[FortGreene]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I'm about 5' 10". If I had a standard issue body, I'd be a 40 regular. I have more of a muscular/barrel chest build, and that pushes me up to a 42. In addition, I have cleverly added a layer of fat, like a seal, to protect me from a sudden polar freeze. Now I'm at a 44.

While my chest is being accommodated, everything else is getting longer. Too long. Especially these days. I don't want to be Thom Browne but I don't want to look like the world is passing me by, either.

So what if I went 44 short? (Assuming that I could find such a thing.) Would this fit without being too long? Would the drop and the waist be skewed? Are there any particular brands that I should be looking for? Is it my fate to deal with a very, very small selection?

Notes:

-Bespoke, even made-to-measure, are out of reach, cost-wise.
-I realize that I could go to a good store and be fitted, but it's late and I'm interested in what the prodigious collective knowledge on this site will bring.

 

[UteLawyer]

I gather that you like your jackets to be short? The consensus on here is that jacket tails for many brands are getting too short. But you're the one that needs to be happy.

For most suit makers, a regular will not be too long on someone who is 5'10".

 

[Charles Dana]

t's late and I'm interested in what the prodigious collective knowledge on this site will bring.

Yes--it's very late.

Rule of thumb: Late on a Saturday night is probably the worst time to ask a group of men to share their "prodigious collective knowledge."

Fortunately for you, I'm a teetotaler. Which means I can still see the keyboard. Which means I can reply that, inasmuch as MTM is not an option, you should visit Brooks Brothers and J. Press in person and use the trial-and-error method.

Good luck!

 

[Matt S]

You're in the middle of the regular height range. With almost all jackets being made shorter than they ever have been, a 44R is the length you need. A 44S would look like a women's jacket on you.

 

[winghus]

If I lived in Brooklyn I would go here:

https://www.lsmensclothing.com/custom-suits-new-york/

custom made suits from "$695-$1195."
ready made from good brands "from $375 to $695 for suits, $195 to $575 for sportcoats and overcoats $225 to $625 (including cashmere)."

Make an appointment when Izzy is there to measure you as he is considered legendary in the business ( according to several articles I've read about the place).

I've considered taking the wife to NYC and going by LS and getting measured and a suit made as a secondary goal while doing the tourist thing. Once they had a pattern on file for me I wouldn't need to go back in person for future orders.

 

[stuffedsuperdud]

At 5'10" unless your proportions are quite odd, a 44R should be fine. That said, I am 5'9" but get a 44S whenever I can because I have the torso of someone who is 5'11" but the legs of someone who is 5'6", and a 44R covers my butt and passes the hand curl test but accentuates my relatively short legs. A 44S on the other hand leaves a hint of butt visible but is more balanced overall. It also has the benefit of me not having to pay to have the sleeves shortened.

If this is you, then Hart Schaffner Marx, Lands' End, and Mens Wearhouse's Joseph Abboud Made in USA line all come in 44S's and make up the bulk of my OTR suits. For SuitSupply I actually wear a 46S, which fits me beautifully. One thing to watch out for is that the button stance doesn't get too high for you, but I think as long as that's not an issue, you're all set.

 

[FortGreene]

A little more information may help. I'm one of those people cursed with good taste and not enough money to fund it. These days, I'm pretty much limited to Century 21 and whatever I can scrounge of eBay, along with odd sale that I might happen to stumble into.

My last three suits were a Gianluca, a Velentino and Samuelsohn. As I said earlier, I'm not trying to achieve the Thom Browne look—hey, who put this in the dryer?—but, at the same time, I don't want to look like the last 15 years have passed me by while I was in Des Moines.

All of those brands—especially the gorgeous Gianluca—look like they'd prefer to be worn a little shorter. Stuffed Duperdad makes a good argument that if I want to stay trad, 44 short is not the way to go. But what about someone looking for a more modern silhouette?

 

[JBierly]

Your torso, legs, and arm length matter also. If 44S covers most of your butt and the arm length is good then that may be a better OTR fit. I understand that you don't want to look like you're in a 80s vintage suit but as you mention - Thom Browne isn't a good look for most men:

 

[Mike Petrik]

Take the advice of Matt S. Aside from a few traditional makers most offerings today are already shorter than traditional, so a regular should usually give you what you want.

 

[stuffedsuperdud]

I'm going to reiterate that, unless your body has strange proportions, an R (~31" from base of collar to hem) will work best for you. A "modern silhouette" is fast fashion, and that never lasts; a happy medium will. You don't want something that you'll look at next year and worry that it is too small. The Midwestern banker suit you're afraid of, its real problem is not in the length but in its overly padded shoulders, high button stance, boxy cut, and hard three-button (not 3-roll-2) config, all of which are more examples of fast fashion, just the other way.

But if you insist...the Lands' End Year'Rounder suit in "tailored fit" might work for you. With their frequent discounts, you should be able to get one for under $200. I wear it in 44S and can attest that the length is probably what you have in mind. Fabric is a comfy and breathable wrinkle-resistant tropical wool. Just a hint of structure to the shoulders. Not your grandpa's suit by any means. Sometimes available in many colors, but right now they only seem to have stock of the basic blues and grays.

