Definitely make it a three piece... single or double breasted and maybe with lapels?
Have you decided on notch or peak lapels on the jacket?

Do you personally prefer charcoal or navy?
The ones you have, are they all plain? If so maybe a subtle Prince of Wales check?

Best of luck with the bespoke experience, please do let us know how things go and post lots of pictures of the process and the final suit.

 

Three piece, and two sets of trousers. I remember seeing on the exchange an Oxxford suit with two sets of trousers one had a little more length on the inseam than the other, and I thought that was genius.

Three piece with peak lapels? don't know if it's right or wrong, but it sounds awesome!

 

I think the most important thing is to understand the expectations. Don't expect it to fit 100% perfectly, or even 95% or 90% - it's your first experience together. Same goes for how it looks as a finished product as well.

Get a 3 piece Navy Glen Plaid, one pair of trousers with darts with cuffs & the other with flat front if that's your choice(mine would be 1 forward pleat). Make button stance is low, no matter if it's a 3B or 2B. Waist coat will have 3 pockets, and a low button stance.

 

I think the most important thing is to understand the expectations. Don't expect it to fit 100% perfectly, or even 95% or 90% - it's your first experience together. Same goes for how it looks as a finished product as well.

+1.

A simple fact of life. It usually takes a few tries.

 

not to hijack the thread, but he shouldn't expect Bespoke to fit? isn't that the purpose of Bespoke over MTM??? If his staples fit very well, why go Bespoke with expectations it won't fit? Stay with MTM or getting your high end OTR tailored and take the money to John Lobb or something like that and get some shoes!

 

not to hijack the thread, but he shouldn't expect Bespoke to fit? isn't that the purpose of Bespoke over MTM??? If his staples fit very well, why go Bespoke with expectations it won't fit? Stay with MTM or getting your high end OTR tailored and take the money to John Lobb or something like that and get some shoes!

Reasonable questions, and a reasonable alternative.

Bespoke is really for those who can afford the time and money involved in finding the right tailor, and buying enough to perfect the fit/style to their wishes.

But that doesn't mean that your first suit will be, and certainly should not be awful. Just that sublime perfection is likely a slight ways down the road.

But there is absolutely nothing wrong with quality OTR, if it fits.

 

not to hijack the thread, but he shouldn't expect Bespoke to fit? isn't that the purpose of Bespoke over MTM??? If his staples fit very well, why go Bespoke with expectations it won't fit? Stay with MTM or getting your high end OTR tailored and take the money to John Lobb or something like that and get some shoes!

Well, with bespoke there ought to be at least one fitting. I went with two and that was needed. At the first fitting there was a slight issue with the button. My left shoulder is a fraction of an inch higher than my right (this makes me sound like Frankenstein but I assure you I'm not) and this caused a slight bulge. The tailor accounted for this and when I went for the second fitting it was perfect.
If you're going bespoke as opposed to MTM this is included in the service and you should be clear about that.
As for style and color, well, part of the bespoke experience is choosing what you want, what you like. Have an idea in your mind and the tailor will help you with he rest. You're graduating form college. Are you going into finance or law? If you are and you want to wear the suit to work then blue or gray. If not then something more exciting as described above would look good.
My first bespoke experience was having a three piece prince of wales with light blue overlay. Since I don't work in law or finance this suited me perfectly and got a lot of attention. For the first time in my life I had strangers walk up to me and admire a suit.

 

Well, with bespoke there ought to be at least one fitting. I went with two and that was needed. At the first fitting there was a slight issue with the button. My left shoulder is a fraction of an inch higher than my right (this makes me sound like Frankenstein but I assure you I'm not) and this caused a slight bulge. The tailor accounted for this and when I went for the second fitting it was perfect.
If you're going bespoke as opposed to MTM this is included in the service and you should be clear about that.
As for style and color, well, part of the bespoke experience is choosing what you want, what you like. Have an idea in your mind and the tailor will help you with he rest. You're graduating form college. Are you going into finance or law? If you are and you want to wear the suit to work then blue or gray. If not then something more exciting as described above would look good.
My first bespoke experience was having a three piece prince of wales with light blue overlay. Since I don't work in law or finance this suited me perfectly and got a lot of attention. For the first time in my life I had strangers walk up to me and admire a suit.

Medicine, so this is for business, not pleasure. Considering I have three really well-made solid staples that fit me well, I could be persuaded to go for something a little less basic. I've always admired chalk-striped charcoal flannel suits, after all, and midnight-blue herringbones. As for 3-pieces or extra trousers, that depends on whether my father is willing to pay for it.

