Anyone interested in classic menswear in the Internet Age will find it impossible to ignore the behemoth SuitSupply, or the crowded market of largely online Made-to-Measure (MTM) companies like Indochino, Black Lapel, Knot Standard, Hockerty, iTailor, and many others. Many men may seek to improve their style by purchasing suits from one of these stores–but this article will argue that these retailers shouldn’t be the final destination in any man’s style journey.
- In Defense of SuitSupply, Indochino, and Online MTM Retailers
- Upgrading from Online MTM Means an Overall Increase in Quality
- The Fit of Online MTM Garments Can Vary (Even Within the Same Model)
- Upgrading Will Guarantee a Better Make
- Higher Quality Garments (Usually) Go Hand-in-Hand with Better Style
- Upgrading Will Mean a Better Buying Experience & Customer Service
- How to Upgrade Your Wardrobe
- Conclusion
While there’s nothing wrong with getting into the menswear realm by purchasing from any of these online retailers–they represent a convenient gateway into tailored style, after all–there comes a time when you need to upgrade your wardrobe and look elsewhere. Continuing in the same spirit as our article on the difference between a $100 and $500 suit, this article will cover why you’d want to move from “good” tailoring to something “great” (though it doesn’t necessarily have to reach the level of bespoke).
In Defense of SuitSupply, Indochino, and Online MTM Retailers
With over a hundred stores worldwide, SuitSupply is hard to miss. The brand has interesting and unique fabrics and a large selection of styles, as well as prices that are low (half-canvas wool suits from $359 and full-canvas from $688 to $1099). They also offer a range of fabrics as part of their made-to-measure service. As such, it’s hard to resist buying one of their suits if you need one for a job and don’t have a ton of money to spend. In this circumstance, we do believe that you can’t go wrong by turning to them. The online made-to-measure (MTM) companies, such as Indochino, are also tempting because they promise a precise fit that seems just a step down from bespoke. Why, then, would you ever need to upgrade?
Upgrading from Online MTM Means an Overall Increase in Quality
As Simon Crompton of Permanent Style has observed, there are two key considerations to tailored clothes: fit and make. Fit is obvious–either a suit fits well or it doesn’t (it’s too tight, too baggy, had uneven shoulders, et cetera). Make is essentially the quality of the materials and the amount of visible attention or effort put into manufacturing the piece. Even with decent quality, low-cost tailoring, you still sacrifice both.
The Fit of Online MTM Garments Can Vary (Even Within the Same Model)
For one thing, the results can be uneven in getting the correct fit. As the owner of multiple sport coats in the “Havana” model from SuitSupply, I can say that even though I like the jackets overall, the sleeve length and the fit vary from item to item. For example, I have an olive green linen version in a size 38 that buttons well, and a red linen in the same size that is obviously tighter in the chest.
You may also find that any non-standard aspects of your anatomy are not accommodated well by inexpensive RTW (or indeed, MTM). If one of your shoulders is a bit lower than the other, or if you have an especially upright posture or tend to slouch, these idiosyncrasies are more likely to be visible in the fit of a less expensive piece of tailoring. A particular issue I personally face is collar gap, where some sort of unevenness between the right and left sides of my body results in the jacket fabric pulling away from behind the right side of my neck. The interesting thing is, this is evident on many of my less expensive sport coats (whether slim or classic fit), but not on a $1350 Ring Jacket.
Such issues are sometimes addressed with online MTM, but ultimately it can be challenging to accommodate individual bodies without seeing and measuring someone in person. Besides, there are abundant stories online about sleeves being too short or chest measurements being too large (among other things), even for more “standard” builds. This is because, to keep prices down, the making of the suit is outsourced to factories in China or developing nations where the cost of labor is low–unfortunately along with quality control.
Upgrading Will Guarantee a Better Make
Odds are you’re aren’t reading The Gentleman’s Gazette because you settle for ordinary, run-of-the-mill clothes; rather, you appreciate a finely crafted garment, which is why you’ll really want more than standard tailoring. Upgrading to more expensive suits or sport coats will give you a higher overall quality of finishing: things like better buttons (genuine horn instead of plastic), or more hand-stitching on seams or buttonholes (perhaps a Milanese buttonhole).
The fabric itself will be both more interesting and more durable, while the internal construction (such as the canvas and any shoulder padding) will be made with greater sophistication that will be reflected in the external appearance. Because of the quality, the item will also have greater longevity–the buttons won’t fall off, the elbows won’t wear out as easily, and the edges won’t fray. So, with a more expensive suit, you’re getting more from the make in terms of functional importance and visual attractiveness.
Given the quality of a higher-end garment, you also have more assurance that the workers who constructed your suit were paid fairly for their labor. You’ll appreciate the workmanship of the item, and will therefore take greater care of it, such as brushing and pressing it carefully, adding to its lifespan. Yet, perhaps the greatest reward of spending more on an item of quality is the feeling of confidence and pleasure you get from wearing what you know is a true work of art, rather than something mass-produced.
