The various grades of wool cloth used for suits are referred to as Super 100’s, Super 120’s, Super 150’s and so on.  So what does this actually mean?

Originally designed to describe the fineness of wool fibers, the “Super XXX” is now used in the marketplace as a quality ranking.  The presumption is that the higher the S-number, the better the wool.  While this is generally the case, it is not always true.

The S-number arose from the worsted count system and dates back to the 18^th century.  The worsted count was the number of 560-yard lengths (or hanks) of worsted yarn that a pound of wool yields.  The finer the wool, the more yarn and the higher the count.

Although it is no longer used to count the number of hanks, the S-number now refers to the fineness of the wool, which is measured in microns (one millionth of a meter).   The “Super” was generally reserved for wools with a count of 100 or higher.  The list below correlates the S-number to the diameter of the wool fiber.

• Super 200’s ~13.5 microns
• Super 190’s ~14.0 microns
• Super 180’s ~14.5 microns
• Super 170’s ~15.0 microns
• Super 160’s ~15.5 microns
• Super 150’s ~16.0 microns
• Super 140’s ~16.5 microns
• Super 130’s ~17.0 microns
• Super 120’s ~17.5 microns
• Super 110’s ~18.0 microns
• Super 100’s ~18.5 microns

The fineness of the wool is only one factor in determining the quality and performance of a wool product.  Length, strength, color, and crimp are also important, with the first two particularly so.  Length is critical because the longer the fiber, the stronger the yarn that can be spun from it.  Strength is critical because the yarn must be twisted very tightly (hence the name high-twist fabric) to achieve a fine weave.  The way in which the fabric is finished also plays an enormous role in the feel and look.  And this can differ tremendously from mill to mill.  A Super 110 from one mill can be a higher quality fabric and have a silkier hand than a Super 130 from another.

The higher the S-number, the finer the wool.  And as with most things, the finer the wool, the more expensive it is.  So does more expensive mean better?  It depends.

Finer wools suffer from what makes them desirable – they are finer and thus more delicate.  Delicate fibers woven closely together are silkier, but still more delicate, making them less able to withstand heavy and repeated wear.  A Super 120 suit, properly rested is fine to be worn twice or three times a week, while a Super 150 would be better served being worn just once a week.  Finer wools also wrinkle more easily and should not be dry-cleaned as often.

So what should you do?  Again, it depends.  If you are fortunate enough to own a collection of 10 or 20 suits, durability is not as much of a concern since you are wearing each suit only a couple of times a month at most.  And with a collection this large, cost probably isn’t an issue either.  So enjoy the luxury of the finer wools, Super 150’s and up, for all your suits.  If you wear suits often and only have a few in the rotation, stick with Super 120’s for your workhorses and save the Super 150’s for more formal affairs where you can showcase the quality.  Road warriors will want to stick with Super 120’s for their durability and better resistance to wrinkles; sturdier wools such as Gabardine are ideal.

We receive a variety of requests from our customers for style advice, but the most popular question asked is “What’s ‘in’ for 2011?” So we thought we would share some of the trends we are seeing in the industry.

Suit Styles and Cut

Suit styles are generally not unique each year.  Instead, a handful of styles circle through the rotation with certain modifications in each cycle.  Classic styles dominate 2011-2012, with the primary difference being the cut of the suit.  For all the styles mentioned in this post, three major modifications to the cut apply:

1. Broad Shoulders

2. Slim Waist

3. Slim Trousers

These attributes highlight the masculine physique by emphasizing the shoulders and chest, as seen in the photo below.

Shorter jacket and slim cut can still look "business"

Broad shoulders, slim waist, extra-short jacket

Here are some of our favorites styles for 2011:

Single-Breasted 2 Button – By far the most popular style for the last several decades, the classic 2 button remains the gold standard with a few changes to the cut and overall silhouette as seen above.  Shorter jackets with higher button placement and a rounded skirt offer a modern look.  Optional styles include slim (not “skinny”) lapels to compliment the overall silhouette.  The degree to which the jacket is shortened should be based on your personal preferences and style.  Both styles in the photos shown above use a shorter-than-traditional jacket.  The jacket on the left is only slightly shorter than the traditional length and is more boardroom-friendly, while the jacket on the right is extra-short with a slightly higher button placement to create the ultra-modern silhouette.  Both styles emphasize the shoulders.

Double-Breasted – This style was originally designed to hide that extra weight and came with a very boxy cut.  The double-breasted suit is back, but with a new cut to show off that body and accentuate the V-shaped masculine figure.  Look for broad shoulders and slim waistlines in the jacket.  And look for the Kent cut, which is where a longer lapel line extends into the waist.

Three-Piece Suit – Thanks to a resurgence of the waist coat in casual wear, the three-piece suit is back.  The waist coat should be made of the same fabric as the suit, as opposed to a contrasting fabric (usually with a pattern).  V-shaped waist coats which break slightly below the chest offer a slimmer look.

Peak Lapel – Historically reserved for more formal occasions, the peak lapel (or pointed lapel) has made its way into the mainstream and is being seen as frequently on business suits as it is on tuxedos.  In this case, opt for a standard-width lapel instead of a slim lapel.

While preparing to write this post on the various aspects of a dress shirt such as fabrics, fit, and style, we came across a great article by Gilt Man, which highlights most of these topics.  The link to the article is below:

http://www.gilt.com/giltmanual/2010/09/how-to-buy-a-dress-shirt/

After reading the article, you may be wondering how our shirts size up.  The majority of our fabrics are two-ply Egyptian or Sea-Island cottons, and our shirts are sewn in single-needle stitching.  The collars are cuffs are fused to provide stiffness, and we offer a multitude of styles.

Welcome to the VM blog!  If you’ve seen our new website, I’m sure you’re already aware that we’ve added a whole lot of new and exciting things, one of them being our blog.  We will be using our blog to share information with you about a variety of things including: style and fashion advice, interesting nuggets on clothing/fabrics/tailoring, brands and products we like, special events, limited-time discounts, and anything else you want us to share.

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Stay tuned for our next post!