Bespoke, Made to measure or off the peg?

Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.
The thing that turned me on to having suits tailored for me was the Film Chinatown, after that film fashion totally changed for me and for the industry too, before the film  people were still in tight fitting big lapelled jackets worn with flares and cuban heeled shoes but Chinatown changed all that and was the greatest turning point for a dying army of tailors.
.o (ae ( a good casual look )

  The aftermath of the heavy rock type look seventies died with that film .For me, this is a perfect film. Beautifully photographed (sensational use of the wide screen format), amazing performances - a story, directed with great tact, that's complex, mysterious and wholly engaging. Polanski's film rewards repeat viewing especially for the clothes but at that time I knew nothing about where I could get the clothes done exactly like the film . I did not have enough money for saville Row and was not too happy about what I could have made with my money as a teenager so I began a life long research into tailoring and material .Bespoke tailoring." "Made-to-measure." "Off-the-peg." Three names describing three unique processes for creating the perfect suit. In order to spend your money wisely, you need to be informed about the key differences between the three tailoring methods. Knowing what you're getting will allow you to adjust your expectations and help you choose the best suit for you.Bespoke  is men's clothing made to an individual buyer's specification by a tailor.
George Dyer in Walworth Road London one of the best tailors in London and only charging 500/600 pounds says this "The bespoke suit is made to the specific requirements for the client, using traditional hand cutting techniques,along with the traditional hand crafted tailoring methods. It is then fitted and honed to the mind and body of the client.
 Fashion labels dictate their own styles, and do not the client's personality. Clothes are my passion. Clothes, cloth and linings rule my life. Can't get enough of it. "

If you feel that passion, you really should check him out, recent customers have included the likes of Suggs (Of the band Madness and now established broadcaster), David 'The Hayemaker' Haye (world cruiserweight champion), Paolo Hewitt (scribe), Robert Elms (Broadcaster) as well as plenty of artistes from the world of music and clubs, like Dennis Greaves (Nine Below Zero), Ian Page (the Affair/Secret Affair) the boy's from the band CONNETT, Mark Joseph and Rob Bailey (New Untouchables) all having suits made , as well as hundreds of Faces from the

Mod/Skinhead scene. George is the working class response to the Row.

The distinguishing points of bespoke tailoring are the buyer's total control over the fabric used, the features and fit, and the way the garment should be made. More generally, bespoke tailoring includes a high degree of customisation and involvement of the end-user in the production process. Cad & the Dandy, a modern Savile Row tailor, describes true bespoke tailoring as requiring a full floating canvas, basted fitting and detailed hand finishing. Based in London, where the company employs 10 tailors in three workshops, it also employs an additional 40 in a workshop in China where most of its entry-level, machine-sewn suits are made.The machine made suits would not be described as handmade bespoke of course but the finished product would be not much different to a handmade traditional suit. Shoes are the same , handstitched shoes would not be very different to shoes stitched on a machine according to cesare barolo . All suits are made from British or Italian cloth, and are available either in "machine grade" or "hand stitched". Suit prices vary based on the cloth that is used as well as the amount of hand-stitching that is done on the suit. The fully hand-made suits require around 50 hours of stitching, include a basted fitting, and conform to all the specifications for a bespoke suit suggested by the Savile Row Bespoke Association. Prices are kept lower than the average for bespoke tailors by requiring payment up-front. This allows Cad and the Dandy to negotiate discounts of 30% to 40% with their suppliers.

Cad & the Dandy launched a new flagship store at 13 Savile Row in June 2013. The store is the first on the iconic tailoring street to hand-weave a cloth before making it up into a fully finished suit. Believing that Britain’s bespoke tailoring industry was facing a shortage of master tailors, the company established an apprenticeship programme in London, with young would-be tailors joining Cad & the Dandy’s 22 staff members at its three London locations, Savile Row, Birchin Lane and Canary Wharf.

