Buying a Custom Suit Online? Don't Mess It Up (3 Crucial MTM Lessons)

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Buying a Custom Suit Online? Don't Mess It Up (3 Crucial MTM Lessons)

Рет қаралды 98,715

Күн бұрын

Buying custom suits and shirts online is one of the best ways to get clothes that fit well for pretty reasonable prices, especially if you don't have an "off the rack" build. But buying made-to-measure clothing can be a very frustrating and expensive experience. You can waste your precious time and money if you don't do it right.
I've got shirts and suits from all of the most popular MTM companies, including Indochino, Oliver Wicks, Knot Standard, CottonBrew, Vulture Suits, Deo Veritas and Black Lapel - to name a few. Here are 3 crucial lessons I've learned over the past few years, when it comes to buying MTM clothes. Also, I'll explain the difference between made-to-measure, custom and bespoke. The difference between MTM vs. bespoke is especially important.
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Пікірлер: 106

@dustinb4286 8 жыл бұрын

Made to Measure is a template adjusted to your sizes - Bespoke is completely custom.

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

Couldn't have said it better myself.

@nickfanzo 6 жыл бұрын

dustinb42 exactly. And bespoke is done by a master who has been probably handmaking clothing since they were 6.

@DAVIDFERNANDEZ-jx4fb 5 жыл бұрын

Lol

@Baroquepassion 8 жыл бұрын

Definitely agree with the last point. When I first started buying MTM shirts, I think it took me three attempts before I got a good fit. Even now I tweak the odd measurement, but it's definitely worth it. I'll never go back to off the rack.

@MasculineStyle 8 жыл бұрын

Boom! This information is something every guy needs to know before he tries any MTM program. It's a process, not a product. It takes some time and even a couple of tries to get things dialed in. That doesn't mean guys should settle - because any company worth its salt will alter or remake a garment until it's great, and then continue to work with the client to fine-tune the pattern from there. Going in eyes wide open can make it an incredible experience.

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

Yeah man, you would know better than most. I remember you saying that even bespoke suits aren't perfect the first time. Your second bespoke suit will be an improvement on your first.

@lowlowseesee 7 жыл бұрын

yep, i look at my whole style evolution that way. its never done and will always change and money and time will be spent

@JA-Gull 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, Brock! You offer a lot of good advice here. My first MTM suit had several issues, but it was worth the effort in the end. In my case, the suit looked good in the mirror, but the arm holes were very restrictive. When it came time to remake the jacket, they used photos to help dial in the issue. Your suggestion to be proactive and give them more information than they ask is excellent advice! I have learned a lot from watching your videos. Thanks so much for helping us out!

@MarcPagan 5 жыл бұрын

Fair and constructive criticism by the host. Bottom line...if going the MTM ..go in person for at least the first time. .....side note...some great tailors in NYC work with Samuelsohn and/or Coppley....World class suits and fits for under $1000, many under $700 I know, for some an in-person visit, is not an option.....so, buy OTR..make sure the shoulders fit..and pay for tailoring adjustments.

@KevKevAllen 6 жыл бұрын

(Coming from someone who sews) this is good general information. Couple corrections: basting is the stitching of or the process of a baste (like you baste a turkey) The measurements are going to be wrong no matter who measures you. If it’s not the tailor themselves measuring you, then you’re just getting close enough for the tailor to make an educated guess at what your suit should actually measure. Perfect example: in the past two weeks I’ve sewn 4 dress shirts. Same measurements, but different sewing patterns. They all fit totally different. The arm hole is different sizes, the shoulder seam sits on different parts of my shoulder, the neck sits in different places. Even though they were all measured before I started sewing. Professionally measured is still a very good point of advice, but don’t expect it to be completely spot on just because it was a tailor who measured you.

@lowlowseesee 7 жыл бұрын

my solution, im going to the store that does the MTM. there is an indochino in Canada that is hours away from my home.this vid was great and taught me stuff and confirmed my worries. one problem is some of us are on diets so the measurements change a tad some times

@parkerduncan1449 Жыл бұрын

Thank you sir, as a 5 foot 3 man I am looking forward to trying out these services.

@momotheelder7124 7 жыл бұрын

excellent advice, conclusions I reached after several mishaps. I will add that, if the custom clothier asks only for body measurements, also send them measurements of your favourite garments and insist they look at them. There is no guarantee that they translate your body measurements into a jacket that fits they way you want it. But knowing for example the measurements of your best fitting jacket, gives you the option of duplicating it, which is a far safer option.

