‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

Suits Are Better Tech Than Modern Clothes

89 points · 195 comments · orphereus

  1. NalNezumi · · focus · HN ↗
    >Suits are made to be able to be tailored to the wearer’s measurements. But modern clothes aren’t. For example, even though there are high, medium, and low rise pants, I can’t adjust their rise to my proportions.

    To me it seems like this is really the only point OP have, which seems to have more to do with how modern clothes are produced? (factory, based on some averaged out categories of body type)

    Other than that it seems like all the things he say are "better", you can find modern variants that do as well.

    And the women's cloth rant is weird. Isn't that... Same for (most common) women's suite too? Pockets being too small is enough of an issue that I know some women just buy men's jeans (smallest size) instead, if their proportions are not too different (hip) from average for men.

    Also, I didn't see any defense for neckties. What's good about that?

    1. vasco · · focus · HN ↗
      Also adjustments have nothing to do with comfort unless before the adjustments it was a clown suit. You'll look better if it's tailored but it's not more comfortable than a sweat suit. Whoever says a suit is more comfortable I just take as performative in the sense that they really like wearing suits for other reasons and extend that feeling to other attributes.
      1. wjnc · · focus · HN ↗
        You have probably never worn a tailored suit. The difference between a good fit and a mediocre fit is in centimeters on the right spots, not the difference between a clown suit and a fitting suit. Tailoring is mainly for fit, not looks. Just the tailoring sessions shows that: about 40 minutes of measurements, and about 10 minutes of choices in wool, in pockets, in model. And to expand on the theme in OP: Super 140 wool is an awesome material on both durability and flexibility. There is a few thousand years of tech just in the wool. (Beat that cotton jeans!)

        A tailored suit, but indeed, every tailored piece of clothing will always have the best fit and comfort. That's trivial. Even your sweat suit would benefit from being a tailored sweat suit.

        I have non standard measurements and buying trousers has always been a chore (a cm lower shoulder, a 1/2 cm shorter leg, cyclist quads, life influences body). I've now started to use AI to pre-select brands and fits that might suit my sizing. Which is actually just moving somewhat towards at least 'fitted' clothing. The future of adult and sustainable fashion 'should' be made to measure.

        1. vasco · · focus · HN ↗
          Why would you take the lowest interpretation of someone's comment? I have worn them, why would I write anything if I hadn't? Just say you disagree, there's no need to assume you're replying to a piece of lumber.

          Also you do make it seem like you start from clown suits, the suits I've tailored start already pretty good and go to great. They don't start with all that extra fabric you describe in a way that would make them uncomfortable.

          1. wjnc · · focus · HN ↗
            Wasn’t meaning to insult, sorry. Didn’t take the lowest interpretation though (“performative”, “clown suit”). And I didn’t go for the ad hominem about men in sweat suites.

            I guess we need the distinction of made vs. made to fit (a suit that is tailored post-production) and made to measure (a tailor-made suite; each piece of cloth size for a unique product). Best fitting is made to measure and that is what I am referring to.

        2. jodrellblank · · focus · HN ↗
          > “Tailoring is mainly for fit, not looks. … every tailored piece of clothing will always have the best fit and comfort. That's trivial.”

          It isn’t trivial; any time a piece of clothing pinches or pulls that is what makes it uncomfortable, and loose clothing doesn’t do that by definition. That means any kind of shaped or fitted clothing including tailoring can only be less-comfortable than loose clothing and approach being equally-comfortable as an upper limit, getting closer with a more skilled tailor.

          That means tailoring is mainly for looks - I.e. the only reason tailored clothes exist at all is because wearing a looks bad; start with a super comfortable ‘bag’ and cinch it as close to your body shape as possible so it doesn’t look like a bag, and looks better, get as close as possible without losing that comfort.

          1. ratorx · · focus · HN ↗
            I don’t think looseness is always more comfortable. You need looseness in the right areas which is what tailoring provides.

            Maybe it’s cold and the extra airiness is working against you.

            Maybe the clothes rustle and rub more when you move.

            How do (non-elastic) pants stay up, without some minimal measurement for the waist?

            I own some more baggy T-shirts and layering with a sweater feels more uncomfortable because the clothes will fold in places you don’t want them to with a sweater on, which is not a problem for more trim fit clothes.

        3. t-3 · · focus · HN ↗
          > The future of adult and sustainable fashion 'should' be made to measure.

          The future is already here. You can order custom sizes from many designers quite easily on the web, it's just not cheap. Few people are willing spend a few hundred or thousand on every outfit when the same thing can be had for $20 mass-produced.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.