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WELCOMETO OUR BUSINESS INFORMATION

*******Well Come to Excellentsuit.com LTD; Part One of Bangkok Thailand 's finest Custom Tailors made suits invites you to Discover Affordable Elegance. For over 40 years, the Excellentsuit.com LTD; part company label has been one of the most respected names in men's & Ladies custom tailored made clothing, identified with superior fabrics, meticulous hand tailoring, and good quality that is becoming harder and harder to find in Bangkok Thailand - Professional Tailor, has been providing custom made clothings for both Ladies and Gents for over 3 generations. We cater to all your needs. .............. We offer customized men's clothing such as custom suits, shirts, sport jackets, and pants tailored by professional custom tailors. We also offer customized ladies suits, dresses, skirts, blouses etc. all specially tailored to perfection. ...................................."Quality is our priority" Find great deals on apparel and accessories from Versace and other top brands. Select from hundreds of styles, sizes, and colors.mens clothing mens clothes. Designs and cuts are classic, modern and Italian styles. Versace, Armani, Prada, Gucci,dior,hugo boss,Valentino, Balenciaga d'Aavenza, canali,cuts can easily be custom replicated for a better fit. Contrast linings, epaulets, personalized monogramming, silk interfacings etc are some of the options and choices we offer to our clients. Matching tailor made pants and shirts are other possibilities we explore to complete the winter wardrobe. We believe in a hands on approach to custom tailored mens clothing and work in tandem with clients to create the style and design most suitable and tailored to the clients likes and preferences. Cashmere and cashmere wool wool silk is by far the most popular cloth used for Men's Clothing, and Women's Clothing items high class quality at low prices. please look at www.excellentsuit.com then your dream come through. My name is Sahasomkid Phengpard, I am the owner of Excellentsuit.com LTD., part company. My business focuses on made-to order-measure apparel. More specifically, made-to-measure men's and woman's wear,suits Vests, Overcoats,Trouser, Dress, skirts, and. Our head office is located in Bangkok Thailand.

We are offering you a first class excellentsuit.com custom tailor service available for ladies and gentlemen, cut and fitted on the premises using some of the finest fabrics in the world supplied by famous cloth merchants such as, England, Italy, Japan, Korea and Thailand.

Selecting a fabric and how your bespoke suit is exclusively cut and made for you. Firstly we advise you correctly on the best fabric and style for your needs whether it be for business, dresswear or pleasure.We are Over 40 years experience will assure you that the garment created for you will be exactly what you require.


Custom Tailor in Thailand

A retail store carries a standard inventory, and that's all they can offer you. Whenever you buy from a retail outlet, you are always buying 'off the rack'. Here at Excellentsuit.com, custom tailoring is our only business. That's why we can create for you fully custom made shirts, suits and slacks in the exact style fabric and color of your choice. Discover Your Best Fabric, Style And Fit At Affordable Prices 100% custom tailored suits, shirts, dresses, jackets, pants and anything else by Excellentsuit.com Where affordable custom tailoring is a tradition. Welcome to your home on the Web for personal style, affordability and ease. Master tailor excellentsuit.com delivers 100% custom tailored business, casual and formal wear, purposefully made with superior craftsmanship. Styled from over 3000 of the finest fabrics in the world. Expert Style Excellentsuit.com listens carefully to your needs and designs to your specifications. He will gladly hand tailor for you a single custom shirt or entire personalized wardrobe of real value and style. Affordability Look and feel your best at the right price. Our expert staff of tailors is based in the booming manufacturing region of southeast asia where quality is high and production costs are low, and we are pleased to pass this savings on to you. Now, the elegance of our 100% custom tailoring can be yours for no more than the cost of an off-the-rack suit or mass-produced shirt. Ease Excellentsuit.com delivers the ease of shopping online without the hassle of showroom fittings or department store crowds. Once you've made your selection, we'll keep a careful record of your size and styles to make repeat orders easy. What Looks Good On Me? 100% custom clothing by Excellentsuit.com is designed to suit you and your style of living. And the style you seek is right here at your fingertips. Browse through our selections to find the perfect look. Choose the exact sizes and cuts for your body type. Our highly skilled tailors are trained to notice irregularities in submitted measurements and contact you to verify and correct problems before they are allowed to occur. You get a perfect fit everytime! We deliver anything and everything to give you the comfort and look you want. We'll even duplicate your favorite shirt - just ask us! The Personal Touch An elegant suit requires the touch, feel and precise measurements of an expert tailor. We invite you now to request a personal phone call from Excellentsuit.com your e-tailor anywhere in the world. He will call you at home or meet with you at your hotel should you be in Bangkok.

Fabrics and textiles at Excellentsuit.com
This Thai tailor offers A wide range of fabrics displayed at www.excellentsuit.com to be made into custom made to measure business, casual and formal wear for ladies and gents. Fabrics that are made in Thailand as well as imported ones are offered. Textile from Italy, England, Scotland, France, India, china and other countries are offered for the discerning client. We have fabrics like silks, cottons, wools, wool blends, linen, super 100 wool, super 110, 120?s, 150?s and super 180?s wools and Italian fabrics in stock. Weaving can range from classic worsted in wool to twills in cottons wools and Gabardine along with luxurious cashmeres and cashmere blends. We carry cotton twills for shirts, as well as oxford cotton and Egyptian cottons in shirtings and cotton gabardine for trousers and summer suits Chinese silk and Thai silks along with silk blends available as premium options for mens shirts evening/dress suits and ladies blouses and dresses. All the basic colours and more trendy colours are offered like black, dark blue, grey, charcoal, khaki, camel, sage, olive. Patterns and plain materials are used for our custom tailored clothing. For shirts we have classic stripe, window pane check, twill, end on end weave and white on white patterns. For suits we offer pinstripes, chalk stripe, prince of Wales check, window pane check and many more in all the classic colours. For sports jackets and blazers we present hounds tooth, dogtooth, tweed, Harris Tweed. Should a particular fabric, colour or pattern not be displayed at our website, please feel free to contact us so that we may source it for you from our suppliers.

