Three reasons custom shirts are a great fit

by W. Andrew Powell
Mens Custom Shirts rack

So you want to be well dressed and comfortable? Sometimes it seems like those are mutually exclusive, unless you’re talking about custom shirts.

You can walk into any men’s store and find a lot of options for colours and designs, but when it comes to sizing, they’re made to fit your neck size, but what about your sleeve length? Or your chest? For your average guy, off-the-rack shirts may work out fine, but we’re not all built the same, and that’s why custom shirts are a great alternative to buying off the rack, with more options and styles.

Sometimes it’s even just about the way you like your shirt made to match your own personal style. So I’ve put together three of the best reason why a custom shirt may be the right fit for you the next time you buy a men’s dress shirt.

The Fit


For starters, it is all about the fit. I’ve worn off-the-rack shirts for years, but I also have a few custom shirts–bespoke in somes cases, and made-to-order in the others–and those are my favorite shirts. They feel better than your average shirt because I picked the way they were made to fit me, and I also know I can order another shirt with the same measurements easily too.

There are a few options out there for custom shirts, but as one example, online brand Vitruvien offers seven different ways to customize your shirt, from sleeves, collar, cuff, placket and pocket, to the back details and the bottom cut. They offer no less than 14 different styles of collars, from more casual styles to very fancy, and you can choose how stiff the collar is too.

Do you want single button sleeves, double button, or French cuffs? Do you want one pocket, two pockets, or none at all?

All of these styling and fitting options let you make a shirt that is truly you, and it’s why custom shirts are so comfortable.

The Fabric


While fit may be the big deciding factor for me in picking a custom shirt, the fabric is how you can really pick a design that you can use day-to-day, for special occaisons, or whatever you want.

Any of the major brands offering custom-made shirts will have a lot of options, but you can generally choose from a mix of patterns, fabrics, and colours. Vitruvien currently offers close to 600 fabrics right now, and while premium Egyptian Giza cotton will cost you a likewise modestly premium price, you can also choose between plain cotton, linen, and a cotton/linen blend. They even off denim as a fabric option.

Paired with the cut of your shirt, it’s impressive just how many options there are for a shirt that is totally unique to you.

Quick & Easy


Let’s face it–it’s easy to feel intimidated by the idea of going into a tailor and getting a custom shirt made for you. If you’re not familiar with the process, it can seem difficult, and it’s also going to be more expensive than the alternatives. Ordering a custom made shirt online is a lot easier, it’s cheaper, and it takes very little time.

Most online services offer you the tools you will need to get your measurements, and Vitruvien even lets you send in a shirt that fits you, so they can measure off that if you’re not sure how to take your measurements. They also offer a fit guarantee for first-time buyers so you can be sure your shirt will fit.

Men's Custom Shirts

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