@SalMos7737 8 жыл бұрын

fortunately, my moms a tailor

@GreekAssasin101 7 жыл бұрын

Fuck, you're lucky...

@netfischer 6 жыл бұрын

Then I guess youve no need for MTM suits anyway?

@BuyTheDip627 6 жыл бұрын

Is your mom gonna tailor your clothes until death?

@grantforrester1030 5 жыл бұрын

And your daddy a gambling man down in New Orleans?

@selenoyl8740 3 жыл бұрын

By any chance did she ever sew your new blue jeans?

@essexbarnworkshop8578 6 жыл бұрын

Great video. I wanted a new MTM suit for my daughter's graduation, so assumed that I'd buy two, the first would end up being an OK fit and I'd wear it to work, but using THAT suit as a template I could subtely adjust the measurements/lengths/pockets etc to get the perfect suit. It's a bit like giving yourself a fitting for your suit and ending up with a near-bespoke experience.

@jazzman1626 2 жыл бұрын

I had a suit a few years ago from a company that I think has changed its name now. They were called “A Suit That Fits”. It was my first time ordering a MTM suit online. It certainly was a suit that fits indeed. It was a single breasted black pinstriped suit with a ‘white with a hint of pink’ lining. It felt sooo good. A well fitting suit really makes a difference to how you are perceived by others too. Because, when I went for lunch in a city pub, a young lady bumped into the door on her way out because she was too busy looking at me. I didn’t get that reaction, so I really enjoyed it 😁. Another thing I love to get is what I call the silent compliment. It’s an unmistakable look in their eye of admiration. Speech can be faked, even compliments, but not micro-expressions.

@aaronhardin1983 6 жыл бұрын

Phenomenal overview! Thanks for the insight! I just ordered my first MTM suit and I'm pretty happy, I need a few slight alterations but I can't wait for the next one.

@antoinem9411 6 жыл бұрын

I picked up a MTM suit 3 days ago and my general advice is: Avoid online completely to save you lots of work and misunderstandings. I had mine made in-store at a bespoke tailor who offers MTM too. Surely it can't be too hard to find one near you, many tailors have jumped on the MTM train. On the fit: Everything concerning width was perfect from the start, i must say that i am 1,88m (6,2") at 85kg, so suits fit naturally well with me. They deliberately left the trouser length and sleeve length longer so they can adjust them after the first fit. Advantages A: You get professionally measured in store. B: When the suit arrives you can tell them then and there in person and actually show them right away what you don't like and what should be adjusted. This is very advantageous because when you go to the fittings keep in mind that you can bring your own shoes to the store, the ones you will actually wear the suit with! Trouser length very much depends on how the trousers fall on your preferred type of shoes(!!) On the internet you would have to post pics for them and hope for the best. C: You don't have to bother with shipping and longer waiting time as they would usually adjust it within 2 days.

@lmv2.787 4 жыл бұрын

You may also want to do the measurements in cm instead of inches. Like you said many places outsource the work to country's that primarily use the metric system.

@learner5090 2 жыл бұрын

yes

@StyleByHector 8 жыл бұрын

Great info! Anyone that's thinking of buying a made to measure suit needs to watch your video first.

@leonardobriceno3016 6 жыл бұрын

Dude! really appreciated you clear articulation and informative layout. Great vid!

@nutyyyy 4 жыл бұрын

I think the best lesson to learn is, unless you have the money to go full custom, don't bother, I am much too tall for anything off the peg to fit me and wasting $600 on a made to measure suit seems pointless. I can't really afford thousands for a bespoke suit. As much as I would like to, I've basically given up on suits all together.

@ajfamily206 3 жыл бұрын

I ordered a suit and shirts from Indochino and they messed up my shirt and the suit. they measured me 2x and those times they messed up again . I don't know what to do but I’m certain that I will never buy anything from them again.

@stylishoversixty9459 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the clarification on custom made made to measure and bespoke great video!

@camelCased 5 жыл бұрын

Waiting when 3D scanning becomes dirt cheap and built into cellphones, so you can send a precise body scan to a MTM company, and they can create very accurate 3D model of a suit and model it in a 3D software using physics engine to see all the wrinkles etc. Then they send you a 3D interactive demo, you suggest some corrections, if any, and finally they just print out all the measurements and create the suit.

@12012channel 4 жыл бұрын

I went to a tailor and they would not measure me. They said it would only be needed if they were going to make the clothes from scratch. I think that if they measure you, then they expect that you are buying from them and not somewhere else.

