Your clothes are always working. They're either working for you or against you, but they're always working.
The other day, I'm waiting for the train to go to work, and I see these two guys standing next to each other. One is about average height and weight, and the other is maybe 5'4″ and pretty thin. They're basically wearing the same thing: navy suit, solid tie and brown shoes.
The taller guy is wearing a suit that he clearly bought off the rack at some department store. It could use some tailoring, but it looks okay overall. The shorter guy is also wearing an off the rack suit, but guess what?
It looks terrible.
He's swimming in it. It's as if he found it in his dad's closet and decided to play dress up. Compared to the guy with the average build, he looks sloppy and unprofessional.
Importance of Fit
Men who are interested in dressing well understand that fit is the most important aspect of style. But men under 5'8″ have a hard time finding suits that fit well off the rack. Most suits aren't made for shorter body types. This is why I advocate for buying custom clothing.
Buying a custom suit online can be a great way to get a high quality suit that fits very well without paying an arm and a leg for it. The problem is, most online suit makers require you to submit your own measurements. They don't have brick and mortar stores that you can visit to get measured by an expert tailor.
This is a HUGE disadvantage, especially since every company has their own unique measurement system. Some ask that you (or a friend) measure your own body, which is much harder than it seems.
Others ask you to get your measurements from a suit you already own. But what if you don't own a suit that fits perfectly? Or what if you mess up the measurements? It's not an exact science, and only seasoned tailors understand the tiny intricacies that make or break a suit.
The only way to prevent things from going very wrong when buying a made-to-measure (MTM) suit is to work with a company that:
- Cares intensely about getting it right, even if it takes longer and costs more
- Really understands body types, measurements and the principles of fit
Introducing: Dragon Inside
Dragon Inside is this kind of company. Bobby, one of the founders, offered me a complimentary suit for review purposes, and he worked with me throughout the ordering process to nail down my measurements.
Unlike other online suit makers who simply collect your measurements and go to work, Dragon Inside analyzes every measurement that you provide before a stitch is sewn.
Put simply, Bobby grilled me about my measurements. For example, here's a snippet from one of his emails to me:
“Brock – the thigh measurement at 50 cm seems a bit smaller than the average for your build. Would you be able to cross check the measurement with an existing pair of pants that fits well?”
And another one:
“The pants length at 92 cm is probably ok, but it will most likely show a bit of sock. Quite alright with me, just wanted to mention it.”
It's this attention to detail that resulted in the best-fitting MTM suit that I own:
Pretty nice, huh? Here are the details:
- Suit – The Midnight Blue Sharkskin Suit
- Fabric – 100% Extrafine UK wool
- Price – $479
- Delivery Time – 24 days
- Craftsmanship – Fully canvassed jacket
It's rare for an online custom suit company to offer fully canvassed jackets, which look better and last longer than half canvassed or fused jackets. (If you don't know what the difference is, don't worry about it. But if you want to know more about canvassing, read this article.)
The bottom line is: it's great to get a suit with a fully canvassed jacket for $479. That said, there are a couple of issues:
You should always photograph yourself wearing your new suit, then send these photos back to the suit maker and ask for their feedback. I sent these photos to Bobby, and he agreed on some things that can be improved:
- The most noticeable issue is the wrinkling at the back of the thighs. This might have to due with the rise length and where the trousers are sitting on my waist (they are relatively high compared to today's low-rise standards).
- There is some disruption under my right shoulder, which might be due to the difference between my right and left shoulders.
- The front-back balance could be improved (more on this here).
These are small things that will be tweaked for future orders. I'm confident my next Dragon Inside suit will be close to perfect. In the meantime, I'll take this suit to my tailor, and Dragon Inside will reimburse for any alterations that need to be made.
Dragon Inside has cracked the code. They're doing what many companies are trying to do – making affordable, well-fitting suits that can be ordered online. Finally! The bar has just been raised, and I sincerely hope the bigger made-to-measure suit companies take notice.
My Recommendation
If you're in the market for a new suit, or if you've been thinking about buying a custom suit online, I highly recommend you choose Dragon Inside.
What do you think about this suit? Leave a comment below!
Bobby says
December 19, 2013 at 5:27 amThank you for featuring us!