Clothes Manufacturer in Thailand
Fabric or clothing is one essential factor for human beings. According to the historic evidence found, the human beings have long been weaving for centuries. Constant developments have been made in designed patterns, techniques, dyeing and designs to meet the needs and requirements of the consumers. According to some written evidence in the historical records and gazettes during Krung Sukhothai Period, Krung Sri Ayhudhaya Period and Krung Ratanakosin Period, the beginning of local or native weaving in Thailand went back to the ancient time. Since the beginning of that time, weaving has been done especially among many ethnic groups in northeastern Thailand, for examples, Kha, Kraso, Kralerng, Suay and Khamer. The fabric can be classified according to the raw materials used as follows: 1.The cotton fabric is made of the yarns from cotton plants found in every geographical region of Thailand. This fabric made from cotton absorbs moisture well and this makes the fabric comfortable to wear. 2.The silk fabric is made from the yarns produced by silk worms generally reared by the people in the northeastern, the northern and the central Thailand. These people begin the process by planting the white mulberry the leaves of which the silk worms feed on. These white mulberry plants require only a little moisture and withstand the drought excellently. Regarding the rearing of silk worms, the growing silk worms will inhabit inside the cocoons and feed on the leaves of the white mulberry. At the appropriate time, the cocoons will be spun into silk yarns. The obtained silk yarns are then bleached in alkaline-mixed hot water to get rid of the original color of silk yarns. Then, these yarns will be wound into one long continuous yarn. The obtained yarns are smooth, glossy and flexible. The weaving process will begin after the yarns are dyed. Clothes and fabric production in Thailand can be divided according to the pattern designing techniques on the fabrics as follows:" Matmee" Patterned Silk Fabric: the designed patterns in this type of weaving method are mainly done through dyeing and weaving of the silk yarns. Excellentsuit.com as a clothes manufacturer in Thailand is able to take advantage of these high quality fabrics in the production of your suits, shirts, dresses, jackets, pants, etc.


       Mens suits
Welcome to our online mens custom tailoring showroom for the most comprehensive and detailed mens tailoring solutions for perfect fitting clothes. We specialize in suits, jackets, trousers, coats, blazers, tuxedos, overcoats and shirts for formal wear and business wear for men. Having a wide variety of styles and designs, we offer value for money in sartorial shopping. Our styles for suits range from the classic single breasted vented jackets matched with double pleated cuffed pants to tailored double breasteds with side vents and non pleated trousers. We also make to measure mod suits and the 60s styles of suits. Italian suit designs are our most popular suits for men while classic dark blue blazers with gold buttons are popular for jackets. Mandarin collar jackets are also liked by the younger generation of clientele. Fabrics range from gabardines, super wools and Italian cashmere to Thai and Chinese silks or linens for a more casual occasion or evening wear. Our formal dinner suits are available in both single breasted shawl collars and double breasted peak lapel styles. Designs from fashion houses like Armani, Versace, Valentino, Balenciaga, Dior and others can be replicated as well and improved upon for a better fit and look. Extra trousers with suits, vests or waistcoats, personalized monogramming and contrast linings are some of the options that are offered with our custom tailored suits. We also offer matching tailor made shirts and neckties for a complete dress solution. Suits are made to measure within a week and shipped directly to your door using international couriers like FedEx , DHL and TNT. Our suits are hand made by expert Chinese tailors in Bangkok Thailand while Italian interlinings and silk satin linings are used in our tailored suits. Perfect fit and comfort are absolutely guaranteed at our establishment.
        Womens clothing
Custom made womens clothes including jackets, blazers, coats, pant suits, skirt suits, skirts, pants, trousers, blouses and dresses are made to measure by this custom tailors in Bangkok Thailand. Offering a wide range of fabrics like cashmere, merino wool, alpaga, super wools, twills, gabardines, Chinese silk, Thai silk, linens, oxford cottons and Egyptian cottons from Thailand, Italy, England, France and other countries, they offer a true choice in terms of variety of styles, designs and fabrics not to mention colours and other options. All garments are hand cut and sewn using the latest technology in the tailoring industry to create a truly magnificent custom made piece of clothing. All the suits and jackets are hand basted and finished with exquisite linings, personal monogramming, saddle stitchings, double internal reverse stitching..the works! They can also source any particular fabric, colour or design and pattern that they do not have in stock on client request. Apparel is custom made and shipped in a week by international courier houses for safe and fast door to door delivery.
      Mens pants
We specialize in made to measure mens pants and trousers and offer a wide range of fabrics and styles to choose from. For formal business wear as well as for casual evening wear, we offer a vast variety of designs and cuts to suit all tastes and preferences. We tailor slim cut, plain front snug fit trousers as well as ultra baggy multi pleated front and cuffed pants. Our designs can be used for formal wear to the office as well as for casual wear in the evenings out. Our specialty is Italian designing and finish for trousers and can be tailor made in all fabrics from super 120 wools, gabardines and worsteds to casual linens, Thai silk and Chinese silk as well as pure cottons. Plain fronts, single pleated, double pleated, reverse pleats, box and inverted box pleats as well as arrowhead pleats along with cuffed ( turn ups ) bottoms and straight bottoms are some of the options available. Vertical, horizontal and slash pockets are other options along with baggy Italian cuts or straight cuts as well as the ultra slim mod pants type of cuts are made to measure in the right proportion for the perfect fit. Our pants are half lined in the front to the knees in satin silks for a luxurious feel or can be fully lined to the cuffs on demand. Gabardines, worsted wools, linens, cashmeres, cotton chinos and the draping Chinese silks are some of the most popular fabrics for our mens trousers. Pencil or cigarette pants are styles required by the mods among our clients who hark back to the days of the 60s Big and tall mens sizes too are very often tailored for a better fit compared to off the rack productions. Jeans made to measure are also offered as options to our clients who find perfect fitting jeans hard to come by. We also offer custom tailored shorts and short pants for hot summers..

