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What is the allure of Bespoke

FIHTies

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I am constantly reading about people getting excited about finding a bespoke suit, shoes on ebay or thrift etc... and perhaps I am missing it but wouldnt one be better off with an RTW or MTM which has slightly been modified but is a generic "one shape fits all" than a bespoke item which in all aspects has been made for someoneELSE'S shape and all its nuances??
 

Fashionslave

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Well,I guess IMHO that it's usually got top notch tailoring,and ,in most cases has absolutely beautiful and unique cloth.Furthermore,one tends to find bespoke in greater frequency than Kiton or Borrelli in a thrift store because these suits are made to last a lifetime,and you never see vintage Kiton or Borrelli.The tailor can give the suit the proper tweak,and voila. I just think the bespoke suits have more character than a MTM Oxxford or Brioni,(and I have them as well.)
 

Concordia

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Well, the odds are that neither type is going to fit you really well. So if you're going to go trawling for second-hand, wouldn't in be more fun to find something with a little individuality? Especially if by some miracle it does fit?

Add to that the probability that a bespoke suit will be hand made, vs. the probability that RTW will not be.
 

pejsek

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I've been a passionate and dedicated consumer of SR clothes and bespoke shoes on the secondary market for many years now. Alright, yes, I buy them at thrift stores. I'm about a 42R and wear a size 9.5/10 shoe, which probably puts me in the largest class of consumers (especially once we adjust for the age and proclivities of most bespoke suit and shoe customers). I've never had much trouble finding clothes that fit me and I can't say that I detect much sizing difference between bespoke and rtw. I think the idiosyncratic aspect of bespoke tailoring is far oversold. Most people go for bespoke because they want the style, craftsmanship, attention to detail, etc. and not because they have one arm much longer than the other, a freakishly thin waist, or humps on their back. The reason that rtw works so well is that people generally fall into a few easily defined categories. Bespoke offers the possibility of meeting any physical need, but it doesn't change the fact that most people don't deviate much from a few norms.
It's interesting that you bring up mtm, because this is usually where I see most clothing made for people with unusual physical conditions. It's rare for me to ever find a piece of used mtm clothing that fits well.
 

Fashionslave

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Well said Pejsek. I totally concur ,and yes,nobody has seen Quasimodo ambling out of Huntsman lately.
biggrin.gif
 

PeterMetro

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I'm with FIHTies on this one. You guys talk about some amazing deals you find in thrift stores - but I just can't deal with wearing somebody else's clothes.
 

Brian SD

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I'm with FIHTies on this one. You guys talk about some amazing deals you find in thrift stores - but I just can't deal with wearing somebody else's clothes.
Same. RTW all the way, unless its bespoken for me (which will never happen, unless I make a trip to hong kong.).
 

Vintage Gent

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I'm with FIHTies on this one. You guys talk about some amazing deals you find in thrift stores - but I just can't deal with wearing somebody else's clothes.
Even beyond the practice of scouring thrift stores (which I heartily endorse), there's a venerable tradition of passing certain articles of clothing on to one's progeny. When my brother and I reached our teenage years, we fought mightily over our father's quarter-century old Harris tweed. Sure it was "somebody else's clothes," but nothing we had matched the jacket's great style.

There are some folks who specialize only in culling deadstock clothes from the thrifts, but it's a process not for the casual thrifter. In more than a decade of dedicated thrift store shopping, I've found but a handful of brand "new" vintage clothes.
 

