#bespoke

Hiiiiii!! so I just turned 30, and in preparation for this milestone I have been reflecting on my priorities and going, "dude, you LIVE like this??? you're ALLOWED TO NOT. please. you know you want better."

I currently enjoy a moderate amount of disposable income and no dependents, so 2025 is officially the Year Of Spending Money On Myself.

Being (1) trans (2) in possession of a dumptruck ass, approximately zero of the men's shirts and jackets available in stores fit me. Every single one, from the cheapest to the fanciest, is either too wide in the shoulders or too narrow in the hips. Usually both. The brands targeting butch lesbians are lovely and I am endlessly grateful they exist, but they .... aren't the level of high-quality craft that I yearn for and are often lacking the fine details of high-end menswear.

So.

I booked a consult with a bespoke tailor! I live in a major city, so there are several options downtown, and I picked the one whose vibe I liked best.

Last weekend I rode the train down to the shop, scrutinized many fabric swatches, got measured in great detail, and picked out what features I want for this first order of 3 shirts (button-down collar, how many buttons on the cuffs, pocket or no, etc).

Then the salesgirl emailed me that one of the 3 fabrics I selected is out of stock, so I went back this weekend to scrutinize all the fabric swatches again and decide on a substitute.

In about six weeks I'll go back for a fitting. They'll adjust the pattern based on that and then about two weeks later my 3 shirts will be ready!