How to (still) look GOOD in a BAD suit? A guide on how to compensate for tailoring mistakes!
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
- What can you do if the suit you bought 10 years ago has become too small for you? How to deal with the infamous collar gap? What to do with a jacket that is too short? How to repair the moth holes on your garments? What to do to wear trousers that are too big for you?
In this new edition of Sartorial Talks, Sonya and Hugo tackle these subjects and more in order to help you to still look good, even in a bad suit!
00:00 Introduction by Sonya
02:42 The infamous collar gap
05:09 The poor lapel button hole
08:31 Understanding the button stance
18:22 The pockets positioning
21:10 The trousers that are too big
24:10 The jacket that is too short
26:55 The stressful moth holes
32:30 The armholes positioned too low
35:16 The buttons which are falling off
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I received a 50 year old tweed jacket from my Dad that had a moth hole in the shoulder, and I had a tailor stitch over it to stabilize the cloth, but the mend is visible. I consider it part of the story of the item, sort of a wabi sabi approach. I don't know that I'd want to do that with a more formal garment, but for something more casual like a tweed, I think it was the right choice for me.
I agree with you my friend. Sometimes these little "scars" are beautiful (sentimentally wise). All my best, Hugo
Always, always, ALWAYS label your loose buttons if they are not attached to your garment. X amount of years later and my button compartment looks like the bargain bin at MalWart.
Wise man! Hugo
Yes! When I cut the labels of a new garment, the buttons get labelled immediately with marker on the little plastic bag.
I admire both of you very much. Thank you for everything you do for the well dressed worldwide.
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement! Hugo & Sonya
Great video, luckily I had seen a past video of yours mention the low armholes; as I was looking at sport coats last week upon trying some on and lifting my arms I suddenly grew wings like some gargantuan bat!! Looked absolutely ridiculous!! But at least I knew to avoid, thank you 🙏
So glad to read this my friend! Hugo
A always - excellent episode! You guys really rock! Thank you!
You're very welcome Nick! Cheers, Hugo
I've been watching you and your wife for quite a while and I've learned so much totally from you and I have passed on what I've learned and the Napoleon test on the button stands is pure gold thank you
Thank you my friend! We love the Napoleon test!! Cheers, Hugo
Amazing topic choice! Intelligently chosen!
Many thanks! Hugo & Sonya
Fabulous video. Great information.
Many thanks my friend! Hugo
My dear Sonya, we never get exhausted from you or Hugo at all ))), thank you so much for this unique topic full of small details. Actually its all about details in Sartorial world .Both of your outfits are amazing ,Much respect & Love from Cairo.
Thanks my friend! Hugo
Dear Hugo, dear Sonia. I follow you channel since many years now, at the beginning in french, and now in french and english. You taught me the love of beautiful clothes and artisans (many neapolitan taillors, Zizolfi and Sabino). Although beautiful pieces, these clothes do not make me at ease when I wear them, I remain a jeans and basket man, when I dress up I feel like a white bear in Sahara! So my problem is not really to look good in bad suits, but not look too bad in good suits! For me that is the main problem I ask myself. Maybe a future video! But congratulations for your work in any case! Cheers
Bonsoir Olivier, many thanks for your comment. Well, my buddy Bruce Boyer used to say that if a suit suits you, you should be able to fall asleep with it! I believe that in your case it's more a problem of perception than a problem of comfort. We'll speak about this for sure one day or another. Best wishes, Hugo & Sonya
The waistcoat for me is essential..........comfort, style and temperature control especially in a job where I stand and move a lot. I never looked back after buying my first 3 piece suit ☕
I can relate to that John! Cheers, Hugo
The button stance thing is a real hangup for me. I think a lot of people would do well to choose the button stance based on their upper body-lower body proportion. Fantastic discussion on that, Sonya. I especially appreciate that.
Always illuminating and enlightening
Thank you sir! Hugo
Thank you for this informative, helpful, --and timely presentation!
With great pleasure David! Hugo & Sonya
"Timely," as I must deliver a speech this week, and you and Sonya addressed my EVERY concern about fit, fashion, and state of repair. Your enjoyable presentation provided me with advice that will boost my confidence. Thank you both, and best wishes for continued success!
0:06 e@@SARTORIALTALKS
Your videos are very interesting and relaxing at the same time, always a pleasure to watch 🙂 We don't get tired with details, many people appreciate them. Your attention to details is one of the reasons I like your videos 🙂 Waistcoats are very cool indeed, I collect them, both suit waistcoats and sportier ones (female here).
