Is there any difference between an italian suit and an american suit? Would it be a faux pax to wear an italian suit because that's all I have..
Americans tend to like the "sack" look. The "sack" suit is how it sounds. It looks like the shape of a potato sack with a hole in it for the head. It is square in shape. Americans like a single vent.
Italians like it a bit more shapely with a very thin torso. However, they love huge shoulders. Italians like no vents.
The British, who are the most stylish IMO, is somewhere in between in terms of shoulder size (in between Italians and Americans). The torso is not so thin but still more shapely than the sack suit. Brits like double vents and other affectations such as hacking pockets and ticket pockets. For any future suits, I definitely recommend going with hacking pockets and a ticket pocket (no ticket on peak lapel though). Brits also like very narrow arms and a very high armscye (the hole where the arm sleeves begin). This may appear uncomfortable but it is actually meant to be very comfortable since you're allowed free range of movements of your arm. Americans tend to like big sleeves where a leg can probably fit and the arm begins near the the oblique muscles. This actually hampers movement.
There is a huge debate as to who makes a better suit, the Italians or the British. I think it is the British with more style. The Italians have gaudy house designs. The Brits are more conservative whereas the Italians like to put on a good show.
However, when you say you got a custom American suit, it probably won't look like other American suits. It will probably fit your body better than other OTR American suits. It may even have a British look to it.
How long did it take Jimmy Au to make it?
For those of you interested, WW Chan and Sons is a very good suit maker from Hong Kong. They make visits to the US about 3 or 4 times a year and take 3-4 months to make a custom suit. Prices start at about $1,500. That may seem steep but it is the best $1,500 you'll spend for bespoke. Comparing them to some of the Savile Row places is like comparing apples and oranges but a comparable suit from Savile Row begin at about $4,000. So Chan is very well worth it. However, a November visit will mean your suit will arrive in March and that may be too late for interviews. But just to let you know, they are some of the best.
Being from Hong Kong, they mimic the British styles without charging the British cost of real estate.
