An Open Question to Bespoke Suit Makers

[NJS]

Let us suppose that Mr X is twenty five years old and ordering his first bespoke suit, from a renowned tailor (and it could be anywhere in the world). He is going to have a plain worsted blue or gray; so there is no pattern-matching involved and he has no physical features, amounting to a deformity. Dealing, in turn, with trousers, vest and coat, what should he primarily watch out for at each fitting?

I know that there are several bespoke suit-makers on this site and I have written a pm to one of them, to give some idea of what I have in mind. I do not recall a similar question being posed here or on any similar site and, even just for myself, I would be glad to know what the answers might be, in a convenient summary. I emphasize summary. I do not mean to provoke some detailed survey!

NJS

[davidhuh]

the new customer will not know and cannot know what he is looking at to begin with. Do not try to arm yourself with what is not possible for you to know.. 99% of old customers dont know.. Just enough to be dangerous. he should find a trustworthy tailor of good repute. An honest tailor who..whom ? loves his craft and will take the young fellow under his wing and make him what he needs. A damn well fitting suit with good honest cloth. These tailors are very few and far between these days.. very very very very few and far far far far far between.. even a well intentioned tailor these days , most likely ,has no idea what he is doing.. Find a good honest tailor and pay him. Dont try to arm yourself with things that you cannot possibly know or possibly understand. Find an honest tailor. If you look for a price you get what you pay for. Even if you pay top dollar these days you will ,most likely,not have been taken care of properly.

Dear Frank,

thank you, I like this very much. I am talking to my 19 year old god child these days, as I'm taking him to a tailor for his first bespoke suit. He is a thoughtful young man, and I realise how overwhelming everything is for him. A very experienced and honest tailor it will be, and yours truly discreetly in the background

cheers, David

[old henry]

That is exactly how it used to be David. Your God Son will be Grandfathered into tailoring by you.
You will bring him to your honest tailor and you and he will teach your God Son the right way, from the get go, with knowledge and experience. He will develop the understanding through the first hand experience.

[C.Lee]

... Do not try to arm yourself with what is not possible for you to know... Find an honest tailor...

Wise words. The alternative seems more involved:

http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/in ... wtopic=427

...He will develop the understanding through the first hand experience.

From living it, and learning from those who have gone before him - an apprenticeship of sorts, much like how tailors pass on and acquire their skill. I see the tailors I have met as mentors.

Mr. X would do well to trust his tailor, ask questions, make his desires known, and seek to grow the relationship.

[old henry]

[quote="C.Lee"][quote="old henry"]... Do not try to arm yourself with what is not possible for you to know... Find an honest tailor...[/quote]
Wise words. The alternative seems more involved:

[url]http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/in ... wtopic=427[/url]


[quote="old henry"]...He will develop the understanding through the first hand experience.[/quote]
From living it, and learning from those who have gone before him - an apprenticeship of sorts, much like how tailors pass on and acquire their skill. I see the tailors I have met as mentors.

Mr. X would do well to trust his tailor, ask questions, make his desires known, and seek to grow the relationship.[/quote]

Thank You CLee. This is what I was trying to say.

[hsw9001]

IMO comfort is the one thing that a customer needs to relay to the tailor. Comfort is very individual. What is too tight on one is too loose on another. As with many things in life, understanding yourself is key. Understanding oneself and being true to oneself is nontrivial; it requires considerable introspection.

[culverwood]

He should find a trustworthy tailor of good repute. An honest tailor who..whom ? loves his craft and will take the young fellow under his wing and make him what he needs. A damn well fitting suit with good honest cloth. These tailors are very few and far between these days.. very very very very few and far far far far far between.. even a well intentioned tailor these days , most likely ,has no idea what he is doing.. Find a good honest tailor and pay him.

So how can the young man find a good honest tailor? Is he more likely to be better looked after by a smaller operation or a larger one, should he go to the big city to find one?

[Pins&Needles]

Let us suppose that Mr X is twenty five years old and ordering his first bespoke suit, from a renowned tailor (and it could be anywhere in the world). He is going to have a plain worsted blue or gray; so there is no pattern-matching involved and he has no physical features, amounting to a deformity. Dealing, in turn, with trousers, vest and coat, what should he primarily watch out for at each fitting?

I know that there are several bespoke suit-makers on this site and I have written a pm to one of them, to give some idea of what I have in mind. I do not recall a similar question being posed here or on any similar site and, even just for myself, I would be glad to know what the answers might be, in a convenient summary. I emphasize summary. I do not mean to provoke some detailed survey!

NJS

My advice is to just go with it. Comfort is key. Your eye and your heart will tell you if the style/cut is right for you..don't ignore it!

Regards

Karl Matthews