Suits for XS Guys

meanredspider

My son, Charlie, got his place at Cambridge University (Queens' for anyone that cares) reading Natural Sciences. A fairy tale having missed 1.5 years of school when he was 13 -15 yo.

Anyhow, the brutal chemo at that age for over a year means that he's smaller than he might be - about 5'3". He also exercises a lot and eats well so he's only 52+kg. I know there's one or two smaller guys on here. Where should he be looking to buy a good suit that he needs for university? Not many places do men's suits with 28" waists. Ideas would be really helpful.

itboffin

Thats excellent news matey you all must be over the moon but really you can't find a suit with a 28" waist? Thats not that small i had the same until I met my wife 17 years ago.

If you really can't find something in that size most places will adjust an off the peg suit, lewins or Austin reed for example

UndercoverElephant

https://www.ravistailor.com

I have a great suit made to measure by these guys in Thailand. Enter your measurements and choose the fabric and it arrives after a couple of weeks. If you chose he cheaper fabrics, they come in at about £250 and will look better than anything off the peg, IMO.

veronese68

Can't help with the suit, but well done to the lad that's excellent.

mpdouglas

You could try T M Lewin - they do 28" waist, 34" chest, short sleeve length and trouser length down to 26". And Skinny Fit. All at pretty reasonable prices.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686080#p19686080]itboffin[/url] wrote:

Thats excellent news matey you all must be over the moon but really you can't find a suit with a 28" waist? Thats not that small i had the same until I met my wife 17 years ago.

If you really can't find something in that size most places will adjust an off the peg suit, lewins or Austin reed for example

We've struggled a bit at the usual places - M&S don't and John Lewis have no stock anywhere apparently. TBH - Inverness isn't the best place is the world for suit shopping (kilts yes - suits no)(and, yes, I have suggested he go in Highland dress: though he's an English boy born in Belgium).

Will check out Lewins (thanks both for the suggestion).

UndercoverElephant wrote:

<span class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://www.ravistailor.com</span&gt;

I have a great suit made to measure by these guys in Thailand. Enter your measurements and choose the fabric and it arrives after a couple of weeks. If you chose he cheaper fabrics, they come in at about £250 and will look better than anything off the peg, IMO.

Interesting suggestion - he'll need quite some tailoring done to whatever he buys I think - especially the trousers.

I'm half tempted to push the boat out and get him something made in this country as he's the kind of kid that looks after his stuff. It'll almost certainly be worth it when he graduates.

meanredspider

Thanks for the kind comments about him getting in. I'm so happy for him.

itboffin

If lewins doesn't workout email me as Austin reed are one of my clients so I get staff discount for which brings their stuff slightly more reasonable, excellent quality.

I must admit I haven't worn a suit to work for more than 15 years except when I go to meet a new client and then I wear hand made one off as some else posted above. If he's looking for occasional wear I have an amazing tailor.

Fun really because men look so good in a proper suit and yet hardly anyone wears one anymore.

rick_chasey

Ah, welcome to my world.

Have to wear a suit all day.

I'm 5ft7, (171), 28 waist. 36 shoulders (just) but my chest is very narrow so if I wear an off the peg suit I look like i'm wearing my dad's.

I got a few off the peg suits at M&S which did work, but I had to order those online.

Otherwise, I have to go to made-to-measure outlets to get my suits.

I bought 3 suits at http://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php when I was in Cambridge and they lasted (in rotation) for a good 3-5 years.

They're great for the value, as long as you have a sharp eye and don't mind telling them when it's not right (they'll just fix it asap).

Edit: oh, and well done, obviously.

magoo289

M&S look for 'short' sizes. M&S are clearing their stock to bring in their winter lines or try their outlet store.

Also try Remus Uomo and Burtons.

rick_chasey

Ooooor....

Get him to buy it when he's in Cambridge .

rjsterry

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686119#p19686119]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

I'm half tempted to push the boat out and get him something made in this country as he's the kind of kid that looks after his stuff. It'll almost certainly be worth it when he graduates.

