Made-to-Measure or Bespoke

Can you afford custom made clothing?  I can't, but I wish that I could.  Although I can't afford them, I know the importance of understanding different categories of clothing.  So, let's take a few moment to learn the difference between the term "made-to-measure" and "bespoke".  They are often referred to as being the same thing, but technically they are NOT the same.  Well, actually that depends on who you ask.

The British Advertising Standards Authority has made a ruling regarding the difference or lack of difference between the word bespoke and made-to-measure.  The ruling established that a "made-to-measure suit would be cut, usually by machine, from an existing pattern, and adjusted according to the customer's measurements," while "a bespoke suit would be fully hand-made and the pattern cut from scratch, with an intermediary baste stage which involved a first fitting so that adjustments could be made to a half-made suit." The ruling concluded, however, that a "majority of people... would not expect that bespoke suit to be fully hand-made with the pattern cut from scratch," effectively equalizing the terms bespoke and made-to-measure.  Some people may say that the ASA had made a rather silly decision to declare that there is no difference between bespoke and made-to-measure.  In the opinion of Apparel Search, their is a difference between the two terms.  Bespoke is 100% custom made for a specific individual.  Made-to-measure uses existing standard patterns and then tailoring is done to make the garment fit better to an specific individual.  

You may also want to learn about suiting fabrics if you are planing to buy either a made-to-measure suit or a bespoke suit.  It would actually be a good idea to learn about suit fabrics even if you are planning to buy ready to wear suits off the rack.