A good suit, what are its features?
A well-made suit has a number of features that, apart from the fit, make it easy to distinguish it from less well-made suits such as Made-to-Measure suits. The details of a handmade bespoke suit are easy to recognise and quite obvious when you know what to look for. So let's see what are the points to recognise a well-made suit.
Knowledge, skills and love for tailoring are the recipe for a good suit
Did you know that it takes at least 5 years to become a tailor, we are not talking about 8-hour working days but 16 hours?
It takes another 10 years to become a master tailor.
It takes 40/50 hours to make a 3-piece suit.
It takes 30 hours to make a jacket/jacket.
It takes 8 hours to make a pair of pants or vest.
So there is a difference in quality, wearing comfort and price.
And that is reflected and radiated when you wear a well-made bespoke suit.
Easy to recognise, hard to describe.
Pattern
A well-made suit starts with the individual pattern. These are your specific measurements that are then converted onto paper or directly onto the fabric. You then cut this out and then assemble all the loose parts of the suit by hand. If a pattern is not made for you, you are not making but adapting and that has many limitations. This is the difference between a bespoke suit and an MTM suit. Your own pattern means a suit designed specifically for you, the way you want it. A custom pattern is a standard house with a red or green door where the wearer is often told that this is custom work. I would say do your homework and avoid 'tailors' with coffee machines and beers. So always ask for the patterns and you will know whether your suit is really made by a tailor or whether it is simply ordered with nice marketing around it.
Canvas / Interior
A traditional bespoke suit has a canvas (haircloth) that is inserted by hand between the fabric and the lining. Such a suit is also called full canvas or a suit with a loose interior. The role of the canvas is multi-fold:
1. Provides a better fit on the body and especially at the lapels and neck.
2. This also makes the jacket/jacket more flexible and therefore offers more wearing comfort.
3. The suit is made entirely with natural materials.
4. Suit lasts much longer and can be adjusted over the years.
Seams
A well-made suit always has extra space on the inside seams so that it can be easily adjusted over the years.
Collar
A well-fitting and fitted collar is a sign of a good suit and ensures the perfect fit. To achieve this, it is best to tighten it by hand. Check the stitching under your collar. If this is irregular, it was done by hand.
Lining
The lining of a suit ensures that you do not see the unfinished inside and that your clothes are easy to put on. In a well-made suit, the lining at the sleeve and armhole is placed by hand. This so that it fits better and can move better. This provides more wearing comfort and a better fit.
Labels
A bespoke suit often has no labels at all. If a label can be found, it is often hidden in the inner pocket. Someone who has his or her clothing made bespoke is confident enough to be his/her 'own brand' and to express this through the suit we make for them. The moment you see a washing label or even worse a barcode, you know that your clothing comes from an industrial production line and this no longer has anything to do with real quality or tailor-made suits. Of course, there are always exceptions.
Buttons / Buttonholes
Working buttonholes are a must for those who love a good suit. So these can actually open and close. Previously purely for bespoke suits, but this is also reflected in ready-made suits. The difference is whether the buttonholes are made by hand or machine. A handmade buttonhole is tight on the outside and less tight on the back. The type of knots are also important. A beautiful suit has beautiful buttons made of, for example, horn, mother of pearl, wood or precious metal. The Abalone shell is my personal favorite at the moment.
Rounded corners
A very important detail in a suit that is made for the long term is that there are no right angles. So each end runs in a very small curve all around so that the clothing wears out much less.
Patterns
Matching patterns are the ultimate for lovers of good classic men's clothing. That is why stripes and checks are ranked highest. You need more fabric and more knowledge and skills to make a pattern and then put the suit together so that the patterns match.
Manual work
A well-made suit has many handmade details. This is an example of hand-picked lapels and panels. Only if you have the clothing in your hand or that lady has decided to jump you because of your fiercely attractive appearance in that handmade suit, then these kinds of details are visible. Call it understated confidence a language that is understood by the real connoisseurs and enthusiasts.
