Matthew Aperry--Review: Matthewaperry--The A Suit That Fits Suit Review

Big fan of extra layers of fabric like this at the hem.

Like the buttonholes, clean and discreet at the boutonniere, well done.

Very happy with the slide tab closure. It is done smoothly and has enough lining to keep a good shape.

I haven’t seen side tabs where the waistband is a little thinner where the tab is, but I like it.

Big fan of the breast pocket.

Like the pattern matching around the flap pockets and sleeveheads, that on the back is also well done.

Although it doesn’t look it, the boutonniere is functioning, I just need to finish opening the seam. Big points for the loop below the hole to help keep flowers in place. However, for a jacket of this price, it would be better if the collar fabric was folded to underneath the collar, that would ensure the collar lining would not show from the side. They also forgot to take out the basting thread (at least I think that’s what that is) on the collar, but that is easily removed by cutting it and pulling it out.

The lining at the sleevehead looks to be machine stitched on the bottom and hand stitched on the top. It is better to have hand stitching on the top, as it allows for slightly better movement at the shoulder.

Clean around the flap pockets.

The interior of the jacket is clean and the stitching around the pockets is well done.

Nice shanking around the buttons.

The pattern matching at the sleevehead is done quite well, which I would expect at this price point. Well done.

The pattern matching for the flap pockets is done very well. The more complex the pattern the harder this is to match well.

Hard to see with the blurry photo, but the buttonholes are clean and pretty discreet, which is what you want.

I opted for non functioning buttonholes to make any adjustments to sleeve length easier. However, they add a stitching that imitates buttonholes, something that I am not a fan of. However, I am sure you can request no stitching. I love hearing about new made to measure/custom suit operations. It means competition in the markerplace is increasing, which ideally will push each maker to produce a better product and differentiate themselves in some way. Theoretically, this will benefit the customers. This review of A Suit That Fits will kick off new round of reviews over the next week or so; suits from Dragon Inside and Matthew A Perry and socks from Mes Chaussettes Rouges will be the subjects of three other reviews over the next few weeks.

But back to point, A cusom Suit That Fits is not a new suit company, only a new entrant to the American market. ASTF has spent the past few years refining its model over in its home country of England before crossing the Atlantic to bestow is pleasantries upon us Americans. Clearly this was time well spent, as they make a fine suit and the whole process (just shy of 2 months from first fitting to final delivery with alterations) did go very smoothly.

Like every other online custom shop ASTF gives you the option to input your measurements and choose your fabric online. However, they are also pushing for people to meet with them in person. Which as of now is only available in NYC. As always, I recommend meeting with the company if possible. I met with Shao and Warren (one of the founders) at their office space in the Metlife building. We spent a few hours chatting, going through swatch books and taking measurements (don’t worry, your appointment will not take that long). I decided on a suit made up of a stunning brown and cream Glen Plaid with a rust windowpane from Loro Piana (somewhere in the $1,700 ballpark, the jacket was comped and I paid for the pants).

I would be remiss if I did not mention that A Suit That Fits boasts that it can meet pretty much any request a customer may have (such at buttoning point or gorge height) if the normal options are not sufficient. But in contrast to its competitors, who do not charge for various options, ASTF charges more for certain options, which I thought was interesting and am not sure how much I like that method. Anyway, I should also note that their fabric selection is much more extensive on their UK site and they can make suits for American customers from fabrics on the UK site. So I recommend you browse both sites thoroughly when evaluating whether or not A Suit That Fits is right for you.

The options selected for the jacket were as follows, which is half canvassed: single breasted, 2-button, notch lapel, flapped slanted pockets, ticket pocket, non-functioning sleeve buttons, side vents. The shoulders of the jacket are lightly padded, they are not built up to the point of what many think of for an English suit, but also not as light as what you would get from Black Lapel or Indochino. The options for the pants were as follows: no pleats, cuffs, side tabs, suspender buttons, 2 rear pockets. Additionally, I asked for a high gorge on the jacket and a specific buttoning point on the jacket. Thankfully, all of my selections and requests were met successfully.

The measurement process was similar to others that I have taken part in. All of the usual body measurements and then a few measurements from the suit I was wearing. As was the case with the options, the measurements came out well and the only alteration that needed to be made was to shorten the pants by about an inch. To my taste, both the jacket and pants fit well. I don’t feel that there is too much or too little fabric; more importantly, I am comfortable wearing the suit.

The big question is whether or not the suit is a good value and if I recommend A Suit That Fits. As there are less expensive online operations (based off of ASTFs entry level suits), so is ASTF worth the extra money? Yes, as long as the suit and options you want are within your budget. Between the US and UK sites the fabric selection is perhaps the best on web, at least of the companies I have dealt with (not counting MyTailor, which is not really an online operation), which for someone like myself who has sometimes rather particular tastes, this is a good thing. The same can be said about the various options and requests that they will accommodate (Knot Standard and MyTailor are the only places that are comparable on this). Additionally, the quality of the build of the suit is also to a good level, to what my amateur judgement can tell (see photos below). In short, the resulting suit is one that I am very happy with, one that will get a lot of use and good enough to merit patronizing A Suit That Fits again. If you have any questions or comments of your own, sound off in the comments.

Big fan of extra layers of fabric like this at the hem. - See more at: http://www.thefineyounggentleman.com/suits/a-suit-that-fits-suit-review/#sthash.SI2B9r7R.dpuf