       Mens shirts
We are custom tailors specializing in made to measure mens formal and dress shirts. having a wide range of fabrics like oxford cottons, pinpoint oxfords, Egyptian cottons, cotton twills, cotton broad cloth, Chinese silks, Japanese silk, Thai silk and cotton and silk blends in all colours, we offer something for all occasions. Shirt styles can range from the classic to the button downs, to spread collars and Italian point collars as well as the classic mandarin or mao collars and cuffs can be standard barrel cuffs to classic French cuffs. Cuts can be full cut shirts to snug fit tapered shirts from the blousy European proportions to the snug 60s and 70s mod styles with small collars to the sinatra style large prominent collars. Stripes, plains, end on ends, lacoste patterns and checks are available in stock. Options include, double stitching, contrast collars and cuffs, personalized monogramming etc on our shirts. Shirtings and fabrics as well as designs can be chosen by the client for a totally custom made and hand cut shirt proportioned to fit exactly as the client likes it. Pilot shirts, mandarin collar shirts, Thai style shirts, matador shirts, dress shirts, business shirts, formal shirts, casual shirts and evening shirts are all custom tailored by Chinese tailors from hong kong to create the perfect attire. Van heusen, haggar, Tommy hilfiger styles can all be replicated and improved upon for a better fit. Collar stays, detachable collars, flap or pleated pockets are some of the possibilities we work with. Oxford cottons and pinpoint oxfords are the most popular fabrics along with Egyptian cottons and poplains.
       Men's Overcoats
we specialize in made to measure overcoats, Italian cashmere is our most popular fabric and camel, dark navy blue, charcoal and black are the most popular colours in the cashmere. Single breasteds, double breasteds, layered collars and mandarin collars are some of the styles we tailor coats in. Designs and cuts are classic, modern and Italian styles. Versace, Armani, dior cuts can easily be custom replicated for a better fit. Contrast linings, epaulets, personalized monogramming, silk interfacings etc are some of the options and choices we offer to our clients. Matching tailor made pants and shirts are other possibilities we explore to complete the winter wardrobe. We believe in a hands on approach to custom tailored mens clothing and work in tandem with clients to create the style and design most suitable and tailored to the clients likes and preferences. Cashmere is by far the most popular cloth used for overcoats and calfskin is by far the most popular at excellentsuit.com.
       Men's Tuxedos
Our custom made dinner suits and tuxedos are made to measure for the perfect fit for that special evening. Ideal for black tie affairs, weddings, gala dinners and balls, our tuxedos are tailored in a myriad of styles and designs. From the classic single breasted shawl collar tuxedo to double breasted peak lapelled dinner jackets and tailed morning coats and frock coats. Our fabrics range from the light weight worsted wools to the medium weight gabardine to heavy weight flannels. Textiles range from the classic wools to cashmeres and Italian linens. Designs can range from Italian designers like versace and Armani to continentals like Dior or Hugo boss. Options with our tuxedos are dinner shirts with pleated breast plates and wing tip collars and French cuffs, matching cummerbunds and bowties and kerchiefs as well as contrast satin linings and matching contrast lapelled dinner jackets. We can also work with styles and designs supplied by clients to create a perfect fitting garment that lasts a lifetime.

       Custom Sports Jackets and Tailor Made Blazers at Excellentsuit.com
Specialists in custom made blazers and sports jackets with a wide range of fabrics, styles, designs and cuts to choose from, we at http://www.excellentsuit.com offer online tailoring options at great value and convenience for men and women. Double breasted gold or silver buttons, two button or three button single breasteds, single or double vents, embossed or crested buttons, contrast linings, personalized monogramming, saddle stitching and hand crafting are some of the main features of our marine and navy blazers and sports jackets. Chinese or mandarin collars too are popular with us. Italian styling and design, European proportioning and a savile row finish are our forte. Our cloth ranges from the classic worsted wools to cashmeres, Italian wools and linens, tweeds, gabardines, twills, mohair, merino, alpaca to Chinese and thai silk for these jackets. We also work with leather and suede including calf skin, goat skin, alligator skin and snake skin. We can also replicate designers like Armani, versace, valentino, Christian Dior, Tommy hilfiger and the like and make it fit even better since we are custom tailors and work with the made to measure facet of clothing. Double breasted dark navy blue with side vents and embossed gold buttons are the classic in blazers and single breasted three buttons with center vents in a camel or khaki olive houndstooth or tweed are the most popular in sports jackets. Matching pants or trousers and classic or button down pinpoint oxford cotton shirts with or without French cuffs are some of the most popular accessories when custom tailoring with us. We craft casual, formal and dress jackets for all occasions and to suit all requirements and like to work closely with a hands on approach with clients to ensure the perfect fit of each garment to satisfy each clients very individual needs and likes. Our custom made to measure jackets are completed and shipped via courier within a week to be delivered directly to the clients door anywhere in the world.