As for the fit, I'd expect a couple fittings to be necessary. That's how true bespoke works after all, and this should only be the first round. Next time they're stateside I'll probably have my second fitting, and so on as necessary.

 

Medicine, so this is for business, not pleasure. Considering I have three really well-made solid staples that fit me well, I could be persuaded to go for something a little less basic. I've always admired chalk-striped charcoal flannel suits, after all, and midnight-blue herringbones. As for 3-pieces or extra trousers, that depends on whether my father is willing to pay for it.

As for the fit, I'd expect a couple fittings to be necessary. That's how true bespoke works after all, and this should only be the first round. Next time they're stateside I'll probably have my second fitting, and so on as necessary.

To be completely honest, you likely already know whether you'll be in med school or not this fall. If you will be, I would save it for after med school for a variety of reasons. You won't have many opportunities to wear it and you won't want to wear it during the clinical side of med school (both for the stigma and you won't want to wear it while doing colorectal palpations). Realistically, the average med student probably puts a suit on less than once a month, tops. Also, many, many med students change sizes in med school (in both directions) and you've mentioned before that you're steadily losing weight already. Hold off until late in your 3rd year or the summer between 3rd and 4th year so it will be ready to impress when you have residency interviews later that year and you won't be doing much size-changing.

That said, I'd get it in navy or charcoal, solid, subtle checks, or pinstripes. I am a firm believer that your best suit should be your interview suit and you wouldn't interview in a POW check suit.

 

If you're going into medicine, this suit will be for pleasure, not business. You'll seldom need a business suit in four years of medical school and three--seven years residency. You will need a suit to wear to the engagement parties and weddings of your classmates who went into finance or law, the christenings of their children, the rare parties you'll have time to go to. The ones you already have might well serve you for that. How about a couple of bespoke sport jackets instead? Those you'll have a chance to use a lot more.

 

You'll want to get surgeon cuffs of course, as a nod to your chosen profession.

 

You've gotten good advice from cdavant who is an MD already. You might also PM momsdoc who is another. Asking someone like me, a retired academic, about a graduation suit is not a good idea. I am a great lover of glenchecks, windowpanes, herringbones, tweeds and such because that goes with my long time persona. Yours, unless you become a professor of medicine, will be different and a true bespoke suit is quite a big jump. You don't want to get it wrong.

On the other hand, the esteemed Churchwell brothers are both respected cardiologists and admired sartorialists. Is that your aspiration? Think about these things. I don't think any of the Churchwells would be satisfied with a plain navy suit.

 

If you're going into medicine, this suit will be for pleasure, not business. You'll seldom need a business suit in four years of medical school and three--seven years residency. You will need a suit to wear to the engagement parties and weddings of your classmates who went into finance or law, the christenings of their children, the rare parties you'll have time to go to. The ones you already have might well serve you for that. How about a couple of bespoke sport jackets instead? Those you'll have a chance to use a lot more.

+100

You'll live in your white coat and scrubs

 

Skip the vest. Go for an extra pair of trousers; much more utility. Be willing to get a more interesting fabric. Doesn't have to be loud.

 

Wow, what a can of worms! A few additional thoughts. Agree with cdavants comments, you pretty much won't ever wear a suit (pretty much ever) in medical school for school-related functions, but hey, people get married, there are parties, etc... so (obviously) get something you like. If it's too far outside your comfort zone then you won't wear it and it'll be a waste of money.

But practically speaking, when you go to get fitted initially wear the suit you own that you think fits "best", so you and your tailor can fuss over that and make changes accordingly. Don't be afraid to speak up if there are even minor niggling issues with your current "best fit" suit. I'll give you a personal example. I used bespoke as an opportunity to have the armholes much higher than you would ever get with RTW or even MTM. They're not "tight", but instead fitted to me. The body of the suit should obviously fit you precisely, that's a given. Sure, you can go for crazy liners or unusual fabrics, but remember, the more "out there" your choice the more obvious the suit will be every time you wear it.

Hope it will bring you a lot of enjoyment!

 

Classic black and white Glen plaid (so a true Glen) and as a three piece is my vote.

 

My advice: Instead of his footing the bill for a bespoke suit that you absolutely don't need, ask your father if he will cover the cost of a trip. Before you start your seven-year slog of medical training, do some traveling. Spend a month in Argentina riding a bike. Bum around Thailand and Laos. Backpack through Europe. Criss-cross the USA by train. Etc., etc., etc.

