NY Times article about MyTailor.com

[Brad Bowers]

Here's an article in today's NYTimes about someone's satisfying experience ordering a formal shirt from MyTailor.com.

Brad

 

[wackyvorlon]

Hmm. They seem interesting. Though, I have a found a tailor here in Toronto who will make a shirt for $185, not bad, really. Considering it's bespoke. The question, though - is this made to measure? Or genuine bespoke tailoring?

 

[herringbonekid]

genuine bespoke can't happen when your tailor is in another country and hasn't even seen you in person. unthinkable.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

alternatives?

Has anyone of you made experiences - good or bad ones - with other online "bespoke" tailors?

Most seem to be based in Hong Kong, Thailand or Korea, but some travel quite a lot, mainly in the States, so that at least the first step is not much different from the first visit to a traditional bespoke tailor.

(By the way, most steal the same pictures.)

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've had a number of dress shirts made by mysuitshop.com

They are MTM. And i must say, the quality of the cotton they use is superior to a number of very, very, very expensive shirts i've seen. They faithfully reproduced the measurements i asked for (even down to the smaller french cuffs to fit inside the thin vintage armholes!). Those shirts are holding up much better then the Paul Stuart one i acquired in a fit of idiocy ...

bk

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Interesting!

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but what do you mean by smaller French cuffs? I thought double-folded is double-folded, and the thickness doesn't vary in relation to the length?

And if they do consider this kind of wishes, what makes it MTM? That the pieces (such as sleeves, back, front left, front right) are pre-cut?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

No fittings.

French cuffs (unlike barrel) extend out from the wrist towards the part of the jacket cuff where the buttons would be. With wider French cuffs (measured from where the cuff links are to the 'inside' of the wrist) there is often a problem with folding over at the link end when worn in conjunction with a vintage jacket, because the vintage jacket cuffs are often smaller than the modern jacket cuff. the problem is that the shirt cuff is wider than the jacket cuff. At least that's my experience with some of my jacket/shirt combos ... Hence the request for smaller shirt cuffs. They sent me an email after my first request saying: "This measurement is smaller than normal shirt cuffs. For your comfort, we'd suggest a larger diameter shirt cuff." (Fortunately i have little girly wrists so it doesn't matter, and they took my reasoning and did the measurements i asked for) ...

bk

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Ah, the diameter.

Concerning MTM vs. bespoke, I see your point of fittings, but I think this is still rather on the bespoke side, simply because it's not prefabricated parts. So, to a MTM tailor's, you couldn't send a picture of Archibald Leach (or Elvis Presley, for that matter) in your favourite suit and tell them to reproduce it.

 

[jake_fink]

Baron,

I'd love more information on the mysuitshop.com shirts. Have you posted in another thread? Pictures would be cool, the specs you had them work with and the prices. Thanks.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Prices come out to about 30 a pop, as i remember. Very nice for us small chaps. Try to find a neck smaller than 15 shirt in this day and age (other than vintage). The spectacles i sent them were pretty basic - just with the cuff altered (cuff width will depend upon your wrists) - i wasn't trying at that time to reproduce vintage. I warn that when you ask them to reprodce something not in their catalogue, the prices rise steeply (certainly their quotes do). Simple changes like cuffs etc. don't cost extra, for example, but i'd like to see the price on Zach R.'s proposed shirts with vintage styling ...

I've never posted these shirts, as they aren't too special. I do advise that before you actually order something, recheck the measurements you submit. They have a habit of altering measurements because "they know best". If this happens, go back and change them and they'll never touch 'em again ...

bk

 

[herringbonekid]

Concerning MTM vs. bespoke, I see your point of fittings, but I think this is still rather on the bespoke side, simply because it's not prefabricated parts. So, to a MTM tailor's, you couldn't send a picture of Archibald Leach (or Elvis Presley, for that matter) in your favourite suit and tell them to reproduce it.