Fittings are now conducted across the UK, Europe and the United States
So what are the differences between bespoke, made-to-measure and off-the-peg suits? Suits as regards Bespoke will cost a minimum of 500 pounds upwards whereas a made to measure will cost from 280 upwards . a good off the peg suit can be found for 400 pounds same price nearly as a Bespoke . the price of Bespoke at 500 pounds circa will be found outside the West End but there are a few good tailors at the price.
Bespoke

For many years, "bespoke" and "made-to-measure" were opposable terms, the former meaning a suit made from scratch to fit a customer's requirements, the latter meaning the alteration of a pre-existing suit pattern. The reason things got complicated is that in this day and age of Internet accessibility and customer control, the process of making a made-to-measure suit has become more and more bespoke in practice.henry herbert
Whereas, in the past, made-to-measure suits didn't really allow for customisation, today they're becoming increasingly customisable. In other words, you no longer need to have a suit "fully" tailored to request fabric, style and fit.You can buy a made-to-measure suit and request bespoke details.the suit here is made to measure but with berspoke details, its from charles caine and is the best and cheapest on the market because all materials are of the highest level uk material  not chinese, the price for a suit is 400 pounds for first time customers, this includes material ,

to be honest you wont find better not even amongst the bespokes. Charles Caine tailoring division is based in highbury. The are inundated with work but will give you an appointment, you tell them what material you want and they will have a selection to show you.
The bespoke suit that's made from scratch, on the other hand, is no longer wholly hand-made and will often involve the use of machines in some part of its production. Once the first bespoke suit has been produced, copies can be made from a pattern stored on a computer. All of which has blurred the lines between the made-to-measure and the bespoke tailoring process.
In 2008, the Advertising Standards Authority recognised this increasingly complicated situation when it ruled that any suit "made to order" according to a customer's "precise measurements and specifications" could be called "bespoke." This was based on the fact that it didn't matter if the "precise measurements" were modeled on a pre-existing pattern or not. This now means that traditionally tailored suits and made-to-measure suits are both described as bespoke. This makes it difficult to know what you're actually buying.
A lot of tailoring companies that have emerged in the last ten years provide mass customisation at reasonable prices: these include Moss Bespoke, A Suit That Fits and King & Allen. These companies produce suits according to exact measurements and give their customers power over every detail from fabric to fit.
Although this is enough to qualify as a bespoke service in the eyes of the Advertising Standards Authority, Savile Row disagrees. The stipulations given by Savile Row for a suit to be called bespoke includes the fact that a professional who was trained on Savile Row and who rents premises within 100 yards of that street must have tailored it. The customer must also come into the studio for a series of fittings.This is obviously wrong as it means only Saville Row tailors can do bespoke.
Whatever your views are on what constitutes bespoke, this should teach you that it pays to do some research into the term so you understand exactly what you're getting. Presently there exists so much disagreement between competing interests, the customer is forced to make up his own mind about the meaning of bespoke and how much he's prepared to pay for it.Men in general (from all walks and stages of life) seem to make so many mistakes when it comes to their suit selection. Below is a simple guide to help improve our standing in the suit stakes.

Jacket: The material is your choice but wool is more commonplace. Wool suits with a touch of man-made fibre are not really traditional but are now popular as it can increase longevity.

When trying on a jacket, check to see if it fits you by placing your hands down by your side, curling your fingers and see if the bottom edge of the jacket sits nicely (perhaps with just a tad excess material) in the cupped fingers – if so, the jacket is a good fit. Hugo Boss recently released a guide to a suit’s anatomy and all the pictures of the suits had jackets that were very much on the short side. The fashion is currently for shorter jackets but, as we all know, fashion changes so quickly so opt for something more traditional and it will stand the test of time.

Single-breasted jackets are more popular, but double-breasted can look very distinguished – although perhaps a little OTT for a sixth-former. Fat people should avoid double-breasted jackets as it will just accentuate their shape.