Evening Wear

       Women's dresses and Welcome to womens custom tailoring solutions online for the most comprehensive and detailed womens custom tailoring for perfect fitting dresses and suits. We specialize in custom made evening wear and dresses in cotton and silk as well as womens suits, jackets, trousers, coats, blazers, overcoats and shirts for formal wear and business wear for women. Having a wide variety of styles and designs, we offer value for money in sartorial shopping. Our styles for dress range from the basic slim cut pencil skirted dress to the elegant off the shoulder flared dresses for evening wear and our suits range from the classic single breasted vented jackets matched with double pleated cuffed pants to tailored double breasteds with side vents and non pleated trousers. We also make to measure skirts and dresses for full sized and plus sized women as well as the petite womens clothing. Italian suit designs are our most popular suits for the business women while classic dark blue blazers with gold buttons are popular for jackets. Mandarin collar jackets or V necked jackets are also liked by the younger generation of clientele. Fabrics range from gabardines, super wools and Italian cashmere to Thai and Chinese silks or linens for a more casual occasion or evening wear. Our formal evening dresses are available in classic off the shoulders as well as sleeved and busted dress styles. Designs from fashion houses can be replicated as well and improved upon for a better fit and look. Extra trousers with suits, vests or waistcoats, personalized monogramming and contrast linings are some of the options that are offered with our custom tailored suits. We also offer matching tailor made shirts and neckties for a complete dress solution. Suits and womens dresses are made to measure within a week and shipped directly to your door using international couriers like FedEx , DHL and TNT. Our suits are hand made by expert Chinese tailors in Banbkok Thailand while Italian interlinings and silk satin linings are used in our tailored suits. Perfect fit and comfort are absolutely guaranteed at our establishment.

       Custom Tailoring Related Information TAILORED CLOTHING Since the price of a suit constitutes most men's single largest clothing outlay, unless you are confident of your ability to select the best one, I recommend that you prepare accordingly, Wearing something that is reasonably representative of what you are shopping for provides the salesman with a starting point and the fitter with a tailoring guide. If you are considering a different take on your usual habiliments, this same garment can also provide a basis for comparison. Should you go to the store intending to make a purchase, you should bring a dress shirt whose fit satisfies you. The dress shirt is a key element in the suit-fitting process; its collar height and sleeve length inform the tailor how you expect those components of the jacket to fit. You should also bring along all the items you normally pack into your suit. If you wear a pocket square or an eyeglass case in your jacket, or keep a wallet in your back trouser pocket, your suit should be fitted to accommodate these items. The time invested in this preparation will minimize the probability that you will have to return to the store for an additional fitting after discovering that you bulging billfold makes your coat's chest gap. If shopping in a large store that offers a variety of suit styles - such as London's Harrods or New York City's Saks Fifth Avenue - and you do not have a relationship with any of its salespeople, spend a few minutes looking for one whose dressing style impresses you. Do not automatically accept the first sales associate to engage you unless you know exactly what you want and need him to act merely as an expediter. If you are looking for a high-fashion designer suit, the classically attired salesperson would not be my first choice to explain the nuances that distinguish an Armani three-button crepe suit from the latest Vestment confection. Conversely, If you like to accessorize your more English-style suits with high-class furnishings, you might want to be attended to by someone whose taste demonstrates firsthand experience in such matters. The salesman who dresses as if he is interested in clothes usually regards his profession as something more than just an opportunity to bring home a regular paycheck. He prides himself in his taste and enjoys taking the extra effort to find something special. Ideally, in the course of your dialogue, he should be able to teach you something about how to dress better while assisting you with your decision-making. FIT AND FABRIC Compared to a decade ago, most men wear their clothes fuller in scale and lighter in weight. This means that today's average suit jacket has slightly broader shoulders and a bit more length. Its pleated trousers are worn up on the natural waist with its fuller thighs tapering down to cuffed bottoms that break on the shoe. Much of this reapportionment is attributable to the high-fashion men's design community's search for a more modern yet comfortable vessel to replace the stuffy, boxlike structure of the conventional male business suit. In the early stages of latest reconfiguration, the suit jacket's dimensions were pushed outward to allow its softer and less padded shell to drape more fluidly from the wearer's shoulders and around his torso. Textured, crepe-weave fabrics were introduced to enhance the sweater like cushiness of the more advanced designer Suitings. However, as the contemporary men's suit started looking less like its old self and more like a piece of sportswear, men who required the articulation and dressiness of the more classically tailored ensemble began to make their preferences known. The classic suit is returning, but like any garment caught up in the maelstrom of high fashion, it's just not returning in quite the same form as when it left. While swinging back to its military roots, with enough shape and padding to recall its former prestige and purpose, men's tailored clothing is now influenced by the more modern, drapey cloths. Previously, the only fabrics able to maintain such defined line and proper creases were the typical four-harness worsted from England and Italy. This is still the case. However, their tighter weaves and more substantial construction have now been made to feel soft and pliable. After you squeeze the fabric, the better cloths spring back without wrinkling. At the end of the day, a top-quality worsted wool suit still only needs to be hung out for a time to regain its pressed look. Conversely, If you like to accessorize your more English-style suits with high-class furnishings, you might want to be attended to by someone whose taste demonstrates firsthand experience in such matters. The salesman who dresses as if he is interested in clothes usually regards his profession as something more than just an opportunity to bring home a regular paycheck. He prides himself in his taste and enjoys taking the extra effort to find something special. Ideally, in the course of your dialogue, he should be able to teach you something about how to dress better while assisting you with your decision-making. THE SHOULDERS As the widest part of the jacket, the shoulders' expression sets the mood for the entire garment. The assertive eighties saw jacket shoulders attain aircraft carrier returned the shoulders to a less obtrusive, more classic positioning. Most of history's best-dressed men had their shoulders tailored to look natural yet smart. Unless