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Bangkok is a city of angels. Along with skyscrapers, shopping malls, nightlife; you come along hoards of tailors along the busy streets of Bangkok. Tailoring has been in Thailand since the early 20th century and counting to do good business. But among thousands of tailors, who you choose as your tailor. Who is the right bespoke tailor in Bangkok? There are few signs one can look out for choosing the right bespoke tailor. We summarize below a short guide you should consider during your search. #1 Reputation – Word of mouth Reputation and the years of operation matters alot. If the Bangkok tailor has been operating since a long time then naturally people in the town know about them and have something to say. The fact that if it is operating for so long, it means the business has been growing and word of mouth is strong. Universal Tailors has been operating since 1985 and in its 3rd generation. Reputation also comes from online reviews, press releases and testimonial. Online reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and other sites play a huge factor. As they are unbiased and cannot be influence by the business owner. Press release shows credibility. Shows that it stood the test of time and has been picked up by top publications for its excellence. #2 Style advice – consultancy? Chat with the client in order to establish their needs and personal expectations is important. This may include their work and background or the circumstances in which they will primarily be wearing their suit. It helps to narrow down the selection of fabric swatches to show to the customer from the hundreds that are available. The final choice is of course down to the individual, but we try and guide them towards something suitable that we know is likely to meet their needs. And then going through various customization options to the suit one of a kind that fits the clients personality and make sure it stands out from the rest. #3 Turnaround time – It takes time to make a good suit Quality takes time. The process of creating a suit requires experienced workmanship and consists of shaping, pressing, reshaping, stitching, measuring etc., until your suit is perfect. Moreover, there can be anywhere from 3-5 fittings required before a final product can be confidently handed over. If you are looking for quality, forget about 24-hour delivery. Minimum turn around time at a proper tailor shop is going to be about 3-5 working days for a standard wool blend fabric suit and 6-12 working days for a high end one (further depending on the construction of your garment). #4 Price – Visible price list indicates transparency and trust Bangkok tailors are known to hike prices for the sake of negotiations. They intentionally raise prices as they know customers will try to cut their prices as Bangkok is known for the place to bargain. We believe in transparency. We charge a flat price depending on the fabric quality keeping the construction and inlays like lining, buttons standard. We do not allow negotiations and we do not charge extra for any customization. Naturally, if the price is too good to be true, the tailor shop is likely compromising on fabric and/or workmanship, and your new suit may not the have best chances to stand the test of time (an example of a this would be a full suit in an Italian fabric for $250 – definitely too good to be true). Final thoughts on choosing the right bespoke tailor in Bangkok Overall, the above blueprint isn’t by any means bulletproof, but sticking to it will help you get closer to finding the right tailor in Bangkok who can offer good quality for a good price. If you are looking for a tailoring house with immense experience and history behind it while getting your new suit, you are always welcome to visit Universal Tailor and talk to our tailors and style consultants. Our store is located less than 5-7 minutes walking from BTS Chongnonsi in Bangkok.

Conor McGregor may be best known for his fighting, but the UFC champion has another skills: dressing like a boss. The Irishman’s outfits are indeed just as killer as his moves, which is why many men are looking to him for fashion ideas and advice. In this article, we’ve rounded up McGregor’s best looks for you to channel.  Those sleek three-piece suits look will have you looking both tough and on-trend in no time at all. Conor McGregor Suit Smart tailoring is a key aspect of Conor McGregor’s iconic style. The superstar fighter is regularly seen sporting sleek and stylish suits for an array of events. In particular, he often chooses to don classic three-piece designs, which include a waistcoat. When it comes to colours, grey and blues are some of his favourite hues, but he’s not afraid to rock a print either, such as cool checks or sharp stripes. Conor McGregor Blue Suit The best way to follow Conor McGregor’s sharp style is to invest in a tailored or bespoke blue suit or two. Be it rich navy or a midnight hue, blue suits are a McGregor favourite. To rock one like Conor himself, team your blue suit with a white shirt. Then, add a tie and pocket square in either a matching blue tone or a highlight colour, like pink. Conor McGregor Grey Suit Grey is another suit colour that McGregor often dons, and it’s one you can easily rock too. Thanks to the vast variety of tones available, grey suits can look great on all gents. All you need to do is find the shade that’s right for you. Then, make like McGregor and team your grey suit with a white, pink or baby blue shirt for a seriously stylish look. Conor McGregor Check Suit While Conor McGregor’s style is always slick, it can also be quite bold. A perfect match for his strong personality, eye-catching and exciting ensembles are a McGregor favourite. For an easy way to channel his adventurous style, try rocking a check suit. Whether it is in maroon, grey, blue or salmon colour, a check suit will instantly add a touch of McGregor flair to any formal look. Conor McGregor Tuxedo As one of the world’s biggest sporting stars, Conor McGregor is invited to the world’s biggest parties, many of which require him to dress to the nines. For such occasions, Conor often rocks a tuxedo. To wear a tux like the UFC star, try choosing a two- or three-piece design in classic black or bold maroon. Also, ensure the fit is on point by visiting a tailor before the big event.

