 What's up guys? I'm Brian Sakawa. You're watching He Spoke Style and today we're talking about tips for your first made-to-measure experience. So having gone through made-to-measure many many times myself, I can tell you two things with certainty. One, that it is going to be a very exciting experience, and two, that it is going to be completely overwhelming. The amount of options you have and choices you need to make can honestly make it too much to handle. You'll start second guessing yourself and you could end up extremely frustrated, trust me. I say this because I have personally experienced all of that and I know just how difficult it can be. So that's why I put together this list of five tips so you can be completely prepared for your first appointment. Tip number one, keep it classic. So it's a great thing that menswear and specifically tailored clothing has become a lot more mainstream and a lot more popular. But as a result, you know, you see a lot of imagery that is honestly a little over the top in my opinion. I mean, even if you have just a passing interest in menswear, you've seen all of the street style photos from Pity and Fashion Weeks all over the world, where guys are just kind of going a little overboard. And to be clear, you know, some of these guys, this is their personal style, but others are just looking for a reaction. They're looking to get their photo taken and the photographers and editors of publications are choosing the more flamboyant looks to push out into the world. So despite what you see, this is not how the vast majority of people dressed and being super flamboyant and wild does not equate to having good style. So especially if we're talking about your first made to measure suit, you want it to be something that you can wear for the rest of your life, not just something you'll wear once in a while and possibly even regret that you had purchased later on. So what that means is you want to stick with a classic color like navy blue or charcoal gray and air on the conservative side when it comes to styling details like lapels, pockets, and of course fit. All right, tip number two, have a game plan. Okay, this is really, really important. You should have an idea of what you want before you even step foot into the showroom. This will save time. This will save frustration and it will make the entire process just go a whole lot smoother. So take stock of what you have or don't have in your closet. Are you looking for something basic like a workhorse suit? Are you looking for maybe just a sport coat? A lot of this depends on the type of life you live and what you actually need this for. Also, I will say, if it's your first time, I think it's really important that you do some research into a few basic elements of a suit, not only to see what you like, but also to really understand and know what those things are if you're not super familiar with them. For example, do you want a notch lapel or peak lapel? Flat pockets, patch pockets, jetted pockets, do you want a ticket pocket, a double vent, single vent? I mean, these are just the most basic things and the majority of made to measure programs have all sorts of items and details you can customize, including buttons and linings and number of buttons, you name it. So having a general idea of some of those basic elements going in will help you immensely. Next tip, go to an actual shop. So there are tons of online made to measure options out there for guys these days. Some of them are decent, some of them are complete scams. So although this may seem very convenient shopping online, there is absolutely nothing that can replace the experience of going to a showroom, actually seeing and touching and comparing all of your options in person and the biggest thing, which is getting measured by a professional. I don't care how good or revolutionary anyone says their software or online fit processes. There is no way if you aren't being measured in person by someone who can see your posture and any number of other unique details about your body that you are going to get a good fit. So my advice, if you are interested in saving yourself a huge potential headache is to please do yourself a favor, stay away from online and find a reputable local program. Tip number four, be open to suggestions. Now, here's where going to an actual brick and mortar showroom as opposed to doing the online thing makes a lot of sense, especially if it's your first time and you're not exactly sure what you want. You know, hopefully the tailor or proprietor of the shop has been at it for a long time and can help guide you, help you make decisions and help you put together exactly what you're looking for. Now, I will say, however, that you should be a little careful. You don't want to get pushed around and you certainly don't want to get pushed into going with something that, you know, you're not comfortable with or that you straight up just do not want. Now, I will say the majority of people you run into are very customer focused. They're focused on you. They're trying to read you and really get to the bottom of what it is that you want. But there are some people and I have had this experience personally that have very strong opinions about how something should be, especially when it comes to things like fit, jacket length, trouser length, all things that are more or less subjective and kind of a personal preference. But they will be adamant that this is what you want. This is what you need. And they'll try to push you in a direction that you really, really didn't want to go in. And that's why, again, it is super important that you go into this whole experience with a game plan. So if that, if this starts to happen, you can say with confidence, no, that's not really what I'm into. This is what I want to go with. Finally, be patient. A made to measure experience is not like going into a store and buying off the rack. It's better because the garments are being made for you, but it takes time for this to happen. In general, you should expect your suit to take between six to eight weeks to produce. So the point is you have to do a little planning ahead. So if you need a suit for that wedding you're going to next week, it's just not going to happen, guys. Now, there's one other thing I want to talk about with regard to timing, and that is that everyone asks for their order to be expedited. Don't be that guy. Be respectful, be understanding and also be aware that once your suit comes in, you are going to need some additional alterations. It's normal. Some are easy like a hem and take no time at all, but others like tapering a trouser, for example, or taking in a jacket require more time. So in general, I would say to build in an extra week for your final delivery once the suit comes in for that first fitting, just as a way to temper your expectations a little, because it is very exciting when you get into that suit for the first time. So if you are looking to jump into made to measure for the first time, congratulations, it is definitely going to be an exciting experience and one that I hope is positive and one that I hope you come away from really, really loving everything about the garment that you've had created. So just to recap my five tips for your first made to measure experience, keep it classic, have a game plan, go to an actual shop, be open to suggestions and be patient. If you have more questions about made to measure or want to suggest a future video on this topic, leave a comment down below. I'm also going to put in the description links to a few reviews that I've done of made to measure programs in New York City. If you happen to be in that area and are looking for some options. If you like this video, please give it a thumbs up and be sure to subscribe to the channel. That's all for now, guys. Thanks for watching and stay tailored.