Bespoke Shirts

First of all let’s make it clear what is and what is not a bespoke shirt. A shirt that is classed as bespoke should be cut from a hand made pattern which is produced exclusively for the wearer of that shirt. If the shirt is made from standard blocks or alteration to standard patterns then these are not bespoke; they are made to Measure or Stock Specials. Many of the online so-called ‘bespoke’ shirt vendors do not produce a unique pattern.

The most important things that you should demand in a bespoke shirt are as follows:

Good fit - a bespoke shirt is made to YOUR measurements, so it should fit you well. Your pattern should also be adjusted based on the fit of a shirt to ensure that subsequent shirts fit even better. If you want a good fit, then you need measuring by an experienced person. Self-measurement favoured by on-line shirt vendors is very much a compromise.

Quality material - Bespoke Shirts should be made from Cotton, Linen or if feeling extravegant a mix of cotton and cashmere, or silk. In the majority of cases it will be cotton that is chosen, as it provides better wrinkle resistance than linen and is suitable all year round. Not all cottons are the same! Cottons come in many qualities, cotton from the far east is poorer than the cotton woven in Italian and Swiss mills from fine Egyptian or Sea Island cotton. Brands of cotton to look for are Alumo of Switzerland, Tessitura Monti of Italy and Thomas Mason of England (but woven in italy). There are other good mills such as Acorn and Albini. These quality cottons will outlive the cheaper varieties by a long way.

Quality of collars and cuffs - Collars and Cuffs are the part of the shirt that can really show the quality (or lack of it). Many online bespoke shirt companies use fused collars and (where the interlining in the collars and cuffs is glued to the fabric); this causes flat looking collars and cuffs and is a sure sign of low quality. A good quality shirtmaker will stitch the interlining to the collar and cuffs so it is ‘free’, he may even offer you a range of softness for the linings.

Single Needle Stitching - This increases the durability of the shirt, but it does increase the cost - but in the long term it is an investment.

Pattern Matching - a shirt maker that produces a quality shirt will ensure that pattern on the shirt is matched wherever possible. A shirt with a split yoke should have continuous pattern going up the sleeves to the centre of the yoke. This shows the maker has taken time and care on making the shirt.

Gusset Strengtheners - This is a small triangle or butterfly shape piece of material used to strenghten the gusset area to prevent the seam splitting; a simple but effective addition to a quality shirt.

Mother of pearl Buttons - These not only look better but they will not break or crack. they should be sewn to the shirt by hand.

So what would you expect to pay for a shirt with all these features? You would expect to pay anything between £120 - £300 for such a shirt dependant on specific cloth chosen and amount of handwork required - cheaper than £100 and the maker has likely used cheap cloth, poor quality construction or missed one of the other items that makes a bespoke shirt worth buying.

The following are examples of Bespoke Shirt makers in the UK along with prices to be expected (these prices are from their websites where available). The shirts from these companies are Made in England (which is becoming ever rarer) to the quality described above. Some of these companies will make a trial shirt up first which may be cheaper than the prices quoted below.

London

Alexander Boyd - From £125 (No minimum quantity)

Dege & Skinner - From £167 (Minimum of four shirts)

Emma Willis - From £200 (Minimum order of three shirts)

Russell & Hodge - From ~£160 (Minimum unknown)

Budd of Picadilly - No details available

Turnbull & Asser - From ~£160 (Minimum of four shirts)

Harvey & Hudson - No details available

Hilditch and Key - Price unknown (Minimum of six shirts)

Sean O’Flynn - Price unknown (Minimum of three shirts?)

New & Lingwood - From £175 (Minimum of three shirts)

Outside London

The Sartorial Executive Bespoke Shirts - From £115 (No minimum) - Covering Bristol, Birmingham, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and The Cotswolds (with a visiting service)

G D Golding - From £175 (Minimum of three shirts) - based in St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Buying from one of the above companies will ensure that your shirt is truly Bespoke, Made in England using the finest possible cloth and is of a quality of manufacture that means it will last for years.