# What is the most you would reduce the waist of a pair of trousers? Considering getting a Brioni sui



## LeggeJP1 (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm considering snagging a used solid navy Brioni suit from an older friend. The jacket fits, but being that I'm 24 and built with a v-structure and almost a 10 inch drop, the pants do *not*. It's a 42L suit, with a 37" waist; I am a 34. On my absolute worst day I'm no more than a 35. 36 and above fits me like a tent. 37 is the original waist, he claims he never had it tailored. If I buy it I'll definitely need to have a tailor make a major alteration to the waist, but I'm not sure 3" is a reasonable amount to have done.

I'm considering taking it anyway for the ridiculous price point he's offered me of $575, but I'd like to know if I'm going to have an incredible deal on my hands or an unfixable mess that just sits in my closet until I get fat.

I've attached some pictures of the suit for your input. If you have thoughts on anything else here, let me know. I've inspected it myself--no damage that I can detect. We don't actually wear suits in my line of work all that often--I just like them!


----------



## Racer (Apr 16, 2010)

My favorite tailor says that 2" over is doable, but always recommends no more than 1" over for best results. 3" would result in a pair of trousers that either won't ever fit right, or will look weird.


----------



## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

I'll leave it to the tailors on the board to opine on whether the trousers could be satisfactorily altered (I suspect the answer is yes), but since it's a solid navy, if the pants never work out, you could throw brass, white mother-of-pearl, or brown horn buttons on the jacket and have a very, very nice blazer.


----------



## Benjamin E. (Mar 2, 2007)

You could take in 2 inches and, if there is only one dart above the back pockets, take out a second one 1/4 inches deep, which would remove another inch from the waist. Or you could take them in 2-2.5 inches and wear them with braces.


----------



## neskerdoo (Jun 23, 2009)

I'm no GBR, but is $575 all that great a deal for a used suit, even if it shows no 'damage'?


----------



## LeggeJP1 (Dec 3, 2010)

If I took it in two inches to 35", I could wear it with a belt and not have to tighten it too much. Would this be reasonable, or can I expect the pant legs to tent to an unacceptable level? 

I'm really keen on this thing as I've never owned Brioni before, but I don't want to let the name get in the way of the potential fit.


----------



## MRMstl (Nov 23, 2010)

I second that neskerdoo....doesn't seem like a "steal" to me.


----------



## nosajwols (Jan 27, 2010)

Couple of comments. 

37 seems like a pretty big waist "off the rack" for a 42 Italian suit (I would have expected ~36). So it may well go down to 34 without looking stupid.

In the end friend or not it is a used suit. As nice as it is I would be reluctant to pay more than $300 and even then my gut says that is high. The price point is entirely up to you, just my 2 cents. He will of course feel that at 300 or less you are ripping him off (everyone thinks what they have is worth more than the market will pay). But his other options at selling it (craigslist, eBAY...) will likely get him that or less (or nothing at Goodwill).


----------



## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

Not a steal!


----------



## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

You could take it down to 35" without much if any noticeable trouble. I wouldn't go much beyond that, but you could have suspender buttons added and wear a pair and that will help keep it looking good and staying off the ground. I've got a suit and the pants are too big so I had them altered down a bit and wear suspenders and it looks good, no one would know they are too big. As for the price, yeah its a nice suit but in the end you will have over $600 in a used suit that still might not fit all that great. If it doesn't fit well you won't wear it then you will have a $600 suit giving a hanger something to do. I'd take the pants to a tailor and see what they say and how much it would cost for the adjustments. Add that to your purchase price and if you feel they will fit well and be worth the price then get it. But I agree that around $300 out the door with alterations would be better for a used suit. Brioni always gets a bit of a premium but its still used clothes at the end of the day. Wouldn't buy it before a tailor looked at it though, because it may just not work out like you want.


----------



## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

you tell us that the waist needs to be taken in. but how about the seat, and the thigh. also do the legs need to be tapered?
you have a v body shape, a 10" drop. that means the jacket needs to be taken in also.
go to the search function. ask for these two titles. "most common jacket alterations" "trouser alterations"
you may have to scroll down a ways as these have been there a long time.

have you checked the critical wear points?


----------



## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Don't do it, For the cost of the suit and the tailoring, you could buy a more-than respectable MTM suit which fits you very well indeed and will therefore look better on you than the Brioni would.


