When you are looking for a suit you have
three basic choices: off-the-rack, made-to-measure or custom, and bespoke.
What's the difference? Is one better than the other? What are the pros and cons?
What's up, guys? I'm Brian Sacawa, you're watching He Spoke Style, and today,
everything you need to know about the three different types of suits. [MUSIC] So off
the rack, made to measure, custom, bespoke. If you've heard these terms
before but have no idea what they mean you are in the right place. If you've
heard these terms before, have a general idea, but need some guidance. You are also
in the right place. I'm going to keep it really simple. I'm
going to talk about each type of suit, go over some of the pros and the cons, why
you might want to choose one over the other, and finally show you an example of
each type of suit--off the rack, made to measure, and bespoke--from my closet. First
up is off the rack. This is exactly what it sounds like.
Off the rack suits are what you see in any store you walk into, whether that's
Macy's, Suitsupply, Banana Republic, J.Crew. Off the rack suits are machine
made. They are mass-produced. And vary widely in terms of quality and standards.
An off the rack suit from Express is not going to be the same price or quality as
an off the rack suit from, say, Tom Ford. But it doesn't matter whether it's a
big-name designer or no-name label, if it's an off the rack suit, a machine is
making that suit. Sizes. Sizes are standardized. And unless you can find a
brand that really, really nails your fit, you should plan on setting aside some
money for alterations. Now what are the benefits of an off the rack suit? Biggest
benefit is availability. If you need something, you can get it right away.
Drawbacks? There are several. An off the rack suit is designed for the
mass market. And everybody's body is different so it is literally impossible
to make a suit that is available to everyone that will fit perfectly. If
you're buying off the rack there's a very high probability that you're going to
have to spend some money at the tailor to get a better fit. Next, you have a very
limited choice in terms of the quality of the suit, the fabrics, and the
construction of the garment. Also, what you see is what you get. You have
absolutely no control over any of the details of the suit. We're talking about
things like lapel width, pocket style, button colors, linings, and on and on and
on. So my advice if you're going to buy off the rack, is that you pay attention
to one specific thing. And that is to make sure that the jacket fits your
shoulders properly. This is the one area that is very difficult and costly to
have altered. You really don't want to get into that. So making sure you have a
proper fit in the shoulders is the absolute best thing you can do if you
are going to buy off the rack. Next type of suit is made to measure, also called
custom. A made to measure suit is cut from a pre-existing pattern that is then
modified to get closer to your actual fit. There are a lot more gradations in
the made to measure world compared to off the rack, so you will definitely be
getting a much better fitting garment. Made to measure suits are, for the most
part, still manufactured by machine but there are some programs that do offer
handmade options for certain parts of the suit. With made to measure you have a
lot more control. You choose the fabric. You choose the lapel style, pocket style,
how many vents, how many buttons. What color do you want the buttons to be? The
lining. Do you want a cuff? Do you not want a cuff? Now, the amount of control
you will have will vary from program to program. Some allow just a few
customization options. Some it feels like you have complete control. I will say
that over the past almost seven years that I've been in the business, that I've
seen incredible advancements in the quality of made to measure programs out
there. It's a very good option. It has many benefits, the biggest of which is
that you have a lot more control. You are also generally getting a higher-quality
garment and a more custom fit. Drawbacks? Made to measure is more expensive. You
also have a longer lead time. So typically it can take four to eight
weeks from the time you first place the order to when the garment actually comes
in. And then when the suit comes in, it's probably not going to fit exactly right.
You're going to generally have to allow another week, possibly two, for
alterations to really dial in the fit. Now if made to measure fits your budget,
it is definitely something I recommend. Not only are you typically getting a
much higher-quality garment and a better fit, but depending on the program, you
will have much more control over the customization of your suit.
Finally we have bespoke. Now this is the ultimate and only true custom option. And
it also is the highest expression of craftsmanship and quality. The term
bespoke actually comes from the days when a tailor would have
bolts of cloth and then the client would choose a particular cloth. From that
point on, the cloth was then said to have been spoken for. Now unlike a
made to measure suit, which is cut from a pre-existing pattern, a bespoke suit uses
a pattern that is unique to you. The tailor will take your measurements and
create a brand new pattern that is yours and only yours. With a bespoke suit you
have complete and absolute control over every single detail. If you want any kind
of small tweak or customization, it can be done. Bespoke suits are generally
completely made and finished by hand. However, depending on the program, a
machine might play a role at some point during the manufacturing process. One
thing I would like to also note about bespoke is that every tailor is going to
have some sort of house style. That could be a specific style of shoulder. It could
be the way the lapel line sweeps down. And what I would say to that is that if
you are doing bespoke, I think you should cede some control over those stylistic
details that are specific to the house that you are working with. If you are
getting a suit from Edward Sexton, you should not ask for a soft shoulder, for
example. You're working with the tailor because you've done your research, you
understand their history, their designs, their styles, and that's why you're
working with them. Benefits of a bespoke suit? You are getting a one-of-a-kind
garment. You have complete control over the design and all of the details. You
are getting something of a superior quality. And because the pattern is made
specifically for you, you are getting a superior fit. All that comes with a price
tag that can be cost prohibitive. And you have a very, very long lead time, complete
with multiple fittings. My advice, having done bespoke before, there really is
nothing like a bespoke suit. But you do pay a premium for that level of quality
and execution. Budget-wise, bespoke is not for everyone. But if you can afford it,
you definitely won't regret it. Next, let's take a look at an example of
each type of suit from my own closet. First up, an off the rack suit from Z
Zegna. Fabric is a lightweight wool with a windowpane pattern. Single-breasted.