Fashion matters more in politics than we’d imagine. And we are the fashion police in political sphere. Donald Trump taping his ties is the proof that he may be unfit to lead the nation. And at the recent Democratic debate several candidates attempted to use style as a way to silently send a message. Ties no longer required The entrepreneur-turned-presidential hopeful Andrew Yang is Silicon Valleys choice for the Oval.  While all the other male candidates during both nights of debate wore a full suit and tie, Yang made the relatively dangerous choice of ditching both a tie and the top button of his shirt. The Valley, in the minds of some, is synonymous with innovation and an ingenious—and tech-minded—approach to the problems ailing a nation. And they did it all dressed-down in T-shirts and shorts—anything but a suit. Yang’s tiny bare chest is a signal that he’s not some Washington drone but instead a candidate willing to think outside the box. Personally, we ourselves don’t like to wear the tie unless its required. What can brown (and navy) do for you? Liz Mair, a former communications director for the Republican National Committee, and Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator/blogger, sparked a little debate of their own last night when the latter brought up the topic of wearing brown shoes with navy suit. This…was a worse debate than the one between the candidates. For years, the idea of wearing a navy suit with black shoes was taboo—too many dark shades! Brown shoes with your navy suit, meanwhile, became the respectable combo.

With spring and summer on the clock, lighter weight suits and jackets in more casual forms comes into foreplay with the desire for a less structured feel. Integral to this is the the soft shoulder – a lightly padded shoulder construction, giving a softer, more casual silhouette to a tailored jacket. Soft shoulders have little padding and follow the contour of the individual’s shoulder to accentuate the wearer’s natural features. Traditionally favoured by Europeans, particularly Italian tailors, and further afield with American tailors, the soft shoulder is becoming more popular, especially among younger customers. Traditionally there would a built up shoulder, with heavy roping to give a larger sleeve head that extends upward at the shoulder seam. This type of shoulder has thicker internal padding and a thicker sleeve head, resulting in a more pronounced sleeve head roll. A soft shoulder is the opposite of this. In general, our business suit customers tend to opt for a more structured shoulder choice, with padding to hold the shape of the fabric and create a stronger silhouette. The soft shoulder option is more commonly selected for casual wear – in sports jackets and blazers for example – with the natural sleeve head roll, less structure and less padding all combining to create a more relaxed overall look. Individuals with broad shoulders or square shoulder are generally well suited to a soft shoulder construction, as they have less need to create added structure in this area. On the other hand, those with sloping and less defined shoulders benefit from the structure that the prouder sitting, more padded, roped shoulder can provide. This is where the expert advice and guidance of your tailor comes in.

What are surgeon cuffs on a men’s suit? You must have heard about them during a conversation with a tailor or someone who’s a suit-enthusiast. One line answer would be: they are functional button on suit jacket sleeves. They also called working button holes. Lets look back. In the early 19th century, military doctors or surgeons were asked to wear suit jackets. And in the middle of the battle while treating wounded soldiers, more often or not doctors would stain their jackets. The ever practical tailors on Savile Row in London introduced functional buttons on the cuffs of a jacket’s sleeve, so that the doctors could roll their sleeves up when needed. Since then, surgeon cuffs have been synonymous with carefully crafted and high-end men’s suits. Lets dig deeper. Historically, Savile Row neighborhood of London is associated largely by doctors. After few decades, the neighborhood changed and tailors began to set up shops in the area. During the transition period, the tailors started making suits for doctors with functional buttons, thus the name of surgeon cuff  was born. How to use them? Move forward to this day and age, surgeon cuffs are considered one of the prominent feature of a quality handmade suit. You don’t find them in off the rack or MTM suits. They are a true hallmark of custom made suits. It looks elegant when you notice the last button of the suit cuff unbuttoned.  Its a sartorial heritage to men’s fashion. You could also opt to use a contrasting buttonhole on the last button of your suit. Its a subtle bespoke details on the cuff that differentiate your suit from peers and reflects your personality. Its important to know that once the cuff on your suit jacket are made working, the sleeve length can not be modified. You have to be sure of the sleeve length on your suit jacket. Use a quality tailor and you will be in good hands.

