The Blue Redux

I have an inherent fear of tailors. There is always a sense of unmet expectations hanging in the air. It's inescapable. Yet, I go back.

Mostly because I like the guy. Unlike the big boy fantasy land of Saville Row with its hundreds of years of tradition and acres of fabric waiting to be waved under my unsuspecting eyes, my guy is different, he doesn't have the overhead. He is simply a very talented, hardworking immigrant working in his basement.

The way our deal works is I walk in with a piece of cloth, and a photo or sketch of what I want, he gives me the hairy eyeball, tells me to come back in 2 weeks for the first fitting. A week later its complete. Payment is 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. Our only major disagreement is sleeve length, but I think he is coming around, which makes me happy since he does exquisite work.

While waiting this week for the blue linen number, Steven Hitchcock, The Saville Row Tailor had a post about a completely unlined jacket he was making for a client.





It whet my appetite, and set my own expectations a little higher.

So yesterday it came home.

It's in the single button Huntsman style as shown in the top photo. Much to my surprise it didn't fit all that well in the middle. My fault, I'm losing middle inches, and since it will never have a sweater underneath, the result is baggy. Shoulders, length, sleeves, perfect. No harm though, it will be fixed by Monday. At 10 ounces its a tad heavy, rumply not wrinkly, but I knew that going in.

Pockets are deep enough to carry a bottle of wine too.

Toad