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I have noticed that many people don't actually know the difference between tailored clothing, and made to measure clothing. As the son of a master tailor, I have to admit I do find myself twitching when I hear the terms exchanged and used wrongly, so much like the informative post I made last month on caffeine, I shall make another about this.
My father was a magnificent tailor. He could tell the measurement of a man's inner leg just by watching him step over the shop threshold.
Tailored Clothing
Tailored clothing is completely made from scratch. A new pattern is created solely for that customer using only the customer's measurements, and then the piece of clothing, such as a shirt, or indeed an entire suit is created that is utterly unique. Several fittings are carried out as the suit is made.
In addition to this, the clothing is made exactly to the customer's liking, styles will be altered and collar and cuff sizing will be adjusted to the customer's preferences.
In the United Kingdom, this is called Bespoke Tailoring, and in most other parts of the world it is called Custom Tailoring. In this manner, no two suits will ever be the same.
Made-To-Measure Clothing
Made-To-Measure clothing is clothing that is made using an already existing pattern that has the closest match to the customer's measurements. Again, several fittings are carried out as the clothing is made, and then the final product is presented.
With this method, obviously some suits will be the same as others.
Altered Clothing
Altered clothing is where an already existing item of clothing is used and then either taken in or let out so it will fit the customer better than it did before.
Also in this way, the piece of clothing that already exists can be transformed into something that's almost completely different.
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Now, to avoid further confusion, professional tailors are capable of doing all of these. Obviously made to measure clothing is made faster, and in the end is cheaper, but tailored clothing simply has a special quality to it that nothing else does.
Altered clothing is cheaper yet, especially if you already own the item.
I spent a lot of my childhood in my father's tailor shop, and saw a lot of examples of all three. I even learned some of the trade as I went, although by no means am I a professional tailor.
My father was a magnificent tailor. He could tell the measurement of a man's inner leg just by watching him step over the shop threshold.
Tailored Clothing
Tailored clothing is completely made from scratch. A new pattern is created solely for that customer using only the customer's measurements, and then the piece of clothing, such as a shirt, or indeed an entire suit is created that is utterly unique. Several fittings are carried out as the suit is made.
In addition to this, the clothing is made exactly to the customer's liking, styles will be altered and collar and cuff sizing will be adjusted to the customer's preferences.
In the United Kingdom, this is called Bespoke Tailoring, and in most other parts of the world it is called Custom Tailoring. In this manner, no two suits will ever be the same.
Made-To-Measure Clothing
Made-To-Measure clothing is clothing that is made using an already existing pattern that has the closest match to the customer's measurements. Again, several fittings are carried out as the clothing is made, and then the final product is presented.
With this method, obviously some suits will be the same as others.
Altered Clothing
Altered clothing is where an already existing item of clothing is used and then either taken in or let out so it will fit the customer better than it did before.
Also in this way, the piece of clothing that already exists can be transformed into something that's almost completely different.
---
Now, to avoid further confusion, professional tailors are capable of doing all of these. Obviously made to measure clothing is made faster, and in the end is cheaper, but tailored clothing simply has a special quality to it that nothing else does.
Altered clothing is cheaper yet, especially if you already own the item.
I spent a lot of my childhood in my father's tailor shop, and saw a lot of examples of all three. I even learned some of the trade as I went, although by no means am I a professional tailor.