a man is extremely slope-shouldered or self-consciously short and needs the illusion of height, padded shoulders should be avoided. The square, high shoulder became internationally fashionable with the emergence of Rome's "Continental look" in the late fifties. Then, in the late sixties, Pierre Cardin's hourglass suit reinforced the notion that strong shoulders were a criterion for high style. Today, gives the priority placed on understand comfort, even in the sculpted shoulder's birthplace, the sophisticated Italian wears his hand-tailored shoulders soft, sloped, and less studied Close attention need also be paid to the shoulder's width. Since they frame the head, if the shoulders are cut too narrow, the head will appear larger than it actually is; if they are cut too wide, the head will appear disproportionately small. Their width should be generous enough to permit the jacket's fabric to fall from the shoulder in a smooth, unbroken line all the way down the sleeve. If the width hugs too narrowly, the man's shoulder muscle will bulge out from under the top of the sleeve head, that point at which the jacket sleeve is attached to the should. The jacket also needs enough fullness across the front and back to lie flat on a man's chest without pulling open. A man with a strong chest requires a larger sized jacket just to accommodate this prominence. Fullness over the shoulder blades with breaks extending upward on the back from below the armholes allows ample room for free action. This extra fabric also causes the jacket to drape properly. A tight fit over the shoulder blades can make you fell as if you are in a straitjacket. Sharp angles formed on either side of the head create an artificial formality. Stylish dressing is distinguished by its naturalness and unconscious ease. The more aggressive shoulder line is the mark of someone who is trying to look more important than he actually feels. JACKET LENGTH The correct length of an average man's jacket can vary up to ?" without diminishing its longevity. Altering its length can play havoc with the hip pockets, moving them out of balance with the whole. Your appropriate jacket length can be established using several methods. Regardless of which is chosen, one principle must be kept in mind: the coat has to be long enough to cover the curvature of a man's buttocks. The first approach utilizes the arm as a guide, the other the torso. With the first method, a man uses the knuckle of his thumb to line up the bottom of his jacket. Though generally reliable, this formula has one draw back. A man with a short or average torso but long arms can end up with too long a coat. While its hip pockets may be more accessible, its excess length will swallow up his legs. Employing the second method, the tailor measures from under the jacket's back collar, where the collar is joined to the coat's body, down to the floor and divides by two. In the absence of a jacket, a buttoned shirt collar may be substituted as a starting point. This is the procedure taught in all formal tailoring schools. Both guidelines originated with America's introduction of ready-made tailored clothing for men, which needed to establish generalities upon which to base its standards of fit. However, since either of these can be influenced by dimensions unique to the wearer's physique, a top custom tailor will trust his learned eye to take in the whole picture before deciding on the jacket's ideal length. THE WAIST BUTTON The waist button is to a suit jacket what the fulcrum is to a seesaw. If it's off center, a delicate balance is lost. When the waist button is fastened, the entire body should be in proportion, with both legs and torso appearing at their maximum length. Since the button functions as an axis, raise it and you abbreviate the torso, lower it and the torso becomes elongated but the leg line is shortened. The correct placement of this critical element occurs ?" below the natural waist. To find your natural waist, put your hands around the smallest part of your torso. With the suit jacket's final fitting, most custom tailors will pull on the fastened waist button to confirm that there is enough fullness in the jacket's waist while observing how the coat moves on the body. An incorrectly positioned waist button calls the garment's pedigree into immediate question. THE GORGE The gorge is that point where the collar and lapel meet. The coat's design determines its positioning. While there is some flexibility in its placement on the upper chest, move it outside of this area to where it becomes a focal point and you court instant obsolescence. One American designer used to cut his lapels so high, his coats looked as if they 1980s Giorgio Armani dropped his so low, they are now decorating the backs of their owners' closets. The lapel needs to have enough sweep to produce a graceful upswing without finishing so high on the collarbone as to make the coat appear as if it were moving backward. Twenty years ago, this design element was never an issue. Today if the jacket's gorge is out of sync it is usually because its placement is too low. Done initially to loosen up the coat's starchiness, dropping the gorge too low also loosen up the coat's longevity. Like all element of classic design, the placement of the gorge should follow geometric logic, not the arbitrariness of fashion. INTO THE FITTING ROOM Proper fitting can do much for a less costly suit, while a poor fit can scuttle the most expensively hand-tailored creation. If a$3,000 suit's collar is bouncing off your neck as you walk, the suit's value will be severely compromised. The jacket collar that creeps up or stands away from your neck is the fault of the tailor, unless he fit it while you assumed a posture other than your normal one. When standing in front of tailor's mirror, relax, Do not stand at attention unless that is your natural stance. Standing overly erect can affect the way the tailor fits the jacket collar to your neck. Collar alterations will be even more accurate if you wear a dress shirt's collar showing above the jacket; ?" should be exposed when wearing awing collar. Since there should be the same amount of linen rising above the jacket's color as that which peeks out from under its sleeve, let's move on to sleeve length. Ninety percent of all men wear their coat sleeve too long and therefore are unable to slow that ?" of shirt cuff that dresses the hand of any well-attires gentleman. Since most dress shirt sleeves either shrink or are bought too short, they cannot be seen even if the jacket's sleeve have been correctly fitted. Most tailors, in an effort to cover the wrist, finish the coat sleeve where the shirt sleeve is supposed to end. The jacket sleeve should extend to where the wrist breaks with the hand. This length should reveal ?" of the shirt cuff. The band of linen between sleeve and hand, like that above the jacket collar, is one of the details that defines the sophisticated dresser. VENTS In less than a dozen years, vent less jackets have gone from avant-garde to mainstream. This design gives the hip a cleaner, more slimming line while lending the suit a dressier stature. Though aesthetically pleasing, vent less backs lack function, as they prevent easy access to the trouser pockets in addition to wrinkling more easily from sitting. However, as this back gives a man's torso a leaner, sexier shape, most men ignore its inconvenience. The center vent, an American predilection, is the least aesthetic venting option, though it offers more utility than having no vent at all. While perfectly designed