Many thanks for your kind words of encouragements Madam! Hugo
Very insightful, thanks for sharing, Hugo and Sonya. I truly appreciate it.
Regarding the lower armhole issue, it is indeed true that prevention is better than healing.
However, I happen to have a relatively cheap black funeral suit with sentimental value, making it hard to replace. And, of course, it has a lower armhole.
The solution I found, besides restricting my posture, is that leaving the button open helps make the pulling less obvious as well.
After all, if not in my situation, a fitted armhole is the way to go.
Regardless, thank you so much for the invaluable and informative video.
Many thanks for your kind words! Best, Hugo & Sonya
Aujourd'hui, j'ai regardé quelques images de l'anniversaire du débarquement des alliés en Normandie. On voyait le maitre de cérémonie, nôtre cher Président Macron, s'afficher dans un costume qui, bien que sur mesures, était un catalogue de presque tous les défauts possibles, dos trop long et devant trop court, "collar gap" et manches trop en avant. Ça ma fait penser à un excellent sketch de Fernand Raynaud, qui s'appelle... "Le Tailleur".
Tiens, je ne connais pas ce sketch (et pourtant j'adore Raynaud). Je vais m'empresser de le regarder! Merci, Amicalement, Hugo
Sonja mentioned about Paul Smith and Canada. I look a look at my Paul Smith sports jacket, and noted that it was made in Canada.
What an interesting video!
Thanks! I think she was speaking of Paul Stuart, not Paul Smith. Cheers, Hugo
You told a story about a guy having a button in the wrong spot on a suit jacket. If you are paying that much for a suit let them know and they will change it for you. Dont be afraid to speak up because that tailor wants to come back for more suits in the future. Also would love to see some content on Bespoke shorts. Just ordered 3 this week and it was a new experience.
Thanks Michael. By the way and unfortunately, when the buttoning button is done on a jacket, it's basically impossible to change it (because of the button hole my friend). Cheers, Hugo
@@SARTORIALTALKS At that point shouldn't you ask them to redo the jacket? I have never had this issue before but if it doesnt happen I hope I am not out a 1500 bucks because of a mistake.
@@MichaelWhitman On bespoke the buttons will only be added in the last step, so you should have noticed before. On mtm you can certainly ask for a redo, a good mtm operation should not make such a mistake though.
dear Sonya and Hugo, thank you for these always didactic subjects,
pleasantly surprised to understand most of what you said in English! ☺️ I myself have a few costumes from another era that will come out of the closet 😅
thank you for all that...🙏🏻
You're very welcome David! And congratulations for your English!! Hugo
@@SARTORIALTALKS ☺️🙏🏻
A very interesting video concept. Regarding the collar gaps, my initial thought is to try a different dress shirt collar style thats wider or to get a shirt that has a slightly longer collar. Unfortunately the small lapel trend seems to be extending to even shirt collars if you're buying fast fashion and big brand labels!
Dear friend, I'm afraid the length of collars have nothing to do with the infamous collar gaps. As for the small shirt collars, it's a pandemic!! All my best, Hugo
The "pinky method or little finger" I do exactly the same with my tailor, I simply place my hands on my tummy, the button line should be somewhere around, I needs to look "sprezzatura" effortlessly looking good and fitting good without me trying to hard. If the button it not near there then he adjust it as requested.
Wise man! Cheers, Hugo
Put something heavy (wallet, phone...) in your pocket to hide the collar gap
Haha that's a radical solution!! Cheers, Hugo
Wear a sling bag ior drawstring 🎒 bag to hide your collar gap 😅
Seeing collar gaps on all the highest-ups lately 😄
We can relate to that!! Cheers, Hugo & Santa
I also got into the sartorial culture thanks to the waistcoat.
I really enjoyed wearing a waistcoat without a jacket. I felt that it looked more charismatic and romantic. Like a romantic hero of a Jane Austen novel.
I sort of moved past that, but I still love waistcoats.
Unpopular opinion: one should have more waistcoats than suits or even jackets.
INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION, THANK YOU --- I WOULD PERSONALLY SUGGEST A WHOLE UA-cam SEGMENT DEDICATED TO SUIT BUTTON POSITIONING. Your conversation on buttons was intriguing but I found myself wanting many more visual examples of correctly and incorrectly done buttons on various types of suit jackets ---- for example, tuxes (often one button), two button suit jackets, and three button suit jackets, and so on. I think this is one of the most misunderstood aspects of suit jackets, fit, tailoring, etc. In fashion, we learn as much from visuals as from conversation, yes? I found the few visuals you provided insufficient........anyway, thanks again, always enjoy hearing what you both have to say.
