Business Network SW member sartorially featured
A fabulous feature on Bristol Business Network member – David Minns – A Suit That Fits.com
Article is featured in Lansdown Place magazine
Lansdown Place Magazine is published quarterly and provides a tantalizing mix of lifestyle features to it’s discerning readership.
A Suit, That Fits
Author: Peter Robinson
Shouldn’t be that hard, surely. Finding a half-decent suit that fits, that does the job, that combines some modicum of comfort and style. But that’s just it: it’s a half measure, an ode to ‘what will do’. It’s not even really a question of cost. A good suit shouldn’t need to cost the earth. It should, however, fit the individual wearing it, from the collar to the hem, like a glove. Peter Robinson gets suited and booted.
Never experienced being looked after by tailor then Peter describes the experience…
My experience with David, however, was a much different affair. I wasn’t just looking for a nice suit. I was looking for advice, some evidence of an understanding of cut, education on fabric weight, contrasting colour usage on the stitching detail. Women have hundreds of options when it comes to clothes. After suits and shirts, men have, well, nothing really. Jeans, jackets, jumpers, etc. Different cuts and material, yes, but nowhere near the amount of options. Luckily, I have a love of sartorial styling, so I really was a kid in a sweet shop. A precocious twelve year old, no doubt.
The measuring process for a suit is meticulous. I know the basic three, but there must have been over thirty specific measurements. David asked me about lapels, notched, peaked, then pockets, flapped, curved, button down. These details are what make a suit bespoke. Do you want the last buttonhole on the cuff to colour-match the lining? Three buttons, five, or six?
The questions I asked were vainer: what sort of pleat would minimise the stomach? What jacket would accentuate the chest, not the handles? The same things that I imagine anyone would ask. A good suit can hide imperfections and can be very kind to the wearer, though it can’t perform miracles.
Once we had agreed, what seemed like a thousand minute details, we moved onto the tricky questions. Colour and cloth. I wasn’t looking for anything too extravagant. My general nature steers me towards ostentatious clothes, but over the past year, I have tried to tone down my choices in an effort to build a somewhat sensible wardrobe.
So, could David work with me to choose a suit that was both suitable for work, but stylish enough to wear of an evening? We decided upon a three piece Prince of Wales design of blended wool in light brown with powder blue melton under collar, and light blue lining – which match the blue overlay check in the cloth. The inside of the jacket is ‘for me’ I’m told. I love the colour but I think the brown is light enough to look like a subtle grey. The anticipation begins.
Please join me in raising a glass to the new style guide at Lansdown Place Magazine. That’s right, I could think of no better accolade than to immediately dragoon David into editorial service. Such was the quality of the suit and his advice. You can find David’s first article in the May issue of Lansdown Place Magazine. I insist you get a copy for that alone.
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