for spreading the two sides of a rider's jacket across the saddle of a horse, its original intention, the single vent looks awful when a man, having put his hand in his trouser or jacket pocket, pulls it open to reveal his derriere and, if the vent is cut high enough, a fringe of disordered shirt. Savile Row custom tailors avoid the center vent like the plaque unless it is imposed upon them by a visitor from the Colonies. The single vent's only saving grace is that it can be altered to better conceal a prominent hip than either the ready-made vent less or double-vented jacket. The double vent or side slit offers the best combination of function and form. When you put your hands in your trouser pockets, the side vent's flap stays down, covering the buttocks. If you are seated, the flap moves away, thereby minimizing distortions thus created, because the side vent moves the observer's eye up from the bottom of the jacket. Since double-vented coats are costlier to manufacture and more difficult to fit than other models, you see them less frequently. However, the well-designed side-vented jacket gives its wearer a dash of style that bespeaks its English pedigree and custom-tailored tradition. VESTS Most men's suits come two-piece, since adding a third element increases their price. However, the vest has always been favored by those style-conscious men who appreciate the quiet resplendence of a third layer of wool. The businessman in his three-piece suit who removes his jacket in the office can rely on the dressiness of his waistcoat to retain some decorum while enjoying the freedom of shirt sleeved attire. A vest also augments a suit's versatility, as its exclusion from a three-piece ensemble creates a different look. The properly fitted vest should be long enough for its fifth button from the top to cover the trouser waistband, yet not so long that its points extend below the hip. A well-made vest has its own definite waistline, which is where the trouser waistband should hit. Men who prefer low-rise trousers that rest on the hips should avoid vests. Belts and vests should also choose other dance partners, since belts not only add further bulk to the already layered waistline, but tend to poke out from under the vest. When the suit's trousers are supported by braces, with their pleats spilling out from under the waistcoat, the single-breasted ensemble achieves a tailored swank afforded only by the addition of this third layer. A waistcoat should not have a skintight fit. It should be cut full enough to allow its wearer to sit comfortably with its back belt done up to keep it from riding up the trouser waistline. The top of the vest should be high enough to peek out above the waist-buttoned coat. A classic suit vest has four welt pockets, with a six-buttoned designed to leave the bottom button undone. Better-designed vests have their fronts slightly curved to conform to the single-breasted jacket's rounded fronts. A waistcoat's back should be longer than its front. This length is needed to cover the waistband should a man choose to bend forward. The vest's back lining usually matches the jacket's sleeve lining. Vests without adjustable rear belts or whose fronts and backs are of equal length are usually poorly designed and cheaply made. Right down to its unbuttoned, cutaway bottom, the man's tailored vest is a legacy of upper-class fashion. Even the way it is worn is a tribute to royal style. Having unbuttoned his waistcoat to relieve the pressure on his royal ampleness, Edward VII neglected to do up the eccentric fashion ensured which survives to this day. TROUSERS The cut of today's tailored suit trouser is much more classic in shape than its predecessor from the fitted era. Pants have recovered from the hip-hugging jeans mentality of the sixties and the tight, plain-front Continental pant of the seventies. In the nineties, most men's trousers have a longer rise, deeper pleats, and full-cut thighs that taper down to the ankles - exactly the way the great tailors originally designed them - to give comfort and follow the lines of the body. During the Second World War, when the U.S. government required manufacturers to conserve fabric, plain-front trousers became standard issue, retaining their popularity throughout the gray-flannel, Ivy League era. However, all suit trousers should have pleats, just as most custom trousers did prior to the war. Pleated pants look dressier and their fuller fronts provide greater comfort than plain-front trouser: hips widen when the wearer is seated, and with less wear to the trouser. Objects placed in a front pants pocket are better concealed within a pleated trouser than a pleatless one. The classically designed pleated trouser has two pleats on either side of its fly - a deep one near the fly and a shallower one near the pocket to help keep the main pleat closed. This arrangement maintains the working relationship between the two pleats. The current trend for multiple pleat or some other gimmick of fancified fullness reminds ma of the recent gilding of the necktie with overwrought prints, a fad that was as fleeting as it was excessive. While having your trousers fitted, make sure the pleats are not opening . Look down to see if each leg's front crease intersects the middle of each kneecap and finishes in the middle of each shoe. If it is off at all, the crease should err toward the inside of the trouser. A crease that falls outside the knee creates the illusion of breadth, something most men prefer to avoid. The trouser bottom should rest with a slight break on the top of the shoe. It should be long enough to cover the hose when a man is in stride. Its width should cover about two-thirds of the shoe's length. Cuff give the trouser bottom weight, helping to define the pleat's crease while maintaining the trouser's contact with the shoe. Like any detail of classic tailoring, cuff width should be neither so narrow nor so wide that it call attention to itself. To provide the proper balance, the cuffs should be 1 5/8" for a person under five feet ten, 1 3/4 if he is taller. Cuffs of 1 1/7" or 2" reflect the erratic ness of their master: fashion. QUALITY With the transformation of the men's suit business into a world of designer fashion and the almost complete mechanization of its manufacturing process, determining the contemporary suit's quality and intrinsic value is the most elusive challenge facing today's shopper. Like women's ready-to-wear, the majority of men's tailored clothing today is sold on its name recognition, fit, and aura of fashionability. The era when men's suits were expected to carry a man from one decade to another and were purveyed based on the relative merits of their quality and hand tailoring is as dated as sized hosiery, exact-sleeved dress shirts, and the three-piece suit. Except for a handful of factories left in the world that continue to tailor suit primarily by hand, most clothing manufacturers have either incorporated the latest technology into their production process or closed shop. The cost of skilled labor and the time required to create a garment in the old-world manner has limited this wearable's market to those retailers and consumers who appreciate the quality and work behind the hand-stitched garment's higher price. In his hallowed fitting rooms the specialty retailer must be able to explain the nuances of this handcrafted creation from its silk thread and hand made buttonholes to the superiority of its worsted fabric. Beginning in the 1920s, before machine started replacing tailors, suits were grads from 1 to 6 in a