Indochino

Brock March 3, 2013

Indochino Traveling Tailor Media Preview

I recently attended Indochino’s Media Preview night for their Traveling Tailor DC Show, held at LivingSocial’s new Chinatown event space.

Both of the company’s founders – Kyle Vucko and Heikal Gani – were in attendance (all the way from Vancouver), as well as DC’s finest style bloggers and promoters.

This event will be open through March 10th. Basically, you can show up and get measured by a professional Indochino tailor, browse their suits, dress shirts, chinos and accessories, and order something if you’d like.

If you are thinking about buying an affordable made-to-measure suit and live in the DC area, I highly recommend stopping by the Traveling Tailor pop-up show.

It really helps to be measured by a professional who not only knows the right way to measure various body types, but will also listen to your specific concerns about fit and make the necessary adjustments to your measurements.

Also, if you buy a suit (they start at $379), Indochino will throw in a dress shirt for free. Not bad, eh?

(Photos courtesy of LaDexon Photographie.)

P.S. After I was done being measured, I ordered an Indochino dress shirt. Stay tuned for a detailed review!

Filed Under: Announcements Tagged With: DC, Indochino 7 Comments

Brock February 18, 2013

Indochino Traveling Tailor Pop-Up Show Is Coming To Washington DC

Pioneer of the online custom clothing industry, Indochino, is coming to Washington, DC for a Traveling Tailor event. Here’s what you need to know:

Indochino Travelling Tailor appointments are available from March 2^nd through March 10^th in 15 minute intervals from 8am-8pm for men to meet with one of Indochino’s custom tailors and stylists.

Everyone who books an appointment will receive a FREE dress shirt ($79 value) with any suit purchase, one shirt per customer. Book your appointment now at: http://www.indochino.com/dc.

I grew up in DC, and despite what some haters say, this city has become a style hub with its own unique personality. If you don’t believe it, just take a look at these awesome DC style bloggers.

Which is why I’m excited about Indochino visiting the nation’s capital to take measurements for anyone who wants a new custom suit.

If you live in the DC metro area, you should definitely take advantage of this event. It’s always better to get measured by a professional than to measure yourself.

If you’re planning on going to the Indochino Traveling Tailor DC event, let me know. I will be there and would love to meet!

Filed Under: Announcements Tagged With: DC, Indochino Leave a Comment

Brock August 29, 2012

My New Custom Blazer

Unboxing and Trying On the Indochino Essential Grey Blazer

If you’re on The Modest Man mailing list, you may remember getting an excited email from me about ordering a new made-to-measure blazer from Indochino. I was excited not only to buy a brand new custom piece of formal wear, but also to have gotten a great deal (it was on sale for $179).

Well, it arrived in the mail, and I wanted to “unbox” it in front of you. I am very happy with the coat and the whole experience – sizing, ordering, shipping and fit. The packaging was very nice, so I snapped a few photos while I was opening the box. Check it out:

And here are a few shots of me wearing it so you can get an idea about fit. My only problem with the jacket is that the sleeves are a tiny bit too long. This is probably my fault (I provided the measurements) and won’t cost much to fix. In fact, Indochino will reimburse you for minor alterations if you send them your receipt.

Like I said – and the above photo makes it easy to see – the sleeves are about a half an inch too long. They’re not showing any shirt cuff, which is a bad thing. I’ll have to get these shortened by a local tailor (this is a relatively simple alteration).

All in all, I’m very happy with this purchase. I hope these photos give you an idea of what it’s like to order form Indochino and how well made-to-measure garments can fit. If you’re still not sure about ordering from an online clothier, feel free to contact me with any lingering questions. I’d be happy to talk further about my experiences.

Like this post? Share it with your friends! Have some experience with Indochino? Share your thoughts below in the comments section!

