“Yes the suit is losing momentum”
“Costume is for those who tell their tales”
“Ah but that’s it, you are inserted on the right”
“No, but are you going to a wedding or something?”
These are the stupid prejudices that we can hear about costumes, and in general about the so-called “sartorial” world.
This annoys me because the costume is a very beautiful world, with know-how, elegance, color.
And in this new episode, I wanted to tell you what I think about all that, what I like about the costume.
My opinion on colors
For the question of what color to choose for your costume, I invite you to read our articles on the subject . To summarize, in the case of formal men's clothing, apart from anthracite and blue for going to work in a bank or a consulting firm, there are not many other possibilities.
But as soon as you want to wear a “pleasure” suit, the choice of colors is a little wider.
Personally, the Pitti Uomo show opened my mind a lot about the possible colors of a suit , I remind you that I made a video on the subject if you want to know more.
Overall, I always stay in shades of blue but which also oscillate with green, like the suit I wore in my video "In Benoit's wardrobe" .
I also love the greige/sand/earth colored suits . I find that it works equally well for sunny winter and summer days.
Look at the one of James Bond when he is in Morocco, I find it really adapted to the context and the weather.
When you mix it with wool, linen and silk blends, and why not a few patterns, it's just magnificent.
There's another suit color I'd like to try, and that's pine green . For summer it's great, but it has to be in a super relaxed atmosphere.
My opinion on the reasons
I don't like it at all when the patterns stand out too clearly on the fabric, I like it when there is a slight mottling, as if a line had been drawn with chalk or pastel.
The chalk stripe of our navy joggers
On the summer side, the Prince of Wales from the Summertime range by Loro Piana is a huge success in my opinion, because the heather is magnificent.
Yes, our airy Loro Piana wool/linen/silk suits are in a fabric from the Summertime range
My opinion on jacket lapels
So between a straight, visually “square” notch and an acute, visually “sharp” notch, I like both!
But I admit, I have a slight preference for the sharp notch : I find that it adds a certain presence to the jacket.
Besides, I have two blue blazers, one with a straight notch and another with a sharp notch.
I'm quite reserved about oversized lapels, as I find that the bigger it is, the more difficult it is to make it fall correctly.
Regarding the size of the lapels, I think that like many people, I am a little tired of the small lapels measuring 5 cm that we had for ten years.
Now for lapels of 8, 9 or 10cm or more, for a much more timeless look to the jacket.
My opinion on interfacing
As a reminder, here are the three main constructions of jackets
I don't really like the entry-level heat-sealed one. So even though great progress has been made on the iron-on adhesives used, I find that the jacket falls less fluidly than a semi-interlining.
So for me, in terms of the best quality/price/hanging ratio, the semi-canvass is very good, and it is now a classic construction on blazers between €300 and €500.
I would also like to give you my opinion on the complete interfacing , a fantasy object for anyone interested in costume.
It is the most high-end jacket construction, the longest, the one that requires the most know-how, and therefore the most expensive, by far!
It's more flexible to wear, more breathable (it seems), and the fit is better.
What do I think about it, as someone who wears full canvas from time to time?
You have real added value, but I find that the difference is less felt than when you go from full heat-sealed entry-level to semi-canvased in the mid-range.
It is indeed more flexible, and more comfortable, but not twice or three times more than a semi-canvassed one.
Once again this is my opinion, and some will tell you that there is a gulf between full canvas and semi-canvass.
Unfortunately, complete interlining is expensive , even if in recent years, Chinese workshops have started to make it, and you can find a little more accessible at SuitSupply in their Jort range or at Cowt Paris.
For our part, we also offer a canvas suit .
Finally, there is a jacket construction that I want to continue to explore, which is when everything is very unstructured , like the blazer I wear in this video, which comes from Atelier Mesure .
An unstructured jacket is soft: you can pinch the shoulder in your hand without there being any resistance. Good quality jacket
You have the impression of wearing a shirt, it's very pleasant, especially in summer: it's flexible, it's light, in short it's happiness!
Warning: since the structuring elements at the chest and shoulders are reduced to a minimum, you will inevitably have more folds forming, this will have nothing to do with the very clean and structured drape of a jacket from the brand Husbands for example.