This. Money very well spent. It's not as though he'll be wearing it every day, so it should last him years.

And well done MRSjr, of course.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686244#p19686244]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

Ooooor....

Get him to buy it when he's in Cambridge .

I think he needs it from the start though. Even if we went to Athony's (where I used to buy my suits in Cambridge), it would still take a week or so to have it altered.

seajays

Have you tried Slaters in Inverness? https://www.slaters.co.uk/stores/index/view/?id=27

keyser__soze

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686290#p19686290]rjsterry[/url] wrote:

This. Money very well spent. It's not as though he'll be wearing it every day, so it should last him years.

It'll probably get a fair bit of wear in Tabland - lots of formal hall-style dinners and drinks parties that require suits. Given the inevitable beer/wine spills, probably better to get a cheap suit to complement any more expensive one. Bear in mind he'll also probably end up needing a dinner jacket too.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686361#p19686361]Seajays[/url] wrote:

Have you tried Slaters in Inverness? https://www.slaters.co.uk/stores/index/view/?id=27

That's on our list for this week - my last two suits have come from there - the stock is a bit limited though

imatfaal

First off congratulations.

Friend of mine has this problem but always manages to look well turned out - just IM'd him "hawes and curtis do decent cheap slim fits"

BTW Austin Read online sales are really worth looking out for once you have sizing dialled in correctly. Last sale I picked up two suits for total of 149

jedster

Well done him!

I'd second Lewin's if you decide not to push the boat out - quite a few slim fit styles and good VFM I think.

If you do spend more then I really recommend getting two pairs of trousers - typically costs 20-30% more but doubles the life of the suit. It seems a lot of money at the time but it's really a no brainer. You probably don't need to go all the way to made to measure - shops selling good off the peg suits should know all about measuring for alterations and have a good tame tailor. You do need to get the shoulder width right, everything else can be adjusted.

meanredspider

Cool - thanks for the suggestions and kind thoughts too.

Also got to sort him out with some shoes that look OK but allow him to wear his orthotic (for dropped foot and shorter left leg).

Another job is to sort him with a bike. I'm wondering if he'd get on with my Brompton. His issue is that to get on/off his road bike, he has to lay it flat because he can't swing his leg over the bike. The Brompton is more step-thru. Might also be good for carrying books/computer etc. Besides, I no longer need it.

spasypaddy

congrats!

if you go to somewhere like next/topman you can probably get super slim fitted suits for about £120. might be all thats necessary for a student!

corriebee1

That's amazing news MRS! Congrat's to you and to the boy wonder.

Now. Forget worrying about the suit, and just make sure you send him up/down here with some bloomin' sense on a bicycle! I don't want to have to add him to my hit-list of red light running, pavement cycling, head-phone and mobile phone using student plonkers who try to end their highly educated existences up and down Hills Road/Regent Street every day!

rick_chasey

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686543#p19686543]corriebee1[/url] wrote:

That's amazing news MRS! Congrat's to you and to the boy wonder.

Now. Forget worrying about the suit, and just make sure you send him up/down here with some bloomin' sense on a bicycle! I don't want to have to add him to my hit-list of red light running, pavement cycling, head-phone and mobile phone using student plonkers who try to end their highly educated existences up and down Hills Road/Regent Street every day!

That'll be 6th form students at Hills Road .

imatfaal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686536#p19686536]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

Cool - thanks for the suggestions and kind thoughts too.

Also got to sort him out with some shoes that look OK but allow him to wear his orthotic (for dropped foot and shorter left leg).

Another job is to sort him with a bike. I'm wondering if he'd get on with my Brompton. His issue is that to get on/off his road bike, he has to lay it flat because he can't swing his leg over the bike. The Brompton is more step-thru. Might also be good for carrying books/computer etc. Besides, I no longer need it.

Totally seperately - if you are visiting the Cambridge scholar and are campers rather than b&b-ers can I suggest Houghton Mill Campsite. It's National Trust and about 10km from Cambridge - which is almost as close as you can get with a car in term time :-)

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686571#p19686571]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686543#p19686543]corriebee1[/url] wrote:

That's amazing news MRS! Congrat's to you and to the boy wonder.

