Why Buy Bespoke Shirts? What Makes a Bespoke Shirt Better?
By Manisha Solanki

The terminology “bespoke” is derived from “bespeak”, a verb translating as to “speak for something.” However, in modern day sense, it has the more specialized meaning of giving an “order for it to be made.” In terms of fashion sense, bespoke refers to the individualized patterning and crafting of men’s clothing compared to “off-the-rack” or “ready-to-wear” clothing that is mass produced, or “made-to-measure” garments which are characteristically produced from a block of patterns and sizes.
The combination of custom fitting and higher quality manufacturing standards usually results in a higher price tag when you compare bespoke tailoring to either made-to-measure or ready-to-wear clothing.
Why Bespoke Tailoring is the Better Choice
Bespoke shirts are created from unique patterns that are created from scratch for each specific client, so the biggest benefit to you is that you are purchasing a piece of clothing that is personalized exclusively to your physique. What distinguishes bespoke tailoring from made-to-measure or ready-to-wear garments is that the buyer has complete control over all aspects of the garment from start to finish. These aspects include:
o Monogramming, contrast fabrics, mother of pear buttons
o Swiss Alumo fabrics, Italian fabrics like Monti or Albini
o Creation of the garment
It’s a known fact that the key benefit of bespoke tailoring is three fold, not because the garment is exclusively fitted to your physique, but also because of higher quality fabrics used and tailoring standard. In addition to this, higher degrees of customization and the end user’s complete involvement in the tailoring of the men’s shirt are the two key features of bespoke tailoring compared to made-to-measure and ready-to-wear items.
Most importantly, the bottom line is that custom tailored shirt speaks volumes about your lifestyle because your bespoke shirt is exclusively and uniquely yours. When you consider all the different options for the style of the shirt, it is highly unlikely that you would ever encounter another individual wearing the identical piece of clothing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2235708
- Published in Tailored & Bespoke
Couture Versus Ready-to-Wear
By Diana Pemberton-Sikes
“What’s the difference between couture and ready-to-wear?”
It’s a question that’s been hitting my inbox a lot of late from women all over the world. They may have been reading high fashion magazines like “W” or “Vogue” or are thinking about upgrading their wardrobes, and are wondering what, exactly, the difference is between these designer categories.
Basically, it boils down to fit – and money.
* COUTOUR (koo TOOR) is the French word for “sewing.” Couture clothes are those that are fitted and sewn specifically for a client, often requiring several fittings for an exacting fit. The clothes may be specifically designed for the client, such as a one-of-a-kind wedding dress or a one-of-a-kind red carpet ensemble, or they may be part of a designer’s couture collection, which are the pieces the designer shows that are available for custom fit.
Typically, couture pieces are made of fine fabrics or feature extensive hand work (like beading or embroidery) that drive up the price to thousands or even tens of thousands PER PIECE. Because of the cost, couture clothing, which once had 35,000 regular customers during its heyday after World War II, has an ever-shrinking regular buying base of about 1,200 people worldwide today.
Couture is also known as made-to-measure or bespoke (British).
* HAUTE COUTURE (oht koo TOOR) means “high sewing,” and is the term reserved exclusively by those European fashion houses that offer made-to-measure apparel in or around Paris and belong to the Fédération Française de la Couture (which began as the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 1868 by Charles Frederick Worth). Following strict guidelines regarding number of pieces shown per collection and number of collections shown per year, current members include venerable fashion houses like Balenciaga, Chanel, Hermès, and Valentino.
* READY-TO-WEAR, or prêt-à-porter (prêt a poor TAY) is designer apparel that’s made ready-to-wear in standard sizes and sold through boutiques, better department stores, mail order, and online. While consumers can have pieces tailored to fit after purchase, customization is not included in the cost of ready-to-wear apparel. Many brand-name designers, like Vera Wang and Carolina Herrera, only show ready-to-wear collections, but still create a handful of couture pieces upon request for influential clients.
So when you read in a fashion magazine or hear on television that designers are showing their ready-to-wear collections, you know that those are the pieces that you’ll find in their boutiques or in department stores come the new fashion season. Couture collections are those shown to high-paying clients who either go to the fashion house directly to be fitted, or who order from the designer’s “look book” and have pieces made up from the measurements the designer has on file from the client’s previous fittings.
If you like to read the society pages to see who’s wearing what, you’ll notice that socialites who can afford to buy couture often say so. The caption under a photo might read, “Jane Doe in Versace, Susan Smith in Donna Karan, and Tiffany Jones in Givenchy couture.” Translation? Jane and Susan bought their gowns ready-to-wear, while Tiffany had hers custom made.
So should YOU indulge in designer labels as your income allows?
It depends.
Yes, designer labels have a certain cachet and are associated with an elevated income, and yes, you can look like you have a lot more money than you do by buying your favorite labels at discount designer websites or at overstock retailers like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
But you have to be careful of the message you’re sending.
