Looking for quality customized clothing? Check out this in-depth review of Beckett & Robb and their in-person made-to-measure experience!
Beckett & Robb is a made-to-measure men’s clothing brand based in Salt Lake City, Utah, that was founded back in 2009. Today, the brand has shops in Salt Lake, Seattle, and San Francisco.
We believe products that are made well, and responsibly, enrich the lives of the craftspeople who make them as well as yours, and will serve you well now and in years to come. In a world of fast fashion and disposable clothing, we espouse the virtues [of] quality over quantity, craft over speed, and classical styling over trend.
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In my experience, Beckett & Robb crafts garments of extremely high quality and impeccable fit. They helped make the made-to-measure process not only painless but pleasurable.
Beckett & Robb is an excellent choice for made-to-measure suits. I was fascinated by B&R’s MTM process and blown away with the finished product. Read on to learn more about this impressive brand.
The Fitting Process
I met with Beckett & Robb owner Derek Bleazard in Sandy, Utah (a temporary location since their Salt Lake City store was going through a transition).
I came in with a basic idea of what I wanted — a heavy-weight wool 3-piece suit with side tabs, notched lapels, and no pleats.
I told him that I wasn’t looking for bright colors, a trendy fit, or contrasting color button holes. I’d prefer that the suit fit, fabric, and craftsmanship speak for themselves.
After I told Derek what I was looking for, he asked me a lot of questions to clarify the fit I was looking for and for different suit features as he walked me through the made-to-measure process.
Next, he had me try on a pair of trousers, which he pinned to my size. He also had me try on a vest and, later, a series of jackets, and, if I remember correctly, he pinned them as well and took notes.
I don’t recall him taking any measurements with a measuring tape — finding my proper fit was all through fitting garments.
About two months after my initial fitting, I received my completed suit in the mail, packed carefully inside with a handsome garment bag.
I have to mention that the wooden hanger that came with this suit is the best I’ve ever seen. It’s super heavy and is very wide, which will help the suit jacket’s shoulders keep their shape for decades to come.
I was impressed with just how well everything fit. I didn’t notice anything that needed adjusting. If anything, the trousers could be hemmed slightly, but since this is a more classically-styled suit, I’m ok with them as they are (between a half and a full break, depending on how high I wear the trousers on my waist).
From what I understand, Beckett & Robb clients typically try on their finished garments in-store so you can make sure that the details are correct and that the fit is perfect. Since I don’t live in Utah, I couldn’t make it back for a final fitting.
The Suit
A suit that combines several classic elements, such as generous lapels, trouser cuffs, a higher rise, and the option to wear suspenders and a vest, can sometimes make the wearer like an old-timey caricature. However, when done right, the same components can make a man feel and look like a million bucks.
The secret is making sure that each classic element is executed flawlessly. This is Beckett & Robb’s specialty. While they “strive to achieve proper fit, whatever that may mean for the wearer,” their “house fit” seamlessly blends classic proportions with an updated twist.
How do they achieve consistently achieve great-fitting, trend-resistant suits when so many other made-to-measure brands fail?
I’ll attempt to clear the air as I speak from experience by breaking down each component of my Beckett & Robb custom suit, starting with the fabric and lining, and moving on to each of the suit’s three pieces.
The Fabric and Lining
Since I live in a part of the world that has bone-chilling winters, I knew from the get-go that I wanted to create a cold-weather suit. That means wool, heavy wool.
Derek and I both agreed that it’s not every day you see a flannel suit. He told me that from his experience, when he wears flannel or tweed, people frequently take notice and sometimes even want to touch the fabric.
Since flannel isn’t as common these days (it was ubiquitous half a century ago), I wanted the fabric itself, rather than its color, to do the talking. Consequently, I decided to opt for medium gray.
As I browsed dozens (maybe hundreds) of swatches, Derek helped me choose a thick medium gray flannel fabric for this suit. I love the texture and visual intrigue of this fabric.
One of the last of many decisions on my fitting day was choosing a lining. Again, I didn’t want anything flashy, so I chose a gray Bemberg material that complimented the flannel.
At Derek’s suggestion, I went with white and light gray striped piping (the transition between the Bemberg lining and the flannel fabric).
The jacket is fully lined, and the back panel of the vest is constructed from matching grey Bemberg.
The Trousers
The suit’s trousers have a high rise, a generous break, and side tabs, with buttons for suspenders inside the waistband. I opted for cuffs instead of a plain bottom.
