Tailcoats, Suits, Vests - HELP!!

[cantskiforlife]

I am torn, and confused.

I dance both smooth and standard and am looking to purchase one outfit for both. (I'll do one for each if I can - or must).

Where do I go to find a tailcoat? What should I expect for costs?

What do people think fo smooth jackets/ vests??? Is there a preference of one over the other? Pinstripes? Who makes the double breasted jackets? I can only find vests online.

Also, if someone is looking to sell a tailcoat and is in the new england area, I would love to meet up and try it on. I will be at the BU comp this weekend.

Please help me spend my $$

 

[ACtenDance]

Expect to spend a lot of money. I spent about $1500 on my tailsuit + accessories last year. Ask the open dancers when you're at the BU comp for some advice. I got my tailsuit from Ron Gunn, a tailor from the UK. What level are you competing?

 

[Joe]

If you must use the same outfit for both, you're pretty much stuck with tails (unless you're dancing syllabus, in which case you have a whole other set of headaches). And AC is right about the sticker shock.

If you must get tails, I would advise against one of the non-US tailors, as their suits are unlikely to give you the freedom of arm movement for Smooth open work. Just an opinion, though.

 

[fluffy]

If you get a tailsuit made, can you not get a waistcoat/vest made at the same time? I know Brackleys has done these in the UK.

 

[Dancebug]

I see more and more pros wearing suits for standard. I would assume that will be the norm rather soon.

Does anybody agree?
I have seen standard pros wearing suits at competitions, but they were pro/am heats, not pro/pro heats. At pro heats, all men were wearing tails. At least that is what I remember.

 

[cornutt]

What do people think fo smooth jackets/ vests??? Is there a preference of one over the other? Pinstripes? Who makes the double breasted jackets? I can only find vests online.

Definitely vests. I hate, hate, hate dancing in a jacket. They always grab me under the arms; they bunch up at the shoulders, and the sleeve lengths never look right when you're in frame. Not to mention it's hot.

To get started, you might want to check out some of the men's formal wear chain places in your area -- Men's Warehouse, Burch & Hatfield, etc. They don't have the absolute widest selection, but you might be surprised what you can find on sale. I picked up a gold vest and matching bow tie at a B&H here on sale a few months ago for $75. Once you've bought a few cheap ones and have an idea of what you're looking for, then you can go to a tailor and splurge if you want. Plus, my experience with the chain formal wear stores is that the sales people are always happy to get a customer who actually knows what they are doing and isn't just wanting to rent a generic suit for a prom.

As for the pattern, consider what part of your body you want to emphasize. Pinstripes will make your torso look longer. Me, I'm already long in the torso, so I want something that won't make my legs look stubby. So I don't do pinstripe vests.

One thing that is odd about vests: If you wear suit pants with a belt, the belt buckle will wind up in a very prominent place, right at the bottom of the vests where it splits. The vest tends to get hung up there, and it draws too much attention to your stomach area (definitely not a good thing for me. :shock: ) Wiat I do is, first of all, I get a belt with a dark-colored and flat buckle. Then, I put it on so that the buckle is at my left side. There, the vest covers it.