Filed Under: Fashion and Style Tagged With: blazers, custom clothing, Indochino, made to measure, MTM, reviews, sport coats 2 Comments

Brock June 20, 2012

How to Find Affordable “Made to Measure” Shirts Online

Ah, the perfect dress shirt. It’s the white whale of men’s fashion. When it comes to buying dress shirts, men basically have three options:

Buy off the rack (OTR) from a department store or boutique
Have shirts custom made for you by a local tailor
Order Made-to-Measure shirts from an online retailer

Stay away from the first option. Department stores are overpriced, and most guys – especially short men – don’t have an “off the rack” body type (if there even is such a thing).

The second alternative is great if you live near a good tailor, but it is generally the most expensive option. Bespoke shirts will probably run you at least $150 a piece. Of course, you will get measured, in person, by professional, so the shirt will fit perfectly.

“I’ll make you a shirt, but it’s going to cost you…”

The third option is the one we’re going to talk about today. Online MTM “tailors” have been popping up left and right over the past few years. Some are better than others, but they are pretty much all cheaper than going to a local brick and mortar shop. Also, the shirts will definitely fit better than anything you find at the mall.

The big downfall of these online services is the measurement system. And by measurement system, I mean you, because you’re required to give these stores your measurements. Since most of us don’t even own the right kind of measuring tape and have no idea how to get the proper measurements, this can be problematic.

Tailor’s Tape on Amazon.com

[Note: I recommend either ordering tailor's tape from Amazon or going to CottonWork.com and ordering their $1 starter kit.]

That said, all of these services have great, detailed, visual tutorials on how to get each measurement. If you have a friend that can help measure you, you will probably get more accurate numbers. Alternatively, most of these companies let you send in your favorite shirt for them to measure and copy.

Finally, don’t worry to much about messing up your measurements by a half inch here or there. These online custom clothing sites have great refund and remake policies. You can always order one of their cheaper shirts to start out with, send it back until it’s perfect, then update your measurement for future use.

Here are the most popular online made to measure clothiers, along with their price ranges:

Indochino - $79 to $99
Blank Label - $75 to $145 (read my review of this shirt maker right here)
Modern Tailor - $59 to $79
CottonWork - $60 to $150
A Tailored Suit - $206 to $250 (owned by Antonio Centeno, one of my favorite fashion writers)
Giorgenti - $49 to $280
Paul Fredrick – $99 to $159
Proper Cloth – $89 to $264

Do you have any experience with any of the above clothiers? Please share your experiences in the comments section so your fellow modest men know where to buy from and what to avoid.

Filed Under: Fashion and Style Tagged With: custom clothing, dress shirts, Indochino, long-sleeved shirts, made to measure, MTM, online tailor 8 Comments

Brock June 13, 2012

Best Places to Buy Clothes for Short Men

This is a collection of all of the best places to find clothes for short(er) men. I keep it updated with new companies, whether they’re actual stores or online shops. I’ve personally tried most of these places, although there are a couple that I still need to test out. Enjoy!

If you’ve read my post about Blank Label’s custom dress shirts, you know how much I love this company. I order all of my button down shirts from Blank Label now. If you are sick of billowy shirts with sleeves that are way too long, it’s time to go custom with Blank Label.

Banana Republic is one of my favorite stores. Their clothes are a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. All of their stuff is high quality and won’t fall apart of you. I like their Emerson chinos so much that I wrote a post about them.

I haven’t ordered a suit from Indochino yet, but I have bought their Essential Grey Blazer.

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) is the best place to buy shoes. If you go to one of the bigger stores, they will definitely have your size for most shoes. They even put brightly colored labels on extra small and large sizes. Plus, their prices are great, and the discount rack is always stocked.

I hadn’t been inside a PacSun store since middle school, when all they had were ridiculously baggy JNCO jeans and skater apparel. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they now carry a very cool, modern selection of pants, shirts and accessories. I bought a couple pairs of denim pants that are slim, but not skinny, and very comfortable. Definitely give PacSun a visit (or check out their online store).