Should you opt for belt in your suit trousers or no? There are different school of thoughts in this topic. A traditionalist would strongly say with full confidence “YES” while a fresh new graduate would consider belt to be optional. There isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question. There is some guidelines and occasion to when to wear a belt and when to skip it. We will make your life easier below:  Belts are common men’s accessory when dressing up in a suit nowadays. But it wasn’t back in early 20th century. Back then suits didn’t have belts but rather had pull-tabs or side adjusters on the waistband to accommodate any minor fluctuation in weight.  Suspenders were used when a little extra lift was needed. It wasn’t until suits went into mass production with standardized sizing and off-the-rack shopping that belt loops were introduced. Over time, the belt had become an acceptable office standard. Rules dictated that the belt should match or complement the shoes and be streamlined in design. So you wear your suit with a belt, and that’s totally fine if it’s used as an accessory to complete your look. But when you have a perfectly tailored bespoke suit, the belt should not act as a item to keep your pants sliding off. Rather it should be an accessory that enhance the look. A rule of thumb is the more formal the occasion is, the less likely the belt is needed. That’s is why you never see a belt in tuxedos or black tie suit. So if there is no belt, opt for button side tabs or metal side adjuster like below. Final Verdict At the end of the day, it comes down to the belt loops. If you’ve got them, you should use them. If no loops are present, mystery solved. Keep in mind that regardless of belt choice, your pants should be tailored to fit your body. A belt holding up too-big balloon trousers looks sloppy. If you’re opting for a belt even occasionally, remember that it’s an accessory, not a necessity. And if it’s an option in your wardrobe, going beltless ensures a cleaner, leaner, more streamlined silhouette that will set you apart in the best way. And without belt, you need not worry about matching your shoes color and design with your belt.

Dress shirt collars comes in various shapes, sizes and style. Understanding and utilizing the collar is an important lesson in men’s fashion. The choices are limited if you buy MTM shirt or off the rack shirt; that’s the beauty of getting a hand made custom shirt. Men usually stick to a few collar shapes; but becoming confident with all the small details of a collar broaden your fashion sense and enable a man to add his personal style to the dress shirt.  The right collar can change the tone of an outfit from average to amazing. We believe in having a mix of collar styles in your wardrobe; don’t stick to one. To suit every occasion possible, play around with every collar; right from wide cutaways to button downs; etc. Most bloggers or brands would suggest you to get a collar that correlate with your face – e.g. if you have a long face, you should be using spread collars or if you have a square face, you should avoid point collar. We think this is complete nonsense and complicate things. One can enjoy all sort of collars and adapt them to fit your personality and style. Avoid following someone else rules that is based on one’s self opinion. Bottom line is to a shirt that fits and collars that looks good and you are comfortable in. Add your personal style in the collar and experiment with them. Read below on our complete guide: Point collar Our most traditional collar, and often thought of as a more American collar. It has a narrower distance between the two collar points and, when buttoned, a smaller enclosure for a tie knot. An excellent choice and a classic look for the office.  There is less room between the collar leafs than in a spread collar, which means it’ll accommodate a slimmer tie knot rather than a larger one. You’re a no-nonsense traditionalist who appreciates the classics. A work-horse collar and recommend to wear with a tie. Semi-Spread collar   A very popular collar alternative to the point collar is semi-spread collar. It accommodates a larger and smaller tie with ease. The spread gives a classic look and timeless option. This collar style accommodates both small and large tie knots due to the space between the collar leafs. Semi-Spread collars are generally very versatile and can be worn easily with a jacket and tie or on their own. One of the most popular choice. But if you have awfully big neck, would suggest to go for spread collar. Spread Collar Called English spread collar, this collar has become more popular in recent years. It’s great to show off your tie knot. Looks confident and classy when worn with the collar button undone. The spread collar shirt is really your “no wrong answer” kind of shirt. It works in just about every situation imaginable, won’t get you in trouble for any kind of employer dress code/style violation and just looks damn good. Too easy.  Most versatile collar and suit everyone. Cutaway Collar A cutaway collar is a bold, modern and sartorially-advanced style choice. Following the rigid, longer and narrower collars of the 1920s, the cutaway collar dress shirt emerged in the 1930s. The cutaway collar is not for everyone. It is the most fashion forward collar. If you’re at all on the fence about it, go with a spread collar instead. But if it’s your thing, it can be easily become “your look” for just about every kind of occasion, ranging from office to date to wedding. Confidence to wear the collar is the key. Button-down Collar This collar fastens the collar points to the body of the shirt with buttons. It is gaining popularity more recently in business casual looks. The button down was originally invented for polo players to keep their collar points from moving during matches. It is best worn with collar button undone. Looks perfect with casual untucked shirt and also semi-formal shirt. Must not wear with a tie. Wing collar This is a collar band with small collar points turned down at the front neck. Used for formal gatherings with a tuxedo this collar is not part of an everyday wardrobe. The “wings” hold your bowtie in place. Modern men have moved to wearing their bowties with point and spread collars in finer fabrics.

