Sans Socks

bespoke |bi_sp_k|
past of bespeak .
adjective [ attrib. ] chiefly Brit.
(of goods, esp. clothing) made to order : a bespoke suit.

While the wonder of bespoke clothing has seen resurgence into the world of fashion recently, the vast majority of clothiers manufacture "off the rack" clothing made for myriad consumers.

In a perfectly sartorial-world, we would all be able to employ a bespoke tailor, and among others a cobbler the likes of which would play principle roles in the crafting of our personal styles.

I won’t even begin to delve into the creation of a perfectly humane world, for as simple of reasons as my being a style writer and my having a 400-word article ceiling.

However, living in the world we do – the world of mass produced, mass replicated garments – how does one go about finding well-fitting, well-crafted clothing? Answer: the alteration tailor.

As with the bespoke tailor, an alteration tailor is employed to make a custom garment for the individual; however, as seen with the street artist Banksy, they do not begin with a blank canvas.

An alteration tailor will take your garment, as well as your measurements and requests, and will then customize for you an entirely unique article of clothing. Not to say it will look nothing like the piece you brought in – were that the case, I can’t say I would advocate the use of tailors. Unless, of course, the garment you received back was something more befitting you than its predecessor, which is actually what you are receiving back anyways. But I digress.

Fit is arguably the most essential aspect of a style, and while I personally advocate a matchstick approach to fit, by no means can any be considered correct. It’s simply a matter of taste, as well as intention. The best styles cannot be defined by their fit or the style of their garments, but instead by their executions.