It was back in the late 80s. I spent more money than I should have. Things didn't fit the way I had expected, and it was nowhere as good as I was hoping.
Yes, the first time I bought custom shirts was a bad experience (what did you think I was talking about?)
I was in my early twenties, doing contract programming. The guy who owned the consulting company I worked for figured that I should upgrade my wardrobe, for those occasional on-site meetings. He had me go to The Custom Shop (you know, that chain in the mall) and order several white and blue shirts. I think that the minimum order was four or five shirts, and there was only one good shirt out of the batch. Most had side seams that didn't line up with the under-sleeve seams. After I got those corrected, I soon fell into a name brand addiction and spent a few years mainlining anything with a vaguely Italian sounding name.
Then, I moved to a new condo and met a neighbor from New York who had a closet full of great custom suits. That re-kindled my desire to find something good and pure. I eventually found a 'little Italian guy' running a shop out of the lower floor of a building on the West side of Chicago. I wish I could remember his name, and I wish I still had some of his shirts. Back then, it was $85 for Sea Island Cotton and $120 for silk shirts. The cutters were right there, in the same little storefront that was probably smaller than my condo. The place was even further cramped by being overstuffed with endless stacks of cloth. It wasn't quite the same atmosphere as Savile Row, but to me, it will always be the image in my mind before I walk into a new tailor's shop.
Yes, the first time I bought custom shirts was a bad experience (what did you think I was talking about?)
I was in my early twenties, doing contract programming. The guy who owned the consulting company I worked for figured that I should upgrade my wardrobe, for those occasional on-site meetings. He had me go to The Custom Shop (you know, that chain in the mall) and order several white and blue shirts. I think that the minimum order was four or five shirts, and there was only one good shirt out of the batch. Most had side seams that didn't line up with the under-sleeve seams. After I got those corrected, I soon fell into a name brand addiction and spent a few years mainlining anything with a vaguely Italian sounding name.
Then, I moved to a new condo and met a neighbor from New York who had a closet full of great custom suits. That re-kindled my desire to find something good and pure. I eventually found a 'little Italian guy' running a shop out of the lower floor of a building on the West side of Chicago. I wish I could remember his name, and I wish I still had some of his shirts. Back then, it was $85 for Sea Island Cotton and $120 for silk shirts. The cutters were right there, in the same little storefront that was probably smaller than my condo. The place was even further cramped by being overstuffed with endless stacks of cloth. It wasn't quite the same atmosphere as Savile Row, but to me, it will always be the image in my mind before I walk into a new tailor's shop.
