Fashion Advice, right complexion, knowledge about fabric, how to order custom suit online & how to Care For wool Fabric

How to order a custom made suit

What should you spend?

Spend what you can afford of course stay within your budget. There are basically 4 types of suit categories.

1. Bespoke - Is custom made the word Bespoke originates from and old tailoring term meaning that a certain fabric has been “spoken for” by a customer and is therefore no longer for sale. Fully custom made with multiple fittings. price ranges from $300 - $25,000

2. Made to measure - Adjustments made to a standard pattern according to your measurements. More alterations upon delivery, very good fit. price ranges form $200 - $8,000

3. Off the rack altered - Manufactured to a standard pattern; altered after purchase; pretty good fit price ranges $100 - $6,000

4. Off the rack- Premade suit bought off the rack and standard size. You can get limited alterations if you take it to a tailor. price ranges $ 80 - $6,000

Travel the World

I must mention I have ordered suits in various parts of the World other than the USA or UK with extremely good craftsmanship. However to separate the bad from the good and yes even sometimes the ugly, you must request and expect certain qualities from your tailor and you will get very good results. No matter what language your tailor speaks good craftsmanship is universal in any language. Another very important tip on how to order a custom made suit is that when you properly ask the right questions about the production of your suit the final outcome will be a properly made tailored suit, one that you will be very pleased with.

Finding the right style

First you will have to find the right style. A suggested way to get ideas in finding the right style. You can either start by trying to use existing designs. Italian designs are the most well known or you can look in popular magazines such as GQ or you can reference online periodicals all are great resources to get you in tune with the right style to accommodate your body type. A good tailor can easily imitate a picture or design to your own specifications and can change the fabric to keep in line with your budget or color scheme.

"Suit types to accommodate different body types"

Single Breasted or Double Breasted Suits these suits most commonly makes the wearer look slimmer. On single-breasted suits, a two or three button closure is standard however more buttons are appropriate according to your height but you probably should never get more than three. Four or six button closure are standard for Double Breasted suits, though six is considered to be more stylish.

Two or Three Piece A coat and trousers worn with a vest isn't really seen too much these days it is nowadays considered to be kinda formal but it is still a desired look for some professionals. The more common look on today's professional is the "business suit" it consists of shirt and trousers.

Single or Double Vent single vent are classic American. The double vent with the vents off to the sides are classic English.

Natural or Padded Shoulders this of course depends on the natural broadness of your shoulders you of course want your suit to follow the line of your body. So of course if you already have broad shoulders you don't want to add to them you might get shoulders resembling Frankenstein's little brother.

Peak or Notched Lapels are pretty much standard on the American single-breasted business suit, though peaked lapels are the more stylish. Peaked lapels give the illusion of added height. Take into consideration that double-breasted suits should always have peaked lapels.

Selecting the right Fabric

When you go to a tailor suit shop you will see yards and yards of fabric. This can of course be overwhelming. Don't be overwhelmed their are many styles but you should be more concerned with the different kinds of fabric and not the styles. In this section is a very crucial important tip on how to order a custom made suit and select the right type of fabric that best suits the occasion that you will wear your suit in and of course that will add to the rest of your wardrobe. Of course a charcoal grey would go great for an interview. You will have the opportunity to choose from any number of fabrics including wool blends, silk or even cashmere. Make sure you not only look at but also touch the fabric swatches or samples to get a more accurate idea of what will work for you.

"Select as highest quality grade of fabric that your budget can afford"

if you select the right grade and quality of fabric for your suit style and budget this will of course give your suit the best look and also increase the lifetime of your suit.

Get a quote from the tailor

Get a quote from the tailor when you have all the specifications. Obviously, the prices can vary from place to place and the actual cost of the tailors services for measuring and fitting can also vary dramatically. Get an all-inclusive cost for your customized suit.

"don't forget to schedule your fittings"

Set aside time to have a professional fitting and discuss the various options with the tailor. Obviously, the right fit is the essential part of a tailor made suit and should only take a couple of minutes with a professional.

When discussing any design modifications.

discuss the various options with the tailor. Obviously, the right fit is the essential part of a tailor made suit and should only take a couple of minutes with a professional. Below are just some things to consider.

Multi cuts in the US and the UK tailors generally do not participate in what is called multi cuts. The purpose of a multi cut is to save time. It is when a tailor cuts a particular suit piece in multiples. For instance they will cut a size 32 pair of pants and maybe cut 4 or 5 pieces all together at one time. Multi cuts causes the pieces when stitched together to be uneven or lopsided when sown. It is visible if you look at the seat of the pants on the inseem stitch and you will sometimes see the flange uneven one side bigger than the other. This causes complications later. Let's say you pick up some weight and you later want to get them taken out. Multi cutting is common practice in Asia so be sure to ask your suit sales representative if their shop uses this procedure.

