How to Choose a Good Suit
When you truly care about the quality of the clothes you wear – and you certainly should if you are ever dealing with anything important – your suit choices need to be made carefully. You will want a suit that fits you comfortably and stylishly, but which also looks good in terms of what it is made from and how it is made.
This is why going to just anyone or buying only directly off the rack is not really a good strategy. You must remember that a suit is more than just a purchase, it is an investment. In fact it is a much more personal investment than most, because it directly relates to your appearance, helping you to make favorable first impressions everywhere you go.
If your suit does not look like it is of good quality, it will not be creating the best impression, and that is also true of famous brands. If you buy the most expensive brand but it does not fit you well, you will not look stylish, just foolish. Nobody wants to get that kind of result.
So do not be misled into thinking that the cost of the suit is what determines its quality. What really matters is the skill and care of the tailor, and how dedicated they are to achieving the best outcome for you.
The kinds of things you should seek your tailors advice on are what materials are best for the climate where you'll be working, what cut is best for your intended purpose, and even how to accessorize your suit for the best look. A good tailor knows all the important details and takes a real interest in how you intend to wear the clothes they make. After all, you are a walking advertisement for them, and they want people to compliment you on the suit you're wearing, which will hopefully lead to a recommendation.
When you buy a suit off the rack, it is not very different from any other kind of retail purchase. In that case it is all about the sale. But when you work with a tailor, it is a more personal service, and the tailor should be able to help you with everything you need to get the very best suit.
Climate is one of the most important considerations. If you are in California, your needs will be totally different to somebody in DC or New York. Even within just one state there can be a lot of variation. In Los Angeles or San Diego, you'll want lighter materials and a very relaxed fit. Somewhere like San Franscisco or Sacramento, you'd probably want something a bit more formal and hard-wearing. These are the kinds of things you need to be thinking about and talking with your tailor about.
One of the most commonly made complaints about custom tailoring services is that somebody gets a suit back that they feel is too tight. This happens because the customer asks for a slim fit without thinking about how they'll be wearing it, or because when it comes time to measure, they don't stand in a relaxed way and get a proper measurement.
It's really a good idea to add at least an extra inch to the shoulder measurement. That way you should get a comfortable fit, have a bit of room in case you gain a bit of weight, and if the suit is too loose, it is easy to fix the problem. Fixing a suit that is too tight is a much more difficult issue, so don't tense up when being measured, or you may get an incorrect measurement.
Look for a reliable tailor with a good record of providing great value. Be careful not to be misled by dishonest reviews, especially if a review is comparing one service to another, as there is a good chance that it is simply a review that has been paid for.
One of the best custom tailoring services in terms of value, ethics, and honesty is StudioSuits who make it very easy for you to get a good suit at a fair price.