Vendor question

News from High Street, for the Fashionistas among us! Couture only here please; if you can buy it off the rack, try another forum.
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crfriend
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Vendor question

Post by crfriend »

Has anyone hereon done business with a tailoring firm called "Sumissura". They specialise in made-to-measure clothing and I'm strongly tempted to commission a skirt-suit from them, but at close to $400 I'm curious if anyone has experience with them.

(Another trick will be finding someone to help with measuring my old carcass. I only have two hands and that makes measuring certain aspects of myself rather ... difficult.)
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Caultron
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Re: Vendor question

Post by Caultron »

I have no experience with Sumissura, but personally, I'd feel better dealing with someone local so I could see and feel the fabric, and so they're responsible for the suit matching the measurements. I'd also look for someone who made both men's and women's skirts. But I have no idea what that would cost, and then where I'd wear it.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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r.m.anderson
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Re: Vendor question

Post by r.m.anderson »

crfriend wrote:Has anyone hereon done business with a tailoring firm called "Sumissura". They specialise in made-to-measure clothing and I'm strongly tempted to commission a skirt-suit from them, but at close to $400 I'm curious if anyone has experience with them.

(Another trick will be finding someone to help with measuring my old carcass. I only have two hands and that makes measuring certain aspects of myself rather ... difficult.)
MEASURING AND ALTERATIONS 101

It is really not all the hard to do - just grab the tape measure (preferably cloth and not metal) and measure your vital statistics at one time of the day and
then at another (just like shopping for footwear) or do the measuring the next day.
Remember the ole carpenters rule - MEASURE TWICE AND CUT ONCE - well you get the idea - think averages !

The WAIST is the easiest if you recognize where your waist actually is:
Starting at the top:
The Empire waist just below the bra strap
The Kilt waist at the navel
The High waist about 2-4 inches below the navel
The actual waist - heaven only knows where that is or should be
The Low waist just above the hips ever so slightly smaller so the skirt - pants or what have you doesn't do a London Bridges falling down

The HIPS - that point at which the hour glass is maximus bottoming out

The RISE - the distance from the crotch bottom seam to the top of the front waist band (usually referenced with Low Waist)

The EASE factor - amount of room forward and above the twin stovepipes juncture - not a problem with skirts and dresses

The CHEST (aka the BUST) usually measured just around the body under the arm pits - tough when ones arms are raised distorting the reading
Also consider a flat measurement around the body level with the nipples (no that is for cup size LOL) but close as to a cigar

The INSEAM - that point of the juncture of the twin stove pipes to wherever is fashionable - shorts/miniskirt - bermudas/knee length skirt - capri/calf length -
ankle above at or touching the footwear or dragging in the dust off the heel

For the TOPS - total length from collar to waist - distance across the shoulders - and sleeve length (caution here Asian and women's tops tend to
be short aka 3/4 elbow length)

The COLLAR - get a rope and tie a knot hang until ??? - circumference around the (adams) apple add a couple of fingers and good to go

The HEAD - don't get a big head doing this - circumference around the clown I mean crown - need a conversion chart for interpreting the numeric size

The best measurement advice is go to a tailor and get a second opinion and discuss your intentions patterns alterations fabrics with/out lycra/spandex stretchy stuff !
Better yet if you have a mate that can do the intimate measuring (BEST leave this where it is at and make a sudden departure and leave while ahead) !

OH and "Happy BIRD*** Day ! *** Turkey Bird Thanksgiving" for those celebrating in the USA !
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Re: Vendor question

Post by skirted_in_SF »

You might wait for Kerbstone to reply. I seem to recall he had a skirt suit made in the far east a couple of years ago.
If you do go with the vendor you have found, ask them to send you a swatch of the proposed fabric. High quality suiting fabric is very expensive ($40 to well over $100 per yard at my local fabric store, Britex Fabrics here in San Francisco). I bought several yards of stretch velveteen from them several years ago and had a long skirt made from it. I don't wear it often as it turned out to not be as warm as I hoped.
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crfriend
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Re: Vendor question

Post by crfriend »

r.m.anderson wrote:It is really not all the hard to do - just grab the tape measure (preferably cloth and not metal) and measure your vital statistics at one time of the day and then at another (just like shopping for footwear) or do the measuring the next day.
OK, then, how does one measure his own sleeve length from the shoulder to the wrist (or wherever one wants the cuff to be) by himself (leaving the use of sticky-tape aside)? I, like most humans, have but two hands and arms and cannot manage the measurement without assistance (or sticky-tape).

Sticky-tape becomes an option, I guess... (It was so much easier when I had a companion...)
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Re: Vendor question

Post by beachlion »

crfriend wrote:.... Sticky-tape becomes an option, I guess... (It was so much easier when I had a companion...)
You can use elastic bands to fix a tape measure to your arm or leg. At least that is the way I did it.
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Caultron
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Re: Vendor question

Post by Caultron »

crfriend wrote:...OK, then, how does one measure his own sleeve length from the shoulder to the wrist (or wherever one wants the cuff to be) by himself (leaving the use of sticky-tape aside)? I, like most humans, have but two hands and arms and cannot manage the measurement without assistance (or sticky-tape)...
I would go to a tailor / alterations shop and ask to be measured.

