There are several elements to consider when purchasing your first bespoke suit, none more so than in the selection of your Tailor. This choice should be based on an inherent trust in your tailor’s ability to guide you through the cloth selection process, the style and cut of your hand-sewn suit.
At Cad & the Dandy advice is given on the suitability of the weight, composition and the finish of the cloth, as well as the tone of colour in relation to the wearer’s hair colour, eye colour and skin tone. If a patterned cloth were selected then a recommended scale of repeat would be suggested in relation to the individual’s height and breadth.
Your choice of cloth is of equal importance to your style or cut of suit. A cheaper imported cloth may seem financially preferable, but the best quality cloths are produced in the UK and Italy.
Cad and the Dandy work solely with UK and Italian mills; with an ad vocation towards UK produced cloths, as they are superior to all for their handling and sewing. We would always advise to create your garment from 100% natural fibres and natural fibre blends, such as lamb’s wool, linens, silks, mohair and cashmere due to their superiority in breathability, drape and durability with longer lasting surface quality.
Synthetics such as polyester or polyester blended cloths create garments that fade in colour, and loose structure or shape over a relatively short period of wear. Natural fibres create living breathing cloths that do not require the same extensive level of cleaning as man-made fibres. This is often why an inferior cloth becomes shiny or patchy as the synthetic content has tired or worn to the surface of the fabric.
The traditional bespoke, fully hand-sewn suit is of an unparalleled construction. The inner workings of the chest piece are made from linen and horsehair and through a series of tiny hand-sewn stitches, with subtle change in tension, we manipulate the chest shape to achieve a more defined silhouette of curvature and structure from the wearer’s chest through to the suppression of the waist. Also the full floating canvas, offers a more breathable and malleable inner skin to the jacket, as opposed to a machine made garment that is fixed throughout as it is fused which often results in a flatter drape to the body.
From your precise measurements a hand drafted paper pattern is created, this is then used to mark out and cut the creation of your ‘Baste’ fitting. The baste is a lightly tacked together initial mock-up or outer shell of your garment. From your baste fitting the tailor will carry out an in-depth assessment of the fit, balance and proportion of your garments. The baste will then be ripped back down into the garment panel sections, with any fine-tuning or tweaking being transposed to the paper pattern to ensure a perfect fit for any future orders.
Once the garment is completed a final fitting is required. At this stage your garment will display the hand-sewn buttonholes on the sleeves, lapel and jacket front, as well as the hand-sewn top stitching around the top collar, lapels, jacket front frames and the pocket flaps. The lining selected from your initial consultation has now also been sewn in by hand for the ultimate in hand finishing. Any minor alterations or tweaks if any, are also noted for adjustment to your paper pattern.
This is the suit that every man wants.
A suit in a classic plain navy or charcoal grey is often considered the staple piece in any man’s working attire whilst also being an excellent foundation to build on. Both will match perfectly with a variety of colours of shirts and ties, whether plain or patterned allowing you to create a number of interesting looks. The navy jacket can also be worn alone as a blazer for less formal occasions. Once you have these two staple suit colours other garments of timeless style would include introducing textures and patterns such as a Hopsack, a Herringbone, a Prince of Wales, a Glen Check, a Window or a Pin Stripe. Remember at Cad and the Dandy your tailor is there to guide you through the selection process so whether it is a new suit for work, a wedding suit, a casual weekend jacket or you fancy a three piece tweed suit– we will work with you to ensure a harmonious balance of the correct cloth choice, the style and cut of your suit for the occasion.
