[DomRobby]

I am 6 foot 6 and if that wasn't enough of a disadvantage shopping wise, I also have a wingspan of 6 foot 10. If I want to wear a long sleeve shirt I need to go custom, there is no store that I know of that sells shirt that can fit me(even if I take it to a tailor afterward).

I know there are a lot of good deals on ebay for suits and I am wondering if I should even bother because of my height. I got my seam to cuff measured to 28".Are suits a bit different in the sense that they allow more room to extend the sleeves?

If you think its possible for me to find a good suit on ebay can you give me your top 5(or more) brands I should look out for? I am totally new to this and I don't know what to look for brandwise. Id like something fully canvased if possible.

 

[triklops55]

You will have a tough time finding suits that fit but it's not impossible; you can find anything on eBay.

First thing: do you know your suit measurements or have a well-fitting suit from which you can draw your measurements? Most important are shoulder seams across the back, pit to pit across the front, jacket waist across top button, sleeve length from shoulder seam, length of coat from neck seam to hem, pant inseam, pant waist, and possibly rise.

Jackets usually have some fabric to let the sleeves out, but you have to make sure that the sleeve buttons aren't "working" or cut out, and you have to ask the seller about extra fabric to let the sleeve out.

I'd recommend Hickey Freeman, Brooks Brothers, Southwick and Samuelsohn to start. Those are the best suits you will find used for a very good price, and the suits by these makers are usually of timeless style so you generally won't have to worry about them looking outdated.

If you don't have luck in those brands, I know that Jack Victor often makes suits specifically for big and tall stores. Jack Victor suits are pretty decent, as are Hart Schaffner Marx and Joseph Aboud suits.

There are lots of other suit brands of superior quality that you can find at a decent price on eBay, but if you're just getting started, I recommend starting with what I listed above. My top recommendation from those I mentioned is Hickey Freeman.

It would also be helpful to type in "XL," or "Extra Long" in the description when looking for a suit, along with your size and the brand.

 

[DomRobby]

You will have a tough time finding suits that fit but it's not impossible; you can find anything on eBay.

First thing: do you know your suit measurements or have a well-fitting suit from which you can draw your measurements?

No I don't, I was thinking about buying one from itailor for 270 CAD(So about 210USD) since they offer a fit guarantee. I own a bunch of shirts that fit me pretty well(except the sleeves of course) but I guess they don't measure the same as a suit. I know I could maybe try the goodwill in town for a very cheap alternative, but that would be like searching a needle in a haystack ; I live in a town of 150k people, I'll spend years looking for a suit that fits we ''well''. Might as well pay a little more to get a right fit the first time AND get a good suit.

Reason why I want to go on ebay is to get something fully canvassed.And also because I love a good bargain. Thanks for the suggestion. Would you mind sharing the other suit brand of superior quality? Id like to know about them, but I will prioritise those you have already mentioned.

 

[Mathematicus]

Sleeve measurements of 28'' are pretty rare, but depends on your chest size.

Personally I would not worry about that, unless you are sure that all the other length measurements are fine for your figure. At 6' 6'', it is unlikely that any jacket with shorter-than-ideal sleeves will be fitting your proportions - most probably, the buttons will be too high and the length will be too short.

This unless only your arms are much longer in proportion with your torso. But even in this latter scenario, you'll need to make sure trousers can be lengthened enough and if it is a big amount they will have to be reshaped as knees will not be in the same place.

I strongly suggest you spare some money and invest in some good MTM.

 

[DomRobby]

I strongly suggest you spare some money and invest in some good MTM.

I was thinking about buying a suit from Itailor.com , do you know if they are any good? I got a 8 months internship coming up next fall. Id like to have a suit or two for interviews and maybe for some occasions.

 

[Mathematicus]

I was thinking about buying a suit from Itailor.com , do you know if they are any good? I got a 8 months internship coming up next fall. Id like to have a suit or two for interviews and maybe for some occasions.

I do not have direct experience with itailor, but I'll tell you how these people work.

I have been following the online MTM market since a while ago and I have had good luck with distance tailoring, BUT I would not suggest it as a first approach to tailoring, unless one is extremely knowledgeable about his own sizing problems and knows how to diagnose and resolve fit issues.

It also requires several trials, as the first garments will NOT come out well. They may come out to be wearable, but they will surely exhibit some major issue in some area. The number of attempts before a satisfying outcome really depends on the customer's ability to communicate the problem (and make sure they understand it) and the need to suggest solutions that do not move the problem somewhere else. Unlike going to a local tailor, in distance MTM it is really the customer that has to keep control of the pattern - and this is extremely difficult if you are dealing with an intermediary who then has to communicate with the cutter.

I say - but this is really more of a slogan than a real criterion - you are ready to order MTM at distance if, putting on a jacket you can immediately identify what's not perfect and you can tell exactly how and how much it should be amended.

For these reasons, I would suggest you look at some OTR for your first suits. As someone pointed out, there are places that might be able to supply clothes for your shape.
If you want MTM, go first to some local professional.

 

[DomRobby]

For these reasons, I would suggest you look at some OTR for your first suits. As someone pointed out, there are places that might be able to supply clothes for your shape.
If you want MTM, go first to some local professional.

Honestly, if I was wiser I would wait to be ready to buy from a good tailor. Problem is that I want to do it on the cheap, dirt cheap at that. Good thing going for me is that my mom, while not a tailor, is quite good at it. She was able to adjust a wonderful austrian made pure wool overcoat she found at a thrift store. The thing was first made for a guy easily 70 pounds heavier than me. I love that coat to death now, the fit is perfect! I might try to buy something on ebay with the measurement we took together last time I saw her. The thing might not fit perfectly at first, but she might be able to work some magic. That way, even if the thing is not a perfect fit and she can't fix it, she'll know right away what the problem is. Then we can adjust the measurement until we get one that is perfect( or rather close enough).

I know your advice is better than my plan by a mile, but I need to try to get 1-3 suits as cheap as possible, MTM at a local place is out of the question.

 

[Mathematicus]

Honestly, if I was wiser I would wait to be ready to buy from a good tailor. Problem is that I want to do it on the cheap, dirt cheap at that. Good thing going for me is that my mom, while not a tailor, is quite good at it. She was able to adjust a wonderful austrian made pure wool overcoat she found at a thrift store. The thing was first made for a guy easily 70 pounds heavier than me. I love that coat to death now, the fit is perfect! I might try to buy something on ebay with the measurement we took together last time I saw her. The thing might not fit perfectly at first, but she might be able to work some magic. That way, even if the thing is not a perfect fit and she can't fix it, she'll know right away what the problem is. Then we can adjust the measurement until we get one that is perfect( or rather close enough).

I know your advice is better than my plan by a mile, but I need to try to get 1-3 suits as cheap as possible, MTM at a local place is out of the question.

Fair enough, I undestand your point completely. Given your mom's ability, you will be in a stronger position.

If you are interested, send me a PM and I can recommend a distance tailor I have worked with; while results are never guaranteed, I can recommend him for professional integrity and excellence in customer service.