Now. Forget worrying about the suit, and just make sure you send him up/down here with some bloomin' sense on a bicycle! I don't want to have to add him to my hit-list of red light running, pavement cycling, head-phone and mobile phone using student plonkers who try to end their highly educated existences up and down Hills Road/Regent Street every day!

That'll be 6th form students at Hills Road .

Ha - I used to work (my own Co.) on Jesus Lane and ride in from Gt Shelford - I used to play Chicken with the tsunami of students riding out of the city centre towards lectures. I'm hoping Queens' will be pretty close to the Natural Sciences faculty.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686577#p19686577]imatfaal[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686536#p19686536]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

Cool - thanks for the suggestions and kind thoughts too.

Also got to sort him out with some shoes that look OK but allow him to wear his orthotic (for dropped foot and shorter left leg).

Another job is to sort him with a bike. I'm wondering if he'd get on with my Brompton. His issue is that to get on/off his road bike, he has to lay it flat because he can't swing his leg over the bike. The Brompton is more step-thru. Might also be good for carrying books/computer etc. Besides, I no longer need it.

Totally seperately - if you are visiting the Cambridge scholar and are campers rather than b&b-ers can I suggest Houghton Mill Campsite. It's National Trust and about 10km from Cambridge - which is almost as close as you can get with a car in term time :-)

We're pretty lucky in that both sets of Charlie's grandparents live near Cambridge as does my brother but thanks for the suggestion. Poor Charlie is going to have both grandmothers fighting over taking him to tea at Fitzbillies and doing his washing and ironing (not to mention mum finding every excuse to get back to Cambridge). If I were him, I'd have chosen Oxford or, better still, MIT

imatfaal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686640#p19686640]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686577#p19686577]imatfaal[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686536#p19686536]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

Cool - thanks for the suggestions and kind thoughts too.

Also got to sort him out with some shoes that look OK but allow him to wear his orthotic (for dropped foot and shorter left leg).

Another job is to sort him with a bike. I'm wondering if he'd get on with my Brompton. His issue is that to get on/off his road bike, he has to lay it flat because he can't swing his leg over the bike. The Brompton is more step-thru. Might also be good for carrying books/computer etc. Besides, I no longer need it.

Totally seperately - if you are visiting the Cambridge scholar and are campers rather than b&b-ers can I suggest Houghton Mill Campsite. It's National Trust and about 10km from Cambridge - which is almost as close as you can get with a car in term time :-)

We're pretty lucky in that both sets of Charlie's grandparents live near Cambridge as does my brother but thanks for the suggestion. Poor Charlie is going to have both grandmothers fighting over taking him to tea at Fitzbillies and doing his washing and ironing (not to mention mum finding every excuse to get back to Cambridge). If I were him, I'd have chosen Oxford or, better still, MIT

I chose my university almost by working which was furthest from numerous relatives that my mother would send to check up on me. After a few terms regretted this as somewhere to do the laundry would have been brilliant.

rick_chasey

S'alright, Queens is fairly central. Pretty part of town.

Girton on the other hand.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19686690#p19686690]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

S'alright, Queens is fairly central. Pretty part of town.

Girton on the other hand.

Right near The Anchor where I've imbibed plenty in my time.

I lived near NIAB on Huntingdon Rd when I was a kid and cycled to school in Girton - Girton College wouldn't be an epic daily commute

rick_chasey

Haha, I know I know, you lived a street down from where I grew up remember!

ManiaMuse

I'm 5'6" about 60kg and I've had a few suits from Slaters which fitted quite well. They do free alterations when you buy them I think. You should be able to find 28" trousers easily which can always be shortened, although he may be more limited for short jacket sizes.

Boo Cambridge though.

roger_merriman

can't offer advice I rarely wear suits and am 6ft with athletic build ie trousers need to fit around calfs/thighs etc.

But great stuff, you sound proud and should be.