![]() ![]() One was making the band taller, as it was not the same 1 1/4" indicated in the dimensions for MTM shirts, but a standard 1". The Light Blue Oxford shirt was also nice but could have used two improvements in the collar. This broadcloth fabric isn't quite what I'd call "silky", but does the job well enough and presses out crisply without much effort. They have plenty of other stripes to pick from. Your tie should always be the centrepiece, but it was my own error in choosing it. Were the stripe lighter and smaller, I think it would be easier to find ties that do not compete for attention. ![]() This shirt can be worn both casual and more "dressed up" with a tie, though I think this particular colour and style of stripe works a little better as the former. Though I prefer side back pleats, I can deal with not having them on a ready-made shirt. This shirt came with single button mitred cuffs, though the style will vary between that and rounded depending on the quality level and collar style of their shirts. The collar band measures 1 1/4" tall, which flatters my long neck well. For something less aggressive/Italian and a little more moderate/English, they also carry smaller collars with what they call a "Semi-Spread", though I think their definition of that differs from most Americans'. ![]() The Navy Blue Butcher Stripe shirt I received had a very healthy "Full Spread" collar with 3 3/8" points and 6 1/2" spread. You also cannot reasonably expect a shirt at this price point to have every little thing you want. The length is a bit shorter than I prefer, but in addition to all the other details it is not a dealbreaker and has yet to really come untucked on me. There is no Classic or Traditional Fit on offer, unfortunately for bigger people, but their MTM shirts start at $79 which is still very reasonable. They do need to keep down expenses in some way. Both fits do not have darts in the back, which is a minor drawback but understandable. This fit did indeed work out well and is more than trim enough on my figure. After looking at the dimensions, I decided Contemporary would be the best way to go since I like a bit of comfort in my shirts, have broad shoulders, exercise somewaht regularly. They offer two fits in shirts, Slim and Contemporary. So, with my own money, I bought two shirts and a tie that looked nice. I saw a sale going on and an opportunity to try them out. Many high quality shirtmakers do this so the collar will be more comfortable and stand up better under a jacket, especially worn open collared. The collar band is even fused from the outside in, which is highly unusual in off the rack shirts at this price. The shell buttons work well enough, though they can be a bit thick and difficult to button and unbutton. ![]() The buttons are shell, though shirts made with Thomas Mason fabrics come with Australian mother of pearl. There are side gussets, simple triangles of fabric in this case. I was impressed by the details given the price. On top of that, they are affordable, starting at just $45.00 per shirt. The taller collar band also helps frame my face better considering I have a long neck. This is perfect for me, as many off the rack collars can look a bit undersized, particularly those with short points. Their semi-spread and spread collars are large enough to be flush with jacket lapels and flatter a longer neck. Spier & Mackay rejects this trend in a similar way that their suits do, making collars that look great on almost anyone. Short collar points have become fashionable again in the last few years (as in the 1960s and, to some extent, the 1980s) but do not look good on many people unless they are especially small. The shirts also looked reasonable in proportions, especially in the collar. One look on their website and I was hooked. Many affordable suits these days have rather narrow lapels and jackets that are too short in any size, presumably to save on money more than necessarily provide something fashionable. Obviously, it won't be quite the same quality, being half-canvassed and with not-as-luxurious fabric, but it's still refreshing to see a suit with wider lapels and overall more reasonable proportions at this price. It was nearly identical in style to the "Windsor" from Tom Ford, but at a far more affordable price point. I first became aware of Spier & Mackay after seeing a suit worn by b.lu8 on Instagram. Note the bellied peak lapels and wide pocket flaps. MTM shirts are currently offered on the website with some limited options, but MTM suits are only available in person at their retail store. They focus on affordable clothing that balances style and value but also have a made to measure operation for shirts and suits. Spier & Mackay, a Canadian-owned menswear business, first started in 2015 and has since then grown a bit, improving their products and selection. ![]()
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