They may charge you a few bucks, but they'd know what they're doing.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
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r.m.anderson
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Re: Vendor question

Post by r.m.anderson »

That is where a metal tape measure has its mettle merits.
Or you could measure your arm in fractional cubits - pieces at a time - wrist (cuff) to elbow - elbow to shoulder.
For those awkward hard to see measurements - do mirror imaging - stand in front of a mirror.
If folks here can take selfies with their cell phones anything is possible - endless possibilities.

Measuring 101 was meant to be humorous and not that part of the body "humerus" !

So how well do you measure up ? Apparently not very well - need to go to Limerick to do the Limbo ! LOL ?

I am leaving now another splash and dash smashing effort at humor !
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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crfriend
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Re: Vendor question

Post by crfriend »

r.m.anderson wrote:Measuring 101 was meant to be humorous and not that part of the body "humerus" !
'Twas taken so, hence my silliness about sticky-tape!
So how well do you measure up ? Apparently not very well - need to go to Limerick to do the Limbo ! LOL ?
Using the measuring tutorial offered on the site -- and some liberal liberties with motion and stretching -- I was able to compile the whole pile of data required (9 points in all) for a (much less expensive) shirt-dress that I'll commission as a test before commissioning a suit.
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Alea iacta est

Post by crfriend »

Well, I've gone and done it. I've commissioned a bespoke shirt-dress to see what happens. I've been commenting for some time that I think that this avenue would be a good jumping-off point, and we shall see what happens.

It's also a test-case to see if the company actually delivers properly and what the quality seems like. If it's good, I am entirely likely to commission a bespoke skirt-suit as well. I've already got most of the details I'd like down... But, spendy...
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
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JohnH
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Re: Vendor question

Post by JohnH »

With regard to the empire waist - the section of a bra where the cups are attached is called the band. The straps go over the shoulders.
The bust size is a loose measurement around the largest part of the chest, over the chest mounds.
The chest size which is the band size of the bra may be measured just below the underarms or under the chest mounds and is measured tight.

Of course if you are flat-chested the bust and chest size are the same.

John
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Re: Vendor question

Post by weeladdie18 »

One problem with formal skirts is that the male waist measurement may increase and decrease seasonally.....Some of my straight skirts have elastic in the
on the hip area of the waistband......at present I am wearing a traditional male tweed sports jacket with my skirts.....

I do not consider that an off the peg female jacket is tight enough on my hips...I gave up the idea of finding an off the peg skirt suit.

What is the cost of a female suit ...off the peg....with alterations to both skirt and jacket....? ...........I gave up on this one.

The next issue is a male weight skirt suit....The female jacket is normally lighter weight than the male jacket.

Next move is to check out the local dry cleaners for a local seamstress......
there again you might find a tailor to make a jacket and a seamstress to make a skirt in the same local establishment.....

In the end you would do better to go for a local fitting before the pins are taken out and the garment is stitched up.....

An idea which was suggested to me was to find a student or lecturer at a local Fashion College who might be interested in a bit of a new project.
For me at present, the sports jacket and skirt works satisfactorally
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Re: Vendor question

Post by r.m.anderson »

For that jacket consider a kilt jacket aka Prince Charlie - Arggyle - Tweed - Crail
Worn with or without vest
With less formal shinny buttons a neutral blending effect
Back (tails) longer than the front
Get the male fitting with a fashion blending female jacket meeting the waist
Certainly not your back woods utility kilt appearance
But mixing and matching with street wear skirts should work fine

Here you would have a tailored short jacket without alterations.
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
weeladdie18
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Re: Vendor question

Post by weeladdie18 »

Yes... My charcoal grey off the peg Argyle Kilt Jacket with Gauntlet Sleeves and horn buttons might meet Carl's requirements with perhaps a matching waistcoat
and a sunray pleated skirt...this is a daywear and casual evening jacket worn with a long tie.....perhaps Old School Tie

These jackets vary in length .... Tall wearer requires a long bodied jacket.......Should be able to find one in an American Scottish Highland Dress Outfitter.

One of the problems is finding a skirt material which is a good colour match for a charcoal Grey very dark jacket....The first move is to check if an
Argyle Kilt Jacket would meet the customer's requirements.
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Re: Vendor question

Post by weeladdie18 »

crfriend wrote:Has anyone hereon done business with a tailoring firm called "Sumissura". They specialise in made-to-measure clothing and I'm strongly tempted to commission a skirt-suit from them, but at close to $400 I'm curious if anyone has experience with them.

(Another trick will be finding someone to help with measuring my old carcass. I only have two hands and that makes measuring certain aspects of myself rather ... difficult.)
We are going back some time now....Have you given up on the idea of a made to measure skirt suit or other garments ?
I am now considering replacing my Kilt in my outfit with a smart made to measure skirt
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