Bespoke vs Standard Hand Sewn

[aaronbt]

Just a question for the forum.

I`m planning on visiting Glasgow and Edinburgh at the end of the month. Over the course of the visit (two weeks) i plan on getting a kilt made (MacBeth) In the course of my research I have noticed quite a few of tailors/kiltmakers are offering bespoke tailoring services. for both the kilts, and accompanying jackets et al. I'm just looking for commentary from the forum. and advice as to the value of and reputation of the kiltmakers in the surrounding area. and in specfic recommendation to good bespoke kiltmakers.


cheers and thanks in advance for the advice!

[Jock Scot]

Hello there, welcome from Inverness-shire.

I am sure that you will get several recommendations before long for kilt makers in the Cities that you are visiting. But, BE WARNED there are some vendors of kilts, particularly in Edinburgh, that do not make the best of kilts, so please do your research well and rest assured you will find the name of some of the finest kilt makers in the world.

Had you been visiting my neck of the woods, I would have no hesitation in recommending Duncan Chisholm of "Chisholm's" of Inverness, but as you are not, I will leave it to others to guide you.

[Downunder Kilt]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Bespoke clothing is traditionally cut from a pattern drafted from scratch for the customer, and should not be confused with made to measure

The distinction between the two is that bespoke is created without use of a pre-existing pattern, whereas made to measure alters a standard-sized pattern to fit the customer.

With a kilt there is usually are a number of styles eg, knife pleated, box pleated, pleated to the sett, pleated to the stripe, pleated to the no stripe, rolled military pleats. You can have two buckles or three buckles, belt loops or no belt loops, fringe (single, double, triple, none.) I would suppose a kilt can be classed as a bespoke item.

I think one of the most important considerations is that to have bespoke tailoring you must have fittings with the tailor in person. I cannot see how you can mail order bespoke clothing

As for jackets, see my first paragraph, a pattern has to made from scratch, not an adaption from an existing one. This of course means fittings.

All of this means money, but a truly bespoke item will always fit and should look presentable ( as long as you remain the same as the bespoke measurements)

All this is of course assuming you have a reputable, quality tailor making your items.

All the best in your endeavours

[Phil]

Enjoy your visit to Glasgow and Edinburgh and I hope you manage to find a bespoke tailor. I know of none in Glasgow and only two in Edinburgh but in any case a hand-sewn kilt is, to all intent and purpose, a bespoke garment. Jackets/doublets etc. are quite a different matter. I have long since given up making any recommendations as a complete waste of my time and effort but would echo Jock's advice to avoid the cheap and nasty end of the market, most of which is to be found on the Royal Mile and thereabouts in Edinburgh.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I have to echo both Phil and Jock's comments-- shop carefully and shop wisely. From personal experience I can recommend Stewart Christie (but they are expensive) and Kyle Macpherson patronizes Kinloch Anderson in Leith (the sea port of Edinburgh) both of whom have an excellent reputation.

A truly bespoke jacket and waistcoat can run to GBP 1,000; made to measure will probably be half that, and off the peg you are probably going to spend around GBP350 for a quality jacket. For the average gentleman there is very little difference between made to measure or bespoke; both will fit extremely well and even with made to measure it is possible to somewhat customize the jacket-- things like buttons.

The major advantages to a bespoke jacket are in the wide selection of fabrics, buttons, lining--- every detail can specified to your exact requirement (my dinner jacket is lined in silk Macmillan Hunting tartan, for example). One other advantage is that bespoke garments make one watch their waistline... No one wants to out grow a GBP 1,000 kilt jacket!

[Highlander31]

Warning,...slight thread derailment ahead.

....The major advantages to a bespoke jacket are in the wide selection of fabrics, buttons, lining--- every detail can specified to your exact requirement (my dinner jacket is lined in silk Macmillan Hunting tartan, for example).

MoR, sounds like a nice looking jacket. I, for one,would like to see a photo of it sometime.

One other advantage is that bespoke garments make one watch their waistline... No one wants to out grow a GBP 1,000 kilt jacket!

Sage advice.

Thread, back on track.

[spglenn]

My Argyll Jacket is made to measure, because I'm one of those people who doesn't fit easily into an off the peg jacket (small chest, broad shoulders and longer than long arms). But for me it is well worth it. I sepnd £200 on the jacket and waistcoat from a supplier here in Belfast, who uses small tailors over in Scotland. Even the buttons are Brian Boru rather than the off the peg Lion Rampant.

If you are an awkward fit definitely worth it, even worth it if you aren't. The number of measurements they took for me covered everything and when it came it fitted like a glove. But as others said do the research, especially in Edinburgh, they can be overpriced for the quality of the end product if you are not careful.