system that specified the number of hand operations used to create the final product. For instance, a number 1, the lowest grade of suit, was almost entirely machine-made. A number 2 coat could use some handwork to finish the cuffs, collar, and buttons. A number 3 ha to have these three components finished by hand. A number 6, the highest grade on the scale, was made almost entirely by hand. Of course, some manufacturers would misrepresent these numbers in an attempt to sell their product at a higher quality rating it deserved, but at least the system gave the retailer and consumer some sort of uniform standard. As technical improvement in machine-made clothes blurred the advantages of more costly hand crafting, tailored clothes have become creations of refined engineering and industrialized production. With the tailor's shears and hand-sewn stitches being replaced by computers, laser knives, conveyor belts, fusing, and high-speed pressing machinery, the modern men's suit has become a marvel of tailoring science and technological genius. And as with any automates creation, the measure of its quality is time, in this case minutes. The modern suit that sells for $395 takes approximately 80 minutes of uninterrupted labor, while the higher-profile designer garment retailing for $1,495 requires approximately 150 minutes of continuous construction. In order words, little more than an hour of actual labor and quality control separate the least costly from the most expensive machine-made suit. While the higher-prices suit's shell fabric, linings, facings, and fusibles are more costly and produce a softer, more flexible garment, they do not account for the entire difference in retail price. A good part of the disparity represents the expenses involved in operating a high-profile designer fashion business; publicity, advertising, fashion shows, and the overhead of a design studio. Today, most men's suits are constructed in the same manner as a dress shirt's collars and cuffs, whose outside layers are top-fused for permanent smoothness. First developed during the 1950s, the process of bonding or gluing a layer to an outside shell fabric has evolved to a level where it can nearly simulate the softness and flexibility of the hand-sewn canvas used in tailored men's clothes. Formerly, this layer of reinforcement places between the coat's outer cloth and inner lining consisted of one or more ply of horsehair and regular canvas secured by numerous hand stitches. When suspended by the elasticity of its hand make silk stitches, its free-floating dynamic gave the jacket's front a lasting shapeliness and drape while lending pliancy and spring to the roll of its lapel. The scientific advances seen in the development and performance of the more traditional artisan methods. With the consumer requesting lighter, softer tailored clothing, these fusibles allow a cost to mold to the wearer, though they sacrifice fit and longevity in the process. So, how does a man cut through all this industry mumbo jumbo to determine his prospective suit's level of quality? The answer is complex and difficult to translate into the written word, since these automated garments lack the visible handwork of top quality tailoring to act as benchmarks. The cost efficiency of the new technology encourages manufacturers to incorporate many of the details associated with more expensive tailored clothed into less costly products, rendering the ranking of quality even less clear. Crotch pieces and lines knees are no longer the exclusive province of the most expensively tailored suit trousers, while underarm sweat shields and machine stitching that appears hand-sewn grace jackets with less than lofty pedigree. I will break down the subject into price brackets that represent various generic methods of manufacture so our investigation will have some boundaries and focus. Please remember that this is a discussion about the quality of the product's construction, not the beauty of its design. As you will learn later, a wearable's longevity is predicated more on its design than its quality. A well-designed $350 suit can provide more years of wear than an expensive hand-tailored worsted cashmere suit whose shoulders look as though the hanger is still holding them up. The finest ready-made suits are constructed like those that are custom-made, except the workplace has been organized into a miniature factory. This means each garment is individually hand-cut, lining, pocket, and sleeves have all been sewn by hand; and everything is hand-pressed. At this level of quality, the construction or padding of the jacket's lapels and collar is stitched totally by hand. There could be two thousand stitches or more in a single-breasted jacket's lapel; these will hold the garment's shape intact through all weathers, fair or foul. For this rarefied ready-made suit, one must expect to pay at least &2,000. The next ministep below this level of quality can boast the same level of workmanship, but the time-consuming lapel hand-basting is done by a special machine. Those parts of the coat that need flexibility and movement continue to be sewn by hand - armholes, shoulders, collar. At a minimum, you should be able to look at the inside of the jacket and confirm that the felling of its linings in these areas in hand done. Next, you should take the coat's bottom front, three inches from its bottom and two inches from its edge. Rub it between the coat's outer shell and inner lining. This confirms the coat has a canvas front rather than a fused one. It is the work of a tailor and the garment's shape will remain intact as long as it is well cared for. Selling for between $1,500 and $2,000, it will endure the ravages of extended wear. Moving down to he next level of quality, you find the semitraditional or semi-canvas-front coat whose bottom front is fused but not its lapels, collar, and chest. Its canvas inner lining floats, held in place by hand stitches so it moves more naturally with the coat. The beauty of this hybrid is that its lapels roll and stay on the coat's chest more naturally than fused lapels will. The canvas inner lining gives the lapels more spring so that their edges remain in contact with the jacket's chest. One can always tell a fused lapel because its edges tend to curl away from the jacket. The semitraditional make has its shoulders, armholes, and collar hand-stitched so that the presentation around the man's face and upper torso appears supple and rich. The cost for such a suit usually falls between $850 and $1,200. The majority of today's tailored clothing is sewn completely by machine and constructed through fusing. One version is made "open" or in what we call the American system. Parts such as the sleeve and collars are assembled separately first, then put together. In the "Two-shell" or German system, the entire inside lining shell is assembled separately from the outside fabric shell. Then the one is sewn inside the other, The two-shell calls for less labor and prides itself on its consistency. While requiring additional manufacturing steps, the American system utilizes more basting stitches, elements of make that in the end come out of the coat but help build in its enduring shape. The price of this type of garment can range wildly, from $395 up to $1,495 depending on whose label is inside The only thing one needs to consider when making a choice between the least expensive methods of tailoring is alterability. Most men would never even consider this factor, but they must. Since the two-shell garment only has 3/8" Outlet in its seams, the man who