Jason Voorhees
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I actually typed out this thread last September but didn't post it because of that tigermoggerlol thread but here it is. How I got my first bespoke suits.
If you don't have the budget for bespoke yet, I already made a thread about solid off-the-rack options with good alterations.
I was in the exact same boat in college watching guys in investor meetings and formal dinners wearing these sharp, expensive suits while I could only admire from afar. But after landing my first real paycheck, the first thing I wanted was a proper suit. Not just any suit for remembrance sake, something that marked the shift from broke student. So I finally pulled the trigger and got my first suit tailored. Here's exactly how I did it with the lessons I learned along the way
This thread will be for you if have the money to spare for it. A good budget to aim for bespoke level is $2,500 minimum and it can go as high as you want
I'll skip through the stuff you can easily find info about online and condense all the research that I did before buying in this thread
1. Fabric and color
For your first bespoke suit. Get a 100% wool in Navy or charcoal. One more thing you'll get asked is the super number which is the fine ness of the fabric. Higher super number gives more luxurious feel and natural shine unlike cheap polyester but are also harder to maintain and very expensive.
So stick Super 120s-150s. That range gives you smoothness and durability without turning delicate. Feel the swatches in person rub and scrunch them. Skip cashmere/vicuรฑa blends for your first one. They pill, tear, and cost way more to maintain. Also for color. Navy or charcoal. Navy for versatility and charcoal for more serious look
Skip black it doesn't photograph well in daylight and hides the details. Save patterns for 2nd or 3rd suits
2. Style choices
I made mistake here and went for an overly flamboyant and flashy style when I should have gone more conservative.
Lapel Style- Go for notch lapel. Peaked should only be opted if you want more show off or have a double breasted. A mistake I made here
Buttons & Stance- Pick buttons made of horn. Two button single breasted is king for a first bespoke suit. It flatters the most body types and looks modern. Three button if you have a longer torso and give a more 1920s style. Avoid brass buttons. Another mistake I made here
Pockets & Details- Ask for flap pockets. Skip jetted and patch. They look boring but more importantly ask for barcutte pockets. These pockets are slightly slanted hall mark of tailored clothing. Also ask working surgeons cuffs and also request subtle pick-stitching on the lapels and edges. This is what separates true bespoke from high end made to measures. If you are spending this much money. It needs look like money aswell
Canvas and lining- Full floating canvas and proper lining with silk or cupro and no exception. There's no point in buying an unlined and no canvas bespoke suit imo. You go bespoke to look regal for the presence and authority. If it's just loose and not structured it doesn't look right. You might have aswell gotten an off the rack of made to measure one
3. Fitting
Fitting is the absolute heart of bespoke it's what makes the suit feel like it was built for your body, not some average template. Almost everyone has some unevenness one shoulder sits slightly higher, lower, more forward, or slopes differently than the other because most people are not dexterous on both hands and are either right or left handed. Posture habits asymmetries. This video explains it all better than I ever could. If you go to the tailors I mentioned later in this thread you don't need to worry about this. They have years of experience and you can trust them blindly
You'll have roughly 3 fittings. The big one is basted/skeleton fitting. The first fitting. The suit is cut but only loosely tacked with white thread. This is your only chance for major changes. Speak up This pulls when I raise my right arm or Shoulder feels lower. Stay silent like an autist and you'll own a mediocre suit forever
4. Tailoring Houses: Hidden Gems
Here I'll save you weeks of research. All the stuff I said before you can find it anywhere but I'll tell you the stuff that is gate kept
You don't need the overhyped big names or $10k+ price tags for your first suit. Some of the best value and craftsmanship comes from lesser-known houses that fly under the radar
That focus on handwork instead of marketing.
