Online Mens Tailor And Custom Tailoring

Common Questions about Product Features

• What are Rope Shoulders? Can you do Rope Shoulders on suits?
  Yes. A Rope Shoulder is hand stitching with strong sewing thread or rope at armhole and neckline seams to make these areas more secure. The construction process for this feature dictates that the sleeves be mounted on top of the shoulder rather than in line with the shoulder. This results in the sleeves creating a "rim" on the sleeve head where it is mounted on the shoulder. This rim results in a slight lift to the shoulder line towards the end of the shoulders. Rope shoulders are the traditional method of shoulder/sleeve construction on suits and jackets.

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• How do I place an order?
  Ordering at www.MyCustomTailor.com is a simple process. We provide extensive support resources to assist you when ordering custom made clothing. The ordering sequence is choose the style, fabric, and color of your choice. Then use the special instructions icon to enter special request for further customization. While the process is straight forward there are multiple ways to add customization in the items you choose:
  - Visit one of our collection catalogues or if you already know the style you like, use our search feature linked from the left menu of our home page to find styles you want to focus on.
  - After selecting from one of the catalogues, choose the garment type or outfit you desire.
  - Choose from the different styles we custom tailor for that particular outfit.
  - View the different fabrics available for that style and the colors the fabric comes in.
  - Choose a color from our palette and the fabric selected will appear in the large box above the style image.
  - Confirm the item and the order by adding it to the shopping cart.
  - Confirm if the chosen piece is for yourself or for a different person/profile you have added to your account.
  - The platform allows you to place orders for friends or family members at the same time you order for yourself.
  - To order for someone else, add their measurement profile using ´MyAccounts´ feature.
  - If this is your first order and it is for yourself, we will ask you for your measurements later in the ordering process.
  - After confirming the individual you are ordering for, you will be directed to the special request and specific instructions page.
  - Here, specific details regarding the chosen custom garment will be provided.You can customize sleeve cuffs, collars, pleats, monograms, etc.
  - Select any accessories you want to enhance your custom piece.
  - Depending on your custom garment selection, we may offer suggestions for complementing pieces for further orders should it be of interest.
  - After completing your selections, proceed to the check out page.Your order totals will be visible at all times at the top right hand side of every page next to the shopping cart.
  - Select priority processing if needed.
  - Provide billing and shipping addresses information for efficient delivery by international couriers.
  - After submitting payment information, you will be prompted to submit your measurements if we do not already have them.
  - Your fully customized, made to measure garment(s) will be completed in a week to ten working days and delivered right to your doorstep.

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• What is the difference between English or British cut and Italian cut men´s suits?
  An English or British Traditional Cut features proportions closer to the body. These suits have slightly narrower shoulders, a closer fit at the chest and an hourglass shape at the waist. The skirt (hip) section of the jacket flares out ever so slightly to accentuate the waist.
  An Italian Cut men´s suit features an overall proportion more like an inverted V, where the shoulders are accentuated, the waist is tapered, and the hips are snug and close to the body.
  The British Traditional Cut is ideal for a standard proportioned body structure that is not too slim nor too full. An Italian Cut is more ideal for an athletic figure. Think Sean Connery (perfect figure for the British cut) and think Pierce Brosnan (great physique to carry an Italian tailored suit).

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• What is a hand basted full canvas front?
  The hand basted canvas front is a special feature where the canvas is attached to the front of the jacket by silk threads so that the top shell of the jacket actually floats on the canvas thus giving more fluidity and drape to the jacket. This is a time consuming and labor intensive process which adds to the price of a suit. This is the traditional old-style way of constructing the jacket or coat as opposed to the modern process of utilizing a high grade fusion and heat treatment.
  There is an additional fee for this premium feature and a few extra days may be added to the delivery cycle. Only experienced tailors or very discerning dressers can tell if a suit has been made using hand basting. This is not a feature for the budget conscious nor a feature necessary for those not seeking an extra special product.

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• What is Vicuna Wool?
  One of the best, most luxurious wools for suits is the Vicuna Wool, taken from the Vicuna of the Andes Mountains in South America. The vicuña is a member of the Camel Family. It is the smallest of the six species of camel and is thought to be the wild ancestor of the Alpaca. It lives on the high, grassland plateaus of the Andes Mountains which range from southern Peru to northern Chile and into parts of Bolivia and Argentina. Only tough bunch grasses grows here. The sun´s ultraviolet rays burn through the thin atmosphere during the day. At night the heat of the day escapes into the atmosphere and the temperature goes down to freezing.
  
