#SuitUpNashville with Indochino
To those of you that follow me on social media, you know that I have been teasing this for a while. I am beyond excited to fill you all in on this amazing partnership with Indochino. They have recently opened their doors to the Nashville community in Green Hills Mall and are excited about it!
I will have to admit, I am still young in the made-to-measure arena so I was excited to get this process going. That being said, I am sure that I could go on for a while about this experience, but in the interest of time and your sanity, I will break this experience into 3 parts; The Fitting, The Alterations, and The Wearing. This will be my attempt to succinctly share as much as possible about my experience from beginning to end.
The Fitting:
When I walked into the showroom, I was welcomed by a modern and clean design aesthetic. As a guy who shops probably too much, I like to be able to immediately see most (if not all) of the available options. The fabric choices, shirting options, examples of their garments, and more were immediately visible. It took some of the guess work or confusion out of what was to come.
When I met my style guide, she started the process by asking what I was looking for. I also thought that this was a great touch. It was nice to be asked for my opinion before the process started. But don't worry - if you are not quite sure, they are capable of guiding you through that as well.
Once all of that was determined, I was taken back to be measured. The style guide took 18 measurements of my body; neck, shoulders, and biceps all the way down to inseam, outseam, calf, and thigh. I was then given a few suiting pieces to try on so that we could pinpoint the fit that was best for me. They have 3 options to suit different body types; slim, athletic, and full. Once we tried on a few pair of pants and jackets, the garments were pinned to my body. This gave the style guide the chance to be even more precise when it came to my garments. For instance, my left shoulder is slightly larger than my right [I know - I am working on it]. That and other "abnormalities" of the imperfect human form can be caught this way and compensated for. And of special note: as they measured and pinned, every intricacy was recorded in my customer profile for this order and for any future orders for ease.
I was then guided to the customization portion of the process. I was given the option to choose the type of suit, lining, vents, buttons, button holes, custom embroidery, and other finishing details. This was probably the portion that I enjoyed the most. I knew that I took a while here, but details are important to me. But again, if you are confused about these, their process makes it easy and they are more than happy to guide you through this portion.
After that, the waiting game ensues.
The Alterations:
Once the garment arrived at my home (in about 2-3 weeks), I took the pieces in for minor adjustments. When my suit arrived, my pants were nearly perfect - which excited me! Just a small tweak in the seat and I was ready to go. We did run into a problem with the jacket, however. The fit was off and did not feel comfortable in it. When I consulted with the fit guide, I was given the option to remake the jacket as alterations would offset the proportions otherwise. Since I had already been measured, there was no need to rehash that, but I was placed in another jacket and re-pinned. This time, I offered more feedback as to what I wanted to see than last time (which helped), and my measurements and feedback were recorded as well. Though I was a bit disappointed that I had to wait for the next jacket to arrive, I was elated that this process was seamless and that the staff was so accommodating.
The Wearing:
The best part of all. Where you get to really put your personal spin on the garments. I chose to create a double breasted suit in a silk-wool blend. Though this fabric was more delicate than others that I could have chosen, I wanted something that I could wear mostly year-round in this southern heat. I have also never owned one as an adult and I thought that this was the perfect time to grab one! I will have to say that I am happy with the choice that I made as well!
In this particular look, I paired it with a classic blue and white banker stripe spread collar shirt and one of my favorite ties in purple with teal polka dots. Take a look below at the pictures and let me know what you think. I think that it turned out pretty well!
The last thing that I will leave you with are a few tips to help you when you visit Indochino;
1) Know what you want. The style guides will be able to best assist you if you have an idea of what you want to look like or prefer. Though they are talented, they are not mind readers. Collaboration is best for this process. Season, color, style, fit, are all things to think about - and bring pictures if you must. As much context as you can provide, the better.
2) Be vocal. If you don't like something or if you love something, say it. The style guides will always present a few options based on their expertise and on many of the traditional menswear "rules." If you want to go left of center a bit, own it and have fun!
3) Be patient. If you have a time table for your suit, go early. You will NOT be able to walk out the door with a suit within the same day. Just know that you need to allow a few weeks for delivery and alterations. In my case, I had to add another 2 weeks on top of the normal time. Also, you should be prepared to spend about 60 minutes in the store for your initial appointment.
A little bit about Indochino, since their founding, Indochino has grown quite rapidly and is now one of the largest made-to measure suiting companies in the market. They offer a multi-channel experience that allows one to order garments in-store at a showroom, online, or even on a mobile phone. They have really made the process easy for men to not only order great clothes, but to feel their best when doing so and while wearing them.
If you're in the market for a new suit, Indochino is definitely worth a second look. If nothing else, check out their website or visit their showroom in Green Hills Malls. And as always, feel free to leave a comment and ask questions!