From colour and occasion to cut, we have tips from Jerrick Lee, co-founder 0f Bespoked by Ian Chang, on what to keep in mind when ordering your next tailored suit.
Having been around since 2008, suit tailor Bespoked by Ian Chang has been providing suit services for its customers for the last twelve years – from tailoring to accessories for both formal and casual men’s attire.
As someone who is experienced in all things to do with suits, co-founder and director of Bespoked, Jerrick Lee, spoke to us about a few things a gentleman should keep in mind before he orders his next suit. To begin, Jerrick said that formal suits can be broadly categorized into day suits and night suits.
“Night suits are usually very formal, like tuxedos. There are more textures, more designs, while day time suits have more flat colours, and they are less grand, and less textured,” Jerrick says.
There are a number of factors to keep in mind when before you order a new suit – and with Jerrick’s help, we have put together a list of those considerations for you.
What colour is most appropriate?
Jerrick said that the most important consideration when it comes to choosing your suit is the colour.
“Colour is very important for a suit, and it’s one of the main questions that customers ask about when they come in to have their suits tailored,” says Jerrick.
Jerrick says that the reason colour is so important is because colours of a suit determine its appropriateness for an event or occasion.
“As an example, for formal suits, it is not customary to wear a black suit during the day time because that is reserved for funerals,” Jerrick says. Choosing the correct colour can separate a formal business suit from a formal event or party suit.
“Lighter colours can be used on a business suit or an event suit – you just have to choose the right one,” he adds. As an illustration, Jerrick says that for business suits, the ‘safe’ colours include grey, brown and blue which are more muted and appropriate for a work setting.
For day suits and night suits that are meant for parties, one can choose from many colours that best represent the theme or dress code of the party – or the customers’ personal preference.
What’s the occasion?
Another key consideration before ordering a suit is of course the occasion to which you will be wearing it. Is it a graduation? A big presentation for your clients or bosses? A wedding?
“It’s important to consider the dress code or theme of the occasion you’re attending,” explains Jerrick, adding that the starting point of choosing the colour of a suit is usually what occasion it’s needed for.
“For formal business meetings or during a corporate setting, it is better to use the ‘evergreen’ suits which are the more traditional types of formal suits, because there is a need to be a bit more serious.”
“For more fun events like parties, you can choose a fun colour with a fun design and you can play around more with your options,” he adds.
Jerrick adds that Bespoked offers advice on how to go about choosing the colour and design for a suit. Jerrick has assisted customers who have little to no experience on buying suits and he insists that it is important to have a chat with the customer to determine what kind of look they are going for with the suit they are about to order.
“I receive the most questions from customers about which colour to choose for their suits. Many customers come in and we usually have a discussion about how they feel they want to look, depending on the required dress code, of course,” Jerrick adds.
What kind of design are you going for?
Single breasted, or double breasted suit? A spread collar or a cutaway colour? Choosing the design of a suit imperative. There are different suit cuts and styles that will be appropriate for different body types and again, this is where the expertise of suit experts such as Jerrick come in.
According to Jerrick, for evergreen suits or classic suits, there are staple designs that do not vary much – because they are meant to be for more formal occasions.
“There are classic designs used for business suits and there are ‘funkier’ designs used for events or parties. For example, a formal business suit cannot have too much going on or designs that are too loud, because the look needs to be serious and not ‘in-your-face,” he says.
According to Jerrick, the design that is in-trend lately has been the slimmer fit design, where the suit is more figure-hugging.
“The design and cutting of the suit are also factors to consider, after having chosen the colour of your suit. The more tapered, slim-fit look is in-trend these days,” he explains.
All-in-all, the main takeaway for the gentleman is to have a rough idea of the general look that they are aiming for, before they go to tailor a suit, subject to dress code restrictions and personal style restrictions of course!
Bespoked by Ian Chang is located in 1 Utama Shopping Centre. Visit their website here or call them at 03-7724 2499 to book your next suit appointment.
(Photography: Anson Siau)