----------



## tradfan207 (Nov 4, 2010)

I would recommend a pass just due to price.


----------



## triklops55 (May 14, 2010)

I'm no tailor but I usually have my pant waists altered since I'm a 39 in the waist and pants rarely come in 39. I will usually only do 1 inch either way. If the pants are more than 1 inch too big or too small, you will also have fit issues in the seat, thighs and legs. Your tailor would probably have to rebuild the entire trouser, which a good tailor can do.
Howevever, you have to consider how much that will cost. Probably around $100 just to alter the pants. Hopefully the jacket fits perfectly or else you're looking at another $25 for the sleeves, $40 for waist suppression, and more if it needs further alterations.
All that considered with the purchase price, I agree with other posters. This isn't a good deal for you. You're better off buying a brand new Brooks Brothers suit that fits you perfectly to begin with.


----------



## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Overpriced.

And 2" off a new pair of pants. Any more and I'd have to pay for a recut.


----------



## Mr. Mac (Mar 14, 2008)

You can easily take 3 inches out of a waist. The problem is how the rest of the suit is likely to fit. $575 for a used suit that won't fit is - in my opinion - wasted money. I'd rather buy a brand new $575 suit that fits really well than a used one at the same price that doesn't - regardless of brand name.


----------



## chotzo (Nov 26, 2007)

I paid 600$ for a used solid gray 3 button Brioni on Ebay. It was absolutely worth it.
575$,while not miraculous, is on the money for how much it would sell on Ebay. You can get a new Brioni on Ebay for @ 1200$, if you can find one with nice fabric. You almost never see solid Navy/Grey suits on Ebay. Typically it is some wierd color, pattern or strange measurements. 

How much does a new Brioni from the store cost? 3-5K$?

What suit off the rack doesn't need waist suppression, sleeves altered etc? Just make sure the chest and shoulders fit properly, the rest is meant to be altered.

I am also interested in where you can get a quality MTM suit for 600-700$?

Be careful LeggeJP1, the working buttons on the sleeve of that jacket make it very difficult, if not impossible, to alter the length of those sleeves. 

I think you should easily be able to take off 2-3 inches in waist size. If it looks slightly odd, it shouldn't with a good tailor, remember you will be wearing the jacket with the pants....which should hide any wackiness.

Have fun with your clothes and look at it as a pleasurable learning experience!


----------



## chotzo (Nov 26, 2007)

I would try to bargain your friend down to 500$ or so...considering it looks like the trousers have been lying around bunched up in a drawer...look at all the wrinkles!


----------



## TheWGP (Jan 15, 2010)

Overpriced... sorry to say. You can regularly get old used Brionis for a good bit less than this - I would say something like $300-400 would be enticing to me, but not much more. The alterations are possible but there's always the question of will you be happy with them.


----------



## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

chotzo said:


> I am also interested in where you can get a quality MTM suit for 600-700$?


 John H. Daniel here in Knoxville, TN does MTM for many men's stores across the country as private label and under their own brand. I can walk in right now and get 2 canvassed MTM suits for $850 since they are buy 1 get 1. They also have a half canvassed option that is $595 I believe, or right now 2 for that price and they run that sale each year from October until after New Year. It can be done :icon_smile_big:


----------



## Mr. Mac (Mar 14, 2008)

chotzo said:


> I am also interested in where you can get a quality MTM suit for 600-700$


Jack Victor offers MTM in that price range.

The issue I would have with the proposed suit isn't the price, per se, but rather the price for that suit should it require extensive alteration.

$500-$700 can buy a very good quality OTR suit that, if you have time and patience to try a lot of different brands, can fit very nearly perfect.

For me, owning a Brioni isn't worth it if it doesn't fit well - regardless of the price paid.


----------



## chotzo (Nov 26, 2007)

dwebber18/Mr. Mac, thanks for the info. I agree that fit is the highest priority.

Maybe we should ask the OP how well the jacket fits. Maybe he could post a picture of himself wearing the jacket so we could give him a more informed opinion.

TheWGP, where is this supply of good used Brioni suits for 300-400$? Certainly not Ebay. For that price you get 1970's lapels, horrendous fabrics, moth holes or a double breasted that looks like it was used as a hot air ballon during an emergency.


----------

