Planning your suit: timing and fittings

When do you need the suit? If you’re travelling for a wedding, give us your departure date as well as the wedding date. The suit needs to be ready before you pack.

We also need to know when you can come in. Making a suit involves work between fittings, so a few weeks away on business can affect the schedule. Bring those dates to the first appointment, even if you haven’t decided on the cloth or style yet.

How long does it take?

At The London Bespoke Club, a first semi-bespoke suit takes around 10 weeks, with typically two fittings. Subsequent semi-bespoke commissions take approximately five weeks. Bench-made bespoke takes approximately four to five months and involves four to five fittings.

For a wedding, we recommend starting semi-bespoke three to four months or more ahead. With bench-made, book earlier than the four to five months needed to make it. You’ll want some room for appointments and final adjustments before the day.

We confirm the timing before you order. Both programmes begin with your own pattern; the difference is in the making and the fitting process. If you’re still deciding between them, our comparison explains what each involves.

Work back from the day you leave

Say the wedding is on Saturday, but you’re flying out the Monday before. We need to plan collection before Monday. The same applies if you want the suit for photographs or a dinner ahead of the main event.

Tell us about work trips and any limits on when you can visit. If Saturdays are your only option, it helps to know that at the beginning.

Mention shirts and shoes too, if you’re having them made. They have their own timelines. We can discuss them alongside the suit so you know what needs to be ready for the fittings.

What to bring to the first appointment

A jacket you like wearing is a good place to start. You might like the shoulder but want more room through the waist, or prefer the trousers to sit a little higher. Bring it along and show us.

Photographs help as well. Point out what you like about them: a lapel, a colour, the shape of the jacket. You don’t have to copy the whole outfit or arrive with every detail decided.

We’ll look at cloth, talk through the choices and take your measurements. Come with a budget you’re comfortable with and ask about anything you’re unsure of. Before you commission, we confirm the price and schedule.

What happens at a basted fitting?

The suit will look unfinished because it is. Temporary stitching holds it together so we can assess the shape and balance on you before the finishing work.

For semi-bespoke, most major adjustments happen at this fitting, around week four. With bench-made, Ian MacMillan works through four to five fittings, taking the changes back to your individual pattern as he makes the suit.

Stand as you normally would, then sit down and move your arms. Tell us what you feel. “This pulls when I sit down” is useful feedback. You don’t need to know the tailoring term for it.

If something looks odd to you, ask. Some parts are still to be worked on, and we can explain what you’re seeing. It’s much easier to talk about your preferences here than leave them until the suit is finished.

Bring your shirt and shoes to the fittings

The actual shirt and shoes help us judge where the cuff shows and how the trouser hem sits. Bring the ones you plan to wear, even if you’ve owned them for years. They don’t need to be new.

If you haven’t chosen them yet, let us know. We can look at the outfit together.

It also helps to explain what bothers you about your other suits. Perhaps the waistband gets uncomfortable when you sit down, or you take your jacket off whenever you’re at your desk. That gives us more to work with than asking for a ‘slim fit’ without discussing how it should feel.

Allow time after the final fitting

Try the finished suit with your shirt and shoes. Sit, walk and check the trousers at the height you intend to wear them. Speak up if something still feels uncomfortable.

Final tweaks to a semi-bespoke garment are usually minor and can generally be completed in three to four days. Leave room for that before you travel.

If your measurements or preferences change while the suit is being made, tell us as soon as you can. We’ll need to look at what can be adjusted. That depends on the garment and the amount of change required.

What if there isn’t much time?

Contact us with the date. If we can accommodate a shorter schedule, a rush charge applies. We’ll discuss the timing and charge before you commit.

If there isn’t time for a new suit, we offer alterations. A suit you already own, or one bought off the rack, may be the answer. We’ll need to see the garment and assess the work against your deadline.

The timeline calculator on our wedding page is a useful starting point. Enter your wedding date and preferred level of making to see the guidance. We still need to confirm availability, and you should tell us if you’ll be leaving before the date you entered.

Come in with your dates

You don’t need to have the suit designed before we meet. Bring your dates, a few ideas and any clothes you’d like us to look at. We’ll work through the options together.

Consultations at The London Bespoke Club’s Toronto atelier are complimentary and strictly by appointment.