  Although they look fragile, the Vicuña is specially adapted to its high-altitude habitat. It has an incredibly thick, soft coat that traps layers of warm air close to its body and protects it from freezing temperatures. The lower teeth of the vicuña grow constantly, like a rodent´s, so they can eat the tough grasses. The Vicuña also walks on the soles of its feet so it can flex its toes and grab on to the rocks and gravel-covered slopes. Vicuña Milk is very rich so offspring grow quickly. Vicuñas weigh between 75-140 pounds and are about 4-6 feet long, standing 2 to 3 1/2 feet at the shoulders. They have very long necks, round heads, and large, forward facing eyes. Their ears are long and pointed and stand up on their heads. Their fur is a rust color, with white around the muzzle,the chest, belly, and the insides of the legs. The white hair on their chests is longer than their other hair. They chew their cud when resting, getting more nutrients out of the nutrient-poor grass.
  
  Vicuñas are very shy animals. They have two territories they defend from other herds; a feeding territory or about 45 acres and a smaller sleeping area on higher ground where they are more protected. The Vicuña live in herds of 5-10 members, which includes one dominant male and several females and their young. They mate in March and April and their young are born 11 months later. The young stay with their mother and the herd for another 10 months, at which time they are driven off by the herd. Young males will form bachelor groups and young females try to find another group to join. This ensures that the herd stays the same size, which is important with their limited food supply.
  
  The vicuña species was nearly hunted to fringe of extinction for its beautiful soft wool. The Incas used to round up the wild Vicuñas and pen them in stone corrals, where they were sheared for their wool. By 1960 there were only 6,000 Vicuñas left in the wild. Chile and Peru established protected national parks and put a halt to trade in Vicuña wool. Now there are about 125,000 vicuñas, but they are still listed as threatened. The Vicuña is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, and as endangered by the USDI.

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• What is the turnaround time at My Custom Tailor's? How about ready-to-wear items?
  If the order is standard processing, it takes 6 weeks to complete an order provided all required information is received, and four to six working days for transit.
  Orders can be tracked online in MyAccounts after the package has been shipped.
  
  For Re-Sellers, Partners and Associates, swatch sets may take a longer time to complete. Exact schedules for swatch sets to Re-sellers are confirmed on a case by case basis. If fabric swatches or a Digital Catalogue are ordered, they are prepared in three working days and then shipped out. If swatches or the catalogue are shipped by courier, delivery is three to four working days. If airmail is specified, delivery can take four to six weeks. There is no tracking facility for airmailed swatch orders.
  We send out constant email updates as soon as orders are processed. To track packages, use the tracking facility provided in MyAccounts under ´current orders´.
  
  In regards to the Estimated Dispatch Date, it is also displayed in MyAccounts where your order is listed. This is the date we expect your order will be shipped by,
  depending on the current volume of work. In most instances, we ship orders before the estimated dispatch date.
  Ready-to-wear items in-stock items are shipped in 24 to 48 hours.

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• How do I see/view/send an EMAIL ORDER or ORDER BY EMAIL?
  To review an order you have sent to us by email, simply log into MyAccounts after 24 hours of submitting the order and go to the current orders page. There, you can view the order, check the status, determine the estimated dispatch date, and see other relevant information.
  To email us an order, email the following information:
  - Items you would like to order
  - Style number for of each item
  - Fabric number for each item
  - Color for each item. A perfect check-list for quick and easy manual order entry is:
  1 suit, fabric 101, color black, style 1
  or 1 suit, fabric 102, color blue, style 3, and so on.
  Special feature requests such as hand-stitched lapels and pockets on jackets, working sleeve buttons on jackets, etc., need to be specified.
  
  Your measurements can be submitted by logging into MyAccounts and clicking the Measurements Portfolio section. When we receive the order information, we will input the order and send you an email confirmation along with our payment request. The order then enters the production process and periodic updates will be emailed to you.

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• What is the difference between a Suit Jacket, a Blazer and a Sports Jacket ?
  Sports jackets, blazers and suit jackets are similar in their fundamental design. Suit jackets are made with single, side or no vents, while sports jackets often are made with a center vent. Blazers typically have side vents. Suit coats and the pants that go with them are typically the same material and color. Sports jackets can be any color and often reflect a pattern such as hounds-tooth, herringbone, or checks. Sports jackets usually aren´t made in striped patterns.
  
  Blazers are traditionally made in solid dark colors; blue, navy, black, burgundy, green, and red. White and ivory are also popular blazer colors.
  Blazers are made with gold or silver buttons while sports jackets and suits have buttons that match the cloth fabric they are made from.
  
