The Custom Shirt
One look at a beach in the summer is all it takes to understand that humans have considerably different builds, with only a few blessed with bodies that resemble models or mannequins. For the rest of us, off the rack seldom fits right, leaving us with baggy shoulders, a collar that won’t button or perhaps a blousy fit that feels like you’re in a circus tent. A custom shirt is your welcome to the world of just right.
“The number one differentiator is fit,” says David Hamilton, the co-owner of Hamilton, a Houston company that’s made shirts (and only shirts) since 1883. “Second is certain style elements to a specific individual.” Custom allows you to choose from a host of collars, add a monogram or even make adjustments to the buttons. Customizing the way a shirt looks sans tie is a growing trend. “A simple adjustment can make a big difference,” says Hamilton, whose custom shirts begin at $315.
“Custom shirts have always been a key component of a gentleman’s wardrobe,” says bespoke tailor Paolo Martorano of New York. He says the right shirt must be comfortable and flattering, while also properly framing the face. “Frankly, an off-the-rack shirt simply cannot provide either of these functions in an optimal manner.” Martorano also points out that as jackets are worn less often, the right shirt becomes even more vital. “A properly fitted and constructed custom shirt assumes a higher degree of importance than ever before.” Martorano does a full custom shirt made in Manhattan, starting at $650.
Sweden’s Eton, which dates to the 1920s, focuses exclusively on shirts, and recently opened a new flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York. Its custom shirts average $350 to $495.
Turnbull & Asser is the oldest (1885) of the many shirtmakers on London’s Jermyn Street and holds a Royal Warrant from King Charles III. It has a townhouse in Manhattan, which also makes shirts with the company’s signature three-button cuffs. Bespoke shirts here begin at $545, with a four-shirt minimum.
