Buying A Suit

[Eastender]

I need to buy a new suit in BKK, and I know very little about suits having tried to avoid them for years. I could get tailor made, but I've seen off the peg wool suits at around 5000 B at local mall, and I'm a fairly standard shape (in my opinion).

So what do you think of value for money on tailor made versus off the peg.

And are there any specialist off the peg shops I could check out (rather than the locaL mall)? Or do you have a personal recommendation for tailors?

Thanks to all.

[Mig15]

It depends on what you want and what quality you need. I was told to get one for work and got one for less than 2000 made to measure. And that was form a Taylor on Sukhumvit road. It is good enough for what I need.

[El_D]

Go to "Jim Tailor Shop" on Sukhumvit Soi 8.

Mr. Jim is a helluva nice guy that allowed me to shelter in his shop one day when a monsoon was gushing water 2 feet deep down Soi 8, and never tried to sell me anything. He just offered me coffee, beer or water.

6 months later I needed some suits made so went to see him. Got 2 VERY nice suits, with shirts & ties included, all made to fit, for $180 USD.

[Guest IT Manager]

take a break. A few days in CM will have you re-upholstered.

[Maverick]

If u want top quality go to Rajawongse near Nana Plaza - 300 US for a DJ plus shirt, 2 bow ties etc etc I paid. He fits all the overseas bigwigs and for example Bush when he was over for the APEC. Pricey yes but 95% the other tailors risky and you will end up looking like either Norman Wisdom or Liberace.

[penzman]

I was told that many shops will take your measurements on the spot but get the suits made a lot cheaper somewhere else... true???

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Needle King on Sukhumvit between Soi's 10 and 12. Mr Rodger

[warriors]

Ok IT I am off to changmai 17th feb name the names so I can look the part when I get back to NEW ZEA LAND

and thank you for your answer I know it will come

[Mig15]

Yes, Needle King that’s where I got mine made. He is a nice guy as well. They don’t make them on the premises in these places they don’t have the room. But you choose the fabric you want and it’s made from it. If you found the place where they make them you may get it even cheaper but is it worth worrying about for the price they are?

[warriors]

ok ill look into Needle King just to see but will still like names in CHANGMAI

[dr_Pat_Pong]

ok ill look into Needle King just to see but will still like names in CHANGMAI

Come on IT ...aren't you into tailoring too ?

[Axel]

I was told that many shops will take your measurements on the spot but get the suits made a lot cheaper somewhere else... true???

True

[Nat]

Hi Eastender

The guys can give you the best advice regarding suits, esp where to buy them, but being a female can't help offering some fashion tips .

Personally think a suit can say a lot about a person and is a worthwhile investment. Think it would be best to go tailor-made rather than off the rack, unless it's Armani, Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, etc (which will cost you a fortune and probably need some alterations to get the perfect fit).

There are some basic rules when buying a suit. Firstly and foremost a suit has to fit your body and suit your shape. Secondly, it should be made of wool or cotton. The four main designs are: navy (for business, lunches, dinners, politicians etc); classic gray (all occasions, not controversial); basic black (social occasions such as weddings, birthdays, award ceremonies, funerals etc, a classic and must have in every wardrobe - also perfect compliment to a good white shirt); and, any of the 3 with pinstripes (however would only recommend this if you're short as stripes make you look taller).

Now the most important part of the ensemble, the jacket. Single-breasted or double? A single tends to flatter the slimmer types, whereas the double makes the boader types look mightier and important (check out some of the CEOs of some of the multinationals). You said you're average, so would assume a single-breasted would be fine. How many buttons? 3 is ok just a bit passe, 2 is the safest bet - any more is part of a passing trend. Remember on a 2 button jacket only do up the top button; on a 3 button do up either the middle or the top two. Again be sure that it fits properly and there aren't any wrinkles when you do up the buttons. Also vents are highly recommended and under no circumstances are shoulder pads pemitted (a huge fashion crime - it's up there with wearing stripes and poker-dots). In regards to the pants the big questions are cuffs or no cuffs, and pleats or no pleats? Cuffs are generally for older guys (personally prefer them and think they add sophistication). Pleats should only be on wool blend pants and give the appearance of being well folded (not wrinkly). How the waist is cut is entirely up to you, just keep in mind your body shape (go for the cut that flatters ).

