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July 28, 2005
what if you only have £200?
( A hankie, simply tucked in)
Earlier this year, I wrote "If you can’t afford bespoke", which covers the main hierarchies of tailoring: "ready to wear", "made to measure", "bespoke" etc.
After receiving a lot of e-mails from English Cut readers, it’s pretty obvious that there's plenty of people out there who would love to have a handmade suit from any of the wonderful tailors on Savile Row. But the reality is; they don't come cheap. Not everybody has £2000 to spend on a garment.
What if you have only £200 to spend? [approx. $350-400 US] For that money, I’m afraid all you’ll get on Savile Row is a very good meal for you and your friends at Sartoria, a lovely restaurant on the corner of Savile Row & New Burlington Street.
Realistically, for £200 you'll probably have to settle for a standard ready-to-wear, unless you get very lucky and find a good second-hand bespoke in a charity shop (which does happen occasionally), or you happen to know the name of a good tailor in the Far East.
That being said, for £200 you actually can get a ready-to-wear decent enough to convince us in the trade that you spent more around the £600-700 mark (approx. $1000 US). Just as long as you ignore the labels and follow these points:
1. Cloth.
Pick a classic, grey or blue worsted, pin or chalk stripe in classic colours. Dreadful dark maroons and semi-turquoise blue stripes would never come from a decent tailoring company. Make sure it's wool, not polyester or any other weird-sounding fabric, the latter being usually just a disguise for cheap, synthetic rubbish.
2. Style.
Make sure you pick a classic, single-breasted, two or three button front. Never choose those dreadful four-buttons or nehru style collar suits- they reek of cheap designer rubbish and look totally stupid once you're over twenty years old. A double breasted is cool, but try to find a six button (two fastening , and only fasten the top button).
3. Detail.
Little things to look for are important; those in the know will spot them a mile off. Make sure that the lapel has a decent lapel hole. Straight and of a decent length. Ours are 1 & 1/8” long , you are unlikely to find that but still, the longer, the better.
Avoid at all costs a "keyhole lapel" hole. This is an awful clanger that’s dropped by even the most expensive designer labels. Always try to to get four buttons on the cuff and make sure they have button holes- I know they won't be actual, functioning buttonholes at that price point, but they’ll look the part. Never pick the type that just sew the buttons on to the cuff, that's a serious faux pas.
( Photo from Marks & Spencer website)
Make sure the pockets have flaps, and that there’s an out breast pocket. You often don’t spot this until you notice you’ve nowhere for your handkerchief.
4. Trousers.
There aren’t as many things to go wrong here, but if possible I’d try to avoid belt loops. We're not fans of them in the business and it can look really untidy, especially when you’re wearing your favorite Harley Davidson buckle. Try to find the trousers with those side strap adjusters, fastened with a buckle or buttons (in the trade they're called “Daks tops”).
Plain fronts are fine but if you want pleats, try to make sure they have four, and not two. Sadly, 95% of ready-to-wears have the pleats going the wrong way, i.e. reversed. I know our Italian cousins would argue the opposite, but on The Row our pleats go forward. It makes for a more flattering line on the leg. This is unlike the continental way, which throws a lot of fullness behind the thigh, which can look baggy.
5. Fit.
As it's not pure bespoke, the fit will of course be a compromise. However, you can still look pretty good, very good if you're lucky. Again, ignore the labels- just because it’s claiming to be a "posh" product doesn’t mean it’s going to fit you the best. A ready-to-wear is a pattern cutter's interpretation of which shape fits most people. A 40 Reg. from two different manufacturers can look totally different, so try them all on, and be honest with yourself. As I said in an earlier post, if you’re in between sizes, then get the larger size and have it altered for a small cost at a high street alteration specialist.
6. Accessories.
If you follow the above advice you should be looking pretty good, so don’t shoot yourself in the foot by wearing a paisley shirt with your favorite kipper tie. I know I’m being personal here, but I don’t think you can beat a clean white or pale blue shirt with a double cuff and cufflinks. Again, make sure the fit is generous; you should show cuff. Skimpy shirt sleeves are awful. Well-chosen cuff links or silk knots only cost a couple of pounds and look superb.
The tie should be silk and, like as the suit, don’t even consider polyester (I hate the word, let alone the material). Printed designs are fine, but woven is better. Again, you're not talking a fortune here if you look around. It's not mandatory, but I do like a handkerchief, silk or just plain white cotton. You can fold these or, like me, just pinch it in the middle and stuff it in, as simple as that.
Shoes and socks are not rocket science. Again, keep it classic, and above all keep them polished and shining.
