[Closed] Custom tailored clothing

When I was young and trendy, I had a suit made for me by a local old polish tailor, it was ****ing fantastic, he really knew his stuff, advised my about the cut, what materials would work best for me etc. He worked from an old run down shop outside of town, wouldn't have thought anything about the place really, but I had gone in first for an alteration on a shop bought (but expensive) suit and he had improved it massively.

Couple of years later I fancied another, but he had shut up shop by the, so went to a more well known tailor in town, and they made a more expensive but far shitter suit, never bothered going down that route since.

I have shirts made for me, it's great to know that they fit better than off the peg, and I've a couple of fairly rare Liberty prints that people really like.

I go to Shanghai a lot, and get stuff made up very reasonably. My white pilot shirts cost £14 each, a few linen SS shirts at £18, and a silk lined suit for £150.

Kilt and jacket. Well made and still fits perfectly. Easily worth what I paid, especially the kilt given it comes out on both formal and casual outings.

I had a suit custom tailored for a wedding but that, in retrospect was a bit of a waste of money.

On the whole, off the peg fits me fine.

I've had a couple of suits made both from tailors in the UK and Singapore. Far more involving experience here in the UK even though I went to one of the better tailors in Singapore the whole experience still felt rushed and a little 'cheap'.

My local tailor doesn't advertise, his shop is in one of the less salubrious parts of town but he has surprisingly large customer base.

Fancy getting some shirts made when I'm back in Singapore later this month.

Yep. Suits and shoes (if we're counting bespoke cobbling as well!)

Money well spent.

Am in Singapore and Hong Kong fairly often (next month included. With CX, Dan. One day, one day...)but prefer to buy stuff made here. From talking to colleagues in HKG in particular, it sounds as if many of the tailors there are trading on past reputation.

Lee, when are you off?

I'd love one, especially as I'm well fit.

However, at £600 min, or buying a ted baker off the shelf from Slaters and getting it tweaked to your exact requirements, for nothing extra, so £250 ish all in, is unbeatable on the value front.

I land on the 26th Feb, another 3 month stint 😀

I can't wait to get some xiao long baos down my neck.

Yup; used to visit a tailor in Hammersmith for suits a few years ago. Was initially concerned, as I'd never have worn any of the suits he was wore. However, as he had close on fifty years' experience, there was nothing he hadn't made before, and was extremely helpful in preventing design disasters a.k.a. "the Homer". Half a dozen, plus a tail coat (not for burning banknotes in) and all still fit nicely. Had a few shirts made, but as slim styles became more prevalent in the shops, had no difficulty in ending that expensive choice. Family now empties my wallet.

I popped in to Slaters in Brum just after Christmas, I was really surprised how helpful they were.

I didn't buy anything but I'd recommend them without hesitation.

Yes, true bespoke suits; buy cloths and linings direct from mills then off to the tailor.

Flashy: interested in your experience with shoes - which shoe maker (calling them a cobbler doesn't sound quite right), price guide, what choice of leather and anything else you can tell me.
I'm aware of john lobb but they're a bit too rich for me.

Bought a couple and some shirts.
Got mine from a suit that fits and honestly won't wear and untailored suit now. Just don't feel anywhere as comfortable.

Haven't gotten round to shoes yet as can't justify that much

CaptainFlashheart » Yep. Suits and shoes (if we're counting bespoke cobbling as well!)

Heh

I'm still looking for some super-strength bleach so's I can erase [i]that[/i] pic from my mind.

land on the 26th Feb, another 3 month stint

Am there mid March for a couple of days.....

Frank, I used my father's cobbler. (And yes, I do realise how ****y that sounds!)

Now, looking for the link, I see that they're gone. http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-11-16-closure-iconic-oxford-shop-ducker-son

🙁

Oh, and £10 on this getting closed due to spam within 6 months 🙂

Drop me a line if you fancy a pint in Breworks, it'll be on expenses 🙂

Getting shoes made at the moment, they are a birthday present from Mrs kilo. Process so far has been good but it's quite slow, four months at the moment . On the plus side minor flat feet and bone spurs on my heels, neither of which I had noticed means they are VAT free. 🙂

CF, I read an article in the paper about that shoe-maker closing down, seems very sad indeed.
It's a bit like trying to find a proper old-fashioned watchmaker, they're few and far between these days.
I've been hunting around for one to fix my lovely Yema Rallygraf, because the mainspring has just gone, and the old guy in Swindon who did a small repair on it a couple of years ago has now fully retired.
There just aren't the younger people with an interest learning those sort of skills, it seems.
Fortunately I've found someone in Marlborough who has watchmakers in-house, so I'm optimistic they can fix it.
Fingers crossed.

CZ, I have an excellent jeweler/ watchmaker in Salisbury who looks after my classic watch (1936 so hardly an easy job!). Not a million miles from Marlborough.

I appreciate that this probably doesn't fit in this thread but (in addition to having a tailored suit) I've had some pretty good results from getting off the peg suits altered. This normally means finding a jacket that fits and getting the trousers done though.

^ It's perfect for this thread, as we all like good fitting suits but are usually not willing to spend stupid money 🙂

A mate got diverted after a lunchtime pint or several and woke up at home several hours later with no recollection of what had gone on and a receipt for a £600 tailor made suit.

To be fair, it looked fantastic when he picked it up but I still love the fact that he was pissed when he got measured for it.

I've had 2 shirts from itailor - great shirts - a very good fit and quality

Two of my worst ever suits were bespoke suits made by traditional tailors in the city.

Used to have shirts made in Cyrpus but fabric quality was < UK

Agree than many HK tailors are now living on past reputation

tailors in the city

Assuming you missed the capital letter deliberately.

Either way, any decent chap gets his suits from the Row or Jermyn. 😉

My mum knitted me a tank top once.

C'mon flashy

Row - suits
Jermyn - shirts

Sent too much my life travelling around emerging markets and in airplanes to justify spending too much in suits. I wear them a very, very quickly.

Good suits on Jermyn, too.

Flying in a suit? Cardinal sin.

SaxonRider - Member
Has anyone ever had any made for them?

Cant avoid it on global roadshows - 3/4 US cities a day.I do remember being one of only two people wearing a suit on a South West Airlines flight from San Diego to LA. caused much amusement and sympathy in 95 degrees!!

Agree on normal travel - would never wear a suit. I remember being told that McKinsey used to insist that staff wore suits on all planes in case the bumped into a client. Bizarre policy. If I met a consultant wearing a suit on a plane I would merely think that they were fools. Perhaps that's why I failed my final McKinsey interview in my youth. Don't like cliched thinking and stupidity born out of inflexibility. !

All my suits are bespoke, most of my formal wear and the informal stuff I need for business, shirts I have never bothered with as I like them baggy. With shoes the cost of the last is so great it has never really made sense. Otherwise I am in Blue Harbour Jeans and a Fleece.

I've always been lucky in the clothing/footwear stakes. There are a few lasts that seem custom for my feet and most garments that attract my attention sit as if fitted but I really couldn't give two shits about suits, classic or otherwise.

Always had a penchant for a good pair of boots, though...

Shirts in Singapore, my neck is the wrong size for my body so nothing really fits off the peg, got some trousers too. Tony the tailor good bloke an a beer on pickup

my neck is the wrong size for my body

No shit, Three Chins. This site has photographic evidence of your...uh...girth in that area.

Edit : 😉

Use tailor store for shirts as anything off the peg above large just seems to mean fatter not longer.
Prices have gone up a bit recently £50-£60 for a basic shirt but they last a bit.