Hopsack is basically the name of the weave, not a fabric name. Hopsack varies in terms of the weight, twist and how tightly or loosely the fabric is woven. It is basically a lightweight wool fabric and go-to fabrics in summers. It has a basket weave texture which gives a very different feel to tailored garment; which is a good thing as it adds some character to the garment. According to us, its better than plain weave as it separates from trousers and make it not look like a full suit. Modern hopsacks are soft, very breathable and crease resistant. This makes a perfect travel blazer as it beautifully creases out after folding them in your luggage. The rough texture of the fabric makes a obvious choice for blazer as it does incredibly well with denims and chinos. And also looks formal in two or three piece suit. On a whole, its a very versatile garment. PROS OF HOPSACK – Lightweight and breathable. Half lined jacket would be great for this fabric. – Natural wrinkle resistance due to woven texture. – Forgiving drape, easier to tailor. – The coarse texture creates a more casual, wearable garment. CONS OF HOPSACK Due to its open weave, this fabric is delicate and sensitive to rubbing – this is the reason why it is less used in elegant trousers tailoring. Hopsack trousers risk indeed damaging or snagging easily on the crotch. To conclude, the very loose and airy structure does make it breathable, but not heat/cold-proof. That’s why it is considered as a summer and spring fabric, less autumn and definitely not winter. We carry good selection of hopsack fabrics both in Asian all wool fabric and from renowned Italian mill Vitale Barberis Canonico. Check it out!

Business suit help you close business For business attire or business suits, the color is straight forward. The standard color for suits are navy or grey. The choice is limited but it STILL needs to be done right. There is no other color that looks smarter or flatter one’s skin better than these two colors. Black is too boring, brown isn’t for everyone and light tan or grey is on the casual side. The color needs to be dark for business and again not that dark that looks like almost black. Navy is the gold standard for business suit. Sometimes men end up buying too dark navy, that is midnight navy blue. Which looks close to black. Midnigh navy looks pale and pasty. On the other hand, mid blue have become very popular over the years, particularly at weddings. Mid blues would be too strong color for most offices. In general, the paler and brighter a colour the more casual it is, so if you want to wear a colour like this, have it in something more casual, like a linen jacket. Navy is serious, professional and yet interesting enough in terms of colour combinations. Midnight blue looks smart with a white shirt and black shoes, but that’s about it. Navy, on the other hand, also looks good with those accessories, but brings out chocolate-brown shoes as well. And a blue shirt under a navy suit provides a great background for experimentation with colour in the tie or handkerchief – strong colours against black just look cheap. Suitable color for business suit Most of this applies to greys as well. Sometimes men wear grey that is way too dark and looks almost like black and with little texture. Generally, there are really two good categories of grey that can be worn for business: charcoal and mid-grey. Charcoal is a sober and professional, and works particularly well in flannel, but (like navy) it cannot be mistaken for black. Mid-grey, however, is kindest of all the suit colours on skin tones – it compliments a good tan, but it doesn’t wash out the pasty. It is for that reason that I would recommend creating a business wardrobe (or commissioning their your bespoke suits) in navy, charcoal and mid-grey. Mid-grey might feel a little adventurous. It is a touch lighter than the grey suit you would instinctively buy for business. Don’t be afraid – it will look perfectly serious with a blue shirt, dark tie and deep-brown Oxfords. But it will also work wonderfully in a casual summer setting, with a white shirt, mid-brown shoes and perhaps a white linen handkerchief. Should I pick a pattern? If you are getting your first bespoke suit, make it plain. There is enough aspect of the suit to be worried about like; fit, style, color, customization. When we say plain, it means twill weave. That is a very fine diagonal line running across the fabric. Worst wool (the material that most suits are made of) is rarely plain. There are twills, pinheads, pick on pick which come across as plain but its not. In general, minor patterns is a good thing. Its gives character to the suit. Unless the desired look is upmost formal, a little pattern or texture adds to the interest of the suit and contrast nicely with tie and shirt. So consider those little patterns to be nothing more than texture. Herringbone is often a good option for a second or third suit; essentially a broken twill, it adds a touch of interest without sacrificing seriousness.

