Suitsupply Custom Suit Review: We May Never Buy Suits off the Rack Again

Apr 24, 2022 6:00 pm

SuitSupply Custom Suit Featured Image — Photo Credit: William Goodman | SPY

Everyone loves a sharp-dressed man, which means there are few things better than having a well-fitting, snazzy-looking, and well-tailored men’s suit. The only thing better than having a suit is, perhaps, having a custom suit. As with anything custom, having something tailor-made to fit you is going to fit much better.

But a custom suit is more than just how it looks on your body, as it provides you with the option of being able to select every single aspect of the suit, down to the fabric, color, style and cut. One of the premier brands when it comes to suiting is SuitSupply. The Netherlands-based company has a handful of US locations and set me up with a custom suit fitting to walk through the entire process from start to finish. Here’s our takeaway.

SuitSupply Custom Suiting

$798.00

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SuitSupply Custom Suit Review: What We Liked

Prior to actually going into the DC SuitSupply, I spent time online walking through the SuitSupply custom suiting tool, where I was able to get a good sense of options (I should also note it’s not just suiting you can do, but blazers, shirts, pants, jackets and even formalwear). The main categories to choose from include: the suit fabric, the jacket style, trouser style, whether or not you want a waistcoat and overall sizing options. Within each major category, there are additional customizations such as whether or not you want to go with a heavy or light wool fabric, what color you want, double-breasted or single-breasted, button numbers, pleated or flat front pants and so on.

I have a handful of single-breasted suits already in a handful of traditionally plain colors (i.e., gray, black, navy), so I decided to go with something rather bold: A pleated pant, double-breasted, pinstripe green suit. Even on the website, it was already a looker. While you definitely don’t need to use the tool, it was a nice way to get a better understanding of the diversity of choices you’ll have, and it even provided a code I could use to talk to the store during my fitting to make the process easier.

When I arrived at the DC store, I was paired with Jared Bethune, who is DC’s custom-made specialist. From there, we talked through the selections I’d made prior and made some minor tweaks. For example, I originally selected a button fly zipper for the pants, and we decided to opt for a standard zipper fly instead. You can see the two of us walking through sample swatches below.

Lazy loaded image — William Goodman | SPY

Once all the details were sorted, Jared walked me through the fitting process. SuitSupply cuts down on the amount of measuring by just having you try on some of the brand’s existing jackets and pants to get a good, general feel for sizing. Once the suit arrives, it then can be tailored or adjusted more (if needed), but instead of having to break out a measuring tape, you just go with what’s off the rack and adjust accordingly.

While the store didn’t have any double-breasted jackets to try, I was fitted in a standard suit just to get a general sense of how it would look. Even before getting everything made, I felt like the suit was already going to look and feel great, thanks to Jared’s expertise. The level of feedback I got was well, well worth the price I would have paid, as having a helping (and knowledgable) hand to walk through the entire process made it so much easier than me just picking things out online by myself.

After the fitting was complete, it took about five weeks to arrive in the store. Production times vary, especially in this COVID era, but that’s about the standard time it takes. I came back in for one slight adjustment, and then the suit was completely ready for me.

Here’s the final product.

All of the details were present just as I selected them to be, including the monogram on the collar and the inside pocket and the pattern-lining I picked out. Not only does the suit fit like a glove, but the material is also light and comfortable. It’s definitely a three-season suit that will be perfect for weddings and one I can dress up or down depending upon the situation. The fabric feels durable and quality; there’s no skimping on materials or overall construction in any regard.

SuitSupply Custom Suit Review: What We Didn’t Like

Any complaints in regards to the custom suit process at SuitSupply are going to be a nitpick since the entire process worked pretty flawlessly from start to finish. Sure, some will likely scoff at the price. But $800 – $1,200 (give or take) for a fully customizable suit is a pretty good deal. Most major suiting companies don’t even offer this option, let alone at this value.

The one aspect that we may not love is the rotation of different fabrics. While there are plenty of standard color options, some colors may rotate in and out with the seasons, which means you may miss a chance to get something on the trendier side if you went to pick something out in May but waited until October to actually make a choice. This isn’t a dealbreaker by any stretch, but some may find it disappointing.

Additionally, some may feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options, but the good thing is that you can either take or leave them. If you want to get nitpicky about thread color in your monogram, you can. Or you can just leave it alone.

Verdict: SuitSupply’s Custom Suit Will Make You Look and Feel Incredible

SuitSupply’s custom suiting program lets you be in charge at every step and create something that’s reflective of your individual personality. While it may seem costly for some, those who know how expensive true custom tailoring can get will find this process an absolute steal. And, at the end of the day, you can’t argue with the amazing quality of the final product.