Colour-wise, navy and grey are the only two options. Black suits look funereal. Pin- or chalk-striped suits help complement height, although they should be avoided by shorter men as it will not (as many think) make them look taller: quite the opposite.

Sleeves: Showing a touch of shirt cuff is best and the sleeves should allow this (and double/French shirt cuffs will look better than button cuffs). Really fine jackets will have "surgeons’ cuffs", which is where the sleeve buttons actually work (not just for show) and allow the sleeve to be rolled back. There is a tendency for people to have just one button (usually the one closest to the opening) unfastened just to show off that they are wearing a "proper" jacket. Those who always wear proper jackets feel no need to show this off, because of course their sleeves are "working", and so are content to have  all buttons fastened.

Buttons: Following on from the sleeve buttons are the jacket buttons – the most visible. I am often asked questions about how many should be fastened and yet still so many people (including BBC weathermen) get it wrong. Two-button suit: top button. Three buttons: middle button. Four buttons… no one of right mind wears such a thing. Double-breasted: all buttons are fastened. Many people say that on a three-button suit you can fasten the top two. These people know not what they speak. (And let us not forget the Madame Tussauds/Prince William waxwork faux pas of last year.)

When sitting down, however, any fastened buttons should be unfastened.

Trousers: Buying two pairs of trousers for each suit is always a good idea especially if the suit is worn regularly as the trousers get the more wear.

Remember to hitch the trousers up slightly (just above the knee) when sitting down. This eases the tension around the knee area and will help prevent ‘ballooning’ of the material around the knees.

Turn-ups on the "cuffs" of trousers are really only for double-breasted suits.

Braces are traditional for keeping trousers in place and do give a better look to the trousers. Belts have more or less replaced braces however but do not have the same cachet in my opinion. If going down the belt route, make sure they are not too flashy (no gentleman wears something with a big, brash buckle).

Shoes: Although this is not part of the suit, it is still vital. You can go out and spend all the money in the land on the finest, bespoke, all-singing, all-dancing suit possible, but wear a tatty or unpolished pair of shoes with said suit then the whole effect is ruined. Invest in a good pair of shoes and regularly polish them for that A-grade look.

Care: When you get back to your dorm, digs or house, change out of the suit and don’t just fling it on a chair for the next day, or make do with a cheap hanger from the dry cleaners: use the hanger the suit (hopefully) came with – a proper, thick shouldered jacket hanger. This will help retain the shape and look of the jacket and cause the least amount of tension on the threads.

Avoid sending the suit to the dry cleaners too often as well as the chemicals do not do much good to the material and will make the suit very shiny over time if dry cleaned too often. Much better to steam the jacket to give it some life back, or use a damp cloth to wipe

off any marks.

OFF THE PEG
If you are going to get an off the peg suit then look at Marks and Spencer's Saville Row range.There is a lot of dross in Marks and spencer b ut there are one or two gems , stick to the Saville Row range and you wont go far wrong , these are the best off the peg suits in london but only at the Marble arch store .If you wait for the sales and you wait for the second reduction then you can pick up one of their Saville Range suits for little more than 150 pounds, the suit pictured here is 500 pounds for that price you might consider George Dyer and a Bespoke suit  if not wait till the sales , you can usually pick one up for 150-200 pounds, remember these are basically office type suits not something you would wear to go out in really but they are well made suits although 500 pounds to me is a bit over the top. Thats a real bargain . It is a question of if you are that worried about style and colour because there are only about five suits in the range.If you are a standard fit then you will look very good in one of these suits, make sure you pick a shirt and tie plus pocket hankie that really adds to the suit- Another good one is Suit Supply, they have suits in the Madison range which are anything but boring office suits, these are really worth looking into, see their web site.  MosIn Soho there is a lovely little independent shop called Closet Case which stocks a limited selection of designer suits and shirts. Prices aren't cheap but are competitive which means you will always walk out a happy customer. Leonard from Daybrook says, 'They stock a limited supply of sizes, so if your looking for something you don't want half of London to have, this is the place to go to.'Another independent shop that sells high quality suits and shirts at reasonable prices is Volpe. Above is a suit by suit supply , they sell good well made non office suits (by officed suits I mean boring for ther office), the shoulders are basically the Napoli shoulder if slightly padded, the Madison cut is one of the best.I would say if you have 250 or 300 pounds to spend on an off peg suit then save it add another hundred and get a Charles Caine made to measure if not SUIT SUPPLY is good.Hidden down the side streets of Pimlico, this gem of a store has a well sustained collection of tailoring to suit most men. Stephen from Tufnell Park agrees and comments, 'Its always my first stop when I fancy a new suit or shirt. Excellent range of Italian menswear and they cant' be beat for quality and price. A real joy to shop here.'