  The cut of the three styles are similar but sports coats should never be double breasted. Blazers and suits can be single or double breasted. Classic traditional styles usually have one center vent at the back of the jacket. Very traditional jacket styles two side at the back of the jacket. Modern, Italian cut, slim styles have no vents. [Top]
  
  
• What materials and related items used in suit making?
  Body Canvas
  There are basically two types of canvas used; each type has a like medium and hard grade. The original consultation and the cloth would dictate which type and grade of canvas to be used. The two basic grades are woolen canvas and lining canvas
  Hair Cloth
  There are several different types and grades of hair cloth. My-Custom-Tailor uses ten different grades depending on the construction of the coat and the weight of the cloth. For simplicity, number 1 grade is very lightweight, number 2 is slightly heavier and number 10 is obviously the heaviest. We choose the most appropriate hair cloth based on the customer consultation and the type of cloth specified.
  Domette
  This is a fine cloth used to cover the hair cloth over the canvas to prevent the hair cloth from coming through the canvas and cloth. Some of the older tailors prefer felt to Domette but this is not good current technique. Customers don’t just want to just look good, they also want to feel good in what they are wearing.
  Body Lining
  There are dozens of body lining types to choose from, depending again on customer preference. Some choose pure silk lining but other frequently used linings are shown below -
  - Acetate Poult - Black, White, Ivory and Greige Acetate Microfibre Lining
  - Acetate/Bemberg Lining
  - Acetate/Viscose Satin Lining- Bemberg 100% Ponginette Lining
  - Bemberg Taffeta Shot Lining
  - Bemberg Twill Lining
  - Silk/Viscose Linings
  - Viscose/Acetate Shot Twill Lining
  - Viscose Rayon Heavy Twill - Military Cols.
  - Viscose S/L Regency Stripes
  - Viscose Satin Lining - Tailoring shades
  - Viscose Twill Lining Ermazine Lining – Viscose
  - Colored Linings
  Linen
  There are several types of linen, depending on the type of cloth being used. Linen is commonly used on the backing of the pockets for strength and in the cuffs where the button holes and the buttons are sewn. It can also be used at the bottom of the jacket, on the back neck and on the back syes.
  Pocketing
  There are several different types, grades, and colors. We prefer to use a medium weight pocket with a color that matches the garment.
  Collar Melton
  This is the felt-like cloth found under the collar. Along with the collar canvas, the melton is used to complete the collar construction. The Collar Melton should always be cut on the bias and should be the same(or similar) color as the cloth. Some people choose to use complementary colors.
  Collar Canvass
  There are basically three types of collar canvas, type 1 is a linen canvas cut on the bias, a type used by Anderson & Sheppard (Savile Row). While this creates a very soft collar, it can appear messy if not constructed correctly.Type 2 is a medium-grade canvas which is much stiffer. Type 3 is a slightly harder canvas than type 2. When trying a garment on for the first time, it will look brownish.
  Stay Tape (Linen)
  Stay tape, made of linen, is used on the front edges of the coat. It functions to prevent the front edges from stretching or twisting. It should always be sewn on by hand.
  Sleeve Head Wadding
  This is a pre-made wadding specifically used to go around the sleeve head. Sleeve head wadding gives the roundness to a sleeve around your shoulders.
  Shoulder Pads
  Tailors have a choice of over 5000 shoulder pads but we use only three pads, made exclusively for us. We model them to meet our individual requirements.
  Button Twist
  Button twist is used to make button holes. There are thousands of colors, but most tailors use only one or two makes in seeking quality of twist.
  Button Gimp
  This is used when making button holes. The gimp is placed along the button hole and the button twist is sewn around the gimp, giving the button hole a slightly stiffer finish. There are several different grades of gimp.
  Sewing Silk
  Sewing silk is used for hand sewing of linings, the under collar where the melton attaches itself to the cloth, and in attaching shoulders and sleeves.

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• I want to know more about various silk types
  - Squirrel tail silk is a matte finish light weight, flowing drape, easy care, wrinkle resistant, washable silk synthetic blend. It works well in a very light summer suit or a heavy evening shirt.
  - A Thai Silk blend, a shirt fabric, is a gloss finish, shiny, easy care, light weight, wrinkle resistant, washable silk terelene blend fabric and excellent for evening dress wear.
  - Pure Thai Silk is a stiffer, gloss finish, hand woven, pure silk fabric with a glossy dressy finish that is ideal for an elegant evening shirt, worn without a jacket.
  It makes a very rich suit for evening wear. Pure Thai Silk should only be dry cleaned.
  - Chinese silks are sand washed and have a velvety finish. These silks are extremely light weight, with a flowing drape. These two-tone matte finish materials should be hand washed only.
  Chinese silks are mainly used for but in different weights can be used for different types of garments.
  - The silk-cashmere blend is an excellent 10 ounce weight material, ideal for a suit that can be worn year-round. It has a soft feel and a gloss finish.
  Imbued with subtle elegance, this silk, cashmere, wool and viscose blend make it very wrinkle resistant.
  - Raw silk is a fancy, 9 ounce weight fabric for year-round wear. It has a matte nubby fleck finish that brings out a raw appearance. This is a silk/terelene blend material and extremely wrinkle-resistant for men´s and women´s suits, and sports jackets or blazers.

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