Tailored to look your very best

Posted 12th June 2021

The suit is making a welcome return as we can once again venture out so Jane and Dean talk of the importance of tailoring to achieve that truly smart look.

With lockdown easing so many of us are looking for that smarter look for important, high profile occasions like weddings, the races, vintage motorcar events etc. Suiting is now being looked at once more and getting the right fit and cut for men and women can be a complete nightmare if you don’t fit the usual off the peg styles. Equally, if you are looking for something no one else is likely to be wearing, having something made to measure is the answer. All sorts of fabrics, colours, finishes exist to suit your requirements and themes.

It isn’t until you have had a garment tailored to your body shape that you can truly appreciate the difference both in fit and quality of fabric. Both Dean and Jane spend many hours looking at body shapes and one thing is for sure, few people are mannequin size or shape. Many people only discover this when they go looking for that “special occasion outfit” and discover it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.

If an off the peg outfit is found many assume a few inexpensive alterations will do the job to make it look like it was made for you. Unfortunately this is highly unlikely!

Firstly, jacket construction is far more technical than the average person would appreciate. Often it means taking the whole garment apart in order to get the correct contouring around the body. Shortening the sleeves for example means taking the whole sleeve out not just shortening next to the button holes.

Shape is the biggest challenge buying off the peg. Often, particularly in men, the shoulders can be far wider than the hips which means it is impossible with structured jackets to get the correct shape. They end up with jackets that sort of fit on the shoulders but always leaves them looking like a sack of potatoes around the waist, because the cut is designed for a far less angular body shape. This equally applies to women who are fuller busted, finding there is no chance of buttoning a jacket let alone it hanging correctly. They will select a larger size and look several dress sizes larger than they need to be.

At the moment both men and women are not in their ideal shape, so don’t want to spend a lot until they have “lost weight”. This is precisely the time to look at spending a little more with the made to measure alternative, to look and feel a million dollars (remember those photos and video clips hang around for a very long time – you only have one chance to get it right!). Should you reduce inches, at least this type of quality garment will withstand alterations.

Both Dean and Jane can give you expert styling advice to ensure you look the part and feel appropriate and comfortable with your choices. Jane offers one to one style and colour consultations for men and women, both face to face and online. She can also offer more bespoke services around weddings and special occasion events as well.

Jane and Dean’s Top tips

1. If you are a different size top to bottom you will need to find a company that sells jackets and trousers in the same fabric separately. For women, separates dresses can be very ackward to find.

2. Make sure you have measured yourself recently: chest, waist, hips, and inside leg before trying to buy online.

3. Study the size guide carefully. Companies vary widely in their sizing.

4. Check the fabric, avoid polyester and viscose mixes will make you feel very hot and sweaty. Lightweight wool and linen mixes are far cooler and do not crease in the same way.

5. You will need to buy a couple of different sizes to get the one that works best.

6. Remember if buying from abroad, shipping costs/ returns have increased massively since Brexit.

7. Add at least £200-£300 for alterations.

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