Button stance is, indeed, extremely important! Cheers, Hugo
Most people don't know that John Lennon originally titled the song "Give Three-Piece A Chance". 😎
Haha, happy you understood the pun intended ! Cheers, Hugo
Mr. Jacomet, my preference of the button Stance of the jacket should be Lined up with the waistband of the trousers
If this works for you, then you have your personal rule fo thumb! Cheers, Hugo
Please do dwell on the details. Does putting a garment in a zip bag and freezing it augment moth eradication before storage? Or can fine woollens be damaged by freezing them? Cheers Sonya and Hugo!
Honestly, we never tried this. I'll ask my tailor! Hugo
The button hole on the lapel is for a boutonniere. A big trend the last few years, where I live anyway, is to have fabric flowers to pin there, especially in a sport coat.
Yes Gavin. I would not say it's a "big trend", but it's a nice add-on. Cheers, Hugo
A bad suit is not about money, its for tailoring facts 💞
My suits are never "bad". The time I take when having a made to measure suit is well worth it. I will stand next to a suit made from a pattern any day. My buttons on the sleeves actually open and I add a Milanese button hole as a nice touch. Additionally, my waistcoat have a nice collar.
Indeed!
You sound like a lucky man!
Funny thing is, I never had problems with moth holes. Maybe they're not common where I live (southeast Brazil), or maybe it's because I keep a very minimalistic wardrobe, so there's no time for them to get cozy on my clothes.
You're very lucky my friend! Count your blessings! Cheers, Hugo
Bonjour a vous Sonya et Hugo. Cet épisode aura-t-il un équivalent sur la chaîne en langue française ? Encore merci pour ces nombreux épisodes de qualité.
Marius
Sans doute oui ! Amicalement, Hugo
Well, no wonder invisible menders are hard to find - they are invisible, after all.
Ha! I "saw' what you did there ;-)
You're right haha! Hugo
I would think the main pocket issue pops up when a suit is shortened, the balance of the waist pockets can be thrown off.
Pocket placement is often overseen and largely misunderstood. Cheers, Hugo
Hugo, what fabric are those pants?
Good morning Mike. These are flannel pants. Cheers, Hugo
@@SARTORIALTALKS that’s what I thought. And it’s not too hot in the summer? Thanks!!
I've decided to create a chanel called the Sartorial Trucker and Gentleman and shre my Sartorial journey while being on the Road as well as Home
I have a very odd body I found sleeve length and the front button position are so important.
Sleeve length is quite basic and easy to fix, whereas button stance is crucial to anticipate because when the closing button hole is made, the game is over. Cheers, Hugo
Have you all reviewed the Bespoke suits in Thailand? Is it possible to leave Thailand with a quality suit?
We did many years ago. Some "tailors" were acceptable. But what you can't do, is to find something decent without waiting at least 4 to 5 weeks. Cheers, Hugo
@@SARTORIALTALKS 100% agree. If the suit is ready within one or two days, it can't be a good suit. Seen lots of these Thai suits and frankly if you want a good suit you will have to pay similar prices to low end mtm prices in Europe or the US. Cloth is expensive all over the world!
I get vietnam suits, it's good enuf if you don't ask for anything funny. But they'll tale your money and try anything you like (standing collar or shooting pleats) and then screw it up
@@rogerr.8507 of course they are fine. But don't expect to get a bespoke suit with 80h of work put into it with a cloth that literally costs 200€+/m at 300€ all in. Even in Vietnam such a suit would probably cost at the very least 1000€.
Chicken Foot/Zampa di Gallina does not make the stitch stronger. It is purely aesthetic. Once it was a sign of handsewn buttons which is why the Italians especially were so proud to show it off but nowadays machines can imitate it as well. (For example Savile Row tailors don't use it.) The handsewn button will always be stronger than a machinesewn if done right though! By a lot. That is why on RTW the buttons often fail so fast.
Another tip that I can give: the machine made pick stitching on RTW suits can often look very cheap, like a nail gun was used. But you can actually easily replace this one with a handsewn pick stitch. Even yourself! It is really simple, just remove the old pick stitch and then handsew a new one which will then look finer. It might even trick seasoned sartorialists into thinking your suit was handmade. Can be combined with your tip on replacing the lapelhole. I had this replacement of the lapelhole done once on a jacket btw and my tailor told me it is easier if the lapelhole has not been opened yet because the cloth can fray.
