Indochino

[The Knize]

I just had a couple of suits arrive that was measure for and ordered at a local Indochino brick and mortar. I am pretty impressed. The price seems amazing and the quality very good. Fabric selection could have been more extensive, I suppose. (We are talking suits, here. My younger son is happy with suits he has gotten from Indochine, but has his shirts made to measure by someone else and says he has not had good luck with Indochine for shirts. Says the the fabric seems thin for one thing.)

I intend to go back to the store tomorrow for to have them look over things get exact measurements into their system if any changes seem appropriate. One sleeve seems slightly long and I would say the trousers on at least one of the suits seems a tad long, but not very much too long.

I wondered if anyone on B&B wanted to trade on experiences there, including custom choices made, and at any other of the made to measure outfits that seem to be around these days. Frankly, I think I would be willing to pay more for a step up in quality, although I am not sure what that would be. Fabric, maybe. Although what I got seems quite acceptable.

I did not go for an addtional pair of trousers. I may go ahead and do that. Getting a second pair is advice I would normally give others. I do not know yet if I love these suits. I do not usually buy black suits, and one of theses seems a lot blacker than it looked in the store. It has a some thread and another color in a pattern in the fabric, but it is more subtle than I had remembered.

I have lost some weight over the past year and suddenly I have quite a few decent suits that fit!

 

[The Knize]

Hmmm. Popular thread, eh?

I guess I will report further on my experiences. One disappointment is that the trousers came out a bit long. Probably my fault. Indochino tells me that for them to do it, it will take three weeks. They seem to be very busy. Apparently, Indochino corporate will reimburse up to $70 in alterations costs done else where. I guess that it for the entire order of two suits. I like the guy I have been using as my alterations tailor and I trust his sense of trouser length. He can get it done in less than three weeks, surely. I think he charges $30, whcih is not bad for a good suit, but seems a lot for Costco khakis!

Actually, I do not mind having him have an overall look at the suits anyway!

Otherwise, I am very happy with both suits and have gotten compliments on both. I do not think that one sleeve came out actually longer than the other after all.

I wish I had looked into getting the tousers lined.

 

[IBieberhoff]

Okay, I’ll bite! Interesting thread. I have heard a good deal about Indochino over the years but never gave them a try.

I know some folks who really like SuitSupply as well but don’t have a feel for relative quality or pricing. Overall do you feel that you got good value?

 

[The Knize]

I feel like I got excellent value, and the process was rather painless. I have not tried SuitSupply. I thiink the reputaton is that SuitSupply has more and better fabrics and has become quite a bit more expensive than when it started and is more than Indochino. Also that Ss may be geared to a slimmer, younger fit, which does not help me!

So far I am very happy. The trousers can out a bit long, as I said above. Turns out Indochino will pay up to $150 for alterations for the suits in total, and my alterations tailor only charges $25 to shorten the trouses. I wanted him to check the fit on the rest of suits, and he thought everything else was good. For instance, one sleeve was not shorter than the other.

 

[TheShaun]

I have a suit from them and wouldn't rule out another but I've always got my eye out for deals. I'm lucky to fit jackets off the rack very well and with little alteration to the pants required. I would say that all but one of my other suits are of better quality than the Indochino and roughly the same or less price.

 

[Doc4]

Indochino

Indochine

Auto correct getting you?

I have not used Indochino or Indochine, but seeing their store in the mall, the vibe I get is that they want to make a "modern" suit with skinny trousers and low waist ... tight jacket with short body ... not the classic look I want.

Maybe I am wrong but ...

 

[TheShaun]

When I got my suit I told the sales guy I wanted a more classic fit. The jacket came out perfectly. The trousers were so tight I could barely sit without fear of bursting the seams. He thought they looked great, I told him to make me a new pair, which they did.

 

[The Knize]

Auto correct getting you?

I would like to be able to blame autocorrect, but I doubt that I can!

but seeing their store in the mall, the vibe I get is that they want to make a "modern" suit with skinny trousers and low waist ... tight jacket with short body ... not the classic look I want.

I think their website refers to a fit that it slimmer than some but not a full modern slim fit. Something like that. Seemed like a pretty tradtional fit on me. Maybe slimmer than some, but I have lost wight and I like it. I would have thought that asking for a more classic fit would get one what they wanted. I think they very much aim to please. Not sure why it did not take for TSB!

Also, I did not perceive the Indochino jacket as tending toward short. I suppose I am not all that tall, though.