FIHTies

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(PeterMetro @ Feb. 17 2005,13:14) I'm with FIHTies on this one. Â You guys talk about some amazing deals you find in thrift stores - but I just can't deal with wearing somebody else's clothes.
Even beyond the practice of scouring thrift stores (which I heartily endorse), there's a venerable tradition of passing certain articles of clothing on to one's progeny. When my brother and I reached our teenage years, we fought mightily over our father's quarter-century old Harris tweed. Sure it was "somebody else's clothes," but nothing we had matched the jacket's great style. There are some folks who specialize only in culling deadstock clothes from the thrifts, but it's a process not for the casual thrifter. In more than a decade of dedicated thrift store shopping, I've found but a handful of brand "new" vintage clothes.
For clarification: There are two distinct issues here that are being mixed. My original question was on the Attraction of a Bespoke suit which is tailor made for someone else. The second issue that was subsequently brought up here is that of wearing used clothing which is not what I was asking. Carry on.
 

pejsek

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Well, to get back to the allure part, isn't it obvious? These are some of the most beautiful clothes you could ever hope to acquire. And while it may strike some as an unsavory bit of bottom feeding, there are even distinct advantages found in this avenue to bespoke. One of the greatest is that those who tend to discard bespoke clothing after a few years are often among a tailor's best and most experienced customers--they know what they want and have been willing to pay (repeatedly) to get it. The customer who orders a few suits and jackets a year--and has done so for a decade or more--is not treated the same as the guy who scrapes up enough cash to fulfill the dream of getting that perfect bespoke garment (likely laden with too many aspirations to really work). I may be fooling myself, but I feel like I can really tell when a suit or jacket is a one-shot deal or the result of a long and fruitful relationship. Who wouldn't want to take advantage of lessons learned by others (especially with thrift store price tags). Another thing I've found to be true after all these years is that, yes, they sometimes really don't make them like that anymore. Some of the older SR clothing is cut and finished in a way that now seems florid; why cut a seam straight when you can make a curve? I found a tweed jacket last year made by Meyer & Mortimer back in the 1930s and I can honestly say I've never seen work like that before (excepting, perhaps, things like that 1905 coat Darren Beaman posted over on AAAC). There's also the fun of archiving the past and I like to think my closets are a testament to past generations of San Franciscans. What a world this once was. It's too bad there are no identifying marks (at least without recourse to company records) on bespoke shoes. I would love to know more about the guy who acquired more than twenty pairs of Henry Maxwell shoes over a lifetime, moving from Dover St to New Bond and staying on to the bitter end over on Savile Row.
Of course the other real advantage is money. I love clothes, but I don't have infinite resources and it makes me really happy to have money in things other than my wardrobe. You can rack up a lot of happiness buying great suits for $14-$20 a pop. So, guys, please continue to spread the word that op's clothes are icky.
 

j

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So, guys, please continue to spread the word that op's clothes are icky.
Right on. I'm down with OPC.
 

Fashionslave

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Call me a ragpicker,but I'm the best dressed guy at work.Nobody has to know where I acquired them now,don't they? You gents with an aversion to preworn clothing,that's cool,all the more for myself,Pejsek and J.By the way,guess what-"antiques"?-that's used furniture. Now what the Hell's the allure in that?
tounge.gif
 

misterbowles

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(pejsek @ Feb. 17 2005,16:46) So, guys, please continue to spread the word that op's clothes are icky.
Right on. I'm down with OPC.
Yeah, J, you know me.
 

Mark Seitelman

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Arguments for buying at resale, thrift, and eBay: 1. Occasionally, you can get a "real steal". I recall when Sulka gave a whole bunch of new ties to my local thrift shop which sold them at $10 each. 2. It's a way to obtain some quality clothes on a budget that you might not buy ordinarily at full retail. Many people cannot afford $2,000 and up for a suit. 3. There is a group of very fashionable and attractive women who buy at resale shops. They buy a Channel suit at 1/3 of the cost. The store that my wife goes to often cleans the clothes before offering them for sale. 4. Once the clothes get cleaned, they start at an even footing with your own clothes. Arguments against: 1. I keep away from eBay. I found that 1/3 or more of my purchases were so-so. I got involved in too much impulse buying. Also goods were not always in great condition. 2. I cannot see how you can buy a tailored garment over eBay. You need to try it on. 3. Too much impulse buying of stuff you either don't wear or don't need.
 

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