If you are planning to have a suit made, you should know that there are some distinctions about tailored suits; these distinctions can help you with your own sense of personal style and help you make sure that the suit you have is really what you wanted. For instance, did you know that there are bespoke suits, and there are made to measure suits? Those two terms are actually quite different, although they have their similarities. So what exactly is the difference between bespoke and made to measure suits? Let’s find out.

A bespoke suit: from the ground up

A bespoke suit is a suit that is created specifically ‘from the ground up.’ This means that the suit can take any shape, form, material, and style you want, and it is most often hand-made by a couple of tailors. The process of acquiring a bespoke suit begins with a discussion of your requirements, particularly when it comes to the suit’s style, cloth, and so on. After the discussion, the tailor will take measurements. Then a set or collection of bespoke patterns on paper are drawn and then cut, and the cloth you chose is also cut with these patterns. The suit is refined over a few fittings, and the final suit is usually ready after two or three fittings.

A made to measure suit: a suit for you, but with less time and expense

The beauty of made to measure suits comes from the fact that they are like bespoke suits where your measurements are also taken by a tailor, but with one difference: the measurements and your preference in cloth or fabric and style are taken to a factory or shop, and a suit is then made according to whatever measurements and preferences you have.

Unlike ready-to-wear suits, which are made according to general male measurements and which you simply take off the rack and purchase, a made to measure suit is made to your precise measurements, with no disparity in the chest size, the length of the sleeves, the length of the trousers, and so on.

Additionally, with made to measure suits, you have more choices when it comes to buttons and other accessories and trimmings – sometimes more choices compared to a bespoke suit. A RTW shop would often have made to measure suits as well, so you have the advantage of a good brand with a good supply of cloths.

Made to measure suits are, more often than not, a better choice than bespoke suits for the simple reason that they are just a little more expensive than RTW but a lot less expensive than bespoke. You can have your made to measure suit in a much shorter time compared to some bespoke suits, which can sometimes take months to finish.

Image attributed to Pixabay.com