UK: Kent & Haste very underrated. dressed Prince Philip and old Hollywood types and at proves that don't sting as hard. You can also find smaller independent cutters who do trunk shows for classic cuts without the markup.
www.kenthaste.co.uk
www.edwardsexton.co.uk
Italy-This is where my outfit came from. I didn't actually travel to Italy but went to a travelling tailor. A lot of Italian tailors to cater to international clients travel around major cities. You can find their itineraries online. You will get measured and initial fittings happen in those cities but final suit will be made in Italy and be delivered to your door step. I suggest you to go to Naples or look for tailors from Naples. It is is packed with small family ateliers that deliver quality. Some underrated houses that I can name are
Ettore de Cesare
www.permanentstyle.com
Gaetano Aloisio
www.gaetanoaloisio.com
If you want something even more unique you can go to florence to Liverano & Liverano it keeps the old undarted Florentine shoulder alive if you want something distinctive.
There's also a lot of these smaller family owned businesses that don't even have a website. I went to one such tailoring house and they deliver on the same level as Rubinacci or cuccunelli etc. just need to look around and do some research.
Good places to look for would be Styleforum or Permanent Style for real owner reviews skip the hype threads. Visit in person if you can, or start with a trunk show. Ask to see their house cut and past work the good ones will happily show you. It's better to go and see it all in person imo
Matters most:
-Fit (everything else is secondary)
-Full floating canvas construction makes the jacket drape and move like a second skin
-A tailor who is experienced and communicates well
Doesn't matter (save your money):
-Chasing Super 180s+ fabrics on your first suit (they wrinkle and wear out faster).
-Brand name or exotic fibers.
-Trying to look "unique" on suit #1 solids and clean details let the cut do the talking.
That's about it. This is what my first bespoke suit. Looks like. It's not actually a suit. An odd jacket blazer with trousers. I went a little too flashy with the peaked lapels, gold buttons. A little too bold and intentionally made the blazer a bit tight here because I was a little chubby when I got measured I've since lost all that weight and it fits me perfectly now and overall I'm very happy with my investment.
I get compliments from strangers all the time when I wear it. People smile at me, VIP treatment from waiters. Everyone thinks I'm someone important every time I wear it. I also feel a sense of pride in wearing it every time.
If you guys have any questions or need help with getting your first bespoke suit. Just DM me I would be happy to help
If you don't have the budget for bespoke yet, I already made a thread about solid off-the-rack options with good alterations.
I was in the exact same boat in college watching guys in investor meetings and formal dinners wearing these sharp, expensive suits while I could only admire from afar. But after landing my first real paycheck, the first thing I wanted was a proper suit. Not just any suit for remembrance sake, something that marked the shift from broke student. So I finally pulled the trigger and got my first suit tailored. Here's exactly how I did it with the lessons I learned along the way
This thread will be for you if have the money to spare for it. A good budget to aim for bespoke level is $2,500 minimum and it can go as high as you want
I'll skip through the stuff you can easily find info about online and condense all the research that I did before buying in this thread
1. Fabric and color
For your first bespoke suit. Get a 100% wool in Navy or charcoal. One more thing you'll get asked is the super number which is the fine ness of the fabric. Higher super number gives more luxurious feel and natural shine unlike cheap polyester but are also harder to maintain and very expensive.
So stick Super 120s-150s. That range gives you smoothness and durability without turning delicate. Feel the swatches in person rub and scrunch them. Skip cashmere/vicuรฑa blends for your first one. They pill, tear, and cost way more to maintain. Also for color. Navy or charcoal. Navy for versatility and charcoal for more serious look
Skip black it doesn't photograph well in daylight and hides the details. Save patterns for 2nd or 3rd suits
2. Style choices
I made mistake here and went for an overly flamboyant and flashy style when I should have gone more conservative.