Higher Quality Garments (Usually) Go Hand-in-Hand with Better Style
As an offshoot of higher quality comes better style. In the case of many brands (including SuitSupply) that offer solid ready-to-wear, the “house cut” is nonetheless slim fitting and skewed toward a younger demographic; the same applies to online MTM. Perhaps because their marketing relies heavily on social media, and/or because of their price point, a 20-something demographic is usually their audience. That’s fine if you’re slim and youthful, but if you’re considerably older or have a body shape that’s not suited to slim fit, you may be out of luck. Conversely, more expensive suits usually provide more classic fits, because their customer base is primarily composed of older men established in their professions.
Meanwhile, slim fits lean toward trendiness and fashion rather than timeless style, projecting more of a “lean and hungry” look than the appearance of someone who has “arrived.” Additionally, styles for less expensive tailoring tend to be more ordinary. Many online MTM suits look like exactly what you would expect on any businessman in any conservative office. At SuitSupply, even though the fabric textures and patterns are fairly unique, the styles aren’t. For instance, the “Havana” model is a standard two-button, with average-size lapels and closed quarters on the front. If you want something with more panache, like more open quarters or three-roll-two buttoning, it’s easier to find these by going higher end.
Upgrading Will Mean a Better Buying Experience & Customer Service
Finally, you won’t get the same level of attention and service at a chain or online store as you would visiting a small haberdashery or tailor shop. While there are certainly very effective salespeople at SuitSupply, you may find it difficult to get hold of them when there are a number of clients in the store. Some are fairly new to menswear, and may not be experts at measuring you. In the end, the experience will be similar to what you’d get if you were to visit a department store. The customer service at a purely online MTM retailer may be even worse, as you’ll have to communicate via email or chat, and your exchange of information occurs digitally rather than in-person. You won’t be measured personally in most cases, but will need to rely on sending photographs and self-measurements to get the correct fit.
By contrast, if you go to a small menswear boutique, the relationship you’ll have with the staff (usually including the owner) is more human and intimate. There likely won’t be much turnover of the staff, so you’ll have a more consistent experience each time. You know you’ll be measured properly, because the owner and staff may have decades of experience. Besides that, you can relax in a pleasant environment, and may even be served a scotch or other preferred drink from the bar. You may even look forward to combining your visits with some sartorial travel.
Many a customer would even say that the tailor or staff member from whom they regularly buy their clothes has become their friend. Of course, at the bespoke level, when you’re shelling out thousands of bucks, you’d expect such service; however, the relationship tends to be more authentic, with no hard selling in any smaller menswear boutique where you would look to shop for an upgrade.
How to Upgrade Your Wardrobe
The number one objection to upgrading from mid-quality to higher-end tailoring is, without doubt, the cost. Phrased another way, many men find the mid-range is “good enough” for them. That’s perfectly okay, but keep in mind our advice to build a wardrobe with the best quality items you can afford. If you’re starting a job that requires suits and you don’t own any, of course you may need to take the less expensive route in order to have a decent weekly rotation. If, like me, you are also tempted by the skillful combinations you see on the internet and want to have a lot of different options to wear right away, you may need to go mid-range in order to afford the required number of pieces.
Be aware that if you are a true connoisseur, you’ll eventually find issues with your less expensive items and want to upgrade at least some of your wardrobe–especially the colors or patterns you like the most. This means that you’ll spending more by repurchasing the same sort of item in a higher quality, such as a navy sport coat or a grey glen check suit. However, you can treat your first purchase as a kind of “rental,” a form of practice or learning experience. Indeed, if you’re new to classic style and aren’t fully confident in your knowledge of what you like and what looks best on you, it may be better to start off at a lower price point, so your mistakes aren’t as costly. Then, read more of our articles on The Gentleman’s Gazette and upgrade your wardrobe accordingly!
As a counterargument, most higher-end tailoring will not be outrageous in style, so the likelihood of making errors can be reduced–though you may still eventually realize you prefer pleated pants instead of flat fronts, or enjoy open jacket quarters instead of closed ones. Therefore, if you can’t wait, start with a place like SuitSupply and then work in an upgraded replacement for your favorites, one-by-one as you can afford them. Or you can start on a smaller scale, with higher quality accessories like those from Fort Belvedere, or more expensive and well-made shirts, before you go all-in with sport coats and suits. Depending on your budget, you could save a certain amount each month to purchase a $1500 sport coat or a $2000 suit once a year, and mix it into your wardrobe.
My personal go-to exactly in this price range has been Ring Jacket, a Japanese company that makes well-fitting tailored items in durable and interesting fabrics. Their pieces are sold by the company’s international arm in North America and Europe, as well as at a variety of retailers including Barneys and The Armoury (who offer their own variation on the Ring Jacket style). You’re not in the territory of $6000 bespoke or $3000 Attolini jackets, so this represents a solid upgrade without breaking the bank. Next, resell your cheaper item on eBay to make up some of the cost.
