Custom Made Shirt

Why go to the time, trouble and expense of having your shirts custom-made? The answer for many men is, it's worth it. It's been said that "once a man discovers the world of custom-made shirts, there is no turning back."

Clothes make the man?

Perhaps it should be "Man makes the clothes". Most off-the-rack shirts are made by machine. One size 17 is going to be identical to every size 17 made on that particular machine. Every man who buys a size 17 shirt is not identical, however. For those men who wish to express their individuality within the confines of the business environment, a custom-made shirt is the way to go.

It's not just the look of the shirt, it's the fit that makes it all worth it. It all begins with the tailor. Your tailor will take precise measurements and record them in your personal file. He will fine-tune the fit by asking you to try on sample shirts of various sizes. Then the shirt is "built" around those measurements, and the tailor will make subtle adjustments depending on each body type:

For a stocky man, the front of the shirt will be lengthened.
The collar's width and height can be adjusted to match a wide or narrow face.
The buttonholes can be increased in size to accommodate antique cuff links.
Consideration will be given to whether a snug or loose fit is desired.

It usually takes up to 5 days for a custom-made shirt to be finished. The usual practice is for the customer to wear the initial "prototype" shirt, wash it several times, and then wear it to the tailor's so that any fine adjustments can be made. Once the customer is completely satisfied and all the details and measurements have been noted, subsequent shirts can be made as per the customer's order. At this point, the customer can specify color and pattern variations to fill out his wardrobe. Some tailors will save any excess fabric used in the construction of your shirt(s) for use in any future repairs and/or alterations.

Traditional appeal in the modern age

Computers and the internet have touched our lives in so many ways, so it's no surprise that the "old fashioned" craft of custom shirtmaking has embraced the online revolution. Most online custom shirt fabricators provide the option of a personal visit to one of their locations, but in most cases all you'll need to place your order are your measurements. These may be acquired by simply measuring a shirt which fits you well, or by having a friend take and write down your pertinent measurements. After that, you only need to specify your choice of fabric, style, color, and details. Most online custom shirt retailers have built complete illustrated web sites that make the ordering process as easy as possible while giving the customer the widest possible choice.

One of these sites is MyTailor.com, whose motto is "A better way to dress. A smarter way to buy". In addition to shirts, Master Tailor Joe Hemrajani offers custom-fitted suits, coats, slacks and vests. Their web site features a "tour schedule". A MyTailor.com representative travels throughout the USA providing custom-fitting services. If you're a previous customer who has ordered from them online, you can have your measurements fine-tuned. If you're a first-time buyer, you can attend a fitting and have your measurements uploaded and stored in the MyTailor.com database.

If the shirt fits, wear it

You've heard of the catch-phrase "it's better to look good than to feel good". When you choose to have your shirts custom-made, you can look good and feel good. Sometimes that can give you the extra confidence you need to impress a tough client and close the deal.

By Steve Levenstein

Custom Made Shirt

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