The pocket square is a cultural relic. In ancient Egypt, nobles wore pocket squares made of Chinese silk. Later, Greeks carried perfumed cotton cloths to remove sweat, creating an ancient antiperspirant. In Medieval Europe, knights would carry handkerchiefs close to their chest as proof of a lady’s favor. Pocket squares have been integral to cultures across millennia. Although they trace back to ancient Egypt, the pocket square is a modern wardrobe staple. They’re tucked into the pockets of modern style icons, real and fictional. Every James Bond has worn one, and John F. Kennedy (perhaps the most stylish president) was rarely seen without one adorning his suit. Today’s pocket square is more about style than utility, but it makes a big difference in an outfit. Whether cotton, linen or silk, plain, patterned or printed, one of these square pieces of cloth has the potential to pull an average tailored look into the A-grade. Why Wear a Pocket Square? Pocket squares polish an outfit without making you look like you care a lot about your appearance. After all, you are the focus—not your clothes. It can also make a good suit look even better. A pocket square in a solid color tones down a patterned suit. Worn with a solid suit, a patterned pocket square (or a solid one in a contrasting color) makes the outfit more interesting. Pocket squares fit every man’s lifestyle. They’re formal enough for a black-tie event but casual enough for happy-hour drinks. It all depends on how you style it. When to wear a Pocket Square? Historically, the pocket square was a necessity for guests attending dinner parties and other formal engagements. The classic pocket square fashion for smart occasions remains much the same today: a white, handkerchief-style pocket square folded into a flat fold (more on that later). However, even within the sphere of formal attire, there is still scope to experiment with your arrangement and move outside the standard white pocket square rule. We are occasionally asked, is there ever a time not to wear a pocket square? The answer to that is not really. Once you become a regular square wearer you’ll find that not wearing a square is like leaving the house without your shoes. It’s really a case of degrees. If you want to go for a very conservative look choose a pocket square that is only a shade or two lighter than your jacket and go for a flat fold, or something that provides just a little bit of contrast such as a navy square with polka dots. MATCHING TIE AND POCKET SQUARE One question we often get asked is around whether you should be matching your tie and pocket square. The short answer is no. Although it might seem like an easy way to coordinate your outfit, matching your pocket square and tie or bow tie is a definite no-no in modern dress. Instead, the purpose of the pocket square is to complement the rest of your look: either by harmonising or contrasting with your other accessories. So although some stores even offer matching tie and pocket square sets, our advice is to steer clear of these if you want to be seen to be on top of your style game. Plain colour styles are an absolute must, their simplicity and lack of pattern making them easy to match with your ensemble. Especially worthwhile investing in when taking your first steps into pocket squares is a classic white version – now widely considered as much a wardrobe essential as the Oxford shirt or Derby shoe. Once you’ve got your plain color bases covered, it’s time to introduce pattern. Prioritise timeless motifs – think paisley, polka dots and checks – in rich jewel tones like burgundy, navy, and bottle green, as well as fail-safe neutrals like white, grey and black. POCKET SQUARE FOLDS While the color and pattern of your pocket square can say a lot about your fashion sense and color coordination skills you should also know how to fold or not fold your pocket square. The PUFF The puff ‘fold’ is the easiest and most casual way to wear a pocket square. All you have to do is lay the pocket square flat out on a table and pinch it up from the center. Once you have achieved this gently tuck the corners of the pocket square into your jacket breast pocket. This fold works best with silk pocket squares that are larger, so that they do not disappear in your pocket. Edged Puff The Edged Puff is a variation of the Pocket Square Puff Fold, where the edges that are tucked into the breast pocket are now fold back up so they are showing behind the ‘puff’.  