Travel, travel, travel while you can. Savile Row isn't going anywhere--it will be waiting for you when you are older and you have a firmer sense of what you want in a suit.

Since I doubt you'll take the above advice, I'll second the words of Medhat: make sure the circumference of the armholes is not too big yet not too tight. You will want to be able to move your arms freely and comfortably, without the shoulder pads rising to ear level.

And congratulations on having the good taste to recognize the beauty of chalk-striped flannel suiting.

Travel! Especially if you can get somebody else to pay.

 

Thankfully, the scholarship I'm on has allowed me some truly amazing travel opportunities, everywhere from Oxford to Marrakech. I'm not going to be attending medical school next year, I received the latest in a series of traumatic brain injuries shortly before I was scheduled to take the MCAT and didn't recover in time to take the test. Thus I'll be taking the next year off from school. My plans are to apply over the summer and get certified as an EMT so I can spend the gap year getting a little hand's-on experience in the medical field. As I'll be applying and interviewing throughout the process, though, taking an extended period of time off to travel is an uncertain proposition. I'm also hoping to continue my research on the connection between sports-related cerebrospinal injuries and neck flexibility and strength throughout that year.

I'm actually considering getting a sports coat and odd trousers now, though. Maybe a nice tweed and some grey flannels. Those would be much more flexible and get more wear, plus the suits I have now are more than appropriate for medical school interviews, but I'm really tempted to go for that charcoal chalkstripe.

As a side note, my program should result in both class one and wilderness EMT certification. Depending on where I am a year from now, I may have been further certified and looking at taking a real gap year to work on some type of research expedition while I'm young and able-bodied.

 

Classic black and white Glen plaid (so a true Glen) and as a three piece is my vote.

Hear, hear ! (Oh, and why not add lapels to the wastcoat while we're at it.) Congrats on graduating- it's my time to leave school-for the time being- in June, too.

 

Congrats on your graduation!

At your young age, one thing to consider is your physical development. Your chest & shoulders may continue to fill out for a few more years. For many men, the chest & shoulders, etc. continue to grown into their early 30s. This was true in my case. From my early 20s to my early 30s my chest grew about 2-3 inches. The increase in size was the result of natural growth, not a result body building, or becoming overweight.

If you are still growing, a suit you buy now may not fit you in a few years. You may be better off waiting until later to spend money on a bespoke suit.

 

Congrats on your graduation!

At your young age, one thing to consider is your physical development. Your chest & shoulders may continue to fill out for a few more years. For many men, the chest & shoulders, etc. continue to grown into their early 30s. This was true in my case. From my early 20s to my early 30s my chest grew about 2-3 inches. The increase in size was the result of natural growth, not a result body building, or becoming overweight.

If you are still growing, a suit you buy now may not fit you in a few years. You may be better off waiting until later to spend money on a bespoke suit.

Yes!

In my twenties and early thirties, I was consistently a 36 Short. Then I had to go to a 38 Short, despite always being slim and fit.

The nice suits that I wore in the 1980's (two of which were bespoke) would not fit me now, even though my weight has not changed. They'd be much too tight in the chest. For context, I'll be 59 in a few months.

 

I am on the fence on this one. Bespoke suits are nice...but, considering, your age and career path, I feel that it might be a premature decision. You have lots of great clothing to get you through med school. Unless Oxxford or Harris Tweed start making scrubs, they will not be in your weekly clothing rotation. Splurge on a nice pair of shell longwings and leave the bespoke to later years when you will be able to enjoy it.

 

So the consensus advice is, don't? I guess it's time I learned how to gracefully decline a gift.

 

So the consensus advice is, don't? GI guess it's time I learned how to gracefully decline a gift.

Or you convince your father to fly you to OK city and have loveless make you a bespoke pair of dress shoes. One of the makers is also a podiatrist, so the insoles and footbeds are custom made for you. That would be very practical for a med student who is on his feet all day. I have a friend who uses them exclusively, and raves about how comfy his shoes are.

 

Or you convince your father to fly you to OK city and have loveless make you a bespoke pair of dress shoes. One of the makers is also a podiatrist, so the insoles and footbeds are custom made for you. That would be very practical for a med student who is on his feet all day. I have a friend who uses them exclusively, and raves about how comfy his shoes are.

If I were going to do that, though, I think I'd just get a pair or two of Russell's convention walkers.