I hate to say how cheap I have gone on other suits, but I have bought a couple of Lands End "Tailored Fit Comfort First Year 'Rounder" wool suits recently and I have been very happy with the fit. I tried one in "Traditonal Fit" in the same size and was absolutely swimming in the jacket. I guess I actually ended up with Traditional Fit suit pants for one of the suits, because they were out of Tailored Fit. I think they work, but are a bit full. It is not like I am think at this point!

I am guessing the LE quality is not top notch. I think good enough for me, at least while still farily new as a day to day sort of beater suit.

It is nice to fit at least some suit brand that fits pretty well off the rack. That has been my experience from time to time over the years, but is not consistent across brands!

I would say that all but one of my other suits are of better quality than the Indochino

I seem to have suits of various brands that I have paid a variety of prices for. I think it is too early to say too much about Inchochino quality. I would say the fabrics are nothing of the quality fo the couple of Oxxford suits I have. And for that matter the Oxxford suits just look terrific. Better than the LE suits, I think. Maybe not as good as the Hart, Schaffer and Marx, but the fit is better.

 

[The Knize]

the vibe I get is that they want to make a "modern" suit with skinny trousers and low waist ... tight jacket with short body ... not the classic look I want.

I just had a look at the Indochino website. Judging by the suit they seem to be showing on their "perfect fit" page, I can sure see why you would get that vibe. That is a very short, tight jacket. I guess I do not know about the waist height. I suppose at least the trousers seem about the right length I would think featuring that suit would lose them some business. For one thing, not many of us are going to have that particular mode's build. Other photos seem a tad less radical.

When I was being fitted I did not notice that the jacket would have been short. I asked for and the suit jacket to be what I consider the traditional length of my being able to just curl my fingers around the bottom edge when I am standing up straight. And they came out that way.

I could not find Indochino's description if its overall goal as to fit!

 

[The Knize]

Here is a link to the page displaying the suit I was writing about. Get a Suit with a Tailored Fit - Do it at Home in 10 Minutes - https://www.indochino.com/suits/fit I thought it showed up here Endless Options to Personalize your Custom Suit with Indochino - https://www.indochino.com/suits/personalization and here Custom Suits You Will Want to Wear Everyday | Indochino - https://www.indochino.com/suits , too, but those are subtly different suits. I like the peaked lapels. I do not love the one button, but that is probably more me. On one of those pages, for jacket length it is said: "Your jacket should be long enough to cover all of your rear." I think I agree with that. It is just that this pictured jacket does not seem to do that!

On one of these, the jacket pockets have no flaps. I guess one button and no flaps could be considered a nod to trendy, away from traditional.

I mentioned that I had read that Suit Supply tends to sun to the slimmer. I have no idea. Glancing at the suits displayed on Suit Supplies webpages there seems to be quite a variety in suit jacket length.

I just got an email from Indochino telling me certain suits are on sale for a short time for between $369 and $399. That seems well-priced to me, considering there will be no alterations costs, and the selection is not bad. I forget what I paid exactly Might have been two for $750 or $795, something in that order of magnitude. These are not super quality suits, but they are good enough for many of my purposes. I would be willing to pay more for better fabrics, but the fabrics I got were not too bad.

Somewhere I noticed that there was a full canvas option with for Indochino. That sounds intriguing, but I cannot find the reference. There is some criticism of Indochino on-line for using a half canvas that involves some fusing.

I have told you all more than I know!

 

[The Knize]

I have bought a couple of Lands End "Tailored Fit Comfort First Year 'Rounder" wool suits recently

Hmmm. Seems like one of these suits was in fact over 95% wool with a bit of Lycra. The other is actually 52% polyester and 42% wool, so not really a wool suit. If I had been paying attention I do not think I would have bought something that was not nearly 100% wool, even for cheap! It looks okay for now, but I doubt that over time it will really look like a wool suit.

So be careful with LE!

 

[Doc4]

Seemed like a pretty tradtional fit on me. Maybe slimmer than some, but I have lost wight and I like it.

Congrats on the weight loss!

Also, I did not perceive the Indochino jacket as tending toward short. I suppose I am not all that tall, though.

I'd like the traditional length/cut, just like Cary Grant in N/NW.

... rather than Daniel Craig Bond.

I am guessing the LE quality is not top notch. I think good enough for me, at least while still farily new as a day to day sort of beater suit.

Kudos to you in wearing suits so often that you would have a "day-to-day beater suit"!

suit jacket to be what I consider the traditional length of my being able to just curl my fingers around the bottom edge when I am standing up straight. And they came out that way.

I am glad they could accommodate the "old school suit" style request.