Some of the links I've put in above show where you can get some decent products without spending all of your hard-earned cash. So choose wisely and I reckon you should look a regular James Bond. Keep dressing like that, and you’ll soon get a promotion and be able to enjoy more than just dinner on The Row.
[TIP:] I've said it before, and I'll say it again. For the money, the British high street retailer, Marks & Spencer's makes as good a suit as anyone. I rate them highly. [NB: I do not have any business dealings with them. Just one tailor's opinion etc.]
Posted by tom at 12:01 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 27, 2005
australian visits
[UPDATE- 11/2005: I have tentatively planned to start regular visits to Sydney, starting in June, 2006. If this idea interests you, please drop me a note.]
I get a lot of e-mails from the other side of the world, asking me if I ever visit Australia and New Zealand.
As of now, I don't visit there. But then again, neither do any of the other Savile Row tailors, as far as I know.
So, if I were to start visiting, in effect I'd be the only one. I do see a definite opportunity.
I know a good number of you reading this are from that side of the world, so allow me to make you the following proposition:
I will add Sydney to my regular visiting schedule, if I can find enough business to justify the long journey. Realistically, I would need at least a dozen good, regular customers to make it viable long-term.
Thank you.
Posted by tom at 10:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 19, 2005
button tip...
(All you need to sew on a button- needle, thread, thimble... and half a matchstick.)
Even if you pay £2000 for a suit, the sad fact is that buttons do fall off, even the ones sewn on by hand by the best Savile Row tailors.
Now I don't think for a moment that the ladies and gentlemen who read English Cut are incapable of sewing a button on. But as with everything in life, there's a right way and a wrong way to do it.
Sewing a button on correctly is particularly important with the key button on a coat, the middle waist-fastening button (With Savile Row you only button the middle button; never the top or the bottom).
The secret here is to sew the button on with enough "shank" (the amount of space allowed by the thread, between the button and the coat). Ideally you want a quarter-inch shank. Anything more makes the button droopy, anything less can make the front of your suit look too tight, even downright awful.
Yes, even something as minor as this can create a serious problem.
Obviously the Savile Row tailors will have sewn on thousands of buttons in their time, so getting the right amount of shank is easy for them. But what if you're a novice?
Here's a great tip:
Get yourself a standard wooden match, and break it in half. Place it over the top of the button, then thread the button around it, as seen in the following picture.
(nearly there)
Then once the button is good and sewn, pull the match away... the slack created by where the match used to be will give the thread that extra length needed to get the correct shank. Then finish the job by wrapping the remainder of the thread around the shank, and sewing through. Just like you would normally.
(Sewn-on button with quarter-inch shank. Voila! You learn something new every day,)
It's a simple trick, but it works every time.
PS : Ideally, you should run the thread through a piece of beeswax before sewing, or use prewaxed thread.
First, this waterproofs the thread. Secondly, beeswax acts as a lubricant, allowing the thread to be sewn in more gently. Both help to prolong the the length of time the button will stay on.
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July 18, 2005
london lounge
The London Lounge: "A forum dedicated to the art of Savile Row and sartorial elegance."
Besides English Cut, an excellent place to go find first-rate insider knowledge about Savile Row and sartoria of all sorts is The London Lounge, a forum site run by my good friend, Michael Alden.
You will find it friendly, well-mannered, and extremely informative. And when you arrive, please say 'Hello' to Mr. Alden for me.
Thank you.
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July 9, 2005
english cut broadcast & podcast
When my I was last in America, I was interviewed by Christopher Lydon on Public Radio.
Mr. Lydon has a wonderful internet-related show called show called "Radio Open Source". You may listen to it here.
Also, my tailoring colleague Jonathan Quearney and I met up with marketing mavens Johnnie Moore and James Cherkoff in London recently, where they interviewed us for a podcast.
Thanks again to Chis, Johnnie and James for making it all possible, and I hope you will give them both a listen.
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London 7/7.....
(United)
I’m sorry this isn’t related to tailoring. I’d just want to share the reaction of my customers and the readers of English Cut.
Although our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the bereaved, it encourages me that the e-mails and comments I’ve received just enforce the fact that the perpetrators of such cowardly crimes are just pathetic losers.
Gratefully, I thank God this awful business didn’t effect me personally. But more than that; it’s truly wonderful, the kindness and support that is shown by decent people around the globe.
However, London was up and running again in no time. The fact is, decent people are never going to change their lives for terrorists; exactly as the people of New York refused to do so.
