The
suit in your closet may not fit well, and you don’t know why. With
suit designs running 40-34 or 42-36, how can you allow for your own individual
body shape, proportion and style? What if your jacket size is 42, but
your pant size is 32? The answer is custom tailoring by a great tailor
or a bespoke designer.
A custom-made bespoke suit can make you look like a million bucks.
A bespoke suit —one that is custom-made to fit your body — is
the equivalent of women’s couture. It is made specifically for your
body and it fits like a well-worn glove.
Bespoke is a word that clothiers fashioned from the past before you could
purchase a garment off the rack. You actually spoke to a tailor to have
suits made. If you can afford bespoke, I’m available and would love
to marry you; if not, here’s something to learn and dream about.
Bespoke is custom-made; therefore, it is more time consuming and labor
intensive. As a result, you will pay between $3,000 to $6,000, depending
on fabric selection and trims and features.
The design and completion of a bespoke suit will take between four and
eight weeks and can require as many as two to three fittings.
The first step involves choosing the style, the fabric, the linings and
the measurements.
From there, a pattern will be cut and fabric and lining will be ordered.
The majority of the work is done by a cutter who follows your exact measurements,
proportions and design choices.
Every alteration and adjustment is done to your individual pattern. If
you lose weight and go from a 42 to a 40, a bespoke suit is easier to alter.
It is just as easy to alter if you gain weight.
The master tailor adjusts the garment and does the fittings. He marks the
garments, makes all necessary adjustments, and cuts the suit. The garment
is basted — not sewn — based on these adjustments. This process
takes between two and four weeks.
Fittings take between 15 and 30minutes. The jacket, pants, vest and shirt
are checked for correct size and perfect fit.
The pattern is literally laid on the suit because the cutter must have
it flat. Alterations are noted and returned to the tailor to be finished.
The tailor actually makes the suit with the help of a pocket-maker, a finisher
and a presser.
Most bespoke suits are single-breasted.
When choosing a bespoke suit, expect to be asked if you dress to the left
or the right. In other words, which side do you place your — well — you
know.
Interestingly, 90 percent of men dress to the left.
For most of us a bespoke suit is a dream. Even if we could afford to spend
that much on a suit, would we? A great tailor can adjust an off the rack
suit to look almost as good as bespoke. But it never hurts to dream.
— Edward Norman is an Image Consultant, Master Designer and Colorist,
and the owner of Edward Norman Image Consulting.
He can be reached at 704-614-0207 or by email at qstyle1@yahoo.com.
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