Tailor Made
AW Fashion’s focus this week is on suits, Carlton Brown’s suits to be exact.
It’s incredible to believe that master tailor Carlton Brown has been in business for 12 years. Of course, there were bespoke tailors before his arrival on the scene; but few have developed the cult-like status of Brown. For many of his devotees, it’s his impeccable stitching; for others it’s his ability to get them to wear colour – who knew that a pop of colour inside the jacket could stop a room? Carlton Brown!
Before you purchase another suit, take note of these tips from our beloved tailor…
• Fit trumps quality. What this means is that a suit does not have to be super-expensive – the fit, however, must be. The fit starts at the shoulder – the cost to restructure a shoulder can be the cost of a suit. OK, we exaggerate to underscore the importance of the wall test. Lean your shoulder into a wall. Your shoulder and the end of the shoulder pad should hit the wall at the same time. If the shoulder pad touches first, the shoulders are too small. If closing your button results in an X, the jacket is too tight.
• Select a well-fitting suit.
• The collar should hug the neck but not be tight. You need half an inch of your shirt collar on display
• Fabric choice and colour are very important.
• The suits in demand are the slim-fitting , two-button ones
• The suitings in demand are Super 110s & 120s. But there are men who know exactly what they want.
• Lapel pins are in demand because they have, for the most part, replaced the boutonnière. NB: It’s not for every suit. • Two-piece suits hang better on tall, lean guys.
• The double-breasted suit hangs better on a gent with a flat stomach.
• Every gentleman should own at least two French cuff shirts — naturally, you’ll need cuff links.
• Blues and shades of grey have been in demand for the past 2-3 years for bridegrooms.
• Bear in mind that a suit takes 2-3 weeks to build… with approximately 2-3 fittings. First-time suit wearers should stick to dark suits — charcoal grey or navy blue. Why? It ‘s easier.
