Why did you choose your tailor?

[usctrojans31]

I had a conversation the other day with a friend about the thought process behind choosing a tailor — either a new tailor or continuing an existing relationship. It struck me as a conversation topic worth expanding upon, especially since each person has a story.

I feel like there are factors beyond liking the tailor's work and accessibility. We often hear about relationship building, exclusivity, language, among others. So for you, what made you choose your tailor? More importantly, what beyond a good product makes you continue working with him/her?

For me, it came down to a few factors other than aesthetics. I wanted a Neapolitan who traveled to New York as I'm only in Italy about once per year. I wanted a house that was big enough that I wouldn't be left hanging in case of issues as well as a low probability of insolvency. I really wanted someone who understood my body and taste and worked to fit the clothes around me rather than me into clothes, which I have seen a few big name tailors do.

The relationship component is fine. I'm not best friends with my tailoring team. But we get along.

Eager to hear all of your stories.

 

[FlyingHorker]

Well, he's the only one in the city who can shorten a jacket's collar, and take in the shoulders.

Also will basically do any kind of bespoke.

 

[Moose22]

I hadn't had a suit in a long time. I'd gained weight and had no money for some years, but was finally back to work and healthy. I lost weight, was doing well, and decided I wanted a suit and a sport coat. Stuff to interview in, wear if I saw a customer, or just casually to the symphony or a wedding. There are not a lot of men's wear dealers locally.

I researched a lot. Found a good tailor with a great reputation and a small shop and I went in asking for help finding a sport coat and a suit. I liked him. Had a good eye, knew I was an ex weightlifter and so was he, so I figured he understood big arms and the hulk shoulders. We got along great, so when he said he'd find me a version of the suit I liked and a sport coat I said OK.

It started great. He nailed the sport coat. It wasn't a color I expected (it's grey and navy guncheck, I'd thought only blue, but he got both and let me choose), and a little bit fashion forward, but it is flattering, interesting, goes with everything. I wear it a lot and people really like it on me. Affordable, too. I'm larger than his clientele though and he didn't have a selection of suits in my size. He said he'd find me some. Got me a decent 3 piece that he made fit well (he's a very talented alterations guy) but it's a windowpane, which is really a 3rd suit for me. But it fit nicely enough and was stylish enough I took it.

I came back to him a bit later asking about the basic suit. Maybe like one he'd shown me in a smaller size before. He still couldn't find me a dark grey or charcoal. I wanted something simple. Sharkskin or plain, no pattern. I just wanted that basic grey or navy suit we should all have. He said he'd get one in for me and call me.

He eventually found me a nice enough grey with a mild POW check that was dark enough. I look good in dark grey, but even though it was patterned I took it. It served my boring grey purpose. I asked a few questions and I tried it on and he chalked it up for alterations, and he seemed in a hurry, then I asked about shirts and all he could do for me was one an inch too small on the neck with a collar extender. Hmmm. It was starting to seem like his reputation all came from skinny men, big arms and broad shoulders were problems for him.

When I got the grey suit back it didn't fit as nicely as my first suit. He kind of salesman weasel worded me. He made some comment about how it'll fit better when I lose more weight, which didn't sit well with me. But I had told him I was on a diet. Still, it should have fit right then and draped properly. I actually DID lose more weight over the next two months and it was worse, not better.

I later learned what was really going on. He didn't have the fabric reserve to make the trousers sit right, and shouldn't have sold the suit to me. I'm also pretty sure he just plain didn't want to do the more major alterations it takes to make the coat fit properly and not flare out at the bottom like a skirt. He'd done them on the previous coat, but this one was a touch shorter and probably needed some work on the back -- he just wanted to get the sleeves the right length and be done with it.

After wearing the suit a few times I just kept getting more annoyed thinking about it. The ****** routed me out the door and didn't want to do the real job. He assumed I wasn't worth the effort to keep as a client which made me doubly angry as he's a cool guy. Experienced, likable, friendly, and has a lot of lifelong customers... I wanted to like him, but I can't trust him. And he wouldn't put the effort into getting me the suit or shirts I wanted, nor would he just say "no, maybe try this method."

I decided made to measure online was better than off the rack. I'm just too hard to fit.

I first tried to get shirts made from a couple of MTM places online, most were horrifically bad. They don't understand a guy with a super fat neck and tiny hips like mine. One literally said my measurements had to be wrong, another made me take pictures with the measuring tape to prove my measurements, and when they delivered the test shirt it wasn't a nicely draped shirt that went smoothly from my broad shoulders to a flattering hem, it just dramatically went in right at the waist from the measurement at my chest to the measurement at my hips, which is like an 11" difference.

So, that didn't work.

One place, NattyShirts, actually sent me a terrible shirt but asked to try again, I sent them photos, and they made an adequate shirt with a collar I could button. God bless 'em, they're cheap, too, and they tried hard. I got three to wear under my suit so at least I could wear a tie, but they really are only so good.

That meant the whole measuring myself thing kind of scared me. I wanted to sell my grey suit and get my nice charcoal or navy, but if MTM suits were anything like MTM shirts, that was a really bad idea. So I searched a broader radius from my home on the internets and found MyTailor, which is not super local but about a 40 minute drive away. They're traveling tailors, but I'm near the HQ and like that I can visit there so I checked them out. Someone here liked them, one person I work with (in the Chicago office, oddly, we don't have an office in Southern California) raved about them, so I drove up.

Joe and Divij are the honchos there, father and son. Divij did my first suit and shirt, got the suit pretty close to awesome on the first fitting, then we tweaked a few minor things until it was perfect. I mean PERFECT, perfect. It looks fantastic and holy crap is it comfortable. And it's... flattering. Nothing flatters me, I'm built like a fireplug. But this suit did. We did the same with shirts, the first one being good, but a touch long in the sleeves, the barrel cuffs a little big, etc... All very small things and they absolutely would NOT let it go until it was perfect. My waistcoat had a minor issue riding up in a very odd circumstance with one pair of suspenders I wear, and when I mentioned it to Joe he wouldn't let me take it home until they'd tried a little tweak to make that no longer happen. I was fine with it, just thought to mention it so we could try something different to correct it on my second suit, but they refused and remade it for me to solve the problem.

By then they had my pattern down. I got a sport coat with Joe's help on fabric and styling and it fit like a second skin.

So, yeah. That was better.

I've got a half dozen shirts, a suit, and a coat from these guys. Entirely because they give good advice, have a great eye (Joe tweaked the hem of my shirt size by 1/2", Divij chose a lower than normal button stance to start with, both were remarkably more flattering), and treat me like I'm a $6000 a year bespoke customer when I'm no more than a $1500 a year dufus getting a suit and some shirts. They know I'm a low dollar client, but still want everything to be right and for me to be happy. My old tailor... If it ever comes up I guess he can hem some trousers for me maybe, but for new clothes I just can't bring myself to buy from him after he shuffled me out the door. The guy wrote me off as too much trouble, so... yeah. He can't get me into anywhere near as nice a suit, anyway.

 

[FlyingHorker]

^Pics of MyTailor suit and shirt?

 

[Moose22]

Not really a pictures guy. But there are others who have posted in the MyTailor appreciation thread. Andy has more than a few samples of their work:

MyTailor (Hemrajani Bros.) Appreciation/Discussion Thread

My experience has been that Joe will err on the side of longer than shorter but we’re talking fractions of an inch. He commented once that my bespoke Rubinacci sport coat was too short. ? It isn’t, it’s just shorter than Joe’s style. Both look great from my standpoint. I used to over-instruct...

www.styleforum.net

I guess he's been working with Joe for many years.