Another Trip Down Suitsupply Lane
Welcome to the “Brown Flannel Suitsupply Pants Review” to find out why I love this MTM experience.
Winter is here and that means two things: Brown earth tones and flannel pants. Unfortunately, after long research I found nothing that enticed me online. There was only one place to go in Stockholm.
Suitsupply has been a smash hit worldwide and I am particularly fond of the new Stockholm store. In fact, I did a review of a Pure Cashmere Coat not so long ago here. They offer a great deal of both classic and alternative clothing and if that still does not satisfy you, you can always go Made-To-Measure (MTM).
This article is another look at the Suitsupply MTM Program, which is an opportunity to explore if they keep the same high quality standards.
PS. With Black Friday and Christmas arriving soon, make sure to read our Holiday Gift Guide!
The Suitsupply MTM Program
Made-To-Measure (MTM) is the natural step up from Off-The-Rack (OTR) clothes. Essentially, it is a garment that goes through tailoring alterations and measurements to fit your body.
In Suitsupply, you first book your appointment from their website and will receive a confirmation of your booking through email.
The moment you walk in, the friendly staff will greet you, take you to your tailor and offer tea, coffee or water.
Once you settle in you can begin to talk business. In this occasion, I started the process with Ludwig and had the final fitting with Ted. Ted was responsible for my wonderful MTM suit experience back in July. Read Part 1 and Part 2, I promise they make for a good read!
My advice is to be honest with your tailor and if you are unsure about certain options or aspects of the program, simply ask them. Know, or have a good idea of what you want to create and they will guide you through the process.
Step 1: Choosing A Fabric
The most important part is deciding what you want. In my case, I wanted to find a pair of brown flannel pants due to the colder winter of Sweden. Brown is a beautiful earth tone that messes well with mother nature.
Ludwig would then lay on the desk a variety of fabrics from different categories, including luxurious Super Wool numbers. I really like checks and windowpane patterns and I did find a few great ones, but it was a good choice to foray in the world of flannel. It adds warmth and some texture which is rather unique.
Step 2: Choosing Style And Accessories
If this is your first time the amount of choices might intimidate you, but it is a quite fun experience.
Here are some of the options available to you:
- Pant Break/No Break
- Pleats/No Pleats
- Pockets
- Belt Loops/Side Adjusters
- Buttons
I am a big fan of no break with a clean cut on my pants. It works for me very well and I prefer a more tapered slim fit. Pleats are a huge no to me (Read this to find why) and since I used side adjusters for the first time I find it hard to go back to belts.
Back jet and clean side seam pockets retain a more formal look, allowing me to dress up slightly more casual outfits. Buttons blend in well with the colour of the pants and are from real horn.
As you can see in the picture above, the golden side adjuster loops are more harmonious than the rest. I feel they pair much better with the brown flannel.
Step 3: Trying A Test Pair And Measurements
The whole process was much faster for me due to the fact that they have my measurements for pants from last time. In essence, all I had to do is pick the colour, fabric and details and I was done!
For your first time though, you will wear a pair of test pants and then the tailor will take measurements from different parts. This is a fun part of MTM, where you see the alterations and the garment is tailored specifically for you.
For pants, I would expect this to take up to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Summary, Specifications And Price
When you are done customising, your tailor will go through the list to make sure everything is in order. These were my final specifications:
- Fabric: Flannel Wool
- Colour: Brown
- Weight: 300g
- Break: No Break
- Pleats: God no
- Pockets: Jet style, side and back
- Buttons: Real horn
- Side Adjusters: Golden
- Price: 2900 SEK (~ 320 $/280 Euro/250 £)
What affects the price is the quality of the fabric and little details such as hand-stitched buttonholes.
Another welcome addition is the fact that you get to pay only 50% of the price as down-payment. You pay the rest only when you are satisfied with your MTM experience and require no further alterations. This can help you control your budget much better.
It is worth noting that any alterations are included in the Suitsupply MTM Program and there are no hidden extra costs.
Step 5: Waiting And Second Fitting
The delivery time for Suitsupply MTM Pants is between 4-6 weeks from the moment you order them. My initial booking was around the 20th of September and I booked the second fitting on the 21st of October.
