I once read somewhere that men in suits have better chances at commanding respect, okay that’s a lie – I made that up, but it can as well pass for an empirical truth. Experiences never lie and if there is one thing experience teaches, it’s that everyone fancies a well dressed man…in a well structured suit. Therefore it is safe for me to say, no man (gentle or not) can do without a good suit.
That is why when the a-list Nollywood actor RMD (Richard Mofe Damijo) was pictured on the red carpet at the 2014 AMAA (Africa Movie Academy Awards), he looked immaculately dapper. Saheed Balogun, another Nollywood actor, on the other hand, didn’t do fashion any justice in his over-sized suit blazer. Now, this raises questions like: did he (Saheed Balogun) buy an off-the-rack ready-made blazer or get a custom-built one? If he got a custom-built one, did they (builders/tailors) somehow manage to lose his measurement, hence the wrong size? Your guess is as good as mine; he opted for an off-the-rack ready-made blazer.
The beauty of a suit is first in its fitting, so to be or not to be custom-built? I would let you decide.
What kind of man are you? Are you the clumsy one that tends to always look out of place; the one that doesn’t care about clothing enough to try to look good in them? Or, are you the stylish man that aims at always looking spruce; the man that has an admirable sense of fashion? You see, the man that fits the description of the latter wouldn’t be okay with an askew suit; it has to be impeccable. Can a custom-built suit or ready-made one satisfy that impeccable taste?
First off, custom-built suits also mean tailor-made suits which imply that the suits are made from scratch. The advantage of this is that measurement details are met to the letter and most times fitting is meticulous; they fit like a second skin. Ready-made suits mostly always require alteration which could have a probable outcome – ninety percent of the time you wouldn’t be satisfied.
We all have that dormant inner-designer that comes out once in a while through our taste and preferences. Sometimes we want clothes in a certain colour, cut in a certain way with a certain pattern or design and there is a ninety-nine to one percent chance of ever readily finding the perfect combination. You may find a suit with great fit, but in a colour that you don’t like or a suit in a colour you love, but with the wrong fit and inferior quality. This takes us to the custom-built solution; you can easily infuse your personal taste and get it built to your satisfaction.
Fabrics are as important as fit when it comes to suits, you get to choose yours as opposed to it being readily (and poorly) handed to you. Poor fabrics would ruin a suit with perfect fit and make it look cheap, trust me; no one wants to look cheap even in a cheap outfit.
That said, may the best option win.