You're right, I used the wrong word (I know Zampa di Gallina more than you imagine!!). I speak here about a technique I've seen at many bespoke houses: the thread is twisted many times to create a "foot". If anybody knows the word, I would be happy to know it. Cheers, Hugo
You're right I used the wrong word (I'm very familiar with Zampa di Gallina of course). I speak here about this technique that consists of turning many times the thread at the bottom of the button at the end of the sewing process, thus creating a "foot". If anyone knows the word for this, I would be happy to learn it. Cheers, Hugo
@@SARTORIALTALKS I believe in English it is called sewing on the button with a shank.
About proper jacket-legnth: A sartorially wise, older gentleman advised that jackets "should cover nutz 'n butts"
Nice one!
Fantastic video, tailor made for me (pun not intended!!!!) with my ebay second hand suits, thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way Hugo, I think that is the "blazer" that you mention a while ago that you wanted a new pair of trousers but you tailor did not have the same material any more so you change the buttons y turn the jacket into a blazer; looks great, well done!
You're very welcome Carlos! Yes it's this blazer! Cheers, Hugo
#1 Rule, Moths are not a threat to woolens you’re using, only those you’re storing. I do not worry that little things with wings will attack them when using my suits or sweaters. That’s because if you’re wearing something, it’s out and about, it’s in the light (which clothes moths don’t like), it’s brushing up against other things, it’s being cleaned and then worn again … in other words, even if a moth did lay eggs on it, chances are very high the eggs would be destroyed or brushed off before they hatched.
#2 Rule, Don’t bring home a new wool or other organic material without having it cleaned, especially if it’s imported and/or has been stored for a while. New suits have either been hanging or the fabric was stored who knows how or where. Seriously, take it straight to the cleaners when you buy it, then bring it home. Same thing with any old yarn or sweaters. Treat them, then wash them, then use them.
#3 Don’t assume that something which has been hanging in your closet for a while is moth-free, and put it away. Treat it and/or clean it every time before you store it. Moths love the natural oils and skin our bodies leave on the fabric. Moths eat dust bunnies. Remove the supply of food and you are halfway there. Clean your closet often to get rid of any dust.
#4 Finally, rumor has it around the campfire that meat dry ageing bags work. Example UMAi, say that their bags are designed for dry-aging and are made from a "Particular semi-permeable membrane that allows oxygen to reach the meat (read organic material such as wool, Cashmere and Vicuña) while also allowing moisture to pass through the bag."
So the fabric can actually breath and dispel moisture allowing movement of clean air. Translation; Every now and again you take the vacuum sealed bag with your favorite garment and put it in the freezer and rotate your garments. No water or bacteria and freezer burn because of the bag engineered to protect delicate foods like high grade beef, fish and even pork from contamination.
I have not tried it myself yet because my suit bags have a double fold over the hanger hook that doesn't allow much room for moths to get in after the clothes have been cleaned and stored.
However the fan that is always on keeps ventilating the cupboard and the air between my suits. Dust doesn't really settle either. Moths are actually weak fliers like mosquitoes, so they avoid rotating air constantly blowing. The fan is naturally on a low setting.
Sony and Hugo look like pretty much the Same.
Same hair cut, same glasses, same suit and ties.......almost twins
Dear Regis, this is the first time I hear this!! But hey, if I look like my pretty wife, then I'm more than happy! All my best, Hugo
To fight moths:
Leave your garment in the freezer for 4 days.
Then keep it safe in a clean clothes bag.
Also: lavender oil is disliked by moths, while I quite like the scent.
Are you sure about the freezer? For the moment I don't see myself leaving a Super210s fabric in my freezer!! Cheers, Hugo
My problem is the moth holes. Smh
I believe many people share this problem! Hugo
I'm a gentleman.
I don't mind.
Haha, you're right after all!
The biggest sign of a cheap suit: Narrow lapels (or out-of-proportion lapels), skinny, low-rise trousers. Gross.
It's so hard to find a good suit that's affordable here in Australia because everyone thinks thin lapels are in style.
That's unfortunately what cheap brands are promoting these days.... Best regards, Hugo
@@JohnDoe-yq9rt I've heard great reviews of P.Johnson! You also have Suitsupply down under in Sydney I believe. Lower priced than that will probably not be good.
Shirt collar over a suit jacket will make a man look like a rube. Just get your suit altered by a tailor.
I noticed Hugo is cutting Sonya all the time. Is that necessary ? She rarely finishes a sentence, he is already talking, while she usually does not impede on his speech. À corriger, pour un gentleman ! (même si c'est plus difficile à dire qu'à faire, je le sais, je fais des podcasts)