The other thing that I would worry about, beyond the jacket cut, is the modern trousers with low rise and skinny legs.

 

[The Knize]

Congrats on the weight loss!

Better living through chemistry! It seems I managed to live long enough for pharma to come up with drugs that genuinely help what ails me. Not just weight as a cause of other maladies, but apparently direct effects on the prevention of developing things like diabetes, heart disease, even cancer, I read. Although they insist on charging a small fortune for them, at least in the States. A heck of a lot cheaper to get ahead of weight and this other stuff now, that to attempt to treat it later with radical stuff!

They did not actually seem to do anything special as to the suit coat length. They have you try on a test jacket of sorts after they take a bunch of measurements and it seemed to fall about right to me, as I recall. I agree the Indochino photos seem to show shorter.

<I'd like the traditional length/cut, just like Cary Grant in N/NW.>
I think I am with you on that. I really thought the conventional way to determine where the bottom of a suit coat ended was, like I I said, to curl the fingers and the bottom of the coat should fall right where I guess they are called your second knuckles bend. Now I find various other tests on the internet, most of which are shorter, such as where the meat of one's palm meats the start of the fingers, the second knuckle of the thumb, or even higher. Craig's suit is not the shortest, at least it reaches to the bottom of his crotch. I do not love his jacket anyway and do not really get it. It is tight. My mother would say that the jacket "pulls" at the center button. The sleeves seem too short and too tight. The pocket flaps seem out of proportion (too large) with the lapels. Actually, the pockets seem set a little low. The shoulders and lapels look great. The V and the width of the tie look right. Overall it seems intentionally designed to seem too small by conventional looks.

Carey's jacket seems a little dated to me. Maybe I am influenced unknowingly by a modern move to shorter jackets. But I think it is more than that. I think the pocket might be set lower on a more modern suit coat without making the suit coat any shorter. I like the 2 1/2 button roll!

Also there seems to be a bunch of on-line writing about how a shorter guy should wear his suit jackets shorter and a taller guy longer. I do not know if I agree with that. I remember reading that short suit sizes actually made on look shorter. I think maybe there are proportions that seem normal for a suit and one is best to try to hit those.

<Kudos to you in wearing suits so often that you would have a "day-to-day beater suit"!>
I wore suits most of my professional career and only in recent years have gone more casual. I think I am going back to suits. I think what I do justifies them and I just think it is a better presentation.

<The other thing that I would worry about, beyond the jacket cut, is the modern trousers with low rise and skinny legs.>

I think what I got is a slimmer fit than usual. I do not know about the rise. Does not seem obnoxious though. I think one can get pleats if they want. I predict pleats will come back. They always do!

I always get cuffs and I make sure not to get them too short. I did have to have these shortened.

 

[Doc4]

the conventional way to determine where the bottom of a suit coat ended was, like I I said, to curl the fingers and the bottom of the coat should fall right where I guess they are called your second knuckles bend.

Agreed. That is how to do it for a timeless look.

I do not love his jacket anyway and do not really get it. It is tight. My mother would say that the jacket "pulls" at the center button. The sleeves seem too short and too tight.

His jacket is bad. It was the cause of some internet commentary when the film first came out, along the lines of "the modern slim-fit short-cut suit fad has gone too far" with people noting all the stuff you did.

The one thing I will note ... not in the suit's favour ... but at least to minimise the criticism is that the sleeves IMHO are not too long ... but are bunched at the elbows making them look too long. But that goes back to the sleeves being too slim. So ... tomayto tomahto.

Also there seems to be a bunch of on-line writing about how a shorter guy should wear his suit jackets shorter and a taller guy longer. I do not know if I agree with that.

The "hacks" to hide height irregularity tend to be the sort of thing that give off the vibe of trying to hide the irregularity due to some sort of insecurity about it. So you just illuminate your insecurity. Don't ... just dress well and normally, and live with the height or lack thereof.

Like when you see a portly gent wearing vertical stripes ...

I think one can get pleats if they want. I predict pleats will come back. They always do!

Indeed.

I always get cuffs and I make sure not to get them too short.

My general rule of thumb is cuffs with pleats and no cuffs with flat front.

But then cuffs with lightweight trouser material (needs the extra weight at the bottom to get good drape) and no cuffs with thick material.

I did have to have these shortened.

I'd rather the trousers come too long and get shortened to the right length, than have them a bit too short to begin with.

 

[The Knize]

the sleeves IMHO are not too long ... but are bunched at the elbows making them look too long. But that goes back to the sleeves being too slim.

