Designer Thom Browne can be a very polarizing figure within our readership. Love him or hate him, he certainly has had an impact on proportion and how men dress today...Which leads me to my first person experience with the Black Fleece collection at Brooks Brothers.

I was recently in the market for a new suit and stopped by the main Brooks Brothers Madison Ave. location to check out Black Fleece for myself. Never did I ever think that a Thom Browne designed suit was for me, and I would imagine that most guys feel the same way. The tiny jackets, the short pants, and heavy shoes all seem a bit tricky -- even for a fashion editor. Its also pretty safe to say that I am probably not the ideal physique of what Thom has in mind when designing a collection (I am 5'4").

The decision to size the Black Fleece collection "1 to 5" is a bit bewildering, but fairly easy to manage with the help of very informed salespeople. Fearing the worst, I tried on a size 4 -- it was way too big. I went down to a 3 and it fit perfectly. The trousers are thoughtfully un-hemmed and all set to go from flood height to shoe skimming to every length in between. I must also add the proportions are quite good on someone vertically challenged like myself.

I left the store with a new suit, three shirts, and sweater ($2100, with the 50% off sale price). I am a total Black Fleece convert, and believe me, a very tough customer at that. I'm looking forward to seeing how this line will evolve for Brooks Brothers in the future...here is a sneak peek at spring Black Fleece. Let the debates begin.--STEPHEN WATSON

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