When are these wicked people going to realize that they are most surely destined to fail, when they discover that they cannot gain any form of respect by such barbaric behavior.
The Union flag above is not just a patriotc gesture, it is for the United Kingdom. Which is exactly what it means- United. Something these cowards can't even comprehend.
We’ve really got to pity such fools.
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July 4, 2005
the apprentice...
(Vanessa, a brave young soul, attempting to learn pattern cutting in one week's work experience.)
I’m very pleased at the amount of interest English Cut has generated from people of all ages wanting to enter the trade, including young Vanessa here, who this week is on "work experience" from her school, William Howard. I'm receiving a lot of questions such as, "What age should I start", "Am I too old" and "How do ladies get into what appears to be a predominantly male business?"
Well, I don't have all the answers, but I’ll do my best to give you some insight.
These are the key people in a tailoring business:
A. Sales People. They are normally not directly involved with the suit's making, but usually have a first class knowledge of cloths and trimmings, and also are very aware of the business, the styles and details. This, of course, helps the customer pick the correct styles and fabrics for the right occasions. In some businesses with a CMT service (Cut, Make & Trim), a salesman will take basic measurements which are then sent to a factory for manufacture. This is not true "bespoke", but depending on the sales person's experience, this can produce a relatively good fitting suit for the money.
B. The Cutter. That’s me. OK, at English Cut I’m the salesman as well, which is the norm for a smaller outfit. As I’m sure you’re aware I’m more the architect of the suit. I take the measurements, I draft the pattern, I cut the cloth, then I send it off to the tailors for the sewing.
C. The Trimmer. These are the people who take the cut pieces of fabric and match them up with the canvas, linings and silk etc, so the suit can actually be made. And yes, that’s my job too. Again, it's usually a full-time job only in the larger houses.
D. The Tailor. These are the people who actually sew your suit together. If I am the architect, then these are the actual builders. They usually specialize: making coats, trousers or waistcoats, and some only make dressware. But like me with other roles, tailors adapt their skills. Many of the tailors will turn their hand to making anything- except for trousers, which are usually left to the specialist trouser makers.
E. Finishers. These are usually ladies who have perfected the art of hand buttonholes, felling the linings and all the hand-sewing needed to finish a coat and trousers. The nickname for them in the trade is "Kippers". This is not because they suffer from the smell of smoked fish, but that they usually worked in pairs. This is so they could more easily fend off the flirtatious advances of cutters. We cutters do have a rather undeserved reputation for that, I might add.
Besides these roles, tailors have the usual needs of any business- packers, admin staff etc- to keep it all running smoothly.
Salespeople are usually only found in the larger houses, Anderson & Sheppard, Huntsmans etc. Salespeople don’t necessarily need a background in the tailoring business, however they must be trained about fabrics etc, which in comparison to the rest of the trade can be learned in a relatively short time. One of the most successful salesmen at Anderson & Sheppard was Mr. Norman Halsey. Previously he had worked selling Rolls Royce cars, but he was an extremely stylish man who loved clothes and the business so much so, he ended up being the managing director of the company.
Usually the Managing Director is a position reserved for cutters (Mr. Halsey was a definite exception), so if you don’t want to do a seven year apprenticship earning peanuts, Sales may be a good way into the industry. The main credentials for this this is to be an interesting and empathetic character, contrary to the “Suits You, Sir” tailor stereotype.
The only downside is that the turnover required to hire a salesman must be pretty high, so opportunities are quite limited. However, this is definately an area where ladies can be very successful.
Tailors. Well, this’s where only the really dedicated should apply. It’s often perceived as a male-dominated position, however women make up a good proportion of the tailors today. In fact, I would say that one of the most talented tailors I've ever met was a young New Zealand girl called Anne Wilkins. She came knocking at the door of Anderson & Sheppard around 1991, totally untrained at the age of 22. She began working with a super tailor called Conn, who’s since passed away. However two years into her four-year apprenticship, she finished and went "on the log". The Log is a term for self-employed tailors who have finished their apprenticeship. Usually the four years is the minimum requirement, but Anne was different, she was totally dedicated and probably packed five years into her two. I’m glad she never went on to cutting or guess who’d be writing this tailoring blog instead. Anne moved back to Wellington, NZ and I gather set up on her own. If she’s reading this or if anyone knows her, please, I’d love to find out how she’s doing.
The usual requirements for a tailor are a good basic education and to be of an age between 16 and 22 years old. You would normailly be assigned to a tailor on the log who would teach you over the next few years, from how to use a thimble to how to fix a silk facing on a dinner jacket. I have to be honest- the salary is pretty poor, but in all fairness you’ll probably be a hindrence rather than a help for the early part of your training. The salary is something that you’ll be able to negotiate, depending on your age and circumstances.