If you’re a receptionist dressing like a jet setter, it will raise eyebrows – particularly your employer’s. Your boss may wonder how you’re funding your clothing obsession. Are you living in a dive and driving a junk heap? Maxing out your credit cards? Skimming a little off the company coffers (which is how one fashionable thief was caught, showing up to work every day in designer apparel)? Whatever the reason, unless you’re very vocal about how you cleverly come by your high-end finds, your luxury image may have your higher-ups questioning your ability to handle money – and stall your career in its tracks.
Similarly, if you have a job with a typically high income (doctor, lawyer, stock broker) but are running around in discount apparel, you’ll have people wondering just how bad you are at your job that you’re not able to afford nicer things. True, illness, school loans, job losses, and other financial hardships happen, even to people with high incomes. But if you’re dressing discount in a designer environment, people will begin to question your ability -and your income will suffer. Call it human nature.
So how can you dress appropriately for your income WITHOUT raising eyebrows? By keeping the number of labels you wear in line with the amount of your paycheck.
If you have a lower income, one or two pieces by your favorite designer (like a jacket or pair of jeans) would not be out of line – provided you buy them second hand (like on eBay) or at an overstock outlet like Loehmann’s or TJ Maxx.
Have a higher income? A status handbag, watch, or pair of shoes will instantly telegraph your position. Even if you don’t care about such things, your status-y clients will, and since people talk, you may be surprised by how your business grows by adding a few of these pieces to your wardrobe.
And who knows? If you play the game right and meet your goals, you may someday find yourself seriously contemplating whether you should buy a special piece ready-to-wear, or have your favorite designer whip it up just for you from his couture collection..
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/41903
- Published in Tailored & Bespoke
What is Bespoke?
:Bespoke Tailoring
/biˈspoʊk/ is clothing made to an individual buyer’s specifications by a tailor. Cad & the Dandy, a modern Savile Row tailor, describes true bespoke tailoring as requiring a full floating canvas, basted fitting and detailed hand finishing, which distinguishes bespoke from the much more common made-to-measure.
- Published in Tailored & Bespoke
Fashion Stylists Are Becoming Mainstream
By Stephenie L.
Fashion stylists are indispensable for celebrities, fashion models and actors. Today, with people busy with their careers, we find many individuals too opting for the services of stylists. Most of us are fashion conscious today and want to look our best during all occasions. This is one of the reasons why a lot of individuals too are increasingly opting for the services of fashion and image consultants.
Fashion consultants work in close coordination with their clients to prepare them for events such as cat walk, fashion shoot, movie shoot or fashion show. They efficiently integrate their unique personalities with the right choice of clothes and accessories. Fashion stylists work in close association with leading fashion designers, expert hair stylists and makeup artists. Some stylists are adept at hair styling too and work on their client’s hair to offer stunning results.
These stylists help with their client’s clothes and accessories shopping choosing the right designs and colors. They fine tune and equip their wardrobes with clothes that exactly suit different occasions. This is the reason why they are also known as personal shoppers.
People who have been worked on by expert fashion stylists stand out among crowd and are the centre of attraction wherever they go. They exude confidence and charm and are always poised and self assured. They are examples of high fashion superbly guided by their stylists who help them keep pace with the ever changing fashion trends.
Every successful stylist has their own fashion website to make it easy for clients to contact them. To be a professional fashion stylist is a highly demanding job which requires you to be focused and dedicated. Only a deep passion for designing and styling can make you a reputed and successful stylist.
If you have the flair for it, you can either be a freelance, self taught professional or can opt for a degree from a reputed fashion institute. It greatly helps to do an internship under well known fashion stylists before venturing on your own. This will help you learn the nuances and tricks of the trade and learn all about the industry in-depth.
You must be prepared to face clients who are highly demanding and insist on perfection. If you work for fashion models on an everyday basis, then you must be prepared to deal with last minute highly stressful situations.
A stylist working for a television or movie production unit must be adept at selecting, planning and preparing items that are exactly suited to each setting and situation. The overall theme must be kept in mind before choosing the right clothes and accessories. Most importantly, all this has to be done keeping the budget in focus.
Fashion stylists must also keep pace with the current and latest fashion trends. Your key to success is in how expertly you integrate the personality and looks of your clients with the existing fashion sense.
Expert fashion stylists will be able to make last minute fix ups and swift alterations to dropped hems or split seams. They will be able to give focused attention to detail and will be highly knowledgeable on the current fashion trends.
There are numerous stylists in this industry and in order to survive the competition and establish your presence as reputed fashion stylists, you must have determination, focus and most importantly a deep passion for your job.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3570564
- Published in Fashion Cuisine, Fashion Lifestyle, Fashion Reviews, Tailored & Bespoke