Custom Made Dress Shirts

[JRSC00LUDE]

Hey guys,

Is there anywhere in Calgary that makes a good quality custom fit dress shirt?

I know there's a few threads about suits but I want to focus just on shirts.

Thoughts or experiences?

Not really looking for the online thing, that would be as a last resort......if you DO have a positive experince with online, I'll listen. The only one i'm aware of is Indochino and I have sure seen mixed reviews on here as to their suits. It seems to be the kind of place where it's great if you're not overly fussy.

I am overly fussy.

[flipstah]

A local seamstress? Seems to be expensive. Why don't you go to Indochino?

Custom fit but their choice on materials is so-so. It's on par with an altered Mexx/BR shirt.

Oops, just read your edit. I'll wait for someone to chime in. I think Harry Rosen/Holt can do what your asking for.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by flipstah
A local seamstress? Seems to be expensive. Why don't you go to Indochino?

Custom fit but their choice on materials is so-so. It's on par with an altered Mexx/BR shirt.

Oops, just read your edit. I'll wait for someone to chime in. I think Harry Rosen/Holt can do what your asking for.

It depends on what "expensive" is. I have a girl here who makes custom vests for me and they're only $120.00, she doesn't do shirts though and I'm not aware of anyone else locally that does....

You buy a decent shirt and it's $90-110 and half the time I don't like how they fit so it's another $20 to tailor it a bit. I figured if you can get something perfect for $140 or so, why not?

I'll consider Indochino if there's no better option.....

[flipstah]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


It depends on what "expensive" is. I have a girl here who makes custom vests for me and they're only $120.00, she doesn't do shirts though and I'm not aware of anyone else locally that does....

You buy a decent shirt and it's $90-110 and half the time I don't like how they fit so it's another $20 to tailor it a bit. I figured if you can get something perfect for $140 or so, why not?

I'll consider Indochino if there's no better option.....

By 'expensive', I just naively assumed that Canadian labour costs would kill you. I think $140 for a tailored shirt with materials you personally picked AND felt is more than fair.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

You may be right, a vest is much easier to make than a shirt. I have no idea what the true cost would be.

Perhaps that price point is only available from an online retailer. I want good fitting shirts with choice of colour/print but I'm not in the $300.00/shirt market either. I like nice fitting things but there's a point where it wouldn't be worth it and I'm better off still buying off the rack and tailoring.

[cet]

I think there are a few around town that make shirts. Giovanni the Tailor Shop does, Henry's and Umberto maybe?. The problem is they are really expensive - Somewhere around $3-400 I think.

The other option is to wait for a travelling tailor. There are a few that come here such as MyTailor, Maxwell and Indochino.
I get mine from Mytailor. They usually vist 2 times a year and the process is pretty simple. They usually set up in a hotel room or an office downtown, you make an appointment and go in to get measured, tell them what you want in the shirt (ie. collar rise, french or barrel cuff, placket style etc.) and pick out the cloth you want. I think they have a min. order of 4 shirts anc can range from about $300 up for the 4 of them. They then send all your info to the factory in Hong Kong and you get your shirts 4-5 weeks later.

I've heard of a couple of guys that placed the order for 4 but got them to nly ship one out initially so they could cheeck the fit and make any adjustments. Once they were happy they had the other 3 shirts completed. My first set of shirts were a bit too big in the waist and a bit long in the arms, my second set are perfect.They also keep all your measurements on file so if you go to them again when they are here they can check to see how much your measurements have changed or you can go online and order new shirts without haveing to see them again.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

Good info., thank you.

I do have access to a quality tailor here that can take all my measurements to provide to an Indochino or similar, it's the end quality that I am most concerned with. Would you end up with a product of equal quality to a typicall $100 off the rack shirt?