Canvas Lining be sure to ask if your suit will have a hand stitch canvas lining when someone looks at your suit it is very noticeable and a trademark of a well tailored made suit. In most ready made suits, the lining is a piece of synthetic material fused to the fabric with vegetable glue, resulting in a lifeless shape prone to puckering. A custom suit’s lining is made of canvas stitched in by hand, giving the suit a more defined structure in addition to longevity and greater comfort.

Real Silk Interior be sure to ask if your suit will have a silk interior in the color or pattern of your choice or ask your tailor is this an extra cost.

Working buttonholes on the sleeves or surgeon cuffs

    "The Right Fit"

Suit Jacket the suit jacket length should be able to cover the posterior with a half inch to spare.

Collar should fit snugly around the back of the neck and not hover in the air above it.

Lapels Lapels should lie flat against the chest and not pucker outward.

Sleeves they should fall in a straight line over the shoulders, particularly the inseem where the shoulder and sleeve is joined. also not stick out an extra inch beyond the shoulders, and they should not form a dent of extra fabric at the top of the sleeve. Sleeve length should fall to the wrist, not the beginning of the hand. A small amount of shirt cuff should show.

Pants or Trousers Pants should fall straight from the waist with no wrinkles or pulling over the belly and no tugging in the crotch. If pleated, the pleats should not pull apart. The inseam of pants should break slightly on the shoe, but excess fabric should not bunch up around the ankles.

Wool Fabric Care Tips &  How to remove stains

Allow 24 hours before wearing a wool garment again. The natural resiliency of wool fabric will allow wrinkles to fall out and the original shape to bounce back.

Soil and dust can be removed from wool fabric by brushing lengthwise with a garment brush. Wool garments with heavily napped surfaces should be brushed regularly. Finer wool fabric should be restored using a damp cloth instead of a brush.

If a wool garment gets damp, hang it out of direct sunlight. Be sure to brush it after it is dry.

If a label says "Dry Clean Only" take the garment to a professional dry cleaner for the best results. You may choose to hand wash the garment instead. However, the garment probably hasn't been treated for washability. Washing may result in some shrinkage, loss of color, and/or the fabric may lose some of its softness.

Removing Stains from Wool Fabric

Try to treat stains immediately to prevent them from setting into the fabric.

With a clean white cloth, blot to remove as much of the stain as possible. Do NOT rub.

Take garments with stubborn stains to the dry cleaner as soon as possible. This includes stains caused by paint, dyes, nail polish, etc.

Have a bottle of stain or spot removal solution on hand for oil based stains such as oil, make-up, or chocolate. Make sure that the product you use is safe for wool fabric. Test the solution on an inconspicuous area before using on the stain.

Be sure to remove stains before pressing. Heat can cause stains to set in wool fabric.

Hand Washing Wool Fabric

Clean wool fabric using a mild detergent in lukewarm water. Never use hot water! Do NOT use bleach. bleach dissolves wool fabric.

Completely cover the garment in water and soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Gently squeeze to allow water to penetrate the fabric. Do NOT wring the garment.

Rinse thoroughly with cool water to remove all traces of soap.

Squeeze gently to remove excess water. Do NOT wring the garment.

To dry, lay the garment on a flat surface, reshaping if necessary and allow to dry away from direct sunlight and heat. Do NOT hang to dry. This will cause the wool fabric to stretch from the weight of the water that has soaked into the fibers.

Never put wool clothing in the dryer! The combination of heat, friction and pressure will cause shrinkage.

Ironing Wool Fabric

Set iron for WOOL setting.

Add water to the iron. Always use steam heat when pressing. Never iron wool fabric dry.

Squeeze gently to remove excess water. Do NOT wring the garment.

Press garment on the inside of the garment to avoid surface shine.

Use a pressing cloth when top pressing. A clean white handkerchief or cotton cloth may also be used.

When pressing napped fabrics, place a piece of the same fabric or a thick terry cloth towel on the ironing board to prevent crushing.

If napped wool fabric is slightly scorched when pressing, rub lightly with an emery board. A diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide may be used for a more severe scorch. Be sure to test on a hidden area first.

Shine created by pressing may be reduced by sponging white vinegar on surface of wool garment. Rinse thoroughly.

Some recommended notions for someone with a lot of wool to press are a steam iron, a tailor's ham for pressing curved areas such as collars and lapels, a seam roll for pressing seams open without making a visible seam edge, a point presser for hard-to-reach places, and a press cloth.

Wool Fabric, Clothing, and Blanket Storage

To prevent the invasion of the clothes moth, brush wool with a fabric brush before storing.

Clean the garment or blanket. Food stains and body oils attract moths. Dry cleaning or laundering kills moth eggs and larvae.

Store cleaned wool fabric in airtight bags or containers with tight-fitting lids. When folding, add white tissue paper between folds to prevent wrinkling.

