Ben Wolff
Clothing Stylist
MANY CLIENTS ASK me about Made to Measure (M-to-M) clothing. Is it practical? Is it a good investment? Is it better than buying “Store Bought”? The answers to these questions are......it depends. M to M and Bespoke are the ultimate when it comes to fine clothing. Not only will your shirts, suits and trousers fit you beautifully, you will have a say in virtually every aspect of the creation; from cuffs to collars, it will In reality M-to-M can be a most costly endeavor, particularly when the clothing is produced here in the US or in Italy. In NYC, the cost of an M-to-M shirt will start at around $140 dollars per shirt for basic colors, and can run upwards of $500 dollars if you simply can’t live without your shirts being made by Brioni. Suiting begins at around $1000 dollars and can run in excess of $5000 dollars, depending on fabrics, thread counts, and designers, etc. So again I ask you, is made to measure right for you...it depends.For many of my re-dress Every day™ clients the answer is a resounding yes if we’re talking dress shirts. Dress shirts are the most reasonably priced pieces in the M-to-M world, and are actually comparable to the off the rack dress shirt. If we were to do a pro and con list for M-to-M, it would go as follows:
* PRO: Hugo Boss, for example, dress shirts will cost around $125 dollars and go as high as $225 dollars for the Pema cotton Selection shirt. Don’t forget the alteration costs which puts these dress shirts right in the same ball park as M-to-M.
* PRO: Finding a specific shirt size can be challenging to say the least. You may fall into one of two categories - 1) your shirt size, neck and sleeve length, are so common that stores run out of it in the basic colors you need as soon as they come in. 2) your shirt size is so uncommon, 15 ½ neck with 36/37 sleeve length, that the store either doesn’t carry it, or they get so few pieces that you have to camp out the night before the shipment arrives just to get the basics you require. M-to-M solves those problems.
* PRO: Once you’ve found the right tailor (and or company) to produce your new shirts, have had all the measurements taken collars and cuffs etc., he next time you need new shirts they’re just a phone call or email away.
My one CON is turnaround time. M-to-M shirts can take anywhere from 3 weeks to as much as 12 weeks to complete, so planning is essential. Even with all these things to consider, I’m still convinced that finding a M-to-M shirt program that works for you is the way to go.
Let’s talk suiting. Made to Measure or off the rack… that is the question! No suit will fit you better than an M-to-M suit. M-to-M suiting is fantastic, beautiful, and expensive. Having your suits made for you is the height of luxury. The only thing better than having an M-to-M
suit is to have complete Bespoke, but that is another discussion for another day.
When I advise my clients about M-to-M suiting, the one thing I stress is, “know your style.” There is too much time and money involved to experiment. When dealing at this level of fine clothing it is imperative that you have a great sense of your own style and know how
you want your style and image projected to your client, colleagues and the world. M-to-M suiting is not for the faint of heart or the light of wallet.
The key for me and my clients is to find a great tailor. Finding a great tailor is akin to finding a great doctor. Once you found them, NEVER let them go! Like a doctor your tailor will know every inch of you; every curve and contour of your body. It is a very personal and
intimate relationship you will develop, so just be open and honest and you’ll have a good result. Once you’ve found your tailor (or least you think you have) don’t go in guns blazing. Remember that this is a process. You are building a wardrobe, so start off with something small and manageable like a dress shirt or a pair of trousers. See how it goes. Are the collar, cuff and overall fit to your liking? How is the stitching? Did the tailor get it right the first, second...eighth time? It’s far better to spend $200 dollars than $2000 dollars.
Finally make sure you get the best advice possible from someone who knows you, your style and what your goals are (like myself or another style professional) before entering the world of Made to Measure.
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