gains ten pounds or more will find it impossible to have the coat let out. Imagine spending $750 on a suit only to find out it cannot be altered the garment made in the traditional open way because its shape comes from building in curves while the engineered coat's shape, due to its flat, straight-lined approach to make, will lose its shapeliness faster. In conclusion, I would like to remind you that the aforementioned has been written as a general guide. Within each of these categories, you will encounter garments that resist easy classification. I hope the information passed on here will enable you to ask the correct questions when trying to get a grip on this difficult subject. SHOPPING AND THE BODY TYPE Whether short or tall, portly or slim, a man needs to shop for his clothing with his individual physique in mind. Since most people aspire to look like some idealized version of themselves, selecting clothes based on a particular body type is as old as fashion itself. Whereas I believe that familiarity with the geometric principles that downplay girth or emphasize height or breadth is helpful, such information should be viewed as a guide rather than dogma. I have seen the most well-dressed men wear clothes in stark contradiction to the accepted dictates of fashionable physiognomy. I can recall one portly, older gentleman looking so debonair in his large, plaid, hefty tweed sports suit simply because it was cut to perfection. I am told that no other group of men would parade down Savile Row in the thirties with more panache than the contingent of Brazilian diplomats, most of whom were under five feet seven and all of whom wore their soft-shoulder, double-breasted suits with cuffed trousers. Proportion in dress in the foundation of all classic dressing. The truly stylish man knows enough about the rules to know how and when to break them. To assist some of the basic body types in choosing their tailored clothing, I would like to make the following suggestions: SHORT, SLIM MEN Clothes should elongate and add shaped fullness Jackets Shoulder can be higher and slightly broader. Torso should broaden the chest and shoulder and have slight waist suppression. Jacket length should be as short as possible, however, covering the buttocks without cutting the wearer in two. Single-breasted, three-button coats promote a longer line. Double-breasted coats should have a long roll and button below the natural waist. Lapel notches should be in the chest's upper range. Peaked lapels offer more height. Side vents or no vents. Flap pockets add more width to hip and balance better with the wider shoulder, but they are not as elongating as the simple besom pocket. Long sleeves make a short man look overcoated. Fabrics such as mill-finished worsteds and flannels; with patterning that emphasizes verticality such as: herringbones, medium spaces chalk or pinstripes, and windowpanes longer in the woof (vertical) than the weft (horizontal). Trousers A matching trouser lengthens more than a contrasting one. Should be worn high on the waist and fuller on the hip to promote a longer leg line and to smooth the transition of jacket to trouser Trouser should break on shoe to extend the view from top to bottom. Cuffs (1 5/8") help to smooth the transition of the fuller trouser with the larger scale shoe. Striped dress shirt with non contrasting collars and cuffs. Spread collars, tab collars, long pointed pinned collars. Suspenders emphasize verticality. Striped, solid, understated neckwear knotted in four-in-hand style. Longer four-in-hand necktie can be tucked into trouser. Tonal handkerchief folded with point leaning outward. Welted-soled shoes add height and balance with the breadth of the shoulder. SHORT, HEAVY MEN Clothes should also elongate but work to de-emphasize breadth. Jackets Straighter-cut coat Two-button single-breasted better than three-button or double-breasted. Besom pocket over flap. Side vent over on vents. Sleeves need to taper down to cuff, cannot be too wide at hand. Fabrics should be dark and smooth, such as fine worsteds. Dark solids, medium-width striping, and herringbones de-emphasize bulk. Trousers Reverse pleat on trouser keeps front-flat while breaking the expanse of its width. as long a rise as comfortable, fit on natural waist not below protruding stomach. Cuffs assist the transition of the full-cut trouser to the larger-scaled shoe. Accessories Long straight point collars. Solid ties; patterned ties; ties with stripes or prints with movement. Welt-sole shoes for a more substantial platform; no lightweight, dainty footwear. TALL MEN The taller the tree, the broader its branches, so the tall man needs fuller cut clothes for balance and style. The selections should de-emphasize length by breaking up the vertical lines. Jackets Sloping shoulders of generous width. Coat should be cut on the longer side. Double-breasted model that buttons on waist, not below it, such as the 6/2 placement. Two-button single-breasted. Broader lapels, finishing in lower area of upper chest. Flap pockets and the additional ticket pocket help fragment verticality. The fabrics can be heavier in look, such as flannels and cheviots, and of larger scale in pattern, such as broad stripes, hound's-tooth checks, glen plaids, or squared-off windows panes. Trousers Long rise, full cut with deep pleats. Leg with grntle taper. Cuffs (1 ?") with definite break on shoe. Accessories Full-cut shirts must show ?" of shirt cuff. White contrast collars and cuffs break up length. Amply proportioned spread collars. Broadly spaced, fine-lined stripes, tatters all check, windowpanes, and horizontal stripes. Belts break up length. Welt-soled shoes for more substantial foundation. ATHLETIC BUILD For the man of average height whose chest size is at least eight inches more than his waist size, the principle is to reproportion the oversized shoulder with the smaller bottom. Jackets Shoulders should be as unpadded and natural-looking as possible. Jackets need length to balance the strong shoulder without shortening the leg line. Minimal waist suppression. Two-button single-breasted over double-breasted-avoid three-button single-breasted. Lapels should be full with slight belly. Flap on pockets. Side vents or no vents. Fabrics should de-emphasize bulk: solid worsteds, herringbones, vertical windowpanes, subtle stripe with no less than ?" spacing. Trousers To fill out the jacket, Trouser must be worn as high on waist as comfortable. Full cut through hip and thigh with taper to 1 ?" cuff. Trouser leg should have definite break on shoe. Accessories Assuming a broad face and thick neck: Vertical shirt collar such as tab or long points. Solid, striped, or patterned neckwear. Shirt with strong stripes. Shoes with larger scale to balance shoulders. THE DRESS SHIRT THE DRESS SHIRT COLLAR When purchasing a dress shirt that is, one intended to be worn with a necktie - consider its collar first. Regardless of whether the shirt appears to go perfectly with your new suits, or is meticulously crafted with vast numbers of stitches to the inch, or even woven in the Caribbean's most lustrous sea island cotton, if its high-banded collar looks at if it might swallow up your neck or its diminutive collar make your already prominent chin appear more so, move on. You need to focus on that portion of the dress shirt responsible for exhibiting to best advantage the body part that should receive the most attention - your face. The triangle formed by the V opening of a buttoned tailored jacket and extending up to the area just below a person's that look great on you.