I should mention that when these photos were taken I wasn’t wearing the trousers as high as intended. (At the time I was new to both higher-rise trousers and suspenders). Once I tightened the suspenders a bit, there was much less of a break in the pants.
I wasn’t so sure about the high rise, but it’s actually really comfortable. However, without suspenders, they don’t stay up very well. It’s not because the waistband is too loose; I think it’s just the way my body is. (Or perhaps I’m just not very experienced wearing higher-rise pants).
Besides the four buttons for suspenders in the front, there are, of course, two more in the back.
Both back pockets have buttons.
The Jacket
The jacket fits snugly over the close-fitting vest. The sleeves have working buttons and are cut to show just the right amount of shirt cuff. The jacket is fully lined and has a half-canvas construction.
The jacket fits snuggly without having any wrinkles or tight spots when buttoned. It drapes naturally and is very comfortable to wear.
One thing I noticed that’s different about this jacket than off-the-rack jackets I’ve worn in the past is how well the sleeves fit. They aren’t baggy or too tight, they skim nicely over my arms. Also, the high arm holes make it comfortable to move around.
As an intentional effect of the spalla camicia shoulder construction, there is also some slight “puckering” where the sleeve meets the shoulder. With this “soft shoulder” design, the sleeves are attached underneath the shoulders — similar to how dress shirts are constructed. This is a typical feature of Neopolitan suits.
The jacket’s breast pocket follows the contours of the suit. This is sometimes called a smile pocket or, alternatively, a barchetta pocket (which means “little boat” in Italian). Similarly, the flap pockets are angled instead of going straight across.
In the back, I went with double vents (as I always do).
The buttons are crafted from dark brown horn. I went with dark brown instead of black horn buttons because they’re more versatile — they’ll go just as well with black as they do with dark brown or oxblood shoes.
The Vest
Since this is a cold-weather suit, I wanted to add a vest because the extra layer will help me stay warm. Of course, the suit can be worn without the vest, but, especially during the winter, wearing all three pieces adds warmth and versatility.
Derek encouraged me to have the back panel of the vest be the same material as the lining as the jacket (Cupro, commonly called Bemberg).
The advantage of the Bemberg back panel is that it makes it a feel bit cooler, allowing me to wear all three pieces of the suit even when the temperature rises a few degrees.
That said, if I were to have this suit made again, I’d choose a grey wool back panel. At least to my eye, a full-wool vest would look better when worn without the jacket.
Derek also asked how me how many buttons I wanted on the vest. “How about six?” He encouraged me to go with five instead, saying something to the effect of, “There’s something that seems ‘off’ about even numbers in menswear.” I’m glad I followed his advice.
After several wears, I noticed a small tear at one of the seams on the inside of the vest. Thinking back, I remembered hearing a faint “ripping” sound a few weeks before when I was bending over.
The vest does fit pretty snug. I think that by the way I moved, I put a lot of pressure on the vest’s seams. I’ll get this rip repaired soon to prevent further damage.
7 Ways to Style This Suit
I love how versatile this suit is, despite being a somewhat uncommon fabric and form (three-piece suits aren’t the norm these days).
All three pieces can be worn at once for a refined, put-together look.
Or, for job interviews or more formal events where a two-piece suit is the norm, you can leave the vest at home.
On the other hand, if you want to stand out, you could wear the vest and trousers without the jacket.
When having the photo below taken, one of the photographers said, “This look says, ‘my father owns a meat factory.’” I have to admit, this combo does project a bit of an old-timey vibe.
You could also wear the vest as a component of another outfit — perhaps, for instance, olive chinos, an oxford button-up shirt, and grey suede chukkas.
Wearing just the trousers with suspenders is yet another way to wear components of this suit.
When paired with a silk tie, this can still be a refined look. Or, for a more casual vibe, you could lose the tie, throw on a pair of sunglasses, and roll up your sleeves. This is probably the most casual and relaxed way to style this suit.
There are an almost endless number of ways to style this three-piece suit from Beckett & Robb. In fact, it just might be the most versatile garment in my wardrobe.
Final Recommendation: This Suit Delivers
Beckett & Robb really delivered! I was impressed with this suit! It’s probably the nicest garment I’ve ever worn.
This suit, more than any other I own, feels like armor. There is something about the thick flannel combined with the impeccable fit that makes me feel almost invincible. It’s a garment that I’ll wear for many years to come.
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