Two-button. Notch lapel. Flap pockets. Double vent. Half canvas. Belt loops on the
trousers. And a plain bottom on the trousers as well. As I said before, with
off the rack suits, quality will vary immensely depending on the brand and the
material that is used. This suit is by Z Zegna, so the
fabric quality is very high. I've actually had this suit for about four
years now. I wear it very often. And it has held up extremely well. Remember, off
the rack equals what you see is what you get. And a few things here I want to
point out that I wish I had a little more control over. The lapels, at about
two and three-quarter inches, are a little narrower than the three and a
half inches that I typically prefer. I still think, proportionally, they look
okay, so not a deal-breaker. Next, the button stance. Button stance is
a little high,. which feels not quite as comfortable for me. But it also leaves
the area around my belt, including some of the shirt, open for exposure, which I
think is distracting to the eye. Third thing, the sleeve buttons are
non-functional. It appears as though there are buttonholes, but that is just
cosmetic. Off the rack suits typically do not have working sleeve buttons as an
allowance should you need any type of jacket sleeve alterations. Finally, the
rise on the trousers is rather low. They sit way under my belly button, which is
just how this suit has been designed. All in all, I think the suit fits very well.
Is it perfect? No. But it is an off the rack suit, so you can't expect it
to be. Next, is a made-to-measure suit. Actually the third suit that I ever had
made. This was done about five years ago from a local program here in Baltimore
called the QG. It is in a heavy wool fabric with a great houndstooth, or puppy
tooth, pattern. Single-breasted. Three roll two. Peak lapel. Patch pockets. Four buttons
on the sleeve with working buttonholes. Double vent. Full canvas. Side adjusters
on the trousers. And a two inch cuff. Lots more control here. The fabric is
very nice. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the swatch. It's hard to find a
jacket like this, or pants like this, off the rack, you know? I chose to have all
the details on the suit. I wanted a peak lapel, and I got it at my preferred width.
I wanted patch pockets. I wanted a three roll two. Side adjusters. Working sleeve
buttons. And a softer shoulder. I could not have found this exact suit in a
store. I had a vision and I was able to create the exact garment that I was
looking for. Not much to complain about here, though if I had to nitpick, I would
say that the shoulder line is not as smooth as it could or should be. Finally,
a bespoke suit by Edward Sexton. This is made with a beautiful
flannel. Double-breasted. Six show two. Sweeping, oversized peak lapels. Flap
pockets, including a ticket pocket. Four buttons on the sleeve. Double vent. Full
canvas. Side adjusters on the trousers. And, again, my preferred two-inch cuff.
This suit, to me, is extremely special. I got to work with the legend himself,
Edward Sexton. Now, remember, one of the things I said about doing bespoke is
that each tailor has a sort of house style or details that are specific to
them. With Edward Sexton that is definitely the stronger shoulder. At the
time I had nothing with a strong shoulder, so this was almost like putting
on a suit of armor. But over time I came to really appreciate it and also desire
it and more of the clothing that I had made. Also one of the things I think you
find with Edward Sexton is the beautiful sweep of the lapel. It was great to work
with Edward because not only was I open to all of his experience, obviously, but
he also took into account my tastes as well, which is why the jacket is a little
shorter than he might make for someone else. One area I did defer to Edward was
the length of my trousers, which have a full break. I like it. I think it elongates my leg and shows off the drape of the fabric. I did have four fittings--four
fittings!--for the suit, including a basted fitting. And that was just because the
attention to detail and commitment to quality was so high. All in all, this suit is
such a fantastic suit. Alright, so you've got three choices--off the rack, made to
measure, and bespoke. Now which one should you buy? My take is that if you are
serious about investing in your wardrobe, you should avoid buying off the rack
suits. Even if it costs a little bit more, it takes you more time to save up, if you
go with a quality and reputable made to measure program, you will get a
much better fitting garment. You will get a higher quality garment. And you
will have more control, so you know that you are getting what you want. Bespoke
is great but it is very expensive. If you can afford it, I wouldn't stop you.
Another thing is that it does take a lot longer to get the finished product. So
let me know what you guys think. Any questions you have, leave those down in
the comments. Thumbs up if you liked this video. Don't forget to subscribe to the
channel. And until next time, thanks for watching and stay tailored.