@Zajme 8 жыл бұрын

Hey Brock, this is really a quality content! Thanks for this. I had one thought though, should you wear shoes when you ask your tailor to give you full body measurement?

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yes, you should wear shoes for that.

@liamfoley9614 7 жыл бұрын

I've taken bespoke pieces and given them to MTM people and just told them to use those measurements. You get what you pay for though. I'm lucky in that I've built up a relationship with a Savile Row trained tailor and have several suits and other pieces from him. His prices are very reasonable as he works 'off Savile Row.' I wouldn't go online made to measure though unless you wanted a cloth that isn't available in your local store. If the cloth you want is in a local store buy the nearest off the rack and get it altered.

@nickfanzo 6 жыл бұрын

Liam Foley I agree. I would rather buy off the rack and bring it also. In person is key for me.

@Bigwave2003 5 жыл бұрын

Custom made shirts online have always produced unpredictable results for me. The main problem has been the measurements I specified are not the measurements I receive on the shirt. The 16" collar I requested is actually 15". The sleeves are an inch shorter than I requested. When I point this out they point to the small print in their guarantee and say they will only correct something that is at least 1.5" off the specified measurement. This wastes a lot of money.

@AnnLaustsen87 7 жыл бұрын

Skip to 4:27.

@christosioannou9628 8 жыл бұрын

Brock, what do you think of Indochino? I just got a suit from them, and it fit nearly perfectly! After hearing all the negative stuff about MTM on line, I was pleasantly surprised.

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

I tried them years ago with mediocre results. But it was probably as much my fault (or completely my fault) since I didn't really know what I was doing back then. I've heard they've come a long way, and I actually have a suit on the way. Review to come soon!

@christosioannou9628 8 жыл бұрын

I hope you'll end up with the same great results that I had!

@jeremywang9592 6 жыл бұрын

what are your preferred/go-to MTM companies for dress shirts and suiting?

@waltersickinger263 7 жыл бұрын

One of the biggest problems is that the suits are not always made exactly to the measurements submitted. In one case I received a jacket where the chest and waist were fully 2 inches less than submitted.

@STI4Life06 7 жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks for the tips!

@theangryMD 7 жыл бұрын

love how you cleared up the difference between bespoke and MTM, and what MTM is. i think that tailored off the racks suits also count as custom, no?

@BrockMcGoff 7 жыл бұрын

Umm I think they would still be considered off the rack, just with alterations.

@TheBr1gand 7 жыл бұрын

Really useful, thanks Brock.

@akash1229 7 жыл бұрын

black Lapel sucks they are quickly turning into indochino. built a crap suit and the "stylist" who measured me wrong in person kept insisting it fits right and remake is not needed

@nickfanzo 6 жыл бұрын

akash1229 if they're telling you something you think is uncomfortable is fine then they're shit and a rip off. A real tailor would never do that.

@HeavyProfessor 5 жыл бұрын

Even Brooks Brothers MTM people are like that. Do your own measurements and expect to "waste" some $$$ on at least one jacket before great fit attained.

@jackdaniels1367 6 жыл бұрын

Where would you recommend getting a MTM suit from? What are the best companies out there for it?

@ConestogaCreek 7 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the video & subscribed but was wondering why not just order suits on line "off the rack" and then take them to a tailor? Sure it may cost a bit more but A) time is money too B) certain things are just plain worth it and C) if you are wearing lots of suits you probably are making decent money so why torture yourself with the interest "guess and hope" game?

@BrockMcGoff 7 жыл бұрын

If I could find a brand that fit me OFT (with tailoring) better than MTM, I'd definitely prefer that route! Like you said, it's less time intensive. But honestly, suits are one thing that are very difficult for me to find. I get most of my other clothes OTR with tailoring, with the exception of suits and dress shirts. Thanks for subscribing!

@pebre79 6 жыл бұрын

Wow great tips! Ur the best

@fountedakis 6 жыл бұрын

is it better to stick to one company to order MTM? so you can adjust the measurement that you give them from shirt to shirt to get the best fitting result after 2 or 3 shirts? it depends on the consistency of the tailors

@garrygonzalo6239 7 жыл бұрын

same sentiments as mine. thanks for the tips

@myownruin187 7 жыл бұрын

A huge help for me, thank you..

