Mens Fashion
A Guide to Buying Bespoke Suits for the First Time
A Guide to Buying Bespoke Suits for the First Time
Bespoke suits are growing in popularity for many reasons. These suits are timeless, they flatter every wearer, and most importantly, they can instill in you a great sense of prominence and confidence. When you wear a bespoke suit, you feel dignified, authoritative, and admired.
However, getting the best fit for a suit is not always easy. You cannot simply buy a suit from a store. Instead, you need to put more work into finding the suit that perfectly fits you.
This means that you should know where to go. A trusted tailor, highly skilled and experienced in creating fine custom suits, is the person to see.
You should also be mindful of how you will be using the suit. Your purpose for having a suit tailored makes a huge difference — a suit for a wedding is different from one that is suitable for a court appearance, finding a new job or a funeral.
If you are getting tailor-made suits for the first time, here is a guide you can use to make sure that you get the most out of your investment.
2-Piece vs. 3-Piece Suits
A 2-piece suit is less formal than a 3-piece suit. But if you are getting a suit for the first time, it would be better to get a 3-piece suit as this can be easily become a 2-piece suit by removing the vest.
Also, this can be worn to high-end occasions like dinner parties and weddings, maintaining a formal aesthetic while keeping the person wearing it warm at the same time.
Fabrics to Choose From
Bespoke suits are made from different fabrics. You may become overwhelmed by all of the available choices, but here are some of the popular fabrics you would want to stick to when getting your first bespoke suit.
● Worsted wool
This is the most popular fabric choice for custom suits because of its high adaptability to temperature changes. Also, it gives off a slight shine, making it excellent for solid-colored suits. It is also quite versatile.
● Flannel
Usually made out of worsted wool, this fabric is somewhat similar to herringbone and tweed when it comes to appearance, but is softer to the touch. This is also one of the highly recommended fabrics to use because of its wide range of weights and colors.
You can get a breathable, great-looking flannel that keeps you feeling comfortable during the fall and spring months.
● Mohair
This is a silk-like fabric that is more textured than worsted wool.
● 120s
This fabric is best used in a three-season unit because of its luxurious lightweight wool.
Ideally, your suit must be made of a fabric durable enough that you will feel comfortable when it’s chilly, and lightweight enough that you will not overheat.
Brush Up on Your Tailoring Lingo
When getting suits custom-made, you can encounter a lot of unfamiliar terms. It’s a good idea to know something about a tailor’s profession. This way, you can speak the same language when talking about the suit you want.
Here are some of the important words you must keep in mind so you can describe the exact type of suit you are looking for.
- Vent – This refers to the slit at the back of the jacket that allows for easy mobility. The usual option is a center vent, but two side vents are becoming popular these days because it makes the jacket appear more fitted.
- Lapel – This refers to the part on each side of the jacket just below the collar, which can be folded back on any side. It can be peaked, notched or shawl.
- Pant break – This denotes how much of the lowermost part of the pants meets the shoes. The industry standard is a half/medium break, which results in a bit of fold over. Other options include a quarter break, full break or no break at all. For your first bespoke suit, you should choose a quarter or a medium break.
- Shoulders – This refers to padding. If you want a natural, soft transition from your shoulder to arm, consider getting shoulders without padding. But if you want to achieve a broader appearance, go for padded shoulders.
- Taper – This means diminishing the thickness of the suit towards the end. For a more fashionable and perfect fit, consider having your jacket and trousers slightly tapered.
- Side tabs – These are a great alternative to belt loops. There are several buttons on the side of the pants to allow for easy adjustment on the waist so you don’t have to wear a belt.
- Inner pockets – There are several inner pockets that can be fitted to a suit. Left and right inside pockets, for instance, can be used for keeping your mobile device and money clips. Ticket pockets are also a must so you won’t ever misplace your tickets every time you watch a show. Lastly, don’t forget to add a secret inner pocket for those important documents, such as your passport.
- Show or working buttons – Show buttons have no real function; they are just there for show. On the other hand, working buttons are indicative of bespoke suits that will allow you to easily roll up your sleeves.
These important terms will help your tailor better understand the kind of suit you want, from top to bottom.
Having the knowledge necessary for getting a bespoke is crucial. So before heading to the best tailoring shop in your location, you should familiarize yourself with how the process works and how to properly speak with a tailor. And most importantly, accept that you cannot rush this process, so be patient.
The advantage of gathering this helpful information is that the next time you get a custom suit made, your tailor will already have all your details and measurements on file. And you will have your gorgeous custom-made suit in your hands in no time.
AUTHOR BIO
AlphaSuit is the brainchild of Master Haberdasher, Sean McKee. Over a span of more than two decades, Sean has provided custom suits to some of the most successful leaders in America. With AlphaSuit, he now brings this same premium service to you, but at 60-70% less than the traditional price.