 

[medhat]

You be you. In Brooklyn/NYC, you've got plenty of options, although Nordstrom Rack comes to mind off the top of my head. Go there, try on suits in a price range and size that works for you. Ask friends for recommendations for a good tailor (they probably wont know, so go to fallback option of checking out a few in person and see what they have hanging around in the shop waiting to be done - IMO busier is better). Try and be specific about what you want tailored and how you want it to fit; I suspect given your previous comments regarding jacket length that you'll want the pants uncuffed and no break; tell the tailor. Actually, thinking as I type, finding a tailor in Brooklyn that should be able to deliver for you shouldn't be a problem. Good luck.

 

[CLTesquire]

FYI a 44R does not equal 31 inches in length these days. For instance, I had to buy a semi long in one model of Samuelsohn to get to 30.5 inches in length and a long in another model is either 30.75 or 31 even. I have to wear a long in Belvest to get to beyond 30 inches and I think a regular from Corneliani is no longer than 30.

All of this leads me to conclude that, absent a long torso/short leg scenario, a regular is probably correct for someone who is 5’10” tall.

 

[TheBarbaron]

You're in the middle of the regular height range. With almost all jackets being made shorter than they ever have been, a 44R is the length you need. A 44S would look like a women's jacket on you.

Much as I prefer to defer to Matt (whose knowledge is prodigious, and whose taste is exquisite), I will cordially disagree. Even in today's shorter jacket climate, a lot of makers skew a little long on the jacket for my tastes. I'm 6'2", and every mediocre salesperson puts me in a Long - the problem is that I'm 70% legs, and a long jacket, comes down well past my first thumb knuckle and covers several inches beyond my seat.

It depends on your build and your taste, but I'm betting you could do a short in many traditional makers with no difficulties (beyond accounting for a shorter pant rise in a nested OTR suit, which can be tough). If you're buying something in a very modern cut, a R will likely suffice.

 

[JBierly]

FYI a 44R does not equal 31 inches in length these days. For instance, I had to buy a semi long in one model of Samuelsohn to get to 30.5 inches in length and a long in another model is either 30.75 or 31 even. I have to wear a long in Belvest to get to beyond 30 inches and I think a regular from Corneliani is no longer than 30.

All of this leads me to conclude that, absent a long torso/short leg scenario, a regular is probably correct for someone who is 5'10" tall.

I think there is still some variability within manufacturers but certainly buyer beware - especially if you are buying by mail order and having it altered after the fact. There are a lot of 28.5 inch jackets in 42R out there. Always best to try it on first or buy from a reputable retailer that allows easy returns.

 

[JBierly]

Much as I prefer to defer to Matt (whose knowledge is prodigious, and whose taste is exquisite), I will cordially disagree. Even in today's shorter jacket climate, a lot of makers skew a little long on the jacket for my tastes. I'm 6'2", and every mediocre salesperson puts me in a Long - the problem is that I'm 70% legs, and a long jacket, comes down well past my first thumb knuckle and covers several inches beyond my seat.

It depends on your build and your taste, but I'm betting you could do a short in many traditional makers with no difficulties (beyond accounting for a shorter pant rise in a nested OTR suit, which can be tough). If you're buying something in a very modern cut, a R will likely suffice.

Body type always has to be taken into account. For those who are well off the norm they probably will be best served by MTM/Bespoke. I think you also bring up the point of trying to maintain balance. If one is "all legs" should they go with a slightly longer jacket just to maintain overall balance? (granted, several inches may be too much)

 

[TheBarbaron]

Body type always has to be taken into account. For those who are well off the norm they probably will be best served by MTM/Bespoke. I think you also bring up the point of trying to maintain balance. If one is "all legs" should they go with a slightly longer jacket just to maintain overall balance? (granted, several inches may be too much)

I've seen the argument, but I don't mind leaning into being tall and (slightly) thin - I prefer it to my longer jackets from a few years ago. However, I can understand the impulse that a 7'0" gent might want to deemphasize their long legs.

 

[Mike Petrik]

Body type always has to be taken into account. For those who are well off the norm they probably will be best served by MTM/Bespoke. I think you also bring up the point of trying to maintain balance. If one is "all legs" should they go with a slightly longer jacket just to maintain overall balance? (granted, several inches may be too much)

I am 6'3" mostly legs. I go with tall, or even extra tall to compensate for mostly legs. The idea of going shorter does not make sense to me.

 

[BasilTexas]

At 5'10" unless your proportions are quite odd, a 44R should be fine. That said, I am 5'9" but get a 44S whenever I can because I have the torso of someone who is 5'11" but the legs of someone who is 5'6", and a 44R covers my butt and passes the hand curl test but accentuates my relatively short legs. A 44S on the other hand leaves a hint of butt visible but is more balanced overall. It also has the benefit of me not having to pay to have the sleeves shortened.

If this is you, then Hart Schaffner Marx, Lands' End, and Mens Wearhouse's Joseph Abboud Made in USA line all come in 44S's and make up the bulk of my OTR suits. For SuitSupply I actually wear a 46S, which fits me beautifully. One thing to watch out for is that the button stance doesn't get too high for you, but I think as long as that's not an issue, you're all set.

I have bought MTM & custom suits & custom tuxedos from Mens Wearhouse, among many other clothing items over the years.

You get what you pay for, & the quality of fabric I chose & the fit ended up being fine. Their customer service & customer interaction has been getting more crude as the years go on.

Now their online order process has become a nightmare to deal with them. I go to their store to pick up my online order & an item is missing. They say their other store about 5 miles down the street has what I need to complete the order. They Fedex my incomplete order to their other store, & now they can't find my order.

They are nothing to try and make it right. With all the business I have given them over the years, they should be able to take care of their customer and make this right for me.

Beware!