The Edged Puff is one of our favorite ways of wearing a pocket square as it shows color and style with both the puff and the pocket square edges being displayed. Square Fold The Square Fold works well with linen or cotton pocket squares given that their fabric structure is slightly more rigid than silk, helping to keep the pocket square’s edges in place. Hence, a square fold is ideal for business / formal settings. One-Point Fold A super classic way to interpret pocket squares, the one-point fold displays a triangle shape peeking out through your pocket. This fold is more noticeable than the conservative square fold, and is recommended for most looks featuring pocket squares. A higher quality silk is recommended. Three-Point Fold One of the more complicated folds, this style should be approached when you feel more comfortable wearing pocket squares. Otherwise known as the Crown Fold, this style works well with simplistic silks as well as deeply coloured patterns, adding dimension to your formal looks. This is for when you are really going formal with your pocket square or if you want to really make a statement with it. This fold is also one of the toughest to get right. The Different Types of Materials Pocket squares are generally made from silk, cotton, and linen. Wool is sometimes thrown into a fabrication, and

Interestingly, most men think about cotton or linen fabrics first. Also, the lightness of the fabrics seems to be the number one criterium, but these are only two aspects of warm weather menswear. Therefore we created this guide where we explain what to look for in hot weather clothing. Although a summer suit needs more than just one characteristic in order to be  worn comfortably, the most important aspect is neither weight nor the choice of material – it is breathability. High Breathability Due to Loose Weave & Lack of Lining When it is hot, you definitely want to feel every breeze coming your way, and the best way to do so is with an open-weave fabric. Loosely woven fabric such as basketweave fabric, is usually popular in summer and achieves the desired cooling effect. When you hold a piece of this fabric against the light, you can see through the weave of the cloth, even it if is dark navy. If the fabric is a heavier weight, it will also keep you cooler than a featherweight cotton fabric that is tightly woven. The more open the weave, the more patterned your fabric should be to keep it from becoming see-through. However, bear in mind that lighter colors are better than darker ones since light-colored cloth reflects the sunlight whereas dark cloth absorbs it, making you feel warmer. Also, you want to make sure that you get at least a half-lined jacket because, again, the finer weave of the lining will decrease your garment’s ability to breathe. Half-lined denotes that the back does not have any lining except for the top, and fully unlined usually means that there is no lining except in the sleeves. Once you have settled on an open-weave, you can turn to choosing the weight of your suiting fabric. Fortunately, modern high-quality fabrics have a beautiful finish, and although the drape is not perfect, they are still the way to go.  7 ounces (210 grams) summer fabrics usually have very open weaves and you should seek out specific summer fabrics for summer suits, because even though some fabrics may be lightweight, the weave may be too dense for summer. A popular summer fabric choice is Tropical. Basically all big mills offer their take on it, and it is simply an open weave worsted wool fabric. It’s generally softer than fresco but also not as breathable. Overall, it is a good choice, but if you want increased air flow you have to go with something else. Linen for Summer? Linen is a classic summer fabric because of its light weight, open weave and casual fabric structure. It is usually a little coarser than fine merino wool or cotton fibers., and it wrinkles graciously. After a day wearing a linen suit, you will appear anything but dapper. After a day wearing a linen suit, you will look a bit wrinkled but in a sophisticated way. For the office, you need to be able to pull it off because many people will just think it is a wrinkled suit. Classic linen summer suit colors include tobacco brown, beige or khaki tones, but you can also go with blue. If you go with the latter, be sure to get a lighter shade of blue than you would for a wool business suit because it underlines the summer character. If you want to do something special, you can also opt for unusual colors such as sky blue linen suit. Summer Cotton For most men, cotton seems to be a default choice during the summer. Now, there is a lot of cotton on the world market, but there are huge differences in terms of fiber length and thickness. In regard to summer clothing, the weave is more important. For example, khaki colored twill trousers or fine “summer” corduroy are not desirable since they impede air circulation. Instead, try to look for open weave poplin fabric. If you cannot see through the fabric when holding it against the light, it is not well suited for warm summer weather.