Unfortunately, it is a construction that requires a good workshop, so it is rarely found in ready-to-wear, but in half-measures it is already much more common.
My opinion on tailor-made
Small vocabulary point: I will not talk here about large measure , also called “bespoke”, because not everyone has the means to spend €6,000 for a suit, even if it is the most prestigious in terms of construction .
Here, I'm going to talk about half-measures , the one where you put on a template and we adjust it to your body shape.
The offering has become much more democratized, and today, it's really nice to be able to do things that can't be found in ready-to-wear. It’s also an opportunity to try more fanciful things.
Because if it's just to go to work, if you have a body type that's easy to dress, you might as well go to ready-to-wear and do some alterations, it's much less time consuming and certainly less expensive.
As for brands, I like:
- Measurement Workshop
- Ardentes Clipei
- L'Officine Paris
- The Francs Tireurs
- Jean-Manuel Moreau
Beware of the myth “custom-made = jacket that will fit well every time”
This is not necessarily true, because even depending on the fabric you have chosen, its weight, its drape or its natural stretch, you can have creases that will form in one case and not in the other.
Also forget the fact that you can ask for absolutely anything and everything : that’s called “tailor-made”
Personally, in half measures I obviously expect a very good fit on me, but I know that it can never be 100% as good as bespoke. Maybe 80% or 90%, and that suits me just fine!
My opinion on the three-room
I have never fallen for the three-piece, because even if it means going more formal, I prefer the double-breasted suit.
If I have to do it, I think I'll have fun with a fancier fabric to break up this very formal look.
On the other hand, something that I really like, and that I've seen quite a bit at Pitti in winter, is the three-piece, but with a mismatched vest , different from the jacket and pants. This brings richness to the outfit while breaking up the ceremonial side.
My opinion on the double-breasted suit
I'm going to keep it simple, the double-breasted suit is super classy , it gives a very nice presence!
I think that the Kingsman films were the best ambassadors to the general public, while the crusader suffered from a somewhat outdated image.
The only drawback is that if the jacket is open, I find the fit a little more unpredictable than on a straight, uncrossed jacket.
I think my next suit will be double-breasted. It’s definitely a setup that makes me want to wear the costume even when going for a walk on the weekend.
You see the cross, I find that when you put it on, something really happens, you want to have an elegant life, and mega-class moments, you want to have beauty and quality around You.
The question of mismatch
Mismatching means wearing a suit jacket with different pants.
Quite frankly, I encourage you to do it: it allows you to have a dressy, elegant outfit, but less formal than the complete, matching suit.
Besides, at Pitti Umo, that's the first thing that struck me: I think there are more mismatched outfits than men in full suits.
Mismatched works even better when you have fabrics with a little personality.
Because if it's to take a jacket with an ultra classic navy blue fabric to go to work with basic charcoal gray pants, then it risks being a little sad.
The details I like
Among lovers of sartorial art, you have two schools: those who want very sober things, but perfectly executed and those who like it when there are handmade details like the Italians know how to do so well, even if it doesn't doesn't serve much purpose other than to show off.
Honestly, I who don't have to wear a costume every day, even if it means wearing a costume, might as well put a little soul into it, and I love all these details that are as useless as they are pretty.
For example, I really like it when there are travettos everywhere, these tiny straps supposedly to reinforce certain sensitive points.
I also like a double row of tailoring stitches on the lapels or even the shoulders, I think it gives a huge character, while others will find it in bad taste.
As for pants, over the years, I like more and more when the belts are wide and there are lots of closing buttons. So yes, it's more of a hassle than a simple zip to go to the toilet, but I find it very beautiful!
As for the cuffs of the pants, I prefer without them, it's just not my thing, I think visually it can put a little strain on the ankle.
That said, I always say that in life you have to be open-minded, and I also want to try that.
Another detail that I like is the row of tailor stitches on the seam of the pants. Here too, it takes time to do by hand, and it serves no purpose other than to impress your friends.
Oh, and my tailor friend Sidney whispers in my ear that the one who makes the pants is not a pants maker but a culottes maker!
