New No 1s

[Elmlea]

With a wedding on the horizon, I like the idea of getting wed in a uniform slightly better made than the off-the-shelf one I was issued as a young University Cadet. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I've seen that Gieves want around £2500 for the lot, while Goldings only want £885 plus buttons, wings and rank. I'm not sure where else to look but will happily consider anywhere.

It being an important day, I'd be happy to save whatever JPA gives me to stretch to Gieves' prices if they're actually noticeably better. Could anyone with a set of tailor's No 1s let me know what they think of them?

Thanks! :ok:

[Nibbled2DeathByDucks]

Try Snaiths at Cranwell. About £600 for a made to measure set if memory serves correctly. You get a good quality uniform that's just as good as anything that Thieves & Hawkes can come up with.

N2DBD

PS I used to have their phone number, but a quick call to Cranwell should produce the goods!

[ChezTanker]

Snaiths Tel: 01400 261866, 01745 812218.

[LXXIV]

Just to introduce a note of nostalgia:
Bill from Moss Bros 20 Aug 1970:for Fg Off LXXIV
Uniform (No 1) £45.00
Mess jacket £46.00
Mess slacks £13.10
And all the way down, via brevets, ribbons, ranking, every other item of officers kit with the exception of SD hat, down to collar stud (1s 9d) came to a total of £150.10s. 3d., which just happened to be exactly the kitting out allowance at the time.
Happy days !
LXXIV

[earswentpop]

Elmlea,
Have you explored all your options? I mean, why don't you just find a woman you can't stand and buy her a house?
PS:
If you are determined to go through with this madness, I'd recommend you give Mr Bhatti a try. He's the resident tailor at Uxbridge - Mobile 07836 372330. Made to measure No 1, including buttons & ranking was £750 about 2 years ago. He lives in Biggleswade if that's nearer you and he is happy for fittings at his house.

[allan907]

Is that Biggleswade, Utar Pradesh?

[Zoom]

My last Gieves one was diabolical.

What about those tailors in HK (Sam's ??) to whom you send your measurements and in 3 days flat they return a spot-on outfit for £4.50 - or something like that. That used to be the best way to go. I seem to remember that they always got the sizes just right without any fittings and made the Gieves kit look like boiler suits.

[scroggs]

Samtani's, I think you mean. I believe they're still going - they have a website here. (http://www.samtani.com/) My Dad got all his uniforms from them, and they were exceptionally well-made. I've had a few shirts made by them and been very pleased.

They visit UK a couple of times a year, but I think they'll do everything by email if necessary.

[cazatou]

Clothing Stores at Cranwell used to have a large selection of No 1's handed in by "chopped" students.

[Zoom]

Well spotted, scroggs.

Re Cranwell's stores, I bought a choppee's greatcoat from there in 1969 for £9 10s. Still have it, with only one, tiny moth-eaten bit. They were £40 new at the time - the greatcoats, that is, not the moth-eaten bits.

[Molesworth]

Elmlea - what size are you? I have an exceptional No 1 which could be yours for a song (well perhaps a reasonable karaoke) if it fits. PM me if you are shy. Mine's about 42 chest, 5 10 tall but will get the Mrs to re-measure if it's close.

Rgds,

Moley

[ShyTorque]

Samtani's, I think you mean. I believe they're still going - they have a website here. (http://www.samtani.com/) My Dad got all his uniforms from them, and they were exceptionally well-made. I've had a few shirts made by them and been very pleased.
They visit UK a couple of times a year, but I think they'll do everything by email if necessary.

Do be wary of "cheap" suits! I tried to steam iron my one from HK (not from this tailor).......... It shrivelled up!

Hi Scroggs - At BFTS we always thought your best blue uniform looked like your Dad's, LOL :E

[DummyRun]

Scroggs.... looking smart?.... was he in the shower??

[ShyTorque]

Scroggs.... looking smart?.... was he in the shower??

Yes now you mention it he had just exited the shower - he still looked like he needed ironing, LOL! ;)

[A2QFI]

When my entry was fitted out with No 1s by Gieves, some of us found work tickets from R E City (the downmarket tailors!) in the pockets of their jackets. No point in spending a fortune, you'll never know who made it - only what the label says!

[Basil]

A2QFI,
Sh*tty City's - takes one back a few years :)
Were you at Wyton '72/'73?

[GeeRam]

When my entry was fitted out with No 1s by Gieves, some of us found work tickets from R E City (the downmarket tailors!) in the pockets of their jackets. No point in spending a fortune, you'll never know who made it - only what the label says!
Gieves ain't what they used to be.....:p
Paying today for a name and not a lot else it seems:*
For reasons I've still yet to work out, in various moments of madness:ugh: , a few years ago I started a small collections of various 'vintage' uniforms, and for the princely sum of £75 I obtained a beautifully made complete Gieves No.1 uniform, dated January 1940....:ok:
66 years old, but if you could do, perfectly wearable today.....they don't make 'em like that any more.:)

[greycoat]

Other than personal ceremonial, such as weddings and gong collection, and sadly funerals, when does the RAF require one to wear No 1 HD these days?

[scroggs]

Scroggs.... looking smart?.... was he in the shower??
I was a picture of sartorial elegance, naturally. It's not my fault that the contemporary view of 'smartness' hadn't caught up with my lead back then. Nowadays, of course, I just blend in... :p

[ShyTorque]

You're right - you were the first officer I'd ever seen wearing his SD hat backwards. :)

[BEagle]

Why is it that No 1s shrink so badly when left in one's wardrobe?

Can't say I particularly enjoyed the last time I wore mine - but it did at least fit!

[heights good]

www.messdress.co.uk

Perfect fit and a reasonable price