[cet]

In my opinion yes you would. The fabric quality is obviously going to depend on which fabric you choose. They have thousands of fabrics on their site - everything from $59 blends to $209 Thomas Mason Bespoke and $339 Monti 200's Super Luxury. The first batch I got I spent about $100/shirt, the last batch I wanted something that was more for everyday work wear and spent about $70/shirt. With both sets I wear them regularly and throw them in the wash att he end of the week. I've not had probelms with any of them. Plus - they fit much better than off the rack.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by cet
In my opinion yes you would. The fabric quality is obviously going to depend on which fabric you choose. They have thousands of fabrics on their site - everything from $59 blends to $209 Thomas Mason Bespoke and $339 Monti 200's Super Luxury. The first batch I got I spent about $100/shirt, the last batch I wanted something that was more for everyday work wear and spent about $70/shirt. With both sets I wear them regularly and throw them in the wash att he end of the week. I've not had probelms with any of them. Plus - they fit much better than off the rack.

Well maybe I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I really appreciate your input, thank you.

[SkiBum5.0]

I"ve been using Maxwell's Tailors for the past 5 years. Reasonable quality and the price is right at 3 shirts for $150 - plus duty = ~$190 for 3.

They have books of materials and patterns but I usually use them for white/grey/blue basic patterns, then spend a bit more for "louder" shirts at Henry Rosen, Holt's or O'Connors.

Super simple process with Maxwells and once they have your measurements you can order online.

[flipstah]

Keep us updated on your process, JRS!

[woodywoodford]

Seems to me that if you want a good bespoke shirt, Giovanni or Henry are you only good local options. I've got some indochino shirts, and they were nice at first, but the material is incredibly cheap - I wouldn't even compare them to the BR shirts I generally wear. The color on the elbows is fading, they don't hold shape well after a wash, and the material is visibly cheap. You'd be better off finding quality shirts and even just getting giovanni to modify them for you, though that's not necessarily cheap either.

Indo - cheap and you can tell
Bespoke - expensive, but won't disappoint

[max_boost]

How does the BR stuff fit for you? With all those 40% off coupons they e-mail out, it was worth it for me to just buy them and pay $15 for tailoring.

[dirtysamwich]

I've gotten a couple at Harry Rosen but it does tend to be on the expensive side. Not entirely sure if they do it on a regular basis or if it's just during the J.P. Tilford special time or whatever.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by woodywoodford
Indo - cheap and you can tell
Bespoke - expensive, but won't disappoint

I got mine done in Asia so it was hella cheap and I picked the materials so it was all good. I love me French cuffs...

[blitz]

I bought 2 shirts from Indochino and would never buy another.

Shirts from moderntailor are more expensive, but awesome quality. A decent selection of non-iron too.

[JRSC00LUDE]

This is all great feeback, thanks everyone.

I also put this out on fbook and a local friend said that just last friday, one of his buddies had a bunch of people over for a custom suit/shirt fitting that he lines up once a year with some company. He is going to give me their information as well and I will have a chance to see the finished product in person so it's not a total miss.

Regardless, I am getting great info. and when I decide which way to go I will be sure to update!

Any more relevant tips are much appreciated.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I have 14 shirts from Indochino, and all of them are nicer than anything I have seen on the rack for $150 or less. Fit is perfect. I also have 4 pairs of pants and a suit from them, and I am equally satisfied.

I had one small issue with one shirt, and they let me keep the shirt, and gave me a voucher for another free shirt + a tie.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

This is part of my problem with Indochino, there are either glowing reviews or people hate it but no in between! If the people who hate it are as fussy as I am then I likely will too I suppose.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
^

This is part of my problem with Indochino, there are either glowing reviews or people hate it but no in between! If the people who hate it are as fussy as I am then I likely will too I suppose.

I am fussy about fit, which is why I turned to custom clothes in the first place, being that the price is the same or less than off the rack.

I would venture a guess than anyone who said the fit isn't good didn't measure properly. They just make what you tell them to, and that part can be a little daunting for someone who is just in a hurry to get their clothes.

Material is different shirt-to-shirt and some of it is thicker than others depending on the fabric. I've never felt it was too thin or cheap.

I suggest you do a discovery order - one shirt. Shipping is free, and if it doesn't fit they will pay to alter it or remake it for you. I had small alterations on my first order, which they paid for, then I adjusted my measurements accordingly and everything has been perfect since. That way you can make up your own mind.