Ever heard of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear? Well obviously, your new suit is not a sow’s ear, but the silk purse in this instance is, of course, a truly custom fit. You’ve spent your hard-earned cash on a new suit so it’s important that you ensure you are totally satisfied with it. Buying the suit is the first step. The second step is getting it tailored so it fits perfectly.
At Suits Unlimited, they offer exactly that (and then some) at their location: 5406 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM.
There are some important strategies involved to get the best results when your new suit is tailored professionally.
Fit Starts with The Shoulders
Quite logically, the fit starts at the shoulders. Adjustment of the shoulders can be incredibly time-consuming and because of this: expensive. However, once again logically, if you can get the shoulders right, it creates the framework for the rest of the suit – so it’s a very logical starting point.
By the time an ill-fitting suit is adjusted to even resemble looking good, you may as well have started from scratch with a completely customized suit.
Save your wallet a rather large hole by finding a jacket that fits well in the shoulders, and just needs the waist taken in, or the sleeves shortened for it to be your dream suit.
The secret is to find a good fit through the shoulders that looks ok, but with a few tweaks, turns ok into fabulous.
A good rule of thumb is if in doubt, err toward a larger size as it’s always easier to remove fabric than to try and add it.
Act Like a Boy Scout And Be Prepared!
You don’t need to get out the iron and ironing board before your tailoring appointment (what are those, you say?), but bring the shoes, tie, and shirt you’re most likely to wear with your new suit.
The tie and shirt will help the tailor gauge sleeve length and any collar or lapel adjustments that may be needed. The shoes assist the tailor in getting an accurate idea of where the break on your pants will be to ensure a proper drape.
Consider The Long Term
Jackets with severely darted waists and shorter sleeves, or highwater pants, might be the top fashion statement right now, but will this always be the case? Suit style trends do change over time, but they tend to be far more stable than other items in your wardrobe.
If you stick with timeless styles, but with a few subtle contemporary touches, there’s no reason your tailored suit shouldn’t still look fashionable in five years.
Time For A Friendly Tailor Chat
Because a tailor is a master of his trade, a lot of men feel intimidated and won’t ask questions or speak their mind. They figure that these guys or girls know exactly what they’re doing as professionals, and they are correct.
However, don’t forget:
This is business. You, as the client, are paying for their time and their services, so getting what you want goes without saying
This is your suit, you’re the one that’s going to be wearing it, and it is your time and money that you have spent. You need to be happy with the result.
Don’t forget it’s important to speak up and let your tailor know what you want. Whilst they are indeed professionals in their craft, they are not mind readers.
If The Suit Fits…
When your project is completed, remember to bring your accessories with you again so that you can feel confident in the entire look.
Hopefully everything will be just as you wish, but there may be some little tweaks needed to achieve the perfect fit. Who knows? Maybe you’ve indulged a little too much since the last fitting and this could be showing around your middle!
In any case, these final tweaks can often be done before you leave the store, saving you having to come back and giving you peace of mind that your new suit feels – and looks – sensational!