Half Canvas or Full Canvas suits?

What's the difference and why is it important?

The canvas within a jacket, the material in between the cloth and lining, is what gives a jacket shape and determines how a cloth hangs.  With a half canvas construction the canvassing goes down from the shoulders to the outside front pockets and is in most cases stuck to the fabric of the jacket.  Because it is stuck on, the cloth isn't allowed to move very freely, which is fine with heavier hard wearing cloths where the main concern isn't for the cloth to move but to hold its shape.  Most important with day to day work suits that will need to be able to take a high amount of wear and punishment.  Half canvas jackets are machine stitched, again resulting in not much movement as the stitches are tight and rigid.  More suited to tougher, less fine cloths.

Then there's full canvas which is closer to Bespoke in terms of construction, it has canvassing that goes all the way to the hem of the jacket.  So it holds its shape better and instead of being stuck on it is hand sewn in so it moves with the fabric (also known as a floating canvas).  This results in a garment that is more comfortable, allows for more ease of movement and as anything that is hand sewn, will have greater longevity.  This construction is far more suitable for finer and lighter cloths as it will allow the cloth to show off its ability to move and drape as it should do.  The reason for wanting a finer and lighter cloth in the first place.
The only reason not to buy a full canvas suit is price, as it is usually at least twice the cost of a half canvas suit.  But as always you get what you pay for.  If you choose a lightweight or fine cloth then full canvas is the way to go, otherwise you totally jeopardise the reason you chose a more expensive cloth.  You want the cloth to be able to move and show off its luxurious qualities.
Try on a half canvas then a full canvas jacket and you'll see and feel what I'm going on about.....Full canvas is better isn't it?
How would you like to pay sir, cash?

Creative Tradesmen

Been back working on Savile Row for a few months.  Met a few cutters from up and down the row, young and old.
They've all got Thames Estuary accents.  Bit east London, bit south, proper.  Not geezers, they're above that.  These are men who chose a trade and have over the years been striving to develop and perfect their art and are at the top of the tree.
They could be plumbers or builders, but they're cutters.  If I came to Savile row from a foreign land to purchase a bespoke suit then I'd want to meet one of these guys.  You wouldn't wanna fuck about with them or question them.  They know what they're doing and they do it well.  The Americans must go bandy when they meet them on their trips to New York, Chicago etc...

It's amazing and something to be proud of that the tradition of a Great British craft is carried out by Great British men.

Britons, never, never, never shall be slaves!

Luvly Jubly, Innit!

Del Boy's fucking hilarious and has a heart of gold underneath all the wide boy act.  He's iconic and to me has always dressed like a don.  He hasn't got a pot to piss in but always looks the nuts, except in later series when he looked proper down on his luck..sad.
Flat cap, Gabicci knitwear, gold chain, sheepskin.  He looked cool as fuck.  What working class dressing is all about.  Projecting image, wearing clothes more expensive than you can afford-getting deals my son, never pay full price.

He knew how to wear a suit, loved a double breasted, 80's style (Super 130's Italian cloth), but still looking Britishly sharp.  Whoever was in charge of wardrobe on Only Fools and Horses deserves a BAFTA, they did an amazing job.
Don't look as his clothes as a costume, they communicated what he was about...South London geezer on the up.  Aspirational.  Where are we without aspirations?  He's up there with Prince Charles for me, British style icon.  A dying breed, almost extinct in fact.
Actually, even Boycie looked good in a wanky sort of way, Rodney always looked like shit though.
Say no more son, say no more.....

Bespoke or Made to Measure?

This is still a mystery to those who don't regularly purchase suits.  In fact, even with those that do.  It's all about expectations.
Made to Measure sounds as though you'll receive a perfectly fitting suit, and in some cases you do.  I'll explain.  Made to Measure (or Personal Tailoring) is a step up from Ready to Wear tailoring, in which a few minor alterations can be made.  If you're looking at anything more than adjusting lengths or widths then the next stage up is Made to Measure.
Using a pre existing pattern you are put in the nearest size that fits you, then your consultant can be a little more precise with adjusting that pattern to suit your own body shape and needs.  Made to Measure will always fit better than Ready to Wear and you also have the option of choosing from a set of options -  cloth, style and the detailing which makes your chosen suit individual to you.
How well your Made to Measure suit fits depends a lot on the experience and eye for detail your consultant has.  But remember, the Made to Measure consultant is not a tailor, he/she is a salesperson who has a specialised knowledge of suit fitting and construction.

Bespoke is the top of the tree when it comes to tailoring.  Instead of a pre existing pattern, a cutter will measure and cut a unique pattern just for you.  The cutter will have years of experience judging body shapes and knowing how to create a suit that that will fit you perfectly.  If you are a particularly awkward shape to fit and you want a suit that fits you well, then in a lot of cases Bespoke will be your only option.  As instead of trying to adjust a pattern to to fit you, the pattern will be cut to fit you in the first place.  All cutters are I've met are perfectionists and will strive to deliver something both they and the customer will be proud of.  It does nobody any favours to be looking like a bag of shit with a label reminding everyone who is responsible.

With Bespoke you can really get creative, as you're not limited to your choice of style and detailing, but hopefully your cutter can reign you in if you have any awful ideas or bad taste.
Obviously there's a big price difference, so we can't all afford to have all our suits Bespoke, but it's worth saving up for at least one at some point.  As with tailoring you get what you pay for.  So have a budget and go a little over that to get a suit you can be proud of.  Suits you sir!

South London's No1

We've got Millwall at home end of the month, which = keeping my head down and wits about me on the journey home (my train goes through New Cross and Surrey Quays, proper bandit country).  It also means I'll get to see geezers dressed as geezers.
Very rarely to do you see smart, well dressed men that aren't wearing what the style pages in a newspaper says you should wear.  I'm talking about the modern football casual uniform of white Reebok classics, straight fit jeans, Ralph Lauren knitwear, Aquascutum scarves and probably a Stone Island or Henry Lloyd jacket.  There's a real classic and very British quality to the look that harps back to the massive sartorial heritage Britain has for practical yet smart attire.
You know they're almost 100% nutter, but there is something admiral about a breed of man that doesn't follow fashion and stays true to his own sense of style and has a massive awareness of the image they are portraying to the rest of the world.  It's pride and showing the world you belong to something and probably not someone to take liberties with.  Yeah there will be a lot of plums dressed like a substitute on the sidelines warming up to come on wearing head to toe official replica merchandise.  But I like to ignore these people as they are sadly afflicted with the disease of having football as their ONLY passion.  Male smartness breeds respect from other blokes, especially when i't the sort of outfits you can't carry off unless you truly are what you dress like, you know what I mean.  Respect to these proud South Londoners, but "you are Millwall! no one likes you, cos your cunts"!

Clothes, music and football are 3 things which can shape you as a man in Britain.  They instantly give people an idea of what you're about, depending on what you're wearing, listening to and what ground you go to on a Saturday.  Therefore these 3 things breed strong opinon, arguments and debate which is what I wish to do through this blog.   I'll be sharing my everyday thoughts on the world of modern British mens culture from the eagle eyed view of someone who lives and breathes it on the streets of London everyday.  Hope you enjoy.