If you’re lucky, you might also be able to get your new stuff on sale, though higher-end brands run sales rarely or not at all For casual items, like summer linen sport coats, you may be just fine staying put, as they may be “good enough.” However, do realize that once you try something better, it’ll be difficult to go back. Think of it like driving a Lexus or staying at a Four Seasons hotel; you likely won’t want to go back to a Toyota or staying at a Holiday Inn afterwards. In the end, as your wardrobe is stocked, you’ll find yourself following the approach of “buy less, buy better.”
Conclusion
With the resurgence of classic menswear, and especially the explosion of online companies selling it, items that you wouldn’t be able to find ten years ago (like functioning sleeve buttons on a suit jacket and full canvas makes) are available standard, for less. Despite this, there will be specific fabrics, cuts, and details of tailoring that you can only get if you go with higher-end brands. We’re not advocating that you purge your closet of mid-range items all at once, but rather that you gradually work in higher-quality pieces that will ultimately give you more pride and confidence in what you’re wearing. You may have chosen SuitSupply or online made-to-measure to step up your wardrobe at first, but the maxim of “you get what you pay for” holds true, and anyone serious about style will eventually want to upgrade again.
While I do appreciate the message of this article, I’m one of these men who can only afford the middle-range, at least for now.
I have good experience with buying made-to-measure shirts online, and would like to expand into jackets and suits, but I do not know where to start. Does GG have articles about which online MTM companies are good and perhaps some other tips surrounding that?
Again, I appreciate what this article is saying, but the middle range is already a jungle for those who don’t know what they are doing.
As always, a great, comprehensive article – I would point out also that Suitsupply’s in-store custom program does actually allow one to select options like a Milanese buttonhole, roped shoulders, horn buttonholes, etc. It’s a good option for increasing the uniqueness and quality of the suit if you’re still fairly limited in your budget. Since it’s MTM, you can also mitigate things like their propensity for short jacket sleeves that way.
Great article. What do you think about the higher end made to measure companies like Articles Of Style? I know they come from a bespoke background and seem to be a level just under bespoke in terms of quality. Iโd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the brand.
AOC does fantastic work but it takes FOREVER to actually get your clothes! I ordered a linen sport coat in June, still do not have it! But the wool tux, flannel three-piece and a few other items I have purchased are some of the most beautiful things I own.
Sven Raphael Schneider in an Indochino Jacket = 2″ too short
A SuitSupply jacket; note the slightly short sleeves = 1″ too short
Many guys feel that the MTM route gives them a better product. Several of the “personal stylists” I have met were selling shoes last month and will be selling used cars next month.’\
Find a good brick and morter store, get a nice made in US suit (Hickey Freeman, etc.), get it tailored and you will look a lot better than cheap Asian made suits. Worked well for me.
As an older gentleman getting into clothes, I find the used market more my speed. Yes, I know most of what I find there will need to be tailored to fit me better, but the quality of most vintage clothes far outshines the quality of most new clothes that I can afford. I recently got a pair of Allen Edmonds Leeds black shoes on Poshmark for less the 25… FAr less then the 400 or so they list ton the site for. At this point, there’s NO WAY I could ever afford them new. so its the used market for at least for some things. At some point, I’d love to do a MTM shirt to start with. and see how that goes, I would expect it would be far better then I can get at any mass-market retailer. Ie ; Walmart, or the like. So my point is don’t overlook the used market.
Thank you again for a great education on menswear; my son enjoys well-tailored clothing and accessories so your articles keep me informed about current trends, changes, classics, and etiquette.
It is our pleasure, Lynnette!
Dear Gentleman’s Gazette:
I have looked extensively online and I can’t seem to find a decent pair of men’s cream white flannel trousers. The ones I have ordered have ALWAYS been too transparent in the crotch and buttocks areas. One would think that the manufacturer would have enough sense to make the material less transparent. Alas, to them it seems to be rocket science and they always screw it up regardless of the price.
Another thing that bothers me is that I very seldom find a newly made sportcoat or suit jacket that has lapels wider than the trendy 3 inches or less. I like the wider lapels and am sick of the 1960s narrow style that has been in vogue since circa 2007. I wish that these stupid clothing manufacturers would re-introduce lapels that have some width and look more classic, as in the 1930s and 1940s.
Hi Sven, as always the article was very educational. I am from England. I went to Suit Supply but the sales man had no time for more than one customer. I have tried itailor few times. After my first shirt I had to do some adjustment. Next shirt was right on the mark. Then I had a sports jacket which is very good. So I think I would try them again and they are not very expensive either. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking to upgrade their wardrobe.
Well, what custom shop do you recommend? I’m happy with Indochino for now.
Congratulations on embodying everything toxic about envy-based consumer culture. You’re basically telling people that if they don’t upgrade from clothes that are only affordable to 1% of men to clothes that are affordable to 0.01% of men, they are not “serious about style,” and will find “pride” and “confidence” to be elusive.
This makes me throw up a little in my mouth. You really need to examine your values and the ideas you spray into the world.
For what it’s worth, I’ve got both MTM and bespoke clothes in my closet, alongside off-the-rack stuff of all levels and some hand-me-downs. None of them is necessary to my self actualization.