See how easy custom clothing is from See Chicago TV's episode: Chicago's Best Custom Tailor: Nicholas Joseph Custom Tailors
"Men need stylish and custom clothing, too. Nicholas Joseph can definitely create a perfect fit and design for every man. There’s individualized collars, cuffs, lengths, sleeves and even monograms. A man walks in and a gentleman walks out"
See the episode: Guys Night: Nicholas Joseph Custom Tailors
Custom Shirt display at Nicholas Joseph in Chicago
Like custom suits & other custom clothing, the cost of a custom shirt varies depending upon fabric and craftmanship (labor & materials). When purchasing custom clothing, the adage, "You get what you pay for", certainly applies, but there are a full range of cost options available.
If you are serious about your shirting, you'll quickly realize that it's about more than just the fabric and craftsmanship, it's also about the measurements, discussion about fit preference, and shirt tailor doing the cutting. After all, you could pay a thousand dollars for several custom shirts, but if the original measurements, the fit allowance, and the shirt tailor cutting the fabric doesn't have the experience, you will likely end up very frustrated - we hear these stories all the time from new clients' previous experiences with online, discount, or single salesperson custom shirt sellers.
There is a huge difference. True custom shirts have specific measurements taken and a paper pattern is made specifically for each client. Over time, multiple paper patterns are made a single client, for either different fit preferences or body change. True custom shirts are hand cut by a shirt tailor, the fabric's design or pattern is lined up at the seams, and you'll notice by the small bump in the collar tip that they are folded, not cut, to create a luxurious appearance. Made to measure is simply an existing size pattern that has small changes applied to it when the shirt is made in the factory. All of our clients have noticed a huge difference between our True Custom Shirts and any factory made to measure shirts they have had in the past.
If you pay for a shirt to be custom made for you, it should be two ply 100% cotton at the very least - be sure to ask about fabric quality. Additionally, beware of many discount 'custom shirts' that are actually factory made to measure with poly-cotton blends or single ply cotton - they will look thin and inexpensive. You can also tell the difference by checking the collars and cuffs for strong seams created by folded collar tips and strong interlining.
Our custom shirts start at $119 and go up to $450, depending on fabric selected. We have a dedicated family of shirt tailors that create individual paper patterns, cut the fabric, and sew exclusively for Nicholas Joseph custom shirts, and our clients come from around the world because they notice the difference - and value. Our custom shirts each require 12 hours of shirt tailor bench time, so in our opinion, a custom shirt that is decent should not cost less than $119 - and that's a tremendous value.
The best way to learn more is to make an appointment with a local custom tailor, or if you're in the Chicago area, Request an Appointment and meet with one of our Designers who will show you all finished shirts, fabrics, and design options.
