Custom made suits are all about style in a man. If you have been going to work in button-downs and khakis, it may be time for you to define yourself better with custom suits or what are sometimes called bespoke suits or made to measure suits. Although these words are used interchangeably (and that will be the case for this article), they have different meanings. Custom suits can be bespoke or made to measure (MTM). Bespoke suits are created from scratch using your precise measurements. They also require multiple fittings in the process of their creation so that the tailor can get everything just right and they are more expensive. Made to measure on the other hand use a standard pattern that is adjusted to fit the wearer.

It is important to understand that custom suits are not like any other suit that you’ll find in the men’s shop; they have features that distinguish them. You may not see them at first glance but when you start to look at the details, you will notice that bespoke suits are quite different:

• They are made to measure exactly. Our body symmetry is not the same. If you split a person vertically down the middle, you will notice very subtle changes between the left and the right sides. Some men will have a left or right shoulder that is a little higher, one of the legs may be a little shorter and so on. These are not details that you notice when you look at a person but a made-to-measure tailor will see them because he will measure you exactly. This means that the suit he will make for you will take into account all these little details and the end result looks a lot better than a suit from the shop.

• They have working buttonholes or what is sometimes called surgeon cuffs at the end of the sleeves.

• The interior is made of real silk and you get to choose what color you want it to be.

• They are hand stitched and it is evident to the eye; the stitches will not be as perfect as those of machine-stitched garments but they still look great.

•  They come with a hand-stitched canvas lining which is the most distinguishing feature of custom suits. You know how store-bought suits seem to slump lifeless after a few wears? This is because they are lined with synthetic material that is glued on with a certain kind of vegetable glue. In custom suits, the inner lining is made of canvas which ensures that the suit never loses its shape. The canvas is stitched on and will never “collapse”.