A Chicago custom suit – a field guide to picking the right suit

Congratulations on your decision to get a Chicago custom suit! The move into bespoke clothing is a liberating experience, allowing you to fully customize and perfectly fit your clothing. This abundance of choices can be a little daunting however, how do you know if you have chosen the right cut? Or the right colour and fabric?

Function
First decide, is the Chicago custom suit for work, leisure or formal events? If for the office, does your job require you to lead and manage? Or are you more client facing? The Chicago custom suit can influence others into inspiration or captivation just from the cut and colour. Summer and winter leisure suits isn’t just about fabric thickness, but also colour palettes. Remember to ask your tailor for help!

Lifestyle
Next consider the lifestyle of your suit. Will you wear it every day? Are you mostly standing or sitting? If your suit is worn every day, a longer lasting fabric would be a wise choice. Wool for the winter, cotton for the summer. Linen and other delicate cloths will wear out quickly. The cut is also important. If worn mostly seated, like an office suit, the tailoring in the pants and the jacket vents can be altered to be more flattering and comfortable in a seating position. Whereas a formal suit that is worn mostly standing will have a cut to complement a taller figure.

Price
Fabrics will be the main determinant of the cost of your suit. Wool increases in price based on how fine the thread is, as well as some specialty wools such as alpaca wool or mohair. Certain mills adhere to the “Super” classification (Loro Piana, Huddersfield, Holland & Sherry, Cervotessile, Kusak Tekstil, Fratelli Tallia Di Delfino, Thomas Mason). The distinction between the a Super 100 and Super 150 is the thinness of the individual fibers spun into the yarn that is used to weave the fabric. The higher the number, the thinner the fibers. While others utilize “microns” (Ermenegildo Zegna, Dormeuil) to measure the difference in how fine the fibers in their fabrics are. For instance a 15 micron fiber is what is spun into the 15 Milmil 15 Ermenegildo Zegna collection for suiting. The main difference in these fabrics is the feel of the fabric, the finer the less fuzzy. The thinness of the fibers does not necessarily make one fabric better or worse than the other. Fabric choice all comes down to individual preference and what makes sense for the intended use of your suit.

Cotton also comes in a range of prices, but brand prestige can play a big role in this. If you are making something only for special events, investing in a more luxurious fabric will make you stand out. For every day, a more durable fabric would be wise but a less expensive one that can be replaced more willingly would also make sense.

When in doubt, you can always ask your tailor, they will help you make the best practical and stylistic choices for your Chicago custom suit. At Senszio, our master craftsmen have honed their 3 generations of skill and knowledge into the finest custom suits. A thrilling and luxurious experience from first measurement to final product is our prideful joy. See our Chicago touring schedule here.