MacKenzie Frain Regulation Doublet -- a review

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In 2009 I did two things which I had never done before. I sent my measurements off to someone I had never met, and ordered a fairly expensive garment. The first order went to Barbra Tewksbury, and as I have stated before, the resulting kilt was, and is, absolutely splendid. My next foray into the world of Made-To-Measure was with the firm of MacKenzie Frain, and the results were equally gratifying. For those not familiar with the term "made-to-measure" let me explain that clothing-- in this instance a regulation doublet and waistcoat-- can either be purchased off the rack in standard sizes, or custom made to fit the individual customer. Obviously anything custom made will cost more, but this is compensated for by a better (and more comfortable) fit. Custom clothing is referred to as "bespoke" if the entire tailoring process is the work of a single tailor or firm (as in the case of Saville Row where often one tailor will make the coat, another the trousers, and another the waistcoat). The term "bespoke" actually refers to the client selecting the fabric, which at that point is "spoken for". Bespoke has taken on a broader meaning, and is now applied to a totally custom made garment (or item, as in the case of custom coachwork on motorcars).

Between the cost effectiveness of an off the rack garment and the financial extravagance of a bespoke garment lies the realm of made-to-measure. In this instance numerous measurements are taken, the fabric selected, and the garment is made at a factory to a closer, and obviously better, fit than a rack size coming from the same company. In other words it is the difference between buying a car off the showroom floor, and ordering what you want from the dealer. Both serve the same utilitarian purpose, but one is far more personalized. As far as costs are concerned, the made-to-measure garment will cost about 50% more than a rack size, but only about one-third to one-half the cost of bespoke.

MacKenzie Frain offer both a bespoke and made-to-measure service, as well as rack sizes for most, if not all of their Highland attire. So, having decided that it was time to retire my old regulation doublet, I opted for a new, made-to-measure one. A phone call, and a quick exchange of emails, confirmed that not only could they provide what I wanted, but at a reasonable price (315 GBP plus shipping) and with a reasonable delivery date (ten weeks, but actually delivered nearly three weeks ahead of schedule). That sorted I printed the measurement forms from their website and headed off to a local tailor to be properly measured.

Let me say, right here, that this is the most important part of the whole transaction-- if the measurements are off, the jacket won't fit, and you'd have been better off buying off the rack. Finding a tailor to do the measuring is straight forward enough. A look in the yellow pages (try alterations or formal wear) should sort that out pretty quickly. My local tailor charged $10, which seemed more than reasonable to me.

I then faxed the measurements off to Scotland and settled in to wait.

Eventually the day dawned, and the jacket and waistcoat arrived. Having read the complaints of those who had been dissatisfied with UPS/DHL, etc. I had my jacket sent over by Royal Mail, which not only provided a tracking service, but managed to take only four days to make the trip from the UK to Staunton, Virginia. Duty was not assessed on the package.

But enough of the back story. The three "F"s by which I tend to judge clothes-- Fit, Finish, and Fabric-- are, like Caesar's wife, beyond reproach. The jacket and waistcoat fit like they were made for me, which they were. The detailing of the cuffs, flaps, and lapels shows a great deal of careful hand work, which explains why a regulation doublet costs more than a Prince Charlie coatee in the first instance. I had specified a slightly heavier weight black barathea and silk lapels, and this MacKenzie Frain supplied without a murmur of dissent, and the resulting jacket couldn't be better.

Is it worth the money? Yes. The total cost of the doublet and jacket, including shipping, was about the same as a good, off the rack suit if purchased from one of the more up market department stores, and less than the cost of a navy blazer from my local men's shop. So, based on my experience with MacKenzie Frain I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a first class product and service at what I consider to be a reasonable price.

For more details, go to their website: www.mackenziefrain.com