Buying a bespoke suit is an investment, and as with any investment, your suits should be well cared for. This is important in order to preserve their appearance and maximise their life span. The first thing to understand is that when you first start to wear a new bespoke suit it will begin to settle in and you’ll get a much better feel for the fit. It’s worth remembering that bespoke clothing differs from ready to wear, in as much as the garment shape will develop as it’s broken in. Cleaning Our advice is to dry clean your suits as rarely as possible as the chemicals used during the dry cleaning process strip out the natural oils found in the wool. This damages the cloth and in turn shortens the life of the suit. Ideally, a suit should be dry cleaned no more than twice a year but if more cleaning is required then remember a good dry cleaner will also be able to ‘spot clean’ any dirty areas. Regular pressing of your suit is fine, helping to remove creases and bring shape back into the garment. When selecting a dry cleaner it is worth spending a little more and going to one accustomed to dealing with bespoke suits. Brushing A suit needs to be regularly brushed, much like human hair, to ensure it looks its best. As well as removing dust, dirt and food particles, brushing helps to redistribute the natural oils in the cloth fibres which will prolong the life of your suit. We recommend you brush your suit after every wear and use a high quality, pure bristle brush. Rotation Don’t wear the same suit everyday! Over use is a sure fire way to shorten the life of your suit, wearing it out too quickly. Give your suit a chance to rest and breath in-between wear, alternating it with other clothing will help to increase its life span.

For the uninitiated, the ticket pocket is the small flapped or jetted pocket (it can be straight, or slightly angled), placed just above the right main hip pocket on a men’s jacket. It is normally roughly half as wide as the hip pocket. The ticket pocket, also known as change pocket, has an old British history. At first it wasn’t even used to store a ticket, as the name indicates today. It became useful before the huge popularity of the railroad, as it was placed on the jackets of equestrians who needed quick access to coins at toll points. Allowing gentlemen to keep their jackets buttoned, this exterior pocket held cash in an extremely convenient way. Ticket pockets were a staple on men’s sturdy country suits before they adapted into the urban suits men wore to commute on a daily basis. During the Industrial Revolution train travel boomed with men making daily trips to the country or to the city for work. As men found it annoying to go through all their pockets in search of their precious train tickets, the ticket pocket became their natural solution. Tailors started to receive requests for a special pocket made exclusively for this purpose, which eased everyone’s lives (train staff included). A new and practical trend was born. Today the extra side pocket is not a necessity anymore. Its main function is as a fashion statement that shows high style IQ. It looks sharp and can be a good conversation starter, especially with neophytes who want to know more about it. Even if it’s a British detail, nowadays one can find it on Italian or American suits as well. Men with a penchant for style and sophistication will always like a jacket that offers a little visual variety and sets them apart from the usual two-pocket look. Many modern guys still love that British-dandy vibe they get from an impeccable suit and feel the need to spice up their sartorial excellence with such details. However, you will find that this pocket which, to be honest, does add an extra kick to any suit or sports jacket, also makes functional sense today. It’s the perfect place to stash a bunch of business cards – extremely efficient in business meetings, on planes (one never knows when opportunity arises, right?) or at VIP clubs. An alternative would be storing aspirins, a tea bag, change, a receipt and even a subway card. Let’s face it, a jacket will always look way better than a “functional” cargo vest. Since we are evaluating benefits, tall men will find the ticket pocket visually helpful since it fills up some of that negative space in their long torsos. Same goes for the skinny types. Feel free to experiment and show a little personality by playing around with the ticket pocket! Let it spring up nonchalantly on an overcoat or a suit jacket and act surprised by all those turning heads. You may thank British sartorial heritage once again.

