Style Primer: Custom Tailored Shirt

What Is a Custom Tailored Shirt?

In short, these shirts are made especially for you. Not only are they fitted to your specific measurements, but they can be personalized with specific details like a monogram, buttons, and one or more pockets.

Different Types of Tailored Shirts

Depending on your budget and your needs, you can choose from several options.

Bespoke or Custom Tailored: Bespoke shirts are made with a custom pattern cut to fit the exact shape of your body. Bespoke and custom tailored shirts have an incredibly wide selection of fabrics in different thread counts and patterns.

Made to Measure: Made to measure shirts aren’t made from unique patterns to match your shape, but offer options of sizing for the neck, sleeve, torso, and collar designs. Some made to measure tailors can also copy bespoke designs for an even better fit for a lower price.

Why Wear One?

Custom tailored shirts are fitted to your measurements, and this can help if you aren’t an average size. If you have long arms, a wide chest, a very thick neck, or a very long torso, it will help you save time choosing shirts that fit and struggling with shirts that don’t.

You can not only select details like pockets or specific monogramming, but you can also choose from a selection of style options. Whether you are really into your personal style or are a little clueless, you’ll appreciate the many different choices for your shirt:

• Collar: Choose from various collar styles, from a larger spread or a higher collar with a smaller spread.
• Cuff: When collaborating on your shirt, you can also select different types of cuffs, from French to convertible to two-barrel.
• Shirt Back: Choose from many different back pleats, or none at all, including continuous pleats across the back yoke, box pleats, or gathering instead of pleats. Depending on the look you prefer, you can choose lots of personalized looks according to your preference.
• Shirt Front: Choose a usual button front or a covered fly front.

Where Can I Buy One?

Internet: There are a lot of internet deals available for tailored shirts. You can find them for as low as $29, but there can be a catch—you don’t have a professional around to measure you!

Some websites can teach you how to measure yourself, but if you’re not comfortable doing that, you can send one of your best-fitting dress shirts for measurement. The custom tailor company you choose will be able to help you with the best size to fit you.

When you choose a tailored shirt online, be sure that the fit is right after you buy it. Here’s a small list of what you should check for proper fit:

• Collar/neck: The neck should be snug but not tight.
• Chest: Be sure that the chest seams don’t pull. The button placket shouldn’t pull or gape at the front.
• Seams: Seams should never strain. If the stitching is pronounced or pulling, send it back for sizing!
• Sleeves: Check that the sleeves are long enough. If they seem too long, they can be shortened easily—too short is the major concern.
• Shoulders: Shoulder seams should lie flat and run from the neck as close to the end of the shoulders as possible.

Specialty shop: Find a shirtmaker you trust to measure you to find the shirt that is right for you. If you live near a major city, find a reputable tailor by asking around for recommendations or completing a full internet search for recommended tailors to visit in person. If you travel abroad often, some of the best tailors can be found in Europe, the United Kingdom, and China.