Perfectly armed

“A centimetre of cuff beyond the end of your jacket means your sleeves are exactly the right length,” says tailor Luke Sweeney. With your arms at your sides, your shirt sleeves should be just visible.
Cost £15

Smooth finish

Check if the fabric creases across your shoulders. “This is caused by square or forward-pointing shoulders,” says Sweeney. Your tailor can remove this excess fabric.
Cost £30

Get waisted

For a V-shaped back, ask your tailor to ‘shape the waist in’. “He’ll unpick the seams of your jacket and re-sew them,” says Savile Row tailorRichard James. This gives a neat, slim outline.
Cost £25

It's a cinch

“Belt loops on suit trousers are a no-no, as they interrupt the neat lines of your overall look,” says Sweeney. Ask your tailor to remove loops and fit fabric side-adjusters instead.
Cost £15

Lean machine

“If you’re a slender build, get your trousers narrowed along the side seams to give a more flattering silhouette,” says James. If you’re a stockier build, straight-leg trousers will be more comfortable for your shape.
Cost £25

Legging it

Perfect length suit trousers need a break. “This is a small indent in the front crease between your knee and the top of your shoes, showing your trousers are millimetre perfect,” says James.
Cost £15

A short story

“The best-looking suits have slightly shorter length jackets,” says Sweeney. The hem should drop no further than your thumb knuckle when your arms are by your side.
Cost £20

But never ever

Adjust the shoulders of your jacket – this is like the chassis of the suit. “When the shoulder padding is adjusted in any way, your suit will instantly look ill-fitting,” warns Nick Hart.
COLOURS
Never wear beige if you are not dark haired or dark skinned, it does not work on any other person. Never wear grey if you are untanned or dark skinned or grey haired, grey or white hair with a good tan is ok though (this Italia model nearly makes beige work but it is the hardest colour to wear but lots of men persist in thinking they look good in it, if you compare the photos in blue off this model you will understand what I mean) grey draws colour from the faceof people who are pale so trhey look paler , wear blues. Dont wear a beard if you are into Bespoke or suits , looks olut of place. 
TIES. Never go down the BBC line of ties , those terrible bright colours. Choose ties that work nicely, check out the Chinatown photos here.

Know your knots.

Though the only real difference is the amount of fabric used, each knot has its own connotations. The three most common are:

The Windsor

Named after the indubitably stylish Duke of Windsor, the formality of the Windsor knot (usually worn with a spread collar shirt) makes it ideal for job interviews and formal occasions. It was created out of the public’s enthusiasm for the duke’s noted fat tie knots, usually achieved using a wider, heavier tie. Basically, it’s the fattest of knots and it’s meant to be symmetrical, which makes it trickier to achieve for the irregular tie wearer.

The Windsor half knot

Symmetrical, like the Windsor, but with a smaller knot – it’s a more modest version of the full Windsor. A good option for smartness that feels a bit less showy.

The four in hand

The simplest one, and probably closest to the method you learned at school. This one is slightly asymmetrical and therefore more forgiving, less tricky to achieve, and suited to more relaxed occasions (if you would ever wear a tie to more relaxed occasions).

