What’s worth getting made bespoke?

Posted On: Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 0 comments
bespoke suit

There’s something uniquely wonderful about a bespoke item of clothing. Some buy them for the brilliant combination of the snugness and comfort of the fit, whereas others buy bespoke pieces for the way they enhance individual silhouettes and body types.

Obviously, it would be a wonderful world indeed if all of your clothing could be constantly made bespoke specially for you, rather than ‘ready to wear’. In practice though, you may find yourself having to pick and choose what you want to get made bespoke at any one time. So for when the time comes to make that decision, we’ve got a couple of suggestions for you as to what you should prioritise first!

Bespoke outerwear is all about construction

Now that the chill of autumn is starting to set in and we’re not too far off winter, outerwear such as coats and jackets should be the first thing you look at. If they’re starting to show their age, it generally also has an effect on their ability to keep you warm during the winter months. If you’re thinking about a replacement, then bespoke might be the way to go! Experts regard outerwear to be amongst the best examples of bespoke clothing, both in terms of the cut and the construction.

bespoke coat

We’ve talked several times before about how important it is for you to know your own body type – most recently in our post about how to dress well if you’re on the shorter side. The length and shape of your legs, for example, are quite easy to cater for, whereas the torso can be far more irregular, so it can often be a bit harder to find ready-to-wear (RTW) jackets that fit you effortlessly.

This is one of the main advantages to a bespoke jacket. Its construction creates an excellent structure around your torso, with a hand-padded chest creating a flattering but natural shape around your body. A structured collar, meanwhile, keeps the jacket anchored closely around your neck, creating a silhouette that looks just as good as it feels. The same is true for a bespoke coat, though in a heavier cloth. It’s generally regarded as the second most valuable garment to have made bespoke.

A bespoke shirt ensures an effortless fit

You’ll probably find that in almost any discussion about bespoke clothing, bespoke shirts tend to crop up pretty quickly! It’s hard to overstate the visual effect of a beautifully-made bespoke shirt, and the fit is almost always far superior to anything you’ll find RTW. Our Monarch plain white solid fabric is generally the top choice for a crisp bespoke shirt.

Because it’s made to fit your individual body type, it can help to highlight your most distinctive characteristics (such as a slim frame or broad shoulders) whilst hiding or distracting from any that you might not want to be as prominent.

bespoke shirt

As well as looking the part, though, you’ll really feel the difference. With RTW shirts, there are all sorts of elements which have to be kept reasonably loose to ensure that they’re able to be worn by a wide range of men; the collar, the armholes, the sleeves, and the cuffs all have to be made to a standard size, which might not necessarily be the most comfortable for you. For example, the sleeves might be the correct length, but if your arm doesn’t largely fill the armhole then you’ll be left with a lot of loose fabric under your arm. This looks untidy and easily can bunch up under a jacket, restricting your movement. You’ll have no such issues with a bespoke shirt!

Finally, bespoke shirts are an investment, which means you can count on them to last much longer than ready to wear shirts. The shirting fabric used is always of a high quality, and you get the benefit of the tailor’s expertise to create a shirt that’s comfortable, durable and looks truly top-tier.

Bespoke trousers can really help tie an outfit together

bespoke trousers

If you’ve invested in a bespoke shirt that fits your body type, here at Acorn Fabrics we’d really recommend going the extra mile to invest in some bespoke trousers, too. The carefully-tailored look of a bespoke shirt or jacket can be very easily undercut by a pair of trousers that are too scruffy or ill-fitting. Investing in bespoke trousers is the best way to keep your outfit in proportion.

As with bespoke shirts, you can also take advantage of the tailor’s expertise with the fit. Ideally, the hem of your trousers should sit nicely around the bottom of your shoe, rather than too far up to your shins, or too far down to become a ruffled ring of material around your ankles. This can sometimes be hard to avoid with the limited options presented by RTW trousers, whereas a professional tailor can help you get this balance just right. Formal suits can be offset perfectly by an ideal pair of chinos or similar styles in cotton. Our Kingston khaki fabric is a brilliant choice for these sorts of applications, but we also stock black and navy variants too.

There’s nothing to say you have to get all these pieces at the same time, of course; they can set you back a serious amount if you do! Building up your bespoke wardrobe over time is equally viable – and we’ve got plenty of top quality cotton fabrics to help you do so here at Acorn. You can take your pick from our formal shirting fabrics here, or you can get casual with country checks and prints – perfect for the impending autumn weather!

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