Hands On: Taylor Stitch

It's a simple and honest manifesto...Taylor Stitch wants to put a well-made, well-fitting and affordable made to measure shirt on your back.  Whether a dress shirt for work or a sport shirt for heading out after work, guys deserve something great.  Buying made to measure, or custom, shirting is not a route many of us have taken or plan on taking, which is a shame.  Assuming ridiculous prices and a complex process, mass produced goods often feel like the only option.  Thankfully brands like Taylor Stitch are filling a much needed void and dispelling notions once deemed unwavering.

While I'll leave the in depth brand story and vision to my good friend Paul, who has what should be a fantastic feature in the works, Taylor Stitch is an upstart San Francisco "online shirtmaker and men's outfitter purveying well crafted goods."  When I first heard of these guys I immediately reached out for more information and since then have developed a solid relationship with a brand I have the utmost respect for.  When I was given the chance to get my hands on a custom shirt I jumped at the opportunity to not only get my feet wet with made to measure, but to evaluate a product that on paper seemed pretty spectacular.

After putting in my order back in early November I was finally able to rip my package from the evil grips of my apartment complex's office and get up close and personal with a shirt I helped "design".  See, that's the greatest part about made to measure.  For the first time ever I really feel like I have a personal stake in an article of clothing I own and that feeling in itself is pretty invaluable.

The above oxford cloth button down from Taylor Stitch is the fruit of our labors and I couldn't be happier.  I won't comment too much on the fit since that would prove pointless as these are my measurements and my tweaks arranged specifically for me.  I will say that the specs I worked on with Mike of Taylor Stitch fully come through in the final product.  Being a complete novice with only ideas of how a shirt should fit wouldn't seem to bode well, let alone yield such a great fitting final product, but luckily for me that's where the experts come in.  Since day one Mike was with me every step of the way discussing the intricacies of measurement and overall fit.  I don't know many brands who jump at the chance to get on the horn and talk every detail from the collar down to the buttons, but then again, I don't know of many brands like Taylor Stitch.

As far as quality is concerned, the shirt fires on all cylinders as well.  The grey oxford cloth is just thick enough and just refined enough that it will easily transition from meetings to the bar.  I'm already looking towards a very classy event next month where this oxford is going to feel right at home.  The custom red contrast stitching on the second button hole and cuff also came out perfect and add some character to the classic garment.  With a wide variety of fabrics and colors, but not enough to overwhelm, Taylor Stitch has curated both a shop and shopping experience that appeals to both menswear geeks and novices.

Made to measure is truly an enjoyable process everyone should try at least once.  You don't need to be a Wall Street goon or a tastemaker to appreciate and afford the process.  It is something that when given the proper time and thought can turn out some great gear and I can't think of a better starting point than Taylor Stitch.  With customer service that puts the White House staff to shame, an actual desire to help their customers dress better and a product that speaks for itself I think we can file a new chapter under "people who are doing things right."

-L.A.S

A big special thanks goes out to Mike and all the TS guys for the shirt, their constant assistance and attention.