I’ve had my first two made-to-measure suits produced. I’m enormously pleased with them thus far. The next pieces, however, will most likely be a bit more straight forward; less aggressive notch lapels for one. Going custom is a process. For most of us the prospect of having an entirely custom closet immediately is not a realistic option. Step by step is more like it. I’ve added a custom shirt to the mix. I chose a blue/white stripe shirt from A.M Bespoke, a pattern I know I’ll reach for often. Going this route allows you to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
The collar is a cutaway. I’m pleased with how the collar looks in this photo, but next time I’d prefer a high collar band for added dimension. This one feels a bit flat. A higher band would lift the shirt a bit, adding breadth.
The next collar will be any even more exaggerated cutaway, this one seems much more like a wide spread.
The cuff was crucial. The left cuff was measured, giving allowance for the watch I wear the most with barrel cuffs, a rather beefy Longines chronograph. It’s important to either accommodate for a larger watch or to wear a slimmer watch depending on the shirt cuffs. The two must work in harmony. The double barrel is a personal preference. I wanted more wearability with this one, which is why I opted for barrel over French.
No monograms on the cuff, I know who this shirt belongs to. I’d just as much monogram my shirt cuff as I’d wear a diamond pinkie ring.
The split yoke has a tailored appeal to it. I’ve yet to discover a functional purpose for it. If anyone knows, please comment away. Again, it’s a feature I simply like.
While this shirt is slim fit, I’d prefer it a bit more tapered, but that’s an easy fix. I could have opted for darts, but I wanted to see how the fit would be and how it would launder. That last one is crucial with custom shirts. Some tend to shrink a bit. My suggestion would be to launder before having darts added or having it tapered.
No hand-sewing or Mother of Pearl buttons here, but the price/personal value is comfortable for me at this stage.
Ultimately, I’m pleased. It’s a great entry into the custom shirt world. It’s a seasonally appropriate weight and colorway and will get lots of use the next few months. There are some slight alterations needed, but that’s par for the course when ordering made-to-measure.