Gary says
December 20, 2013 at 3:41 amLooks pretty good, Brock. Hard to fault although I agree with your improvement points. I also feel the waist could be just a tad (perhaps a cm) wider so when jacket is buttoned there is less of a crease radiating out as can be seen in the frontal photo. But I suppose that’s a matter of personal preference. I like the cut of the suit. The button stance appears just right (some of MTMs I’ve seen favour a higher stance, which I don’t like as much), and I like the slimness in the sleeves and throughout the body as well as in the pants. The lapel gorge is well positioned. Your pictures don’t reveal, but how high are the armholes? Perhaps you can have a frontal photo taken with your arms raised to near parallel to the ground to give an indication of the armhole cut. All in all, you look very sharp in the suit and kudos to the firm.
Brock says
December 20, 2013 at 8:06 amHi Gary,
Armholes are high. I’ll try to get you a photo soon. I agree the waist could be let out a bit, but to be honest, I don’t mind the suppression. I think a suit should fit in a way that won’t look silly in 5 or 10 years, but it’s also nice to have some modern touches (like aggressive tailoring). Plus I want to look like James Bond.
Thanks for your feedback!
-B
Jason says
June 6, 2014 at 12:27 pmWould love to see a pic of the armhole height if you have it…
Brock says
June 10, 2014 at 10:24 amI don’t have a photo with my arms raised, but the armholes are pretty high (higher than an off-the-rack suit).
-B
Vinnie Sikka says
December 26, 2013 at 12:29 pmGreat story and a great suit! We’ve frequently asked by our customers who we would recommend for an online MTM suit maker (since we only deal with MTM shirts). We’ll definitely keep these guys in mind next time we’re asked.
Brock says
December 27, 2013 at 7:27 pmHey Vinnie,
Thanks for your comment. Definitely recommend these guys to your customers. A guy could look pretty sharp with a Deo Veritas shirt and Dragon Inside suit.
-B
Jovan says
January 19, 2014 at 1:03 amJacket length needs at least an inch, the collar gap on the back needs fixing. But otherwise looks great.
John says
June 10, 2014 at 9:11 amWhat is the width of leg opening in inches? It seems pretty slim. Are you happy with it? I am having pants tapered and the tailor was wary of 7-1/2″ or less.
Brock says
June 10, 2014 at 10:23 amI’d have to measure, but it’s about 6.5″. I usually go with about 7″ for casual pants like chinos and jeans.
My tailor is wary of a lot of things I ask for. Sometimes you have to push them out of their comfort zone!
Jovan says
June 10, 2014 at 10:26 amI’m not Brock, but hope you don’t mind me stepping in and advising you not to get them that tapered. At the very most, 8″ if you’re a slim/small guy. I err on the side of 8.5″ partly because it looks more balanced and because I have big feet that would look clownish if they were much more tapered. 7.5″ gets into skinny jeans territory.
Brock says
June 10, 2014 at 11:29 amJovan,
Thanks for your input. To each his own, of course. And you’re right that foot and ankle size matter. And I agree, the skinny trouser thing is definitely a trend to avoid if you want your clothes to stand the test of time.
I have very thin ankles and wear size 7 shoes, so I need an aggressive taper, or else the leg opening moves around too much, which makes my ankles look even skinnier.
This is especially true for casual pants, like rolled chinos. It looks bad to have a wide hoop around your ankle (if that makes any sense).
-Brock
carmen says
September 5, 2014 at 2:31 pmI think this company is one that deletes any negative reviews. there is no company with 100% Perfect 4/5star review. I give this company on customer satisfaction -3 and that’s being kind. I was always skeptical on any tailor made suit company online and I was 110% correct. NEVER EVER AGAIN will I ALLOW my husband to order any clothing on line, especially when paying good $$$…I SUGGESTED AND STILL VOW BY MEN’S WAREHOUSE & will return to them as a loyal customer
carmen says
September 5, 2014 at 2:40 pmDRAGONSIDE wants me to pay for return unless we have a paypal acct???? like what majority of people have one. or do a USPS retun label. have better exp. w-fedex/usps than DHL. UNHAPPY DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER.
ANTHONY says
September 7, 2014 at 10:51 pmNot a bad looking suit, seems to have minimal imperfections and looks as though it is a comfortable fit. Nice choice!
Antonio says
December 13, 2015 at 5:35 pmHey Brock,
What did you put for the jacket length measurement? Suit looks great
carmen says
September 5, 2014 at 2:58 pmI would suggest away from dragonside. arden reed probably better customer service and not receive a suit that fits a 6yr old. I would never advise any men to purchase a expensive suit online. I know as a women I would never order a formal dress online.