Most guys get their dress shirts and pants at a menswear or department store where it seems like there are enough choices for anything you may need. At least that’s what most guys think. The truth is that most department stores really only have a few styles and they aren’t always the ones that are fashion-appropriate at the moment.
If you’re one of the many man wondering if there is another option, it may be time to consider custom clothing items, like dress shirts and pants. However, you may have no idea what to expect in regards to a reasonable custom dress shirts price.
In fact, most guys are under the impression they’re going to pay be paying the equivalent of buying an entire suit when they get even a single item made through a custom tailor.
The truth is that custom clothing is hard to price because there are so many different choices for men to pick from. The custom dress shirts price you get from a tailor could be similar to what you find in a high-end department store, though you could easily splurge and buy something that costs twice or three times as much if you really want to invest in quality and unique features.
If you’re thinking about adding custom dress shirts and pants to your wardrobe, use this guide to understand more about what you can expect to pay. It’s impossible to put an exact dollar amount on a custom dress shirts price without tailor involvement, but understanding the process and what goes into making custom clothing is the first step.
Custom Dress Shirts Prices
One of the biggest things that can impact a custom dress shirts price is the material that you choose. Most custom dress shirts are made out of cotton, linen or a blend of natural and synthetic materials, though your tailor may have other options available to you as well.
In general, shirts made of a mixture of natural materials and man-made materials will cost you the least amount of money, though that isn’t always the case based on the brand of fabric and the particular quality of the natural material being used. Custom dress shirts prices tend to be similar when it comes to very high-quality cottons and linen, though there is always some variation depending on the particular material chosen.
When you’re having a custom dress shirt made, the best thing you can do is tell your tailor what it is you’re looking for and how you plan to wear the shirt. If you do this, your tailor will be able to show you a variety of different choices that match your stylistic needs and the amount of money you want to spend on a custom dress shirt.
Does Tailoring Affect Price?
In general, the tailoring of a shirt won’t have much of an impact on your custom dress shirts price in the end. A slim-fit shirt requires a touch more work for the tailor, but a looser shirt will require a slight amount more material.
Your best bet is to pick the type of shirt you feel most comfortable in and matches your wardrobe. Don’t let a few dollars sway your decision, especially since you’re going to be wearing a fine dress shirt for years to come.
What About Details?
The details you choose to put on a custom dress shirt can impact the price a little bit. A pocket will generally cost you a bit more, as will a square-bottom dress shirt. Still, if you prefer these styles, you likely won’t think twice about the added cost.
The buttons that you choose to put on your shirt will also affect a custom dress shirts price. Plastic buttons are the cheapest and most common, but you can find everything from specialty plastic buttons, to glass, to rare and valuable materials, like pearl. Ask your tailor about button pricing if you have something particular or extravagant in mind.
Custom Pants Prices
Just like with a custom dress shirts price, how much you pay for a pair of custom pants can vary considerably. However, the fact that you get to pick everything from the fit, to the material, to the detailing is usually enough to sway most men to pay a little bit more than they would in a department or menswear store.
Pick Your Material
When trying to determine custom pants pricing, the biggest factor will be the type of material that you choose. Heavyweight wools tend to cost the most, but other options like high-quality cotton, blended materials and even linen are widely available.
Picking out the right material for your pants shouldn’t just be about finding the right price point though. The time of year and how you’re going to wear your pants should be a more important factor when making basic decision on what material to use. From there, your tailor can guide you and show you different fabrics at different price points that match your needs.
Does Fit Matter?
The fit of a pair of custom pants can’t be beat, especially when compared to an off the rack pair that you could get in a department store. When it comes to the actual pricing of a pair of custom pants, the fit does play a role, but not a significant one.
Just like with shirts, slim-fit pants generally require a little more work from the tailor, but looser pants will require more material. Pleated plants do tend to cost a little bit more than flat front pants, but if you feel they’re appropriate for your workplace or the rest of your wardrobe, the cost is negligible.
Cuffs on pants also tend to cost more because of extra material and labor, but the cost difference will not be significant in the end.
Custom Pants: The Final Details
Having custom pants made for you allows you to tailor everything to your liking, from how many pockets they have, to what type of lining is inside. In general, the more pockets a pair of pants has, the more they will cost. However, the convenience that pockets add to a pair of pants is well worth the cost for many men.
Lining prices vary as well, but many men choose high-quality silk or blended silk and cotton lining because it is comfortable all year round. Just like with every other detail of a pair of pants, your tailor will be able to show you different options within your price range or at a designated price point before you place your final order.
No matter what you choose, you’ll get an exceptional pair of pants when you order from a custom tailor. In fact, many men that buy their first pair of custom pants find it pretty tough to go back to the department store when they need another pair.