Add mothballs to the container. Do NOT put them directly on the fabric. Hang them in small loosely woven cloth bags near the fabric. Clothing will need to be aired out after removing from storage to remove the mothball odor.
  Please note :Be sure to test the fabric for colorfastness. Do not use bleach if your fabric is colorfast.

Milk or Egg Products
Rinse well in cool water. Presoak with detergent and powdered bleach in cool or warm water. Follow Package directions for dissolving bleach. Launder in cold water with detergent and liquid bleach.

Blood
Rinse in cool water and pre-treat with liquid bleach or bleach. Rinse and repeat if necessary. Launder in cool water with bleach.

Candle Wax
Harden the wax by either applying ice or placing the garment in the freezer. Scrape off as much of the frozen wax as possible, then launder with bleach and detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric. Repeat the laundering procedure until all the color from the wax is gone. Do not dry the garment until the wax color is completely removed.

Baby Formula
Soak in cool water. Pretreat with Stain Out or bar soap and rub gently. Wash with detergent and bleach, or bleach.

Ink- Ballpoint
Apply liquid bleach or rubbing alcohol. Rub on detergent and launder with liquid bleach and detergent in hottest water recommended for fabric. Repeat if necessary.

Ink- Felt Pen
May be impossible to remove. Apply liquid bleach and rub on detergent. Rinse. Repeat as necessary. Launder with liquid bleach and detergent in hottest water recommended for fabric.

Perspiration, Deodorants
Launder with liquid bleach and detergent in hottest water recommended for fabric. If stain has caused color change, try to restore by using ammonia on fresh stains, vinegar on old stains. Do not use ammonia or vinegar with liquid bleach.

Yellowing Dinginess
Launder garment in the hottest water recommended for the fabric with bleach and detergent. If the garment is not colorfast then regular bleach is fine.

Pollen
Vacuum, do not brush, as much of the pollen from the garment as possible. Pretreat the area with bleach. Launder normally with bleach and detergent.

Grass
Apply Stain Out and rub gently into stain; let sit 5 minutes. Then wash with detergent and bleach or bleach in the hottest water safe for fabric.

Makeup
Apply prewash stain remover such as Stain Out and gently rub into the stain; let sit for 5 minutes. Then wash with detergent and bleach or bleach in the hottest water the fabric will tolerate.

Scorching
If the damage is severe it may be permanent. Mild scorching can be treated to improve the color by brushing the scorched area and pre-treating it with detergent or bleach. Then launder normally in detergent and bleach.

Coffee, Tea, Wine, Soft Drinks
Pretreat with liquid bleach. Launder right away with detergent and liquid bleach in hottest water recommended for fabric.

Mildew
Mildew can damage the cellulosic structure of fibers as well as many man made fibers. If the fabric shows no sign of permanent damage treat the mildew by first brushing the area to remove as much of the organism as possible. Pre-treat the area by rubbing with bleach. Launder in the hottest water recommended for the fabric plus bleach. Test for colorfastness. If the garment is not safe in chlorine bleach substitute bleach.

Grease, Butter, Margarine, Oil, Mayonnaise, Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cosmetics
Apply liquid bleach stain remover and rub into stain. Launder with detergent and liquid bleach in hottest water recommended for fabric.

Gravy, Mustard, Ketchup and Other Tomato-Based Products
Presoak in powdered bleach and detergent in warm or hot water. Launder with detergent and liquid bleach. If oily stain remains, use Stain Out on stain and launder again.

Crayons
Place the stained surface down on a pad of paper towels, spray with WD-40, and let stand for a few minutes. Turn the fabric over and spray the other side. Apply liquid dish-washing detergent and work into the stained area. Replace towels as they absorb the stain. Wash in hot water with a laundry detergent and bleach for about 12 minutes (use "heavy soiled" setting if there is no minute timer on your machine), and rinse in warm water.

Fruit-Flavored Drinks, Juices
Soak in cool water. Rub bar soap into the stain or pretreat with liquid bleach. Wash right away with detergent and bleach or bleach in hottest water recommended for fabric.

Dye That Bleeds
Dye transfer is caused when unstable dye colors "bleed" from one fabric to another. Their removal is often difficult. To minimize problem, sort loads by color, and always remove clothes from washer as soon as rinse cycle is complete. Re-launder affected items right away with detergent and liquid bleach. If color remains (on all-white fabrics only) use a packaged color remover or stripper sold under the "Rit" label.

Diaper Stains, Vomit
Rinse off soils. Presoak. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric with appropriate bleach, To kill bacteria that contribute to diaper rash, add liquid bleach to the wash cycle.

Vitamins, Liquid Pain Relievers
Pretreat and let sit for 5 minutes. Launder in hottest water possible, using appropriate bleach.

Mayonnaise, Mustard, Salad Dressing
Pretreat, launder in hottest water safe for fabric, using appropriate bleach.