That feeling after the first bespoke commission

[pur_sang]

Thank you old henry and Costi for the continual encouragement.

Is there a rule of thumb, how many checks should a coat have? For example, a 5'8" man should use this size check, a 6' man should use this size check that is most pleasing to the eye?

[pur_sang]

Just got home from the airport, picked up my first bespoke commission a few hours ago!

All I can say is, let a master do his work, and a masterpiece you will get!

Throughout the process, when I was in doubt, I tend to go with the cutter's suggestion, risking that my suit will come out to the cutter's ideal rather than my ideal. Even on the flight home, I still had my doubts about certain aspects, however, now that I am home, I tried it on again, I cannot be a happier customer, I start to understand why certain things were done a certain way.

My feeling after my first commission is the following, in no particular order:

- My cutter makes suits for a living, so he knows suits better than me. Me telling him how to make/cut a suit is like a primary school kid telling me how to analyze stocks after reading the headline of the WSJ.
- Fit is not about hugging your body, comfort and movement important, as is the overall proportion of the coat.
- Pattern matching is not that important. Yes, the cutter should try the best he can, however, because your body is not symmetrical, this can prove difficult/impossible. Factory make suits can match patterns quite effectively.
- Communicate (rather than dictate) to your cutter what you want, and it is what you will get, much like what Costi described above.
- At fittings, especially at early fittings, the suit most likely will not resemble anywhere close to the final product.
- I think my suit has plastic buttons, and my buckle on my trousers is from Czech Republic (?), but so what? These things don't matter! At least not to me anymore.

I'll write more when I think of more.

[Costi]

Thanks for posting your fresh impressions - they are more sincere and often more valuable than long-polished conclusions. So you learned to trust the craftsman - just give him quality input and let him translate it into style for you. Bespoke is about getting your vision across to the tailor, rather than micromanaging him.
Enjoy the suit and do show us some pictures when you can!

PS: what do you suppose a tailor brings back from a trip to Prague? Buckles - lots of them! They are on most of my trousers' side adjusters. Now, that his old stock is over, I regret them as the new ones don't seem as good...

[CatGrey]

Ah, I remember very well when I walked into my tailor's workshop to order my first bespoke suit. At that moment, all the research I had done suddenly went out the window and I felt not unlike a child in a toy store - overwhelmed by the sheer amount of cloth, unfinished garments hanging all aroung me and whatnot.

Luckily I had my notebook with me, with a rough outline of what exactly I wanted to order - otherwise, who knows, I could have changed my mind entirely in the first few minutes I have spent there. My notes mentioned simple terms, like 'charcoal', 'pinstripes', 'two pairs of trousers, cuffed'. Not much, but it was a fine anchor that helped me get through the ordering process. When we started discussing minute details with the tailor I felt my confidence slowly returning. When I walked out of the shop, I felt as if nothing could shake me that day and I had not a care in the world. It was exhilarating, to say the least. By the time of the first fitting, I was sure there is nothing quite like ordering bespoke.

The whole experience, whether is is a suit, a shirt, a pair of shoes or gloves you are ordering, is incomparable and there is no other place in the world like an artisan's workshop. I think that the special way in which one acquires an item made just for oneself and memories of the whole process that make bespoke a very worthwhile adventure. I hope more and more people discover this as time goes by...

[clarytl]

I have also taken the plunge and ordered a bespoke suit last weekend, however I'm waiting until the suit is made before I start the process of having bespoke shirts.. Armed with my laptop I descended on my ( I can now say my tailor) tailor, with pics and many question, with amusement and patience i was indulged. I will share more after my first fitting

[clarytl]

I've been telling friends about my new adventure, when asked what material I had selected I couldn't remember so intoxicatedwas I by the whole experience, I had completly forgotten, so as I was due to have my first fitting today, I can now reveal that I had chosen a light grey mohair wool mix.
Whilst the coat is only partially formed, already it looks and feels superior to any suit I have previously purchase. The style of the coat will be SB 1b with peak lapels, the pockets are slanted along with a ticket pocket, the trousers are flat fronted with cuffs.

