Hey guys, Dan Thomas from Image Doctor and Improvemant.com and watch the video above or read the article below to learn the signs of a good quality suit.
Now, more than ever before it’s very hard to know when you are buying good quality clothing because price is no longer a clear indication of quality material and craftsmanship.
The term paying for a brand is very accurate in that you can often be paying an exorbitant amount of money for high end clothing brands which are actually no better in terms of quality than their competitors.
There are even many labels which are far better priced with much better quality and this is particularly the case with men’s suiting.
So today I am going to highlight the signs of a good quality suit so that you can make a more informed decision when you next purchase a suit.
CONSTRUCTION
photo credit tohttp://parisiangentleman.co.uk/
The first of the signs of a good quality suit is the construction. The construction of the suit is referring to three main construction types which is:
- Full canvassed
- Half canvassed
- Fused
photo credit towww.blog.gotstyle.ca
The whole topic of canvassing is quite in depth and I’ve actually previously posted a dedicated video which thoroughly explains each of these 3 options in detail.
I’ve included that video link below in the description field for you and today I will just give you the short version regarding suiting construction.
FULL CANVASSED
A full canvassed suit has horse hair which is stitched to the inner lining of the suit jacket and extends down the entire front length of the jacket.
Full canvassing is the highest level of suit construction because the horses hair allows the wearers body to mold to the suit creating a shape that drapes naturally and looks very sharp.
HALF CANVASSED
Half canvassed suits are basically constructed in the same way as full canvassed suits except the horse hair canvassing is only present on the chest and suit lapels and not on the lower half of the jacket.
Whilst a full canvassed suit is better quality than a half, the half canvassed suit is still great quality and a very acceptable choice.
FUSED
Fused suits represent the lowest quality suiting construction. Instead of having a lining of horse hair which has been stitched to the suits inner material, a fused suit has a thin synthetic lining which is glued in place.
As the suit is worn extensively and cleaned or dry cleaned a number of times, the likelihood of “bubbling” becomes very strong. Bubbling is when the glue separates from the suits material and the suit has visible air pockets which look like bubbles.
A fused suit is also far more rigid and won’t conform to the wearers body like a canvassed suit will. Before going suit shopping, locate the stores that you will be attending and research their website or call the store directly and ask if their suits are full canvassed, half canvassed or fused.
And don’t make the terrible mistake of assuming that all expensive suits are canvassed. I was suit shopping with a client recently anddiscovered that even stores like Hugo Boss mainly stock fused suits despite still being priced up to $1’500.
Where as a store like MJ Bale only stocks half and full canvassed suits that were between $650 and $1’200. This is yet another examplethat the more reasonably priced brandscan be better options than manyhigh end stores that are selling a brand as opposed to selling quality products.
FABRIC
The second of thesigns of a good quality suit is the fabric used to make the suit. Quality suits will be made using natural materials which is most commonly wool as well as cotton, linen and silk.
These natural materials are more durable and will breath more effectively which means they are more comfortable for the wearer and wont cause you to sweat or feel uncomfortably hot.
Suits that are made using synthetic materials like polyester will be far less durable, won’t breath well and will have a shiny appearance which are all negative aspects in terms of appearance and functionality.
There is one more key sign when it comes to the quality of fabric which is the thread count number. Like with the construction of a suit, this topic can be very confusing so I will just keep it very simple for the purpose of this video.
Essentially a suit can have a thread count or thread thickness which is graded by a numbers system from around 80 to 150 and even as high as 200. If you have ever been suit shopping then I am confident several sales attendants would have been telling you that their suits are made from the finest “super 100’s” wool or other material.
Higher thread counts such as super 120’s and 130’s produce a lighter, softer and more comfortable suit. But just keep in mind that a lighter, softer suit is not necessarily durable and may be more prone to wrinkling and wear and tear.
Instead of just seeking out the highest thread count because a sales attendant tells you it’s the best, it’s more important to consider how often you will be wearing the suit and the climate in which you live.
If you live in a cold climate, wear suits everyday and you only own one or two suits then you would actually be better off having a suit with a thread count around 100 or 110 because the added thickness will be warmer and more durable to withstand the regular wear and tear.
And if you live in a warmer climate and don’t wear suits very often, a higher thread count of 130 or 140 which produces a lighter, softer suit may be better suited to the warmer temperature and lack of durability required due to irregular wear.
BUTTONS
Buttons are the next in the signs of a good quality suit and there are actually 2 aspects to look for when inspecting the buttons:
- Button quality
- Working buttons (Surgeon cuffs)
BUTTON QUALITY
The buttons of a quality suit will be made from horn and not plastic. Quality buttons will be thick and sturdy and well stitched to the fabric.
Poor quality buttons will be thin and shiny and may be loosely stitched to the suit and look as though they may easily disconnect.
WORKING BUTTONS
photo credit tohttp://www.nannicouture.com/blog/category/uncategorized/page/6
If a suit is of good quality, the 4 0r 5 buttons on the suits jacket sleeve near the wrist will be working buttons. Working buttons means that the buttons can actually be unbuttoned and the sleeve can be rolled up your wrist.
Working buttons are not actually functional as it’s not necessary to roll your suit sleeves up. However working buttons are a strong indication of quality craftsmanship and a more carefully made suit.
So if you’re looking at new suits and the buttons near the wrist are just there for show and not actually functional, you will know that the suit is not of the highest quality.
PICK STITCHING
photo credit tohttp://suits437.rssing.com/chan-9859745/all_p4.html
Next in the signs of a good quality suit is pick stitching on the lapels. As you can see in the image below, the lapels have more noticeable stitching than what you would find on cheap off the rack suits.
Pick stitching has been done by hand as opposed to machine stitching and is one of the clear signs of a good quality suit.
EXTRA FABRIC
photo credit tohttp://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-spot-a-cheap-suit-2014-8?IR=T
The most expensive element of any suit is the fabric itself. Manufacturers looking to save costs and produce cheaper suits will use the least amount of fabric per suit to achieve these savings.
When purchasing a new suit, be sure to check how much extra fabric has been sewn to the inside of the waist of the pants, the inside of the sleeve cuff and the the inside of the pants hem at the ankle.
A good quality suit will have a lot of extra fabric sewn to the inside of these areas so that alterations can be made if the wearer was to gain or lose weight. And apoor quality suit will have very little, if any extra fabric in these areas so be sure to check for this sign.
So next time you are in the market for a good quality suit, be sure to refer back to this video and use it as a guide to ensure that the price of the suit is justified by these various signs of a good quality suit.
If this information was helpful, feel free to subscribe, like and share on social media and keep tuning back into Improvemant.comfor regular videos to improve yourself as a man.
And ifyou would like some help or guidance with your style and image, you can see all my in person and online men’s style andpersonal shoppingservices at my Image Doctor website here at Image Doctor
