I would like to say that hands down this is the best book available on the open market that is still in print for someone that wishes to be able to draft patterns for menswear. I say so with nearly 20 years of experience. It is comprehensive, thorough and ABSOLUTELY does the job it sets out to accomplish. There are no errors that I am aware of, and it is extremely consistent. For that I will give it 5 stars. However, I have to take one star away to keep things fair. Current editions do not address its age or changes in fashion trends.

It has taken me nearly four years of using this book to write this review. Today I came to a profound realization. It was originally published in 1980. After careful study and numerous suits, jackets and shirts made run of Miami-Vice. The closer fittings blocks are in fact RELAXED 2" before drawing your pattern. That is to say, if you measure a 100cm chest, draft the pattern at 98cm or 96cm to achieve a slim fitting and more fashionable garment. When working from this book keep in mind that "EASY" means BAGGY. "CLOSE-FITTING" means RELAXED.

My only suggestion to the editors and author for future editions of this wonderful book is to include something on silhouette. The silhouette it currently produces is over 30 years old. Nowhere inside does it mention this. Perhaps some photographs of finished garments on models, or the addition of an image appendix, would close the gap visually.

I received this book a few weeks ago wanting to draft a bomber jacket for my husband. To start, let me say, I've been in college for the past 2 years studying fashion design/patternmaking which has included flat pattern. I was disappointed that drafting a sloper from measurements, custom or otherwise, was NOT part of our flat pattern learning in the college I attended.

With this book, I was able to take my husband's measurements, follow the instructions (you do have to be careful that you measure correctly and transfer to the right places) and draft an easy fit jacket sloper for him. And it fit perfectly on the first try! I did change my measurements to inches (so hard to change to metric after 50+ years), but now I have a perfect sloper that I can manipulate to make him the jacket he has been wanting.

I liked the book so much that I ordered the Children's wear and babywear book. If you can take measurements, follow instructions, you can do this!

This is a great mens basic patterns fashion design book for amateurs designers, who wanted not only to explore new ways to create his own clothes but also a start point for study the basics mens patterns to develop a fashion collection.. Absolutely recommendable!