I have also commisioned a bespoke shirt (after visiting shirtmakers on and off both Jermyn St & Savile Row) from Russell and Hodges..

I wish to thank all members for sharing their experiences, which has proved to be invaluable in assisting me on this adventure..

Thank you

[CatGrey]

(...) The style of the coat will be SB 1b with peak lapels, the pockets are slanted along with a ticket pocket (...)

Some great stylistic choices there. I am very happy to see another enthusiast of this configuration. Although I have far too many projects in the works right now to commission yet another suit, I think that photos of your finished garment may convince me to finally get a 1b SBPL done.

[clarytl]

I collected my first bespoke shirt on Saturday, what a difference.

[pur_sang]

Since my first commission was a double breasted Glenurquhart plaid, I do not wear it as often as I like. But on my recent trip to Paris, I wore it on the train to and from, and apart from lounging around in the hotel and sleeping, I wore it everywhere I went.

What I found was that I never got tired! I don't know whether other ppl get this problem, but I get tired around the shoulders and waist after wearing a suit for too long. The suit is so light and comfortable, I will use a phrase that Luca Rubinacci once used, 'it's small on the outside, but big on the inside'! I feel like I'm wearing a t-shirt, yet when I look in the mirror I see a lot of shape, and got a few comments about how masculine I looked while out in Paris.

*side note* I actually severely hurt my back just before my Paris trip, so was in a lot of discomfort, and yet I still very comfortable in this suit.

[Costi]

Wonderful feelings, pur_sang! Bespoke clothing is a many-splendoured thing
Your descriptions are great - you FEEL good in your clothes (physically AND psychologically), so your Style is free to manifest; hence the compliments!
Thanks for sharing and inspiring...

[Haggis]

The most curious thing; my Good Son and I were, just few days ago, attending a "sale" at the only quality men's shop within 4 hours drive, and most displeased with the fabrics, patterns, colors and fit of everything in general, as well as the nation of manufacture, when it was mentioned by a clothier on patrol one might have clothes made to our liking. I asked if he was talking about m2m, and he replied, "Something more". I asked it he meant "bespoke", and within moments he was taking measurements, we were looking at fabrics, and choosing styles of cuffs, collars, and such like. As one writer mentioned above, it was most liberating; of a sudden, there was nothing in the shop to catch my eye, nothing there I wanted; not so much as to give it a look.

We were told our first order, a shirt for my Good Son, to test the waters, would be 4 to 6 weeks in the making (my treat by the by). This shop has a connection in Chicago, and tailors there, according to an article in Forbes magazine and this small shop, do bespoke quite well.

My Good Son tells me I have ruined him entirely, “How”, says he, “can I wear a bespoke shirt under a RTW jacket”?

[clarytl]

I've worn my shirt and laundered it twice as suggested, and will be taking it back to R & H for assessing, their will be some minor alterations but it fits and feels fantastic, I will keep the shape, but I will vary the collars and cuffs to suit my seasonal needs.

I will be collecting my suit from Mr Antoniou on thursday, Mr Antoniou has in my opinion produced a suit of outstanding quality, the amount of handwork is extraordinary.

I will post pics shortly.

[clarytl]

I have collected and worn my suit on a couple of occassions now and in my opinion, it looks and feels great.

However I did have some cause for concern when walking down SR window shopping, I noticed that the coats(jackets) on display all had a short front dart, whilst my suit had a long front dart, after some research the mystery was solved,(http://tuttofattoamano.blogspot.com/sea ... 20Anderson), this was an old practice associated with what is called a drape cut. My concerns now removed, I have ordered another SB mohair and wool suit in navy, a Db 6b blazer with an odd pair of trousers and 2 linen and mohair(mersolair) suits for the warmer weather.