Month: May 2012

Back in October I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong for business. While I was there I decided to get a custom suit made. I’m a sucker for a good suit! While Hong Kong is certainly not as cheap as Thailand when it comes to custom-made suits, it is generally much cheaper than the typical run-of-the-mill tailor in the United States. In the United States it’s typically “go cheap (as in poorly designed) or go broke (as in way too expensive for the 99% to afford)”. In Hong Kong for about $300 I can get a pretty nice suit that is completely custom-tailored for my body type and size, something that would typically cost near $1,000 in the United States. I’d say that’s a pretty good deal.

That’s why I was a bit curious when +Chase Murdock from Dress Code heard about my trip to Hong Kong, and approached me to consider having them doing a suit for me. He and his partner offered to make a suit for me for free to show off what they’re able to do that other tailors aren’t able – create a custom suit is typically affordable to the average consumer. A free suit? Why not? I’ll bite.

The arrangement through their site is simple. Dress Code has no physical stores. They’re a pure e-commerce model. So I just visit http://DressCodeCustom.com, schedule an appointment by filling out some simple information on their site, and soon they’re knocking on the door at my home or business to measure and consult with me on what I want them to make for me.

My visit with them was very pleasant. Chase and his partner came to my house dressed in very stylish clothes, and I could tell they knew what they were talking about. We went through some fabric books of theirs, and they gave me all kinds of suggestions and recommendations of things I would have never thought about. My tailor in Hong Kong just asked me the basics and went with it. These guys were much more thorough, and wanted to ensure every step of the way that every little detail was thought of. We went through number of buttons, tapering of the pants, and vents in the back of the suit coat. But they also recommended various linings for the inside of the suit, and even the color of the seam that ties the lining to the rest of the suit. By the end I was relying on them to be my experts, and I trusted their expertise to do so.

By the end of the appointment I asked them what a suit like this would normally cost. When they said “cheaper”, I thought they would say in the range of $500-$700. I almost gasped when they told me $250-$300. That’s not much more expensive than a typical, non-tailored suit!

I’m very excited to see what comes of this appointment. If the suit turns out as well as the service and simplicity of ordering that I experienced with Chase and his partner, I anticipate I’ll be very pleased. The good news is if all goes well I won’t have to travel overseas to get my suits any more. I’ll just call my “suit guy” and he’ll make me whatever clothing choice I want, all at a lower cost, and I barely have to make any effort to make it happen.

My suit is currently being made by their company at the moment. I should receive notice in the next couple weeks that it is done. When finished I’ll provide a final review of their service and product for everyone to see.

If you’re looking for custom clothing of any kind, these guys are worth taking a look at. They currently service Utah and Nevada/Las Vegas. However, they do take trips to Colorado, as well as the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas on occasion. Contact them and have your company get them to come set up a pop-up location to get your employees all styled up for cheap.

Stay tuned – I’ll share more when I get my suit! Oh, and be sure to follow their style blog at http://www.dresscodecustom.com/blog – if you’re into understanding the latest styles, this blog really shows they get it!

I got a free suit in exchange for doing an honest review of their services – while certainly biased, I am always truthful and objective in these types of reviews.