2. Be cautious with your knot size

This is a delicate calculation. A common mistake is using too much of the slim section of the tie, which can lead to a tiny knot. While a fairly slim knot is de rigeur at the moment, a truly minuscule one will look odd indeed. Too big, on the other hand, and it will look ill-judged and even pompous, like a slippery salesman; all giant Windsor knot and no suit jacket. The trick is to work out exactly where, on the tie, you should be creating your knot from, then go for a simple four-in-hand knot on a slim tie, which creates a modern, elongated look.

British actor-director Richard Ayoade wearing a tie that should never be worn because it is boring

3. Dimples matter

You’ll see this even in the simplest of tie knots, the four in hand. Here are your instructions: start with the wide end of the tie on your right extending about 12in beneath the narrow end. Cross the wide end over the narrow and back underneath. Repeat this step. Now pass the wide end through the loop. With your index finger inside keeping the knot loose, draw the wide end down and tighten up to the collar by holding the narrow end and sliding the knot up, creating a dimple just under the knot by pressing into the fabric with your finger. Make sure you create the dimple under the knot, otherwise your tie will look flatter and less finished.

4. Practise – or cheat

As with all things, practice makes perfect; guys in the City of London are so experienced they can create perfect Windsors with one eye fixed on the FTSE 100 index. If that’s not you, consult online tutorials like this oneor download this new app from Hermès that makes tying a tie more fun than chore, explaining the basic methods while allowing you to match tie patterns and shirt designs. It might be wise to avoid this one, though, which details 85 ways of knotting a tie – three knots are enough.

5. Know your tie trends

Current wisdom dictates that a slim black or navy tie feels modern, a reference to rudeboy culture (as seen at the recent Somerset House exhibition) and new-wave bands, such as the male members of Blondie. A tie bar is a sharp addition here. Alternatively, go for texture: think knitted silk, tweed, flannel or one of Marwood’s English lace ties. Try not to wear too many patterns of similar scale; block colour is a safe bet to avoid school uniform connotations. If you do want a pattern, consider monochrome with subtle tonal and textural differentiation. The bow tie is still out after the dandyish excesses a few seasons ago.

Patrick Grant giving good tie with his fellow judge, May Martin, in BBC Two’s The Great British Sewing Bee. Photograph: Charlotte Medlicott/BBC/Love Productions. both the suit and tie are really to avoid, what we have is office boring here.consider the jack nicholson chalkstripe above and its tie combination , and shirt collar

6. If in doubt, take tie inspiration

As with most sartorial matters,look at others, the nicholson combinations are perfect, take a leaf from that movie , dont be had by so called style gurus, most of them look terrble and are buying into a

midnight blue kid mohair with sixties style tie

dream that is all their own not anyone elses. below a mila schon tie which are unique creations in gossamer silk, from this site 40 pounds instead of 140 pounds from others, above a two tone royal blue and black double breasted


 above is a two tone blue mohair , made to measure at 400 pounds including material, the tie sets off the non office  look, this is a suit and tie  for taking your lover out not a desk job

7. Don’t even consider wearing a novelty tie

No. Not ever.

HATS. Try not to wear a fedora if you are not arty farty wear a trilby, lets face it the day of the fedora is long gone unless you are a very camp opera or ballet star or the likewise and get one that is not dark blue with a dark blue band especially if you have a beard , I wont tell you why but guess.
SHOES. Brightly polished. Buy gibsons, brogues and loafers (summer suits)
for tight bottomed trousers buy chelsea bootsone of the best kept secrets for great shoe buying is ago spago , its a small shone in milan that sells the highest quality hand sewn shoes at around 130 pounds, really theres no other place thats better.for around 300 they will make you bespoke shoes   http://www.agoespago.net/vendita-scarpe-da-uomo-c-26.html?osCsid=jo42d3ad1iqaetmvoeo2uk4uv1

scarves