Bespoke shirts, an art in the tailoring world
May 20, 2017

Bespoke tailoring is not just about making customized suits or jackets. It is also about designing in details any piece of fabric into the creative imagination of human mind. Today, I am going to talk about bespoke shirts and to begin with let us know how we should take measurements for making a perfectly fitting shirt for yourself.
Starting with the collar, start measuring with an inch tape the inner circumference of the shirt (neck). This measurement should perfectly fit at the base of the neck. The collar shouldn't be loose or too tight. It should snug the neck perfectly. After measuring the collar, one should proceed to measure the back of the shirt. This area is called the shoulder length. The shoulder length keeps on changing throughout one's life and therefore it is necessary to establish the broadness of the subject's chest and shoulders.
The next measurement that we can do after completing the measurements of the shoulder are of the side seems. Keep the measuring tape on the joint of the shoulder and keeping the hands straight side wise measure from the starting of the shoulder to the base of the wrist. You can also move your elbow and determine the length is perfect or not.
Once these have been established, measure the front lapel from collar to desired base stitching at the wrist. After this you can measure the broadness around the waist and the overall length of the shirt. The shirt should fit properly on the torso of the person wearing it. It shouldn't be too loose, too tight or short in length. After these have been established the tailor can proceed to show various fabrics available in the shop. The customer can buy any number of fabrics and can ask the tailor to materialize and finish the desired product.
Moving on further there are basically eight types of collars which are in vogue. These are the spread collar. A spread collar has smaller edges compared to a classic or pinned collar and fits perfectly on anyone. This type of collar is usually used in formal clothing. Second type of collar is called the classic shirt collar. This collar is very similar to the spread collar but differs from it as its edges are longer and broader than the spread collar. The next collar that one can go for is the button down collar. In this type of collar there are two buttons on each sides of the shirt where these can be snug with the shirt.
This type of collar is extensively popular and used with informal and casual clothing. It is a strict no no to wear a shirt with button down collar to any party, meeting or any other formal event. The fourth type of collar is the mandarin and as the name suggests it is a traditional Chinese round collar. These types of shirts are also very popular with the urban youth and gives a fresh and energetic feel to one's personality.
The next type of collar is used quite rarely. Some people try to wear this type of collared shirt to formal events, other than that it is not in vogue. This collar is generally referred to as, pinned collar where a small pin runs in between the two collar edges. Now let's talk about a very popular hybrid collar which is used a lot in the corporate world. It's called a contrasting collar. There is no big deal in making this collar and the only thing required is a contrasting (usually white piece of cloth). The collar is usually white in color while the rest of the shirt can have pinned stripes or even geometrical squares.
Now let's discuss about the shirts hems. There are basically two main types of shirt hems. The first one is called the tail and the second one squared. The tail type of shirt hem is very popular in casual clothing. It is also very popular in the world of formal clothing. This type of shirt has rounded edges at the bottom. The second hem type is used in formal occasions. This shirt hem is just a straight cut at the bottom of the shirt. This cut is usually worn by youngsters on their casual shirts and by people who love to dress in formal clothing.
Last but not the least comes the soul of the shirt which is the fabric quality and the color. It is advisable that one should choose a fabric which is extra soft, has rich variety in colors and most importantly matches the skin tone of the wearer. With these few tips in hand you can get the best bespoke shirt made for yourself and redefine your personality, making a great impression.