Off the Rack or Custom Tailored?
Originally, all clothing was “custom” made. Made in the household, altered to be passed
down from child to child. Centuries
later, clothing was still custom made by professional dressmakers and
tailors. Today, custom clothing can
still be made by tailors and dressmakers for special occasions. Suits for gentlemen can be fitted is a
couple of days, especially for travelers in foreign countries. Normally, these garments are priced higher
than suits and dresses purchased in shops and department stores, that is
clothing “off the rack”.
down from child to child. Centuries
later, clothing was still custom made by professional dressmakers and
tailors. Today, custom clothing can
still be made by tailors and dressmakers for special occasions. Suits for gentlemen can be fitted is a
couple of days, especially for travelers in foreign countries. Normally, these garments are priced higher
than suits and dresses purchased in shops and department stores, that is
clothing “off the rack”.
When the industrial revolution introduced machinery and the
factory system the clothing trade was changed forever. While custom made clothing remained for those who could afford it, the working classes could purchase clothing
adapted and styled to be made by the thousands of garments shipped to catalog
houses and department stores.
Standardized sizes replaced exact body measurements and if one could not
find garments in a favorite color or style, one only had to wait a season, and,
sure enough, blue was in every store window and hem-lines shifted. Designers offered two lines: couture and off
the rack.
factory system the clothing trade was changed forever. While custom made clothing remained for those who could afford it, the working classes could purchase clothing
adapted and styled to be made by the thousands of garments shipped to catalog
houses and department stores.
Standardized sizes replaced exact body measurements and if one could not
find garments in a favorite color or style, one only had to wait a season, and,
sure enough, blue was in every store window and hem-lines shifted. Designers offered two lines: couture and off
the rack.
Fine tailoring shops can be found in nearly every large
city. When seeing the sights in Vienna
this past spring I encountered a small shop selling tailored made shirts. What caught my eye was their window display
of a shirt pattern and an assortment of optional collars. Within the shop were
shelves of beautiful fabrics in pinstripes, checks and pastel solids. The price
seemed a bit steep, over 300 Euros.
city. When seeing the sights in Vienna
this past spring I encountered a small shop selling tailored made shirts. What caught my eye was their window display
of a shirt pattern and an assortment of optional collars. Within the shop were
shelves of beautiful fabrics in pinstripes, checks and pastel solids. The price
seemed a bit steep, over 300 Euros.
Shop window display of a custom shirt pattern.
(forgive the window glare)
Shop display of optional collars.
Then when I returned home I found an article in one of my
favorite fashion sources, The Wall Street Journal. In the Style and Fashion section, Saturday/Sunday, May 30-31,
2015 I read an article, ”The Shirt of the Summer ” featuring collarless dress
shirts. The prices for these mass produced shirts ranged from $195 – $425. I see now that off- the- rack is approaching
the league of custom-made.
favorite fashion sources, The Wall Street Journal. In the Style and Fashion section, Saturday/Sunday, May 30-31,
2015 I read an article, ”The Shirt of the Summer ” featuring collarless dress
shirts. The prices for these mass produced shirts ranged from $195 – $425. I see now that off- the- rack is approaching
the league of custom-made.
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