If you’ve been in the market for a new suit at least once in the past few years, you probably know your options: Fully custom (or bespoke), made-to-measure, or “off the rack”.
Even if bespoke
In this (hopefully ongoing) series, I won’t necessarily comment in depth about the particular company, or the details of the suit characteristics beyond what is necessary.
What I want to focus on in this series is fit: How it fits right out of the box, what turned out perfectly, and what I need to alter to get to 100%.
Hopefully this series gives you more confidence in ordering made-to-measure
Today, we’re checking out the Black Lapel suit.
First Impressions
This particular unboxing article has been a long time comin’.
BL sent me this suit during the release of their Fall / Winter collection. I included it in an article where we discussed maximizing your suit’s versatility, but haven’t had a chance to show you what the suit looked like in detail.
The
This is my third BL suit, by the way, so while you’d think I’d have the perfect fit by now, my measurements have changed from year to year. I always opt to retake all of them, just to be sure.
What fits well
When I try on a jacket, I want it to feel as if I’m putting on armor. I expect the jacket to perfectly contour my upper torso, chest, and back, all the way to down to the waist where the jacket is buttoned. From there, it gently tapers out as expected.
Based on the description above, this suit is almost perfectly spot on, right out of the box.
The jacket hugs nicely across the back and chest; snug enough without feeling tight and restrictive. The shoulders end where they should.
The pants’ rise feels perfect, with the waistband above my hips, right where I like it. The upper leg is non-restrictive and a bit roomy… a choice I made, since I don’t like how
The pants have a half break, and the silhouette is more of a straight leg.
More on the pants in a bit.
What needs altering
In an ideal world, you won’t need further alterations on MTM
You’ll have to see a tailor to get it to 100%, and that’s okay, because once you update your profile and measurements on the store’s website, your next suit should fit much better.
In my case, I only need minor alterations for this Black Lapel suit.
When I try on a jacket, I want it to feel as if I’m putting on armor. I expect the jacket to perfectly contour my upper torso, chest, and back.
Remember how I described earlier that a jacket should fit like armor? Mine feels perfect in the shoulders, chest, and back, but I need to take in the waist a few inches.
This may have been my fault; I might have chosen to measure a bit more loosely in the stomach area, thinking that it’s always easier to get it taken in than let out.
There’s also a chance BL leaves a little room for error, which adds a few more cm to the size of the waist… who knows. In any case, once I take the waist in a couple inches, the jacket will fit flawlessly.
The pants in general have a more conservative silhouette. I believe I padded my measurements a bit here as well. (I ordered their Slim fit, by the way. In my experience, it’s the right amount of slim—think modern and contemporary—without feeling skinny.)
I like how the pants feel in the seat and thighs, which makes me know I took the right measurements for my rise. (Pro tip: Measure your rise as instructed in their videos WITH pants on. Just sayin’.)
I do plan on having the pants slimmed down a bit from the knee to the hem, to give it a more tapered look.
Lastly, the waist is slightly large, to where the pants bunch when I fasten my belt. I’ll probably take in 0.5″ – 1″ at the waist.
Get One Of Your Own
(updated 5/17/2017) I don’t believe the navy plaid cloth exists anymore, but doesn’t matter, Black Lapel has a great selection of fabrics.
Keep in mind, Black Lapel has a Flawless Fit Guarantee, and offers up to $75 credit for any alterations done by your tailor.
Lastly, you can schedule an in-person appointment if you’re living in or planning on visiting NYC.
TELL ME
What are your experiences with MTM
- Tried it once, loved it, never looked back?
- Bad first experience, never doing it again?
- Decent experience other than a few hiccups, willing to try once more?
Let me know in the comments below.
If you like the first article in this MTM Showdown series, tell me what other online MTM companies you are curious about and want to see!