Obviously you should improve over the coming months and years, so normally your mentor will slip you that little extra. This is because he’ll be self-employed, and you in theory will be helping him get more work done. As I said, it usually takes around four years to reach a standard sufficient enough for you to be let loose on a customer's coat. But depending on your ability, your mentor may suggest you train a little longer or go on the log earlier. You’ll just have to wait and see.
Once you’ve finished your training, that's were the real perfecting begins. Like most crafts, you'll never stop learning. The beauty of being a good tailor is that you should never be without work. You can operate from a Savile Row workshop or if you prefer, a garden shed in some remote part of the country. If you're a lady who starts a family, you can be sure that you’ll be able to pick up your career again, once the kids go off to school etc. In fact, you don’t even have to stop, as you can do as little or as much as you like. If you have the skill, no matter your age, sex or location you should always make a good living and truly be your own boss.
(Pat Gormley, a great tailor. Well-known, respected and great fun to share a pint of Guinness with.)
The Cutters. Well, I’m sure most would think this is the best title in the business. You certainly get to wear the nice suits and travel, meeting lots of wonderful people. But unlike the tailors who often work for two or three houses at one time, we are are loyal only to one company, or to ourselves if we have our own business ("Cat's Face", as its called in the trade).
If you work for a company, you get the usual benefits. You should have a minimum £40,000+ a year, pension, holidays etc. With good experience and a top client list you can do very well. But this is a fickle business so if business goes slow (which it does often) you may find yourself surplus to requierments, so with shears and stick under arm, a'job-hunting you’ll have to go. As with all businesses you can earn more being self-employed, but with the latter it's usually feast or famine. But unlike other businesses you’ve got to love what you do, because tailoring doesn’t scale. The problem is if you’re twice as successful, you have to work twice as hard. If it’s true bespoke you’ll never make money while you sleep. In fact, as you have so many individual personalities and their unique requirements packed inside your head, you don’t get much sleep anyway.
Tailors and cutters always argue in the pub over who’s most important, but we both know that we're as dependent on each other as “needle and thread”. It’s true the cutter will usually get all the praise for a beautiful job, but he gets to feel the full wrath if it goes wrong- something the tailors are normally spared. To decide which suits you best you’ve got to decide which you prefer: the highs and lows of a cutter's life, or the tailor's more constant, steady flow of making beautiful clothes.
A cutter's apprenticeship is seven years, three longer than the tailor's. Four years getting the tailor's apprenticeship, then three more apprenticing as a cutter.
Whereas the tailor finishes his apprenticeship and then really begins to master his art, the prodigy cutter is often singled out and invited into the cutting room, even before his apprenticeship is over. Then for anything up to three years you’ll again be assigned to a mentor, as I was with Mr Hallbery. You’ll may also be sent on a day release course to college, as I was.
Just like the apprentice tailor, you may be allowed to wield your shears ealier if you appear fit to do so. Obviously the opposite can also happen, where it can takes years before they let you loose. And in some cases it doesn't happen at all. I’ve known more than a few who haven’t made the grade, and it's heartbreaking.
Ladies are often asking me what opportunities there are for them in the business. Quite simply, they can and do the same as men, often a lot better. However the only real restriction which I've seen is that I’ve never known any ladies do the actual measuring of customers.
They’ll often get the measurements from a colleague, then go cut a suit as well as anyone, hidden in the back of the shop. But sadly many of the customers don’t feel comfortable having the 4” brass end of a tape measure thrust up between their legs by a lady.
It’s not Savile Row that's against it, people have tried. It’s the customers who are, and from a tailor's standpoint there's no point in digging your heels in- because as with all businesses, the customer ultimately is paying the wages; and nobody on Savile Row is arrogant to think otherwise.
As well as the above, opportunities can be found in little niche parts of the business- sales and admin etc. Although not directly involved with the production, these people are still very much part of a trade that feels like no other. Even accountants that have worked in lots of different businesses say there is a special feel about the tailoring trade, the way our relationship evolves with our customers.
It’s just a lot more personal than most industries, with the customer and the product always far more important than any money to be made.
As far as mastering cutting and tailoring, there’s no easy answer. Even if you’re brilliant, you've got to be humble and patient for a good few years- a quality that’s getting rarer than hen's teeth these days. But if you do have the right stuff for it, you'll never starve, and you'll never dread going to work in the morning. Can't say fairer than that.
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