I am relieved, after much duress, to have finally found a tailor that is suitable. I guess that makes me suit-able.

I’ve always had difficulty buying formal wear. Long arms and a thin neck have made shirts a tough find.

My search began at Harry Rosen, conveniently located next to my gym at Bay & Bloor. There was nothing on the floor in my colour of choice, but, looking at fabric samples, a suave 3-button Armani suit could be ordered for about $2500 in a very nice, very dark brown. Taking into consideration the brand premium and lack of a third piece in the suit equation, the search went on.

Yorkville revealed what seemed to be the perfect suitmaker, material and process. While at the same pricepoint as the Armani option, Stavros would take more measurements, facilitate fitting by being in the same country, and add details like surgeon’s cuffs and a fine interior finishing. For them to fully hand-sew the suit would be twice the price. However, the salesman had a bit too much veneer on him and the price tag was still too high. The search went on.

Kory’s was the next stop, but not a go. The salesperson had a disposition founded on negativity, and the store’s selection an penury of 38s. Tailoring seemed like an affordable option here, but the fabric less than ideal. Walking down the Danforth afterwords, discussing cake options, Sanaz and I passed by a little shop, covered wall-to-wall with rolls of luscious fabrics. They were closed, but their hours of operation extended to 8pm – an ideal schedule for a day-jobber like me.

Spiros is a demuere Greek man who’s been in business for 28 years, furnishing suits to 10 of Toronto’s finest etablishments. Also a maker of bespoke suits, he came off as accomodating, sensitive, yet confident. I felt very comfortable in his presence. The material sample I saw there was of the finest quality I’d seen to date: a super 160 in an ideal shade.

As a tailor, and not a retailor, Spiros’ pricing is uncanny and workmanship superior. He stitches by hand. I’m getting a two button, 3-peice suit with surgeon cuffs. I’ve been measured, I’m being tailored, and on October 21, I’ll be fitted. Currently, I’m in anticipation. I’ve never had clothes made specifically for me.

Throughout this process, I’ve learned a lot about suits and tailoring. The difference between bespoke and made-to-measure:

A lot of people use the terms “bespoke” and “made-to-measure” interchangeably. They are mistaken.

‘Bespoke’ is actually a term which dates from the 17th century, when tailors held the full lengths of cloth in their premises.

When a customer chose a length of material, it was said to have “been spoken for”. Hence a tailor who makes your clothes individually, to your specific personal requirements, is called “bespoke”. This is unlike “made-to-measure”, which simply uses a basic, pre-existing template pattern, which is then adjusted to roughly your individual measurements.