#custom tailoring

In this post, you will learn how to sew and attach belt loops to your pants, dresses and skirts. Join me on a journey through the art of sewing as we delve into the world of belt loops—a small but mighty detail that can transform any garment. Whether you’re a seasoned tailor or a DIY enthusiast, mastering the technique of creating and attaching belt loops is a skill that elevates your fashion…

Lee Jeans Europe SS19

Celebrating 130 years of denim excellence

photographed by Jamel Shabazz

styled by Emma Pritchard

For anyone who doesn't know about my character, I made an OC for the Evil Drye AU. (A voice-actor's AU where its the evil version of him as a tyrant king. His name is DryeGuy) She's my insert for the Loyal Subject/New Ruler. Her code name is Absentia Phantom.

I've been wanting to make a new cosplay, and I've have actually thought about going as her. Only problem is, I need to;

1.) Find a trustworthy and good quality custom tailor. The dress and amulet she always holds is a little unique, costume wise. So I doubt I can find anything close to what I want, online. I already have a custom tailor I found online in mind, but I'm still checking around.

2.) Figure out how I want it made. I already have the design and colors and everything figured out, but fabric wise I'm still stuck on. I know some fabrics are much more expensive then others, and I want to keep it at a moderate price. Plus, I've never done commissioning before. This would be my first time commissioning someone, and I want to make sure I do it right and not waste their time.

3.) Get the money for it. I have a funny feeling this'll get on the expensive side. Its not the most complicated costume in the world, but its still unique enough to probably be worth extra. Plus, considering I'm looking specifically for costume/cosplay tailors, I know this shit can be difficult. So I wanna be sure I don't waste either of our times by not having the cash for it. Better safe then sorry, but if anyone has any ideas on how much custom cosplay tailoring can generally cost, it'd be much appreciated.

“A Tailored History of Toronto” launch and release 

I’ve just received an early copy of “Walter Beauchamp: A Tailored History of Toronto” and couldn’t be more excited. Conceived, developed and worked on in partnership with the company’s 3rd generation owner Terry Beauchamp, I’m very proud of the result. Not just for the story it tells of the Beauchamp family and their role in Canadian custom tailoring history, but also for revealing a perspective of Toronto in the 20th Century that will be new to many people. 

... congratulations ...

grammys 2017

The Lure of Affordable Custom Tailoring

A reader emailed me the other day with a question. He’s getting married this June and wanted a custom suit for the occasion. Something he could wear to his wedding and thereafter, so it had to be basic and formal -- multi-season fabric, solid navy, and with all the traditional details. His budget was $1,000 and he wanted to know if I had suggestions for where to turn. 

We get these kinds of questions all the time. Someone will write in to say they’re flying to China or South East Asia, and they want to know where they can go for good, affordable, custom tailoring. Or maybe they’re looking for something in the US. 

The Short Answer

With some exceptions, if your budget is under $2,000 for a custom suit, you’re almost always better served off-the-rack. That number might actually be closer to $3,000, if we’re to be honest. Custom tailoring is difficult, and more often goes wrong than it goes right. Unless you’re working with a good shop (which is expensive), you’re better off with something ready-made. We have two guides for where you can get a suit given almost any budget. 

The Long Answer

It’s worth pulling out here the difference between bespoke and made-to-measure (MTM) -- two forms of custom tailoring. MTM shops will often call themselves bespoke even if they’re not, so you have to know what really goes behind each form of tailoring. Essentially, MTM is an adjustment off a standard pattern and comes with one fitting. Bespoke is a fully personalized pattern and comes with multiple fittings. You can read more about the differences here.

Assuming you’re working with a good company, bespoke generally fits better than MTM because the tailor has more chances to get things right (those are the fittings). The problem is that -- with very, very few exceptions -- good bespoke tailoring is expensive. Which is why we set ~$2,000 for the minimum budget (in the US, that should be closer to $3,000).

Figure this: a tailor typically pays about $300 for a good length of suit fabric. Add to that the trimmings (canvas, lining, and buttons, which can total about $150); labor for cutting and sewing (wages vary, but it takes about 40 hours to make a suit); the work required to draft your first pattern (very time consuming); and it’s basically impossible to expect anything for less than $2,000. There are a handful of exceptions in the world, but the chance you’re at one of those shops is next to none. 

That leaves us with made-to-measure. 

The Problem with Made-to-Measure

Let’s review with how MTM clothing is made. A company here will draft a standard pattern (tailoring speak for a template) for a range of suit sizes. When a new client comes in, they take their measurements, figure out the closest suit size, and use those numbers to adjust their standard patterns. The suit is then made with more inlays than your average piece of ready-to-wear, which allows for further adjustments. Kind of straightforward. Essentially, MTM is like ready-to-wear, but personalized to fit your body type and sense of style. 

In practice, the process isn’t so straightforward. Everything depends on three things: the quality of the initial measurements, the quality of the fitting, and how difficult you are to fit. 

There are good MTM operations, and almost all of them operate the same way. They have trained and highly skilled sales associates who will measure and fit you in person, often having you try sample garments so they’re sure to get the measurements right. 

As custom clothing has become more popular, however, the marketplace for MTM has exploded. Nowadays, you can find all sorts of businesses. Some allow customers to self-measure and do everything online (almost all of these are terrible); some have weird gizmo body scanners (just repackaged 1940s marketing gimmicks and, again, almost always terrible); some have undertrained sales staff (again, poor measuring and fitting will lead to bad garments). 

If you’re on a budget, the likelihood that you’re working with one of these more questionable shops is high. Custom doesn’t mean better than ready-to-wear. There’s a lot of bad custom tailoring work out there and, frankly, most of it is affordable MTM. It’s simply people who bought into the idea of “custom” without understanding the importance of accurate measurements and good fittings -- two things that require trained, skilled people to produce. 

Ready-to-Wear: Often the Best Budget Pick

Again, this isn’t to say that good MTM shops don’t exist. They do and we’ll be talking about some of them in the future. It’s only to say that the field is complicated, and for guys on a budget, you’re almost always better served with ready-to-wear. It’s simple, easy, and there’s a model and size for almost anyone. Best of all, you can put something back on the rack if you don’t like it (an advantage that can’t be overstated). There are lots of cheap custom tailoring shops out there that try to sell you on the idea of affordable luxury and personalized fit, but the adage of “you get what you pay for” still holds true.