at the risk of repeating myself: sending a photo of a suit to be reproduced is STILL not bespoke tailoring. you have to MEET your tailor in person and have AT LEAST one fitting in his presence for the process to qualify as bespoke.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I guess the grading goes like this:

Ready To Wear (off the shelf, prefabricated, relatively poor quality, unlikely to fit perfectly - or even well)

Made To Measure (self explanatory: mostly not prefab, made to fit you, near as makes little difference, no contact with the chap(ess) who's making it)

Bespoke (perfection - or it should be ... some tailors are sloppy. Basically made to measure, but with: professional advice, tailor/cutter who can look at you and know what he needs to do to fix those flaws we all have, fittings, alterations done after fittings, made to fit you perfectly, no corners cut, you don't get it until it's just right)

bk

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

at the risk of repeating myself: sending a photo of a suit to be reproduced is STILL not bespoke tailoring. you have to MEET your tailor in person and have AT LEAST one fitting in his presence for the process to qualify as bespoke.

I'm not talking about the quality. Also, the chances that it's perfect are smaller, but if you can measure yourself well, or a spouse or the like can measure you well, that might be better than a less than perfect tailor.

Or you can make an appointment with one of those that travel around the US, and sometimes the UK.

Still, the fitting would have to wait till the tailor comes around to the place again, probably a year later...

But I do see a difference. Try to tell even a brick-and-mortar store tailor that you want this Elvis suit or that smoking jacket - if he does MTM only, he won't be able.

 

[herringbonekid]

i didn't mention quality either. i was just trying to describe the term 'bespoke'. getting a garment made by someone who has never met you in person is NOT bespoke.

i can see how some might argue that a custom-specified garment made overseas IS bespoke if you ask for specific details and get them. the difference to me is the fit. you are taking a HUGE chance. ask Senator Jack if his suit had a 'bespoke' fit.

i'm not even going to talk about the 'quality' angle.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

i can see how some might argue that a custom-specified garment made overseas IS bespoke if you ask for specific details and get them. the difference to me is the fit. you are taking a HUGE chance.

This is about what I meant. By the way, in a larger-than-mini tailor's studio, is the person that takes youe measures and is there for the fittings the same as the one or more that cut and sew? Not sure. Still it would be a tailor, not a lay(wo)man who supervises the fitting and records issues to be amended. And depending where you live, it might take considerably longer to have it shipped to the Orient and back several times (fittings) than to take the tube to Green Park a couple of times.

So maybe online, but completely to your wishes = hazard bespoke?

Bottom line (for the time being): I don't have the money for traditional bespoke suits, these suits ordered online are about as much as an off-the shelf suit, I'm not comfortable with off-the-shelf designs and sizes -> online seems to be a decent alternative.

 

[herringbonekid]

LRHB: long range hazard bespoke.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

OK.

In connexion with ordered suits (LRHB or plain bespoke), I've started another thread on a detail here.

 

[jml90]

genuine bespoke can't happen when your tailor is in another country and hasn't even seen you in person. unthinkable.

Actually he travels so you can visit him

 

[Dietrich]

If I may, there is a wealth of information about bespoke tailoring at Thomas Mahon's blog. Fundamentally, what seperates made-to-measure from bespoke is that a proper bespoke tailor will draft a pattern especially for you and will shape the garment around you rather than altering a basic pattern to fit a handful of measurements. It is a totally different process and produces totally different results. A bespoke tailor can, for instance, shape the armholes to suit your shoulders, build the top of the trousers on a skew for someone with one leg longer than the other or design radically different sleeves to perfectly fit an unusually shaped gentleman. A made-to-measure suit is essentially an off the peg garment that has been altered before it is put together - it can be a very fine garment indeed, but will not match the level of fit and finish of a traditionally tailored bespoke suit. The new breed of far-eastern tailors are offering a very compelling product that to my eyes compares very favourably to off the peg and can be exceptional value for money, but bespoke it is not.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Right. I think the online tailors claim to do exactly that, which is why they want you to send very detailed measures, not just your suit size.