How does a good tailor take measurements?
You’ve made the decision to have a tailored suit made, you’ve picked your style and cloth and now it’s time for the measures, so what can you expect when you see your tailor? Well before you even get to the tailors, we would suggest a few things that will help you get the best fitting suit.
Firstly, think about what you are going to wear to your appointment, be helpful, flip flops and Bermuda shorts aren’t going to give your measurer the best guide to how you like to wear your more tailored items. A pair of trousers would be helpful that sit nicely on the waist where you like to wear your trousers would be good, chinos or maybe jeans, at a push, would be ok too. It might not mean that your new pair will sit at the same point but it helps us know where you are coming from. Decent shoes or your typical shoe helps too, after all this is what you will be wearing with your suit.
Same goes for shirt as well, it all helps. Don’t get me wrong a good tailor will be able to take measures whatever but it could save time and reduce potential tweaks at fittings. Feel free to take a jacket that you love (or even hate) to your tailors as well. It all helps to let your tailor know what you like, hate or maybe have been used too, tailored garments can feel a lot different to off the peg.
At the measuring stage your tailor is fact finding as much as using the tape, working out what our client wants and building that in to what works best for you and how a decent suit should fit. Measuring is information gathering after all and the building blocks of what your tailor will make for you.
So, you’ve dressed the part, what next?
Well, relax. Stand as you would normally and relax. Don’t stand to attention or puff up your chest and suck tummy in, that’s not how you will be when you’re wearing your suit, so it really won’t help you get a good fit. At this point your tailor will also be looking at your body shape and figurations, it’s not just what the tape measure says, it’s what your body is doing too. Are your shoulders straight or sloped, is one lower than the other? What shape is your back? Does Sir have a prominent seat (big bum)?
All of this information helps us get the best fitting suit as it is also the shape of your body that matters, not just the size from the measurements.
What about those measures?
There are around 30 main ones that we will take for each customer, sometimes it might be more or a few less depending on what garments we are making. Of course, there are the obvious ones like the chest and waist but then there are more intriguing ones like, the half back and the CBTFE! Oh, the mystery.
The main thing with all of these measures is that the person being measured should be relaxed, standing how they would usually, not tense or putting on a show as we’ve already mentioned but it does bear repeating. Like most things in life, you get the best out of it if you are just yourself.
The last thing to mention about any measure is for the client to know what it is they are wanting, having a clear idea of the fit they like and what they are wanting to get from their suit or garment. Is it something close fitting and very tailored, a more relaxed soft tailored garment? Do you hate trousers that are tapered? Do wide shoulders on your jackets annoy you? Do you love high waisted trousers? Are you a braces wearer? Your tailor will know what needs doing or be able to help with your decision making but if you know what you like and want, and can convey that to your tailor than the end result will be a much better fit.
And that’s about it!
It’s not unusual (cue us all singing Tom Jones in our heads) that at times little exceptions or individual requirements will need to be taken care of and that’s why any good tailor will ask questions and then listen to your answers. It’s your suit after all and it’s down to your tailor to make sure you get it. As you can see, getting the best result from your measure is easy, just think about the above advice, handily summarised by these simple instructions.
- Think ahead and dress appropriately
- Have a good idea about what you want from your suit
- Relax and enjoy it.
3 easy steps to a wonderful fitting suit.