Lapel Style- Go for notch lapel. Peaked should only be opted if you want more show off or have a double breasted. A mistake I made here
Buttons & Stance- Pick buttons made of horn. Two button single breasted is king for a first bespoke suit. It flatters the most body types and looks modern. Three button if you have a longer torso and give a more 1920s style. Avoid brass buttons. Another mistake I made here
Pockets & Details- Ask for flap pockets. Skip jetted and patch. They look boring but more importantly ask for barcutte pockets. These pockets are slightly slanted hall mark of tailored clothing. Also ask working surgeons cuffs and also request subtle pick-stitching on the lapels and edges. This is what separates true bespoke from high end made to measures. If you are spending this much money. It needs look like money aswell
Canvas and lining- Full floating canvas and proper lining with silk or cupro and no exception. There's no point in buying an unlined and no canvas bespoke suit imo. You go bespoke to look regal for the presence and authority. If it's just loose and not structured it doesn't look right. You might have aswell gotten an off the rack of made to measure one
3. Fitting
Fitting is the absolute heart of bespoke it's what makes the suit feel like it was built for your body, not some average template. Almost everyone has some unevenness one shoulder sits slightly higher, lower, more forward, or slopes differently than the other because most people are not dexterous on both hands and are either right or left handed. Posture habits asymmetries. This video explains it all better than I ever could. If you go to the tailors I mentioned later in this thread you don't need to worry about this. They have years of experience and you can trust them blindly
You'll have roughly 3 fittings. The big one is basted/skeleton fitting. The first fitting. The suit is cut but only loosely tacked with white thread. This is your only chance for major changes. Speak up This pulls when I raise my right arm or Shoulder feels lower. Stay silent like an autist and you'll own a mediocre suit forever
4. Tailoring Houses: Hidden Gems
Here I'll save you weeks of research. All the stuff I said before you can find it anywhere but I'll tell you the stuff that is gate kept
You don't need the overhyped big names or $10k+ price tags for your first suit. Some of the best value and craftsmanship comes from lesser-known houses that fly under the radar
That focus on handwork instead of marketing.
UK: Kent & Haste very underrated. dressed Prince Philip and old Hollywood types and at proves that don't sting as hard. You can also find smaller independent cutters who do trunk shows for classic cuts without the markup.
Kent & Haste: Home
A hidden gem of Savile Row, and one of the last independent Bespoke Tailors. Tailoring for some of the world's most stylish dressers.
www.kenthaste.co.uk
Trunk Shows
Located at Savile Row, London. Unprecedented quality tailors since 1969, creating classic mens and ladies tailoring, a modern twist of English eccentricity.
www.edwardsexton.co.uk
Italy-This is where my outfit came from. I didn't actually travel to Italy but went to a travelling tailor. A lot of Italian tailors to cater to international clients travel around major cities. You can find their itineraries online. You will get measured and initial fittings happen in those cities but final suit will be made in Italy and be delivered to your door step. I suggest you to go to Naples or look for tailors from Naples. It is is packed with small family ateliers that deliver quality. Some underrated houses that I can name are
Ettore de Cesare
ettore de cesare โ Permanent Style
www.permanentstyle.com
Gaetano Aloisio
Luxury Bespoke - Gaetano Aloisio
Master Gaetano Aloisio has been for over thirty years the source of inspiration for those who love refined tailored elegance.
www.gaetanoaloisio.com
If you want something even more unique you can go to florence to Liverano & Liverano it keeps the old undarted Florentine shoulder alive if you want something distinctive.
There's also a lot of these smaller family owned businesses that don't even have a website. I went to one such tailoring house and they deliver on the same level as Rubinacci or cuccunelli etc. just need to look around and do some research.
Good places to look for would be Styleforum or Permanent Style for real owner reviews skip the hype threads. Visit in person if you can, or start with a trunk show. Ask to see their house cut and past work the good ones will happily show you. It's better to go and see it all in person imo
Matters most:
-Fit (everything else is secondary)
-Full floating canvas construction makes the jacket drape and move like a second skin
-A tailor who is experienced and communicates well
Doesn't matter (save your money):
-Chasing Super 180s+ fabrics on your first suit (they wrinkle and wear out faster).
-Brand name or exotic fibers.
-Trying to look "unique" on suit #1 solids and clean details let the cut do the talking.
That's about it. This is what my first bespoke suit. Looks like. It's not actually a suit. An odd jacket blazer with trousers. I went a little too flashy with the peaked lapels, gold buttons. A little too bold and intentionally made the blazer a bit tight here because I was a little chubby when I got measured I've since lost all that weight and it fits me perfectly now and overall I'm very happy with my investment.
I get compliments from strangers all the time when I wear it. People smile at me, VIP treatment from waiters. Everyone thinks I'm someone important every time I wear it. I also feel a sense of pride in wearing it every time.
If you guys have any questions or need help with getting your first bespoke suit. Just DM me I would be happy to help
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