#10 ·
I’d like to know if anyone else has noticed what I have regarding the changes in cut for men’s clothing:

Manufacturers didn’t start really pushing slim-cut suits with shorter lengths, higher button stances and slim, flat front trousers with lower rises until the mortgage bubble burst in late 2007. In the ensuing recession, it seems like everything got smaller. And along with that, they got smaller in ways that seem to have favored manufacturers. Slimmer cuts and no pleats mean lower material costs, and maybe lower labor costs, too if suits can be put together with less skilled labor than a decade or so ago.

As a tall person who runs to the thin side, I too have problems finding suits, jackets and trousers cut the way I prefer. I don’t like looking like I’m growing out of my clothing. And this applies to some MTM items, too. Just a few months ago, I ordered new trousers from my favorite MTM source and I’m not really happy with them. The fit and quality aren’t what I’ve had in the past from them. The rise is no better than I’ve found off the rack, because I got out a tape measure and compared them with an older pair of MTM and one pair of off the rack.

I’ve even been informed by sales people that some labels won’t make pleated trousers even in their MTM / custom programs. Has anyone else run into this???

Not good when you’re spending that kind of money.
 
#11 ·
Honestly, I think the trend toward narrower lapels, flat front slacks and the overall slimming of suits and the recession is purely coincidental. Thom Browne started doing this well before the recession and like anything else, the bigger labels basically play catch up. Lapels were much wider, as was the overall cut of men's clothing in the late 70's and early 80's when we were far worse off. In fact, wasn't it Armani who really started the trend toward deep pleats in the early 1980's?

As for not making pleated trousers within a labels MTM program, then I suppose it cannot really be called MTM or custom. I have not encountered this but I think I would have reservations about forking over my money to someone unwilling to do custom work when they clearly advertise "custom suits".
 
#12 ·
Brooks Brothers has two slimmer options, Fitzgerald and Milano. (Someone mentioned the Regent, but IMHO, that might be too boxy up top for a tall, slim man.) The Milano is the slimmest, however, BB did cave to the shorter-jacket fashion crowd with that model. The Fitzgerald would be the slimmest while still being traditional in most respects.

Also consider Hickey Freeman's Mahogany line suits - with the "B" names like Beacon being trimmer and "C" names like Colton even trimmer still. These are all fully canvassed suits. In their next quality and price level down, HF's Lindsey is fuller than the Beacon, and the Milburn is trimmer. So consider the Milburn at that price point. These are half-canvassed jackets.

You might also try Suit Supply. They have numerous models that are trimmer, although you'll want to make sure that they are also traditional. I know some are and some aren't but I couldn't say which ones are more traditional. The Suit Supply website does a decent job of describing the differences between their different lines.
 
#14 ·
calfnkip said:
I'd like to know if anyone else has noticed what I have regarding the changes in cut for men's clothing:

Manufacturers didn't start really pushing slim-cut suits with shorter lengths, higher button stances and slim, flat front trousers with lower rises until the mortgage bubble burst in late 2007. In the ensuing recession, it seems like everything got smaller. And along with that, they got smaller in ways that seem to have favored manufacturers. Slimmer cuts and no pleats mean lower material costs, and maybe lower labor costs, too if suits can be put together with less skilled labor than a decade or so ago.
Click to expand...
This is something I've said before, but you're the first person I've come across who also thinks this. The trend for smaller suits really picked up at that time.
 
#15 ·
SG_67 said:
Honestly, I think the trend toward narrower lapels, flat front slacks and the overall slimming of suits and the recession is purely coincidental. Thom Browne started doing this well before the recession and like anything else, the bigger labels basically play catch up. Lapels were much wider, as was the overall cut of men's clothing in the late 70's and early 80's when we were far worse off. In fact, wasn't it Armani who really started the trend toward deep pleats in the early 1980's?

As for not making pleated trousers within a labels MTM program, then I suppose it cannot really be called MTM or custom. I have not encountered this but I think I would have reservations about forking over my money to someone unwilling to do custom work when they clearly advertise "custom suits".
Click to expand...
Thank you for saying this. I also noticed slimmer, shorter fits coming into fashion well before 2007-2008. In fact, I was wearing low rise jeans ten years ago and Express was already making slimmer fitting suits (but not quite as extreme as their current offerings). It's simply caught on with many more people than the fashion-conscious now. I very much doubt it's some conspiracy to save fabric, though they probably don't mind that current fashion makes that possible.
 
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