Won't go into shirts and ties - save that for another day . Hope all that hasn't confused you and good luck in finding a suit that suits you

[alanw]

Lots of positve comments and recommendations.

So I'm sorry to be a little negative...

Years back I had two bad experiences:

First, one with an Indian tailor shop near the intersection of Sukhumvit 11, coming towards British Embassy.

Second experience - A company colleague from Singapore wanted three suits, he was determined to find a shop in an advertisement he had found. It was located within the shops surrounding the TAT Duty Free shop on Ploenchit. I took my colleague to find the shop.

The result on both occasions: 1. The fabric selected was not used, in fact the fabric was not much better than hemp. 2. Fitting of both pants and coat was awful. 3. Price somehow jumped to a lot more than quoted on first visit.

Also, there is a tailor shop within the shopping area of my office building on Sathorn. Never see anybody from the office part of the building in the shop. Most clients are farang waiting outside the embasy on Sathorn, going back towards Soi 1. Seems the tailor shop hands out cards to people in the queue waiting to get into the embassy. Regularly see unhappy farang arguing with the shop owner, obviously just picked up the finished goods and clearly unhappy.

I've luckily since found an extended family connection to an actual maker, in the back sois in Pattaya. He work is excellent, recently made me a great blazer, fully tailored - 1,700Baht - excellent fabric, never seems to wrinke, excellent fit to a not so in shape body.

Summary:

Suggest you don't stray from the earlier recommendations. Suggest when you have selected fabric(s), ask for a small piece of each fabric.

Avoid like the plague the shops which advertise 2 suits, extra pants, three shirts, & more US$99.

[Guest IT Manager]

ok ill look into Needle King just to see but will still like names in CHANGMAI

Come on IT ...aren't you into tailoring too ?

I never get a break. Yes. Click Here for Gods Sake man...

Khun Viroj doesn't do it for tourists. Takes a week. makes my work slacks and shirts. Does a lovely suit. Wool, cotton, blend. Use the "measurements" page to measure up online, select a colour and fabric. If you have one favourite, it's all there.

He isn't a 24 hour tailor, be aware of that. Just makes nice clothes for the better end of town, like myself and my sons.

[Eastender]

Nat. Thanks very much for taking the time to send your reply. Very helpful!

Bye.

[think_too_mut]

>I was told that many shops  will take your measurements on the spot but get the suits made  a lot  cheaper somewhere else... true???

That's my knowledge too. The suits are made in hangar-like sweat shops.

On my first visit to BKK (business) I had my suit with me and went to several shops asking if they could make an exact copy of it. Nothing fancy, 500US$ navy blue suit.

Yes, they could but the price was 30% higher than what I had paid back home.

How comes?

"We have to use imporetd fabric."

(The suit was made of Italian fabric that had to be imported to my country too.)

That made me think they knew that substitution of fabric would not work and had to charge normal price.

Ready made suits: got one 3 weeks ago at Emporium and the price was similar as at home. What made it a deal, if I bought the suit with 2 pairs of pants, they would throw in a third pair for free.

So, I am wearing it as I am typing this message.

IMO, unless one is of non-standard stature, no need to even look at those "Taylor of the Year" shops along the lower Sukhumvit.

[Nat]

Nat. Thanks very much for taking the time to send your reply. Very helpful!

Bye.

Not a prob - hope you look sharp in your new suit

[bapak]

The address for Needle King is:

200 Sukhumvit Road between Soi 10 and 12

Phone: 02 252 9036

Guy's name is Roger Ghogar

Highly recommended.

Cheers, Bapak

[britmaveric]

I bought a few tailor made suits/silk shirts in Pattaya. Great quality (armani material) No doubt the material was nicked, but was exactly the same material in a armani shop. I took a few swatches in London prior to heading back to Thailand last Oct so I compared and exactly the same. Top suit for less than a $100quid. (Silk shirts thrown in for 0)

Warning though be careful and shop around- finding right material is the key.

