It is fairly obvious that if you truly care about quality, you will generally be pulled towards buying custom suits. But is this always the best option? Can buying off the rack ever be justified? Let's find out.
The first thing to understand about "off the rack" suits is that they are produced almost entirely by machines. They are not individually assembled by people, and in theory this should save you money, but in practice it usually doesn't because once the brand name is added the cost rockets up. When that is not the case, the suit is usually of such low quality that it not only looks terrible, but will fall apart in a matter of weeks with regular use. Therefore only the most expensive off the rack suits are worth considering, which to some extent possibly defeats the purpose of buying off the rack.
Another reason why buying off the rack may work for you is that you get your suit quickly. Custom tailored suits are assembled by hand, and your order is not the only one the tailor has to process. Consequently you will always have to wait a bit more time when buying a custom-tailored suit, so if you need a suit urgently and you can't wait, your only real option is to buy off the rack. While indeed custom tailoring is something you have to be prepared to wait a bit of time for, most consumers agree that the wait is worth it, because the quality is far superior.
With an off the rack suit, what you see is what you get. The product is designed as a generic catch-all, intended for the mass market, so you are stuck with whatever choices the manufacturer has made. These include things like ridiculous non-functioning pockets that are just there for show, huge shoulder pads that make you look like a gorilla that found the hidden banana stash, and freakishly large buttons. Those are just some of the horrors found on store bought suits.
With a custom tailored suit, however, you are entirely in control. You make the decisions about what should be included and what should be left out. Your tailor can advise you based on their experience, but only you know what is best for your tastes.
You see the thing is that mass market suits assume you need those shoulder pads even if you actually don't. A tailor can also advise you on the best type of suit choices based on your measurements and the climate where you will be wearing the suit.
One custom tailoring service that makes the process of choosing and buying a suit very easy is Studio Suits. This company is a specialist in providing high quality bespoke tailoring at affordable prices. You can get tailored suits in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco without even needing to put in any effort. Simply get in touch with Studio Suits and they will help you in every way to get exactly the suit you need.
