During one of your first sessions with your custom tailor you will begin the process of making the decisions that will ultimately result in a fabulous custom made suit – one that looks good and feels good!
The decisions will include cut, fit, fabric, and color. During the process you will be asked to introspect on your own personal style preferences, your body type and the dress code of the place you will be wearing your custom made suit. Designing a suit takes all of those factors into account and results in the most ideal ensemble that suits your personal style and taste!
During your session with your custom tailor, you will likely spend a portion of your time talking about the button count that you will want for your custom made suit for example, or what personal style is right for your body type or what color is ideal for the place you intend to use the suit at. You will be discussing the number of pleats in your pants, how many back pockets you like or use and a myriad of other ‘concerns’ that the tailor will have when he designs and patterns your custom made suit. You will be asked whether you want a single breasted suit made or a double breasted suit made or whether you wish to order that suave mark of the dashing gentlemen, a three piece suit!
How to choose between a Single Breasted and a Double Breasted suit?
The choice really depends on several factors such as fashion, function and your body type.
There are not that many major differences when it comes to the two button Jacket and the three button Jacket except that the former closes lower, and therefore is more elongating than the latter. Larger body types should opt for the two button in any case since the visual elongation also is ‘thinning’ and therefore more suitable. A double breasted jacket comes in several variations such as the number of buttons being anywhere from two to eight buttons on the jacket, paired with anywhere from one to four buttons to close. Double breasted are more suitable for extremely thin bodies as it adds substance to the torso. Bigger people should avoid the double breasted custom made suit.
Taller men can opt for two or three buttons to close on a two, four or six button double breasted jacket. Shorter wearers should opt for one button to close. A one button to close shows more shirt and so is more elongating in appearance.
In the same vein, taller wearers can choose three or four button single breasted jackets while the ‘not so tall’ should choose a one or two button single breasted jacket.
The next element to consider is your own comfort level. Try both styles on and then work with your custom tailor in order to access the pros and cons of each style before you make a determination with regards to which style that you choose.
Finally, consider your body type in your personal style decisions. If you have a fuller frame, then you may want to opt for a two button blazer as they tend to convey a slimmer appearance. If you have a smaller frame, then you should choose a three button blazer which will add volume to your frame.
The design process is essentially a very simple one that an experienced custom tailor will guide you through quickly and painlessly. Your tailor will design each of the garments taking these choices into account. Your tailor should be able to help you build a versatile wardrobe that should provide you with a wide latitude of variety, combinations and choices suitable for every social situation...
How to Choose a the color of your suit
Along with your overall appearance, one of the first things that people notice about you when you enter a room is the color of the garment that you are wearing. Colors evoke strong emotion and will often make a style statement on their own. So, color choice becomes a large part of any personal style decision that you will make.
There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration when you are choosing the color combinations that you will include in your tailored suits. Some of those considerations include where you are going to wear your tailored suits to, what colors look best on you, what colors are you most comfortable wearing, and what time of the year you will be wearing the suit. The answers to those questions will serve as your guide as you begin designing your custom tailored suits.
Darker colors like navy, grey, and charcoal for instance are suitable for evenings, formal occasions and corporate environments while lighter colors like beige, silver grey, light khaki are more summer in nature. Mid colors, also known as ‘transition colors’ like olives, dark tan, light brown are ideal for spring and fall.
Darker colors are also more slimming while lighter colors add substance. Hence, apart from function and climate, your body type must also be taken into consideration when choosing colors for your tailored suits.
What suit to wear when and where?
Probably the single factor that has the most influence on the selection of options for your suit is where you are going to wear it. The event that you are wearing your tailored suit to will most likely have a dress code that you are expected and oft times, required to adhere. Those guidelines will include for example ‘black tie’ meaning an extremely formal tuxedo is required or ‘smart casual’ where anything from a nice shirt with dress pants to a well-made sports jacket with jeans will work.
You are then expected to consider the level of formality, the colors that will be acceptable, and the cut that will be the most appropriate; when choosing the clothes to be worn for that event, function or occasion.
Shopping Guide for the Pinstriped Custom Suit
The colors and patterns of your suit are a large part of the overall design process and the general aesthetic appeal of your wardrobe. On your journey to build a stylish wardrobe and style personality, you will be asked to make decisions keeping in mind the right balance of colors and patterns in your wardrobe. As you begin to incorporate colors and patterns into your wardrobe you must take into consideration your skin tone as well. Some people have summer tones and some have cool winter tone of skin. It is recommended that a onetime color consultation with a wardrobe stylist who will recommend the best colors for your skin tone and so help you shortlist the most perfect colors specially for you. Typically at the end of the session, you will be provided with a sample range of ideal colors which you can refer to when getting your suit selection done.
Choose the Color and Tone of Your Custom Pinstriped Suit
A pinstripe suit, preferably in a dark color, is an absolute must in any man working in the corporate world.
While the bold wide stripes are associated more with the finance field (Bankers, Insurance etc.), the more subtle toned down stripes are associated with professions like accounting, legal assistances and so on.
Hence, knowing your profession will assist the tailor in recommending the right tonal level of the stripes in your pinstripe suit.
Start by selecting the base color of your suit. Will it be black, navy, dark grey? Then, decide on the tone of the pinstripe. And finally, the width and thickness of the stripe.
Stripes for a suit come in various kinds as well. Pinstripes, chalk stripes, dotted stripes, alternate stripes are some of the varieties. Stripes also come in various colors. The most common colors of the stripe itself is pearl, soft or pale grey, white, bold white, lavender, red, burgundy and so on. As a rule of thumb, the bolder and more colorful the suit, the less ‘conservative corporate’ it is. If the pinstripe is a muted classic color, it will lend itself to many different corporate utility and if the stripe is very bold or colorful, it makes for a wonderful ‘event’ suit! The solid black suit is one of the most classic pieces that you can design. Along those same lines, a black pinstriped suit uses a very classic somber color to give you a “power suit” in your wardrobe. If you are looking to design an edgier custom suit, you may want to choose a gray pinstriped suit which has a bold red stripe for example. For a middle ground, consider a pale gray combined with a dark pinstripe will create an instant fashion statement without going too far off the grid.
Finally, the ubiquitous dark blue is also a great option for a navy pinstriped suit. Dark Blue and/or is worn the world over as a kind of corporate uniform for the executive in industry ranging from advertising and media to banking, finance, manufacturing … you name it! As a perennial suit, Navy always is and will remain a viable option. The good news is that the choices of suits are infinite for you to choose from.
Choose the size of your stripe
Color is not the only decision that you will need to make during the design process of your custom suit. You must also choose the direction of the pinstripe when it comes to your custom suit. Your pinstripe choice should be based on your height as well as your body type. The line of the pinstripe will create visual interest within the look and you must therefore make an informed choice. If you are very tall, choose a wider stripe, if you are vertically challenged, a narrow thin stripe is better. For the tall person, a subtler stripe is better as stripes are elongating. For the shorter person, a more visible bolder stripe is better. A bold visible stripe makes the eyes hover vertically which in turn provides the illusion of length turning to the visual of greater height. A good custom tailor would know this and help you make the right decision of pinstripe choice.
As you go about creating your perfect custom suit, remember that in spite of the latest fashion trends the suit should always be true to who you are. Always opt for a classic and timeless piece that you can wear for years to come instead of something that will be out of fashion in a few months, if you need help, your friendly tailor will always be eager to help.