Forever Classic: Why You Should Consider A Made-To-Measure Suit

Timeless fashion is something that will never go out of style. As the wedding trend cycle realigns itself on a classic energy rooted in traditionalism with an edge of modernity, finding a suit style that complements this is paramount. Enter made-to-measure suits.

Photography by Simon Bills

As Henry Bucks retail manager and tailoring expert Jason Morris puts it, your wedding is the biggest day of your life – it’s only right that you’d want to look and feel your best. A made-to-measure suit is just one way of achieving this. There are no awkward fits, no tight spots and no saggy sleeves. Instead, this couture process results in a suit perfectly moulded to your body, expertly made with high-calibre fabric and will stand the test of time.

“When people are standing at the top of the aisle and they feel good, it makes their day even better,” explains Jason.

Here, the suiting professional breaks down all your big questions about the made-to-measure process – how it happens, where the fabrics are sourced and why you should consider investing in yourself when it comes to suit.

For a groom, why should they consider a made-to-measure suit for their wedding day?

The biggest day of your life is probably the best time to get a custom suit made to measure. You can get the fit right, the look right and choose your own fabrics and custom lining – right down to the buttons! When you get married, women go and design their own dress. The way I look at it, men should do the same because then you'll complement each other on the day. 

What is the most important thing you need to know before this experience? 

When they get a consultation through us at Henry Bucks, I ask a lot of questions: Where are you getting married? What’s your theme? Is there something specific you’re looking for when designing this suit? 

For instance, if they’re getting married in summer, I want to pick a breathable fabric – still a natural fibre with durability for summer and winter. But you want to breathe. You want it to be breathable and light without it looking flimsy. And on the construction side of it, you want to make sure that the suit is the right fabric – that it'll match your day. You want a suit that feels good on you.

Walk us through the tailoring process. 

We sit down with them and offer them a drink before finding out the finer details of the wedding. After that, we go through what we call a ‘selection’ – the main one is the fabric. I guide them into what I think would be perfect for their day and help them choose the fabric. 

Then we go into construction and focus on the canvas lining. I call it the guts of the suit – it’s what holds the shape. At Henry Bucks, all our suits are fully canvas lined and all hand-stitched – not glued. A lot of fast fashion glue their suits to the canvas lining and after a few wears you can start seeing bubbles on the lapel. That doesn’t happen if you’re wearing a proper made-to-measure suit. We use a very soft canvas, too. 

Then you get to pick your shoulder pads, which helps build out the body. After that, we focus on the customised lining – there’s a whole range, from curpo to silk and some high-end polyester viscose. 

Then we look at the style. It’s not just [focusing on] single or double-breasted. It’s how big you want your lapels, what the shape of the lapel is and how you’d like your pickets to sit. You get construction on the trousers, too. We build the suit for the body – you want people to walk and move without feeling stiff. You want to be flexible in that suit. That’s where the measurements come into it. 

In total, there are three fittings. The first is the initial measurement, the second is when we do tweaks and the last one is a month before the wedding. We don’t like to do too many alterations because we don’t want to damage the fabric. 

How long does the made-to-measure process take?

It all depends on where the fabric is sourced. Henry Bucks locate their fabrics from Italy, Europe and London. It could take anywhere between six to 12 weeks from start to finish. But if you’re getting married in November, you probably want to start in June. You’ve got to rely on the fabric being in stock – there could be a shortage. I always allow 14 weeks, just in case queries pop up.

Also, if you choose Italian fabrics, we send them to the Italian construction site for your suit. They know those fabrics like the back of their hand – they know how to cut it and they know how to sew it. It’s their fabrics. But this should also be accounted for, time-wise.

What are some of the biggest trends today with wedding suits?

Black tie has made a huge comeback – it seems to be the norm! Three pieces as well. The trends are very classic, elegant and have a timeless look about them. It’s simple, usually because the venues couples are selecting at the moment are very classic as well. Timelessness is something that will never be outdated. 

How do you want people to see when they are wearing a made-to-measure suit from Henry Bucks?

I want them to feel like they’ve chosen the right thing. Customer service, to us, is huge. I know I’ve done my job when they look in the mirror and go, ‘This fit is amazing’. But when they’re standing at the top of the aisle and they’re feeling good, it makes their day even better. 

Enquire about the made-to-measure process and designing your dream wedding day suit by visiting the Adelaide-based Henry Bucks store and the talented team at 99 Gawler Place, Adelaide. You can find out more about the made-to-measure process online here. Otherwise, stay up to date with Henry Bucks on social media here.