Wool is the fiber that grows on the body of a certain animal – sheep, goat, camel, rabbit etc. It replenishes itself each time the animal is sheared and continues to grow throughout its lifetime. It is also the word we usually use when we talk about fabrics that are made out of fleece of these animals. Each type of fleece is different and therefore every wool fabric has its own properties. Types of wool (most popular) Sheep’s Wool. It is traditional wool that can be made from any sheep fleece. Merino Wool. Merino wool is taken from a Merino Sheep and has fine, soft appearance of the fabric. It is quite expensive. The distinction from other types of wool is its resistance to pilling. Mohair Wool. Mohair is taken from Angora goat. It is not very soft and many people find it a very itchy fabric to wear directly next to the skin. Angora Wool. Angora wool is made of an Angora rabbit hair. Its main quality is its fluffy surface texture and its soft touch. It is expensive, as it comes from a specific breed of rabbit. To improve fabric stability Angora is often blended with Nylon.  Cashmere Wool. Cashmere is soft and luxurious fabric. The fibers that are used to make cashmere come from specific areas of the fleece of a cashmere goat, and that is why it is so expensive. Alpaca Wool is made from the hair of Peruvian alpacas, but it also also can come from similar fibers of mohair, Icelandic sheep or even high-quality English wool. Alpaca fleece is a lustrous, silky, soft and therefore luxurious natural fiber. It is warmer than usual wool, not prickly, and bears no lanolin, and therefore – hypoallergenic.   The common benefits of wool fabrics are those – they are natural, warm, easy taken care of, and they breathe.   Wool qualities Wool fiber is resilient and elastic. It can be bent more than 20,000 times without danger of breaking or any damage. Because of a complex cellular structure it can absorb moisture vapor, but repel liquid. There is no synthetic fiber that could combine all of these characteristics. Wool absorbs dyes deeply and directly without any use of chemicals. Because of this, wool can be dyed in beautiful, rich colors. Wool is an absorbent fiber and therefore is comfortable to wear in both warm and cool climates. When the air is warm, wool takes up perspiration and keeps a layer of dry insulating air next to the skin. When the air is cold and damp, wool absorbs moisture and keeps a layer of dry insulating air next to the skin. This makes the body’s natural warming and cooling system work better. Wool products are a great investment. Since wool fibers resist piling, snagging, and breaking, wool items typically outlast synthetic ones. Unlike many artificial fibers wool naturally resists flaming. Wool does not melt and stick to the skin when on fire (like other fabrics) but usually smolders or chars instead of bursting into flame. Although intense fire would burn wool fabric, when the flame source is removed it normally self-extinguishes.   The bottom line is, wool is the ideal fabric for bespoke suits.  

A jacket is good for outdoor activities and very casual get-ups. Beyond that, though, you need a nicer overcoat for a wide variety of events: daily work at a professional job or the occasional job interview; going out to a bar, restaurant, or movie; coffee dates, theater dates, and every kind of date in between; winter weddings or funerals; Christmas mass and a New Year’s Eve gala. Not every kind of overcoat achieves the same all-around adaptability, however. Some are more casual and don’t work with formalwear as well, while some are so formal they’d look out of place over jeans. The key is to pick an overcoat with the fit, length, fabric, and style that give it a not-too-formal, not-too-casual look that will be appropriate for nearly every occasion. STYLE. The double-breasted overcoat goes in and out of style, and is a nice choice for wearing to a conservative workplace or more formal events. But a single-breasted coat is more classic and versatile, and pairs as well with a suit as a sweater and jeans. While a double-breasted overcoat should be worn buttoned and closed, a single-breasted can be worn open for a casual look. The single-breasted, as it involves less fabric around your midsection, is also more flattering and slimming. Single-breasted overcoats are especially recommended for short men; the double-breasted variety tends to swallow the petite man up. BUTTON. A 3-button overcoat is the most classic way to go. 4-button coats tend to be more formal. LAPELS. Notched lapels are typical of single-breasted overcoats and are more casual. Peak lapels are usually found on double-breasted coats and are more formal. Go with notched. COLOR.  Rather than black, navy blue is your best and most versatile color choice. It’s serious without being solemn, and looks equally good with both day and evening wear. Dark gray comes in as the second runner up in the color category. A camel-colored number is an attention-grabbing but viable option if you own multiple overcoats, but for our minimalistic purposes, navy or gray will be more versatile; you’re not going to pull a brown coat on over your formalwear. FABRIC. For weight and durability, 100% wool is the way to go; it’s warm and durable and will last forever. Cashmere coats have a nice, rich-looking finish, and are lighter, softer, and warmer. But cashmere comes with an enormous price tag, doesn’t hold up to the elements as well, and wears out and pills easier. And since this is outerwear we’re talking about, extra softness doesn’t matter much. Some coats add a layer of synthetic microfiber for extra warmth, which can be a good idea if you live in a particularly cold place, but 100% wool should do it for most. Look for a nice hefty fabric; a good overcoat should weigh around 4 pounds.