What To Expect From A Tailor
If you’ve already had the hire vs buy discussion regarding your wedding suits and decided you’d like to give a tailor a try then we’ve asked expert tailor Toby Luper to take us through what you should expect when working with a tailor.
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The moment has arrived: your nerves are jangling and your palms are sweaty. No, it’s not the moment you walk up the aisle, but one just as important – the first meeting with your visiting tailor.
There’s really no need to be apprehensive: investing in a high quality made-to-measure or bespoke suit for the big day (or any day) is an excellent move and the process is painless and actually very rewarding.
So what exactly does it involve? Well, first of all the initial meeting can take place at a time and date to suit you, either at home or work, or in any other appropriate location imaginable. I have even taken a busy customer’s measurements on a commuter train.
Your tailor will ensure he obtains just about every measurement you can think of (and possibly some you didn’t) and also a firm grasp of your unique figuration. That is, what needs to be done to adapt the suit to your particular bodily quirks, for example a rounder rear or sloping shoulders.
Whilst your ego may be bruised at the thought of not being entirely perfect, please be reassured that nobody is! That’s why off-the-peg and hire suits are often such a poor fit, since they are based on a few basic measurements and made for an “ideal” male shape that few can attain.
Once you have got over the anguish of having one arm a quarter-inch shorter than the other, be patient whilst your tailor takes a comprehensive tour of your body. Remember to stand naturally! Unless you want to be extremely uncomfortable in an over-tight waistband, don’t suck in your stomach. A well-chosen bespoke or made-to-measure suit can hide a multitude of sins, so trust your tailor to flatter your shape, whatever it may be.
Your tailor will discuss with you myriad options for your suit, so it doesn’t hurt to think in advance about what you’re after. Should you go for a one- or two-buttoned jacket or double-breasted, which pocket style and trouser length, among many other features. You must also consider what sort of fabric you want, as you will have to pick from around 3,000 if you go for a bespoke suit. Even our made-to-measure service, which uses a tailored template, still provides an impressive 1000 fabrics to choose from.
Once you’ve agreed all the above with your tailor, he will depart with your measurements and bodily quirks carefully noted, and will proceed to create your unique, handmade suit. Regardless of the materials, around 55 hours of skilled labour goes into the average bespoke two-piece suit, while a made-to-measure suit will take 15 hours. With both, you can expect to wait at least six weeks before you see the finished product, so don’t expect it to be ready the next day!
Whilst some tailors will require several further fittings, Hemingway Tailors are confident that just one forward fitting will be required, impacting on your busy life as little as possible. This fitting does what it says on the tin – it’s the last check on the fit of the nearly-complete suit where little tweaks can be made to perfect your appearance. Final adjustments are made and your beautiful new suit is finally delivered in all its glory, ready for your big day.
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