That is fair. It is hard to tell where the sleeves would fall in relation to his shirt if he were just standing there. I have also started wearing more double cuffed shirts. I was not completely above wearing such cuffs with a sports coat, but it never seemed right to me. Much better with a suit. I suppose suit coat sleeves should be a bit shorter with double rather than barrel cuffs, but I have never tried to make a distinction among my suits in that regard! I should look up some of the discussion of this Daniel Craig suit. If I recall, he wore a dinner jacket/tux with a regular business shirt and without a cummerbund or waistcoat in one movie, which generated some discussion. I do not think the James Bond of the books would have worn any of these things! I like that Bond the best. I do forget what the books said about his suits, etc. Saville Row bespoke?

The "hacks" to hide height irregularity tend to be the sort of thing that give off the vibe of trying to hide the irregularity due to some sort of insecurity about it. So you just illuminate your insecurity. Don't ... just dress well and normally, and live with the height or lack thereof.

Well-said. It does seem to me that regular sizes in short do some odd things, like make the pocket of a suit coat much closer to the bottom of the coat, which is noticeable and I do not think does a think to make one look taller.

<Like when you see a portly gent wearing vertical stripes ...>

Great illustration. I do like pin or chalk striped suits. I do not think plaid or window pane is all that flattering on me, although one of these Indochino suit is Glenn Plaid. Seems like a one point most of my suits were chalk striped! I guess that is seen a very formal or something.

My general rule of thumb is cuffs with pleats and no cuffs with flat front.

That is definitely an old school rule in some quarters, and some knowledgeable folks will argue that cuffs should never be on flat front trousers. But I think the traditional Ivy suits, khakis, whatever were always flat front with cuffs. It is a little hard to tell on the current J Press web site, but in the past I think its models wearing full suits consistently showed flat fronts with cuffs. I do not know whether J Press ever had pleats. But I think they always had cuffs. Horrors, one of their current models is shown wearing flat fronts with cuffs, but no socks with a lot of ankle showing, wearing tassel loafers! Brooks Brothers, as I recall, back in the day seemed to show cuffs rather consistently. That appears to no longer be the case!

J Press has clearly not gone for short suit jackets!

But then cuffs with lightweight trouser material (needs the extra weight at the bottom to get good drape) and no cuffs with thick material.

That is another traditional rule. I do not think at this point I would get a suit in fabric too thick for cuffs. I seem to just have suits in all season weight fabrics these days. I think it is nice to have heavier weight in winter. Canada may call for different fabrics. I remember my father picked up a sports coat in Canada when he was there on my parents' honeymoon. He said it was so heavy, he never ended up wearing it in the States. I actually had my hands on that sports coat. It was truly heavy weight.

I'd rather the trousers come too long and get shortened to the right length, than have them a bit too short to begin with.

I suppose cuffs give one some additional security as to making sure the length is correct! By the way, when I said I always get cuffs, I meant more that that is what I tend to get in a new suit these days. I have certainly had plain bottom trousers and liked them fine. I am not sure why I seem to always get cuffs these days. My younger son, who seems to keep up with things, but also seems to have rather traditional taste, never has cuffs!

Always a pleasure, Ian!

 

[The Knize]

Wow, no kidding there is a lot of discusion of Daniel Craig' suits in the various Bond films. Which film was your photo still from, Ian? Some thoughtful and informed stuff in those discussions. Some folks did some photoshop correcting of fits I thought were very effective at getting points across.

One comment I thought was good, was that good tailoring in a suit should make it appear smooth and there is nothing smooth appearing about a suit coat that is being obviously pulled and strained in several directions! Good tailoring will make a person look better in many subtle ways.

 

[Doc4]

I think it is nice to have heavier weight in winter. Canada may call for different fabrics.

Harris tweed for one. I have a few trouser/vest combos in Harris tweed that I wear with odd jackets, and no way could those trousers take a cuff without serious impediment to one's ankles when walking. There are other fabrics, too, that are thick enough to make cuffs too bulky.

Nowadays with most of us working indoors all the time and central heating doing a good job, "dressing for winter" is a little less intense.

I suppose cuffs give one some additional security as to making sure the length is correct!

I suppose the cuffs could be let out for extra leg length, but if the plain bottoms are hemmed well (with a few inches of extra inside) then the extra fabric is there too.

I'm just thinking that if I am ordering trousers online and know I need a 34" leg, I'll order a 36" leg and get it adjusted by my tailor rather than hoping for the best with no wiggle room if one of the variables is off a bit and the trousers end up a touch too short.

I am not sure why I seem to always get cuffs these days.

You are just developing your personal style. Nothing wrong with that ... in fact, something very good with that.

Which film was your photo still from, Ian?

Dunno.

Google image search tossed it up and I remembered it from the "that suit sucks" uproar from years ago.

For what it's worth, there were other photos of Daniel Craig, presumably as Bond, where he was wearing a more flattering suit. Perhaps he or the film crew took the criticism to heart.

 

[The Knize]

I can see real Harris Tweed suits/slacks being to heavy for cuffs. I bet most "tweed" suits I have seen and/or owned have been some lighter knock off fabric that is lighter. But good point there!

I think that photo is from No Time to Die. As I side, there is a whole lot of writing about Craig's suits in the various Bond films. I have not really kept with those films since Craig took over, I admit. Various commenters seem to think Craig started out dressed pretty well--I guess Casio Royale was the first film--became, shall we say, overly fashionable for a time, and has gotten more traditional in the most recent films. People are really into it and strongly opinionated. Some fun stuff to read. Sort of calls out to the nerd that is clearly within me! But I do not have the patience.

Some suggested that Craig wore a particular suit one way in non-action scenes and had the same suit in a looser fit for the action scenes. Sounds like someone must have had an interest in pushing a particular style of suit.

<Perhaps he or the film crew took the criticism to heart.>

I would say they did. The criticism on-line was harsh and pretty extensive. I was impressed. Men's suits do not usually get that much discussion on the web. And the consensus is that Craig started dressing much better on screen in these films after awhile.

I agree that properly hemmed suit pants should leave quite a bit of material for future adjustments to lengthen, but I would not count on it either.

You are just developing your personal style.

Nice of you to say. I guess it just seems to me I used to tend toward more variety. Cuffs and no cuffs. Double vents and single vents. (I am not drawn to single vents at all these days.) I guess I have never done double-breasted. I have developed a bit of a liking for peaked lapels, but I am sure not going to get every suit in peaked lapels. I do not seem to have an interest in any suit coat pockets other than standard, parallel to the floor pockets with flaps.

I guess it turns out I like a fancy lining.

 

[The Knize]

Yikes, this thread is starting to disturb me a bit. I never worried about whether my suit coats seemed out of date because they were too long before now! One thing I thought about is that in the past I have been around more people wearing suits, so I had a better idea of what the current "norm" was for things.

I am sure that like everything else, longer jackets will be back in fashion, soon enough.

I do think dressing toward that Ivy/trad J Press style helps keep things from appearing too out of style. Although it seems to me there was a time not that long ago when that style tended more toward 3 button or at least 2.5 button jackets. I do think it is nice that neck ties seem to have settled on a width of 3.25 inches.

 

[Doc4]

Let's see ...

Double vents and single vents. (I am not drawn to single vents at all these days.)

Agreed.

My first suit was unvented. Quite a good, sleek look, but not when you try to put your hand in your pocket. Vents are better for "action" moves (and so less formal) but IMHO a vented suit is just fine for business use. Double vents allow for a more graceful hand-in-pocket, while the single vent has a tendency to flare open in an undignified manner (here's me bum!) if the suit is at all well fitted or a bit too tight, and even moreso when reaching into the pocket.

I guess I have never done double-breasted.

I did once, decades ago. I did not like it as it was a low-cut V and my tie kept falling out when I leaned over. That, and the added button to fuss around with inside did not appeal. I have a hankering to try one again, but with higher button stance or more buttons, but of course I have far too many suits already to justify buying another.

Mine would have been a "2A" with a low button stance. Not ideal.

I have developed a bit of a liking for peaked lapels, but I am sure not going to get every suit in peaked lapels.

Peaked lapels are standard for double-breasted, but very uncommon for single-breasted. ... but perfectly allowable for single breasted. If you are doing that, you are definitely developing your own style and to be commended.

I do not seem to have an interest in any suit coat pockets other than standard, parallel to the floor pockets with flaps.

I'm fond of a ticket pocket. Probably because I tend to like "English" suit styles. I much prefer the look of jetted pockets (IE: no flaps) but had a bad experience years ago standing up quickly and catching a jetted pocket on a chair arm, so do appreciate the functionality of the flap.

I guess it turns out I like a fancy lining.

I like the linings that are quiet. Some (cheaper and more durable) linings are fine until you try to move around, and then you think you are wearing a grass skirt. IMHO this is one of the biggest benefits of the more expensive suit ... getting a better, quieter lining.