$399 for a custom suit? You may be surprised to hear that the price tag can be well beneath 4 digits.
Many tailors in this space start their pricing around $1,000, but most of us in the X&Y generation don’t want to foot that kind of a bill to look sharp. I’ve been fortunate to watch two Atlanta entrepreneurs start a custom suit business more “tailored” to our needs. Trio Tailoring https://www.triocustoms.com/ realized there was a big need for moderate to low priced custom suits in the market, and the concept has been well received locally and is gaining traction nationally. Check out the tips below from the owners at Trio – Benjamin McMillan and Mike Hu:
- Fit matters more than brand. The cardinal rule of the Office Style Guide is that the fit of the suit trumps everything else. A three-piece from the Ferragamo Fall Collection isn’t doing you any favors when the jacket is falling off your shoulders. When you’re wearing a suit, your trousers should sit about two inches below your belly button – not at your waistline. Your pants cuffs should nearly touch the ground when you’re not wearing shoes, and the sleeves of your jacket should be long enough to cup your fingers around when your arms are at your waist.
- Match your shoes and belt to your suit. Your shoes and belt are key style elements, so make sure that they match when you’re finding a suit for the day. Black suits should always have black accessories, and brown always needs brown. When wearing gray or navy, you have a bit more freedom. Gray suits can pair with black or brown accessories, and while navy pairs better with brown, it’s acceptable to wear black shoes with dark blue trousers. Also remember that your belt and shoes should always be of the same color.
- Choose colors that highlight your skin tone. When picking out your shirt and tie, you should stick to colors that highlight your skin tone. Olive skin looks best when paired with browns, reds and yellows. People with paler skin, on the other hand, should try to find a suit that features cool colors like blue and pink. If you have a neutral or medium skin tone, than you can pick and choose from both ends of the spectrum.
- Say it with socks. Socks are the one thing in your wardrobe that you can really go crazy with. While shirts and ties should be limited to conservative colors and prints, wearing a suit with classy argyle socks or even tasteful skull-and-bones socks is more than acceptable. Just don’t be cheesy about it, and make sure that the colors “sort of” match. On the other hand, if you find a suit incorporating black pants, a white shirt and blue floral socks to be attractive, it’s worth remembering that even though nautical twilight is a magical time, it doesn’t really have the same effect when you’re recreating it on your ankles.
You don’t need a custom suit to find success, but feeling confident about how you look is important. Based on a recent article by careerbuilder.com you increase your chances to get hired by 22% just by dressing professionally (http://cb.com/1b89XQn). Next time you are preparing for an interview or important business function, keep these tips in mind and suit up the smart way.
Written by:
Brandon Hayes
Private CFO™ and Vice President oXYGen Financial, Inc.
Request a FREE consultation: www.oxygenfinancial.net