Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on May 9, 2013 at 6:16am

Good quality mens suiting is not going to wrinkle unless you really try. Good quality mean suits that retail for $2000 and up. Who pays retail? I bought an Italian totally hand tailored suit this a.m. for thirty dollars. Brought it home, took it out of the saddlebag, no wrinkles. No care at all how I bundled it into the bag except not tearing the bag, getting things dirty. Anyway if the suit is well tailored, fits well, looks good on you, a few wrinkles makes you look carefree, not sloppy. And wrinkles on good suiting will hang out in an hour or so of wear. I have seen women's suits of a quality that would perform as well but they are scarce. For men there's a constant oversupply from rich clotheshorses. I will rarely buy anything that even needs minor alterations, there's plenty of good suits to choose from. Many "used" suits still have never-removed tags and have never been worn.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on May 9, 2013 at 6:40am

Start by getting Ortleib panniers - they have plenty of room in them.  Then fold the pants and loosely roll the suitcoat, putting them in the pannier last. 

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 9, 2013 at 6:49am

Where do you find that quality of suits secondhand?

John C. Wilson said:

Good quality mens suiting is not going to wrinkle unless you really try. Good quality mean suits that retail for $2000 and up. Who pays retail? I bought an Italian totally hand tailored suit this a.m. for thirty dollars. Brought it home, took it out of the saddlebag, no wrinkles. No care at all how I bundled it into the bag except not tearing the bag, getting things dirty. Anyway if the suit is well tailored, fits well, looks good on you, a few wrinkles makes you look carefree, not sloppy. And wrinkles on good suiting will hang out in an hour or so of wear. I have seen women's suits of a quality that would perform as well but they are scarce. For men there's a constant oversupply from rich clotheshorses. I will rarely buy anything that even needs minor alterations, there's plenty of good suits to choose from. Many "used" suits still have never-removed tags and have never been worn.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy on May 9, 2013 at 7:02am

Yeah, what?  I'd like to know about that shop.

I don't use this method for daily commuting, but it's worked for folding a jacket up in a carry-on.  With the jacket face down, fold back one shoulder flipping the lapel inside out.  Tuck the other shoulder into the concave section you've just created, and fold horizontally.  Easy to find other step by step images w/google.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

Where do you find that quality of suits secondhand?

John C. Wilson said:

Good quality mens suiting is not going to wrinkle unless you really try. Good quality mean suits that retail for $2000 and up. Who pays retail? I bought an Italian totally hand tailored suit this a.m. for thirty dollars. Brought it home, took it out of the saddlebag, no wrinkles. No care at all how I bundled it into the bag except not tearing the bag, getting things dirty. Anyway if the suit is well tailored, fits well, looks good on you, a few wrinkles makes you look carefree, not sloppy. And wrinkles on good suiting will hang out in an hour or so of wear. I have seen women's suits of a quality that would perform as well but they are scarce. For men there's a constant oversupply from rich clotheshorses. I will rarely buy anything that even needs minor alterations, there's plenty of good suits to choose from. Many "used" suits still have never-removed tags and have never been worn.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on May 9, 2013 at 7:09am

I have had success rolling up clothing rather than folding which can create its own wrinkles.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on May 9, 2013 at 7:14am

Seconded.

Gene Tenner said:

I have had success rolling up clothing rather than folding which can create its own wrinkles.

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Permalink Reply by Maria Boustead on May 9, 2013 at 7:57am

These are great! Is anyone interested in doing a demo for me? I think it will really help people to see it in person.

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Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on May 9, 2013 at 10:04am

This morning's suit came from the Winnetka Rummage Sale. There may still be good stuff on the rack thru Saturday and you get another try in October. I won't give away all my sources but Elliot's Consignment at 2645 Lincoln is still good, you might have to pay low 3 figures for a 4 figure suit, they do have runway leftovers and show samples and very nice stuff. Since we're sitting in Chicago and the best suits in the world are still made on Van Buren Street by Oxxford you do have a lot of chances to score one of those merely on account of proximity. Yard sales on the North Shore whenever you have a clue that house belongs to a lawyer. Which is the largest group that still wears suits.

