STYLE GUIDE PICK YOUR PANTS

made-to-measure

the right way, notRIGHT AWAY

“Customizing” a garment in a hurry online doesn’t make it custom-made for you. Try true made-to-measure instead. By Darius Amos

Seeing is believing, as they say—but not when you’re purchasing a made-to-measure suit. Any garment can look good on a computer screen, and it may be stunning hanging in your closet. But will it feel great when you try it on?

In the world of custom suiting, your sense of touch will respond acutely to the di erences between a garment handsewn by a tailor and a piece manufactured quickly by an internet company. Of course, some online businesses create excellent products using your measurements—which you record and supply yourself—and a dozen or so personalized elements. But a few clicks of a mouse can’t guarantee the use of impeccable fabrics, a perfect t and a selection of details that runs the gamut. ese are things, however, a Kilgore Trout customer has come to expect.

For decades, our team of made-to-measure experts has been customizing the finest garments precisely to your specifications and personal taste, from size and fit right down to jacket lapel style and thread color—all the sartorial details that matter.

Looking and feeling your best is the name of the game, and great fabric will always drape better than an inferior product. Bonus: A well-made fabric is so er and stronger and will outlast a sti er and cheaper cloth (which many online retailers use), making a suit custom-made by us the wiser investment. Our made-to-measure program uses fabrics from the world’s nest mills such as Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna, which source the best raw materials like wool from Australia and New Zealand. e bottom line? You’ll get a suit made from the highest-quality fabric that’ll make you look even more handsome. Another bonus: A tailor-made suit will come with an ample fabric reserve (in case you have to make anything bigger down the road), while a garment made online will cut costs and minimize the use of material when possible.

We also ensure proper t. Yes, an online suit maker creates jackets, pants and vests based on the exact measurements you provide, and your order may t like a glove—that is, until you start moving. Our made-to-measure experts consider your daily activities so that your pieces continue to look good when you’re doing everyday things. Sitting at a conference table or reaching for a book on the top shelf? Our tailors guarantee you don’t have to worry about a collar gap or your jacket bunching at the neck.

You can also distinguish one of our made-to-measure suits from an online customized garment when you feel the inside of the jacket. For the lining, we suggest high-end silk or cotton versus inexpensive options like polyester blends, which can overheat the wearer. The interlining (the material between the suit’s inner and outmost fabrics) should be sewn in place, rather than glued or fused. An easy way to determine the quality is to pinch the upper layer of the fabric: A superior garment will be soft and flexible; an inexpensive suit will feel stiff and thick.

Our style pros and tailors will take nearly two dozen of your measurements and personalized options (handmade buttonholes, anyone?) to create a piece that looks and feels just right. So log off your computer and give made-to-measure a try. We promise you’ll never look back.