@fujordx 7 жыл бұрын

Hey Brock, just read your latest indochino review and I have a question regarding measurements to get the best fit. If I were to input a shoulder measurement, would the shoulder part of the jacket fit similarly to an off the rack of that measurement? So let's say I measure and enter 18". Would it fit like an OTR with 18" shoulders? Also for measurements such as wrist or neck, did you submit measurements to skin, or measurements with a finger between tape for breathing room? Thanks!

@BrockMcGoff 7 жыл бұрын

No it wouldn't necessarily match up with a garment measurement of an OTR jacket. I would follow their video instructions as closely as possible (so use a finger when they say to, but otherwise don't).

@tph2010 7 жыл бұрын

Should you offer to pay a tailor to measure you professionally, or is it a service tailors provide for free?

@BrockMcGoff 7 жыл бұрын

+tph2010 I would offer to pay, although they might do it for free.

@lowlowseesee 7 жыл бұрын

i work in the service industry and i also have a cobbler, a seamtress and i use the dry cleaner quite a bit. its a kind thing to do...offering money when something is free and its also kind to tip. at least in america. other countries have different customs. not only is it kind but i know from being the worker and the customer that you will always always get better service and build a better relationship if you are generous. im always getting free stuff and preferential treatment, even when i fly, because im polite and i give extra. it sets you apart from the other customers, makes you memorable and they will always be happy to do extra when extra is needed.

@benw6514 7 жыл бұрын

Why don't you always specify all the final dimensions of your garments? If you call out exact shirt dimensions you can buy a perfectly fitting garment from any MTM place the first time and every time (after you dial it in). Although most places don't ask for garment dimensions I've found they accept them via email after you order. If something is ever off you just send them a photo and the problem is over. If you've specified the half armhole at 9.5" and it's 9" what can they say other than sorry we'll send you a new shirt? Unless you are sending all of the dimension with your photos and comments what do you expect them to do? If you're telling them stuff like the shoulders on this jacket are 17.25" and are too wide then why don't you just say make the shoulders 17"?

@BrockMcGoff 7 жыл бұрын

+Ben W "after you dial it in" yeah, that's an option if they'll let you. Dialing it in is the hard part!

@DAVIDFERNANDEZ-jx4fb 5 жыл бұрын

Great Great video , thank you

@LucySkywithDiamondss 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot man

@walidsabir5411 8 жыл бұрын

Hey, Great Video! Just wondering: why would the other mtm shirts/suits fit well while the first one wasn't good?

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

I've had lots of subpar experiences. The first was one of many. It was probably because I didn't really understand my measurements, and the company was pretty new, so they didn't have a database of customer measurements to cross reference.

@walidsabir5411 8 жыл бұрын

So it's just a matter of mesurements? if you can give the right mesurements in the first order, you will get the best fitting?

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

Walid Sabir if I got the measurements exactly right and the brand did a perfect job, the suit would have fit well, but not necessarily perfectly. It also depends on how their patterns suit your build and if they can accommodate little nuances like posture and how your arms hang.

@walidsabir5411 8 жыл бұрын

Oh ok I understand more now. Another question: you've talked about taking the mesurements from your shirt after retailoring it, so that you can use it in the next orders, but, the mesurements on a shirt are not the same as the mesurements of your body, are they ? Because, in the website platform, they ask you for your body mesurements and not your best fitting shirt. Thanks in advance !

@BrockMcGoff 8 жыл бұрын

Walid Sabir some brands want shirt measurements and some want body. Some even give you both options.

@BrockBurnard 6 жыл бұрын

Hi Brock!

@BrockMcGoff 6 жыл бұрын

Oh hey Brock 👋🏻

@Dave-jv3th 5 жыл бұрын

Do these rules apply if I go to a store like INDOCHINO?

@travishausler3677 6 жыл бұрын

What are your thoughts on Itailor?

@fleeced 6 жыл бұрын

Getting professionally measures sounds sensible... but then, you're obligated to buy at least something from them, right? I mean, getting them to write down the measurements for you and saying, "Thanks, I'm ordering online" would be kind of unethical. I'm just wondering why tech can't scan my body and measure me properly (I know mtailor claim to do this with video - I might try them... but still doesn't seem quite complete).

@BrockMcGoff 6 жыл бұрын

I’d get measured by the tailor you usually go to. That way they know you’re a customer already.

@fleeced 6 жыл бұрын

LOL... I don't have one I usually go to. I suspect most guys looking at this online MTM thingammy are the same. But yeah, if you have one - ethical dilemma averted. Otherwise, I'd feel obliged to order at least a couple things from them.