I tailored two suits in Bangkok in 2012 concurrently, each with a different tailor. One was intended to be conservative, and the other a product of creative experimentation. My pastel blue seersucker suit was the latter and its design concepts will be explained in this post. The side objective was to identify the traits that make a good tailor by comparing the two tailors.
Related:
Conservative brown checkered suit I had tailored
Guide to finding the right tailor
Tailoring vs designing
Fabric colour is the only element that differentiates most suit jackets within visible reach at a wedding banquet. Like the following photos, most jackets will have one or two buttons, a left breast pocket, a top collar and lapel construction etc.
They hardly differ from each other except for the colour. This is the essence of tailoring, i.e. choose the fabric and the tailor makes your jacket to your body measurements.
Bearing this in mind, I sought to design my jacket for reals.
Related:
Guide to designing your own jacket
Pastel blue seersucker fabric
There is considerable challenge in tailoring a formal suit that sports a seersucker design in pastel blue. To sum it up, it is not the solid black, navy blue or dark grey preferred by many locals for formal events.
I obviously can’t add a third sleeve to the jacket; jesting.
This suit is targeted to be a casual formal dress suit, tending towards formal.
I went straight for the seersucker fabric for the kind of look straight out of Mary Poppins. The fun yet tailored look is recognised hence it hardly sports any design work.
Of the four colours which are pastel blue, pastel pink, pastel green and pastel yellow, blue was the most muted colour. Pastel yellow would have looked a little too upbeat tending towards a clown costume. If we take away the seersucker, the comparison is like a solid colour greyish blue jacket against a solid colour bright yellow jacket. One is more formal than the other.
Even as the blue alternates with white, the pastel blue seersucker fabric looks more blue than white. I then opted for pastel blue solid colour fabric to be used for the patch pocket and collar. It brought the white of the seersucker to the fore.
Solid colour top collar in pastel blue
Solid colour top collar against the seersucker lapel.
Back view of solid colour top collar.
The free size mannequin is bigger and less curvy than my 2012 body shape so it’s a little taut even though my jacket’s unbuttoned. Here’s a close up of the top collar from the back:
Solid colour pockets
I had originally intended for my left pocket flap to be in solid colour like my right patch pocket. However, to my surprise, my tailor came up with this design at his own discretion and it was great! Absolutely loved the touch of creativity and autonomy in my best interest.
Actual photos
When I first had this suit tailored.
Keching 