High quality menswear is something like lugged steel frames. Huge vocabulary of style, enormous reservoir of craft, totally obsolete, extremely durable, more people buy them than actually use them. The good stuff is out there, in quantity, seek and ye shall find.

An afterthought. If you look at the backside of the lapel on a top suit you'll see a thousand or so minute puckers. You can't see the stitches without a magnifier. Those stitches shape the lapel. That lapel doesn't need pressing.  So long as you're framed by that lapel minor wrinkles on the balance of the suit are beneath notice. I have 3 suits in my closet made that way, all were over-the-counter purchases, all were under a hundred.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

Where do you find that quality of suits secondhand?

John C. Wilson said:

Good quality mens suiting is not going to wrinkle unless you really try. Good quality mean suits that retail for $2000 and up. Who pays retail? I bought an Italian totally hand tailored suit this a.m. for thirty dollars. Brought it home, took it out of the saddlebag, no wrinkles. No care at all how I bundled it into the bag except not tearing the bag, getting things dirty. Anyway if the suit is well tailored, fits well, looks good on you, a few wrinkles makes you look carefree, not sloppy. And wrinkles on good suiting will hang out in an hour or so of wear. I have seen women's suits of a quality that would perform as well but they are scarce. For men there's a constant oversupply from rich clotheshorses. I will rarely buy anything that even needs minor alterations, there's plenty of good suits to choose from. Many "used" suits still have never-removed tags and have never been worn.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 9, 2013 at 12:47pm

Thanks for that info!

John C. Wilson said:

This morning's suit came from the Winnetka Rummage Sale. There may still be good stuff on the rack thru Saturday and you get another try in October. I won't give away all my sources but Elliot's Consignment at 2645 Lincoln is still good, you might have to pay low 3 figures for a 4 figure suit, they do have runway leftovers and show samples and very nice stuff. Since we're sitting in Chicago and the best suits in the world are still made on Van Buren Street by Oxxford you do have a lot of chances to score one of those merely on account of proximity. Yard sales on the North Shore whenever you have a clue that house belongs to a lawyer. Which is the largest group that still wears suits.

High quality menswear is something like lugged steel frames. Huge vocabulary of style, enormous reservoir of craft, totally obsolete, extremely durable, more people buy them than actually use them. The good stuff is out there, in quantity, seek and ye shall find.

An afterthought. If you look at the backside of the lapel on a top suit you'll see a thousand or so minute puckers. You can't see the stitches without a magnifier. Those stitches shape the lapel. That lapel doesn't need pressing.  So long as you're framed by that lapel minor wrinkles on the balance of the suit are beneath notice. I have 3 suits in my closet made that way, all were over-the-counter purchases, all were under a hundred.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

Where do you find that quality of suits secondhand?

John C. Wilson said:

Good quality mens suiting is not going to wrinkle unless you really try. Good quality mean suits that retail for $2000 and up. Who pays retail? I bought an Italian totally hand tailored suit this a.m. for thirty dollars. Brought it home, took it out of the saddlebag, no wrinkles. No care at all how I bundled it into the bag except not tearing the bag, getting things dirty. Anyway if the suit is well tailored, fits well, looks good on you, a few wrinkles makes you look carefree, not sloppy. And wrinkles on good suiting will hang out in an hour or so of wear. I have seen women's suits of a quality that would perform as well but they are scarce. For men there's a constant oversupply from rich clotheshorses. I will rarely buy anything that even needs minor alterations, there's plenty of good suits to choose from. Many "used" suits still have never-removed tags and have never been worn.

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Permalink Reply by Luka Erceg on May 10, 2013 at 12:31am

Look up Eagle Creek luggage. Check out their packing solutions. You want a Folder for shirt, slacks, and coat. Then get a Cube for stuff like socks, thirst, etc.
I use this system on my bike with a Chtome backpack or pannier. Also with my motorcycle.
REI has all of this, as well as some of those luggage stores in the Loop

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 10, 2013 at 4:18am

yes, many people still wear suits...

peter moormann said:

People still where suits to work?

I know the Prez  does, but regular people...suits?

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 10, 2013 at 5:31am

+1 for rolling

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