You are not logged in.
#1 2008-04-30 05:58:06
- r. rafael
- Member
- From: Allentown, PA
- Posts: 40
How To Act With Your Tailor
I have this theory about how not to treat bespoke purchases. It seems to be a mistake to treat a bespoke purchase as the purchase of a product, as opposed to the purchase of a service. As a consumer, if you want to end up with the best result, I think you must approach the two differently. When purchasing a product, go ahead and ask prices, comparison shop, shop around, etc. When purchasing a service, you must exercise charm and deference with the professional. I think if you don't, there will be a negative effect on the result. I don't think the bespoke process benefits from customer micromanagement. I try to practice this, even with my clothing store salesman. I don't go into the store and say "what's on sale?" I don't think you'll get the best result that way.
If I ever get a suit from Cheo, I plan to act this way!
#3 2008-04-30 06:37:39
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#4 2008-04-30 09:12:41
- yachtie
- Member
- Posts: 843
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Be nice, ask questions, and don't be demanding. Treat just like you'd want to be treated in a similar situation.
#5 2008-04-30 09:24:04
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
With the NYC tailors (the few remaining), don't take cloth with you and ask for a discount. Don't even broach the subject--A tailor who has been doing business with the major mills and distributors can often leverage discounts on the cloth you specifically want.
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#7 2008-04-30 09:46:17
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#9 2008-04-30 11:21:27
- r. rafael
- Member
- From: Allentown, PA
- Posts: 40
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Film Noir Buff--"There is a gaggle of fellows who feel the need to be experts before they ever have the experience and they are generally too insecure to treat their makers with kindness."
This fits in with my other theory (sorry) (I'm also somewhat guilty of this): Prior to the message boards, if you wanted sartorial knowledge (as dispensed here and elsewhere), you had to spend money and learn from experience and the few books available. Now, with the message boards, you don't necessarily have to spend as much money. Opportunities for vicarious experience have increased. BTW, I confess to being a tyro.
#11 2008-04-30 16:55:15
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Last edited by Marc Grayson (2008-04-30 17:11:21)
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#12 2008-04-30 17:14:30
- Beau-Barrister
- Member
- Posts: 39
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Last edited by Beau-Barrister (2008-04-30 17:17:12)
#13 2008-04-30 17:23:31
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#14 2008-04-30 17:55:13
- TE Alphonsus St Bonar
- Member
- From: An elite town, dear Sir
- Posts: 31
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
My Dear and Distinguished Sirs,
A charming and well-timed discussion Gentlemen. Tailors are servants, and as such should be treated like any other member of that class (valet, maid, cook, carriage-driver, &c), to wit, with condescension and Christian sufferance. One should be patient, but firm with the last letter of one's requirements, lest he forget his station - the sad ruination of many a good tailor. I have been beaten savagely about the head and limbs by more than one, so it is important too that he be of a relatively slighter stature than oneself. Good help truly is hard to find - what sad times we live in, Gentlemen.
I remain affectionately
Your most obedient and humble servant,
Theodore Ebeneezer Alphonsus St Bonar, Esquire
Distinguished Gentleman
'Friends are born, not made.'
-Professor Henry Brooks Adams.
#15 2008-04-30 19:49:23
- Jeeves
- The Gentleman's Gentleman
- Posts: 420
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Always be very cautious with remaindered Lessers cloth. The only way I can see for Lessers cloth to get into the discount channel is from a tailor who has a length he ordered but no longer needs. Lessers take the view that sooner or later there is a buyer for everything and so there is no need to discount. On the plus side it means that your tailor can get a particular item that isn't made any more, on the minus side you have to wonder why the item is still there after all this time.
#16 2008-04-30 20:04:48
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#20 2008-05-01 04:07:30
- formby
- Member
- From: Wiseacre
- Posts: 8359
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
Last edited by formby (2008-05-01 04:47:16)
"Dressing, like painting, should have a residual stability, plus punctuation and surprise." - Richard Merkin
Souvent me Souvient
#23 2008-05-01 10:15:27
- yachtie
- Member
- Posts: 843
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
There's some market driving going on as well. There's more variety in the 8-10 oz ranges than in the 13 oz + weights and I think that's more due to what's selling more. Can be a bummer if you run cold.
I have to agree with the invidious snobbery concerning certain cloth sellers, which is why I rely on a nice hand and my tailor's advice (mostly). I'll try things off the reservation occasionally but I'll usually go with something he's recommended.
It's true, Scabal has some very nice stuff, so does Dormueil etc. despite what some "Fora Gentlemen" may say.
#24 2008-05-01 19:48:21
- tteplitzmd
- Member
- Posts: 345
Re: How To Act With Your Tailor
With regard to hunting for cloths...I happen to enjoy the chase. I have purchased cloth in Bologna, Edinburgh, London, Brooklyn, and even Beverly Hills. However, I have a particular interest in the cloth, and for better or worse, my interest and knowledge of the textiles exceeds my knowledge of tailoring. Hence, I have a number of bespoke duds, made from magnificent cloths. There is a learning curve with cloth, just as with collecting oriental rugs. Antique rugs made no sense at all to me, until I looked at hundreds, and things began to fall into place. So, I find it useful to look thru the stock at Tip Top. With a good eye, and intact peripheral nerves, it isn't hard to tell the better cloths from the duds. Some of the cloths I have found would simply not be available thru the tailor.