[tutsiwarrior]

Nat...get outta here...women look at clothing from a fashion perpective and men who would prefer no clothing at all view suits as a necessary appendage especially in this weather.

- when looking to get a tailored suit select your fabric from what they display in their shop and watch as they cut it off the bolt. Check it closely (look at the mark on the edge of the cloth) and say '20% now and the rest when I get the same cloth and it fits'

- you always need a second fitting...if the person that you're dealing with says no matter, use the door...

- don't matter who sews the garment, if it's what you want then OK

- never go in after some pints...the dude you see expects a confused expat and is prepared to exploit the scenario.

I wouldn't expect to pay more than the equivalent of 200 GBP for a bespoke light worsted wool suit around here...half that for a synthetic fabric.

check it out...especially if you got some thai friends that can point you in the right direction...avoid Sukhumvit if possible. Hint that you may come back for a couple more suits and OK...price comes down.

The combination suits, shirts and ties business is a lever for bargaining...just say that you aren't interested and set your own terms for the suit alone. M&S have got better white dress shirts anyway...better fabric (OK if you use a regular size)

[Nat]

Nat...get outta here...women look at clothing from a fashion perpective

of course we do want him looking good

[tutsiwarrior]

my wife says I look good in cotton trunks and 100 kgs.

[Guest IT Manager]

My wife says I look my best in nothing.

[TizMe]

IT,

I think you are confused. She told me that you are "good for nothin'"

[Up2U]

Difficult to pick out a good fabric if you are just shown swatches. You need to see the bolt of cloth as well, when you are close to a final choice.

The tailor should measure you and make the jacket. However trousers are frequently sent out for cutting and making up. Same happens in UK, Europe. I assume also in the States.

Do not pay too much in advance - 25% when you order, 25% on first fitting and the rest when you are satisfied with the result.

Nowadays in Europe there are so many suits with YSL, Pierre Cardin and such labels that are factory produced, with material that is foam-backed, stiffened and otherwise messed around with, that it's a pleasure to pick up a well-crafted Thai suit.

[mrmnp]

Perhaps my experience will be of value to you. Having had suits made in Japan, Hong Kong and Chiangmai, I learned an old adage that Hong Kong makes suits that "fit like a glove" but who wants a suit that fits like a glove.

Suffice to say, the suit maker here was purported to be high quality. The suit for my daughter was made of high quality imported italian worsted wool. Cost $8000.

It is "made to measure". Even when she was here and had another suit made with ten days to have it "tailored", i t was "made to measure" NOT TAILORED. She had plenty of time for fittings, but they just measured her and then made "alterations" to make it fit better.

I have learned that the cutting of a suit is what makes it ultimately fit the best and "hang well". Western high quality suits are cut by master cutters, Asian suits are rarely so made. We used to say that it takes four suit purchases in Asia before you get one right.

From my observations here in Chiang Mai and clothing made in Pattaya, I have concluded that almost all the "taior shops" are really fabric sellers, many Indian,

who measure you and then send your measurements and the fabric you selected to a "manufacturer" that makes the suit and returns it to the shop for alterations to fit. They usually have a seamstress available, or a "tailor" who travels from shop to shop, to make the alterations.

Since you are not a difficult "shape" to clothe, buying ready made, if it fits and you like the suit, is your best bet in my view. You know what you are getting and there are no expectations that will be dashed. While my daughter was happy with her efforts, I saw puckered seams, folds where they shouldn't have been, etc. Like me, she had to have the shoulders lowered, something that shouldn't occur when a true tailored suit is made. Those types of alterations can be made from a ready-to-wear suit that has been bought off the shelf that has been cut by a master cutter.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Personally, if you want quality and value for money - go to Hoi An in Vietnam and get a taylor made suit there.

You choose everything from the depth of the pockets to how far apart the pin stripes are, you also get a shirt and two ties and get charged the equivalent of about 1,100 baht for it - that's under twenty quid.

Hoi An is also arguably the niceset place in Vietnam.

By the way, the shirt and ties are crap, especially the shirt - but two years later and my suit is still looking sharp.