Once more, you should book an appointment. Ludwig was fully booked so this time I met with Ted, who oversaw my previous experience.
During the waiting time, I had a change of heart and wanted an extra centimeter of length. Ted got right onto it and it was ready withing 30 minutes. Not only that, he also steamed a few wrinkles on my blazer.
Generally, you will wear the pants (or whatever it is you are making) and you will both inspect it in front of the mirror. This is your chance to spot any irregularities, quality worries or make changes. Apart from my own decision to change the length a little, everything fit perfect.
If however you need to change something or are not satisfied, you might need to come back for a final fitting. You will also get a garment bag and a high quality hanger with your purchase.
Happy as a pig in mud, I went to the cashier to pay the rest of the fee, shake hands with the staff and be on my way.
Closer Inspection
As a rule of thumb, you should always inspect what you purchase in the store for possible defects or quality issues.
Regardless, I made a closer inspection at home in order to examine the garment better and potentially spot something I might have missed.
To begin with, I checked the stitching both inside and outside, which was top quality and on par with the other pants I have from Suitsupply. It is consistent with high stitches per inch and there is no excess fabric or threads hanging.
I then inspected the buttons, buttonholes and the tab closure along with the zipper. The zipper functions properly and closes with ease and the same applies to the rest of the mentioned items.
Fit is also the most important part of clothing, so what is a better test than taking them out for a test?
As you can see from the picture above:
- I have a great butt.
- The fit is perfect. Not tight, not loose with a very clean cut. Everything is straight and perfect length for me.
- Stockholm can be beautiful even in November. Please visit my city!
Good job Suitsupply!
Final Grade – 9.5/10
I always try to find some negatives even if a product is flawless, but honestly it is quite hard with this one. If I had to really nitpick, I would say that the price is not for everyone. To pay over 300 $ for a pair of pants is quite premium for the average man.
In retrospective, you get exactly what you ask for, in the fabric of your choice and with your own measurements and accessories. If there is nothing on the market and you have a special thing in mind, there is no alternative than Made-To-Measure.
The staff was excellent as usual, with good manners and tailoring skills.
The delivery and process was fast. In fact, faster than usual because of my previous use of the program.
I got exactly what I wanted and the price was worth it.
Concluding Remarks
Choosing to go down this route was a good choice for two reasons.
For one, I got to see that the quality standards of the Suitsupply MTM Program are still high and not a one time thing. Of course, there might be some people in other cities that encounter issues, but my own personal experience has been nothing short of excellent.
Secondly, I now have a wonderful pair of brown flannel pants that keep me warm and go well with everything. Navy, grey, denim, sneakers and dress shoes. Versatility at its finest!
This brings us to the end of the “Brown Flannel Suitsupply Pants Review“. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!
Let it serve as a guide along with my other articles about this unique experience. If you have positive or negative experiences with Suitsupply as a brand, I would love to hear about them in the comments down bellow.
I will see you in the next one.
Thank you for reading,
Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy
Hej, I wonder if there is any option in Stockholm for females at Suitsupply MTM? I am a bit jealous 🙂
Hi Mimmi,
Suitsupply has a female department called Suit Studio but currently there is no option in Stockholm. The closest one is I think in the Netherlands and Frankfurt 🙁
Hello Kostas,
Does these pants have a liner? wool can be itchy. Does any of their pants have a liner inside? Thank you.
Hi Logan!
Thanks for reaching out. If by liner you mean lining, yes they do! As far as I am aware all Suitsupply pants have lining. In the MTM process you can even pick what color you want it to be.
I hope it helps!
Thank you for answering my question! And thank you for the blog. I am in Orlando Florida USA and your post help me a lot to find clothes that fit, I need a good a couple of flannel pants for winter and I am going to order them from Suitsupply now. Thank you again, great blog………..
Hi Logan! I am glad to see you again here and thanks for the kind words! But above everything I am happy it helped! Suitsupply has an excellent value for your money. They actually just opened their Outlet. Just google it and use the code”FINALSALE” I think it should work!
Have a good week!