Hello everyone – welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing my latest suit commission from local tailor Stitched Custom.
I’ve previously done a 3-piece suit with Stitched Custom, and chronicled my experience getting tailored by QQ here. Although it has been 4 years, the shop and its processes remain essentially unchanged, so I recommend checking out the above article to see what the tailoring experience at Stitched Custom is like. However, as it has been quite some time since I visited, I decided to return post-pandemic to check in on how they were doing.
Of course, I had to get something done while I was there. However, after perusing the available fabrics, nothing really caught my eye. I probably have about 25 suits by now, so I was way past the standard black/navy/grey fabrics, