Whatever Suits You

[the_gneech]

I had written off Men's Wearhouse in my suit search, on the grounds that almost everything I ever want to buy there always stops two sizes below mine. As my size changes up or down, their selection does as well, to always maintain this precious balance.

So instead, after checking the Austin Horrible Golf Clothes For Oversize Old Men Big & Tall website and confirming that yes, they are indeed open Sundays from noon until 4:00 p.m., we went over there, only to find a locked door and a sign that said "Closed Sundays in July and August."

...

Guess they're doing market research out on the golf course. ¬.¬ Whatever they're doing, they're not getting my business.

So in a desperation move, on the way home I went ahead and went into Men's Wearhouse and said to the salesman, "I'm 6'2.5", 33 inseam, 54" chest. Have you got anything for me?" Instead of the regretful, "sorry, we stop two sizes below that" I was expecting, he said, "Of course, sir, step right this way!"

Once jaw was picked up off the floor, I started trying on suits. It turns out that my chest measurement has gone up considerably since the last time I bought a suit (no big surprise, it's been a long time), so I ended up in a 60... with sleeves way too long and trousers falling off completely. Go fig! But the standard procedure is "fit the biggest part and take in the rest," and so that's what we proceeded to do.

I ended up with one of these:



...and with their end-of-summer-sale I picked up one of these for +$100:



...except in a tweedy gray-brown which for some reason they don't have on the website, but which I quite liked.

A few minutes of fitting and adjusting later, and they were off to the in-house tailor for fitting. I made a point of getting them to add buttons for bracers as well-- if I'm going to spend the money on a nice suit, I'm going all the way and getting it tricked out the way I want. Bracers, pleats, and cuffs, baybeh!

So this time next week, I'll have two very fancy suits and will be ready for the wedding. And Men's Wearhouse made a fairly hefty sale (including two shirts and two pair of bracers to go with the suits), while Austin's Big & Tall will have continued to fail to get any money from me.

The dapper gent has spoken. ;)

-The Gneech

Comments

[dhlawrence.livejournal.com]

Nicely done!

If you're ever up in the Detroit area, hop across the border to Freeds of Windsor. Fantastic service there. Rumour is even the Detroit Pistons cross the border to shop there.

[anthony-lion.livejournal.com]

Bracers?

So, you're planning to do this number?

Jahn Teigen, Norway's entry to the 1978 Eurovision Song contest.
For one reason, we didn't get a single point, but it was the song hummed across Europe that summer, and the shops were sold out of bracers...
(The 'good stuff' is at 3:20 and out, but the song starts at 1:12 and it really is a good song.)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Uhhh... no. I won't be doing that. ¬.¬

[anthony-lion.livejournal.com]

What?

The jump or pulling on the bracers?

And here's an English version of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eTBmu8p-ng

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

The bracer-pull. The jump is unlikely too, but as least I don't object to that on moral grounds like I do the bracer-pull. ;)

-TG

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I've lost weight (about 50%), but was once larger than you currently are. In fact, at one point you drew a sketch of me as a handsome, dapper dragon (I am none of those things) and I was startled as the drawn character was slender. My mental image has still not quite caught up, and I've lost another 50 pounds or so since then. You looked good when I saw you a few weeks ago, and I'll bet you'll be even more impressive in those suits!

In any event, I've had better luck with some big/tall shops, but wound up using a custom tailor to produce suits that were not as expensive as you'd think. And they could do things like allow for the sort of billfold/portfolio I used to carry (a wallet with a sort of smart-phone built in; this was more than a decade ago). And they would make my left French cuff on shirts larger than the right to allow for the watch. These suits lasted for years, and came out of the shipping box fitting perfectly.

I just checked; the one I was using only serves California -- but I am certain that East Coast equivalents are available.

Best wishes!

===|==============/ Level Head

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I do tend to "draw thin," but in your case I was just sticking to the model. :) I have to admit I was startled by your height change at AC... I hope things are progressing well on that front?

As for the suits and such, thanks! :) My flab/muscle ratio started to creep up noticeably in the past six months, alas, but I'm hoping that trend has been nipped in the bud and hopefully will reverse shortly.

I have considered going bespoke (which is similar to, but not the same as, going for broke), but the main thing that's stopped me so far is not even knowing where to begin to look. :) I have in mind a winter coat that I'm pretty sure does not exist in reality and would have to be made from scratch.

-The Gneech

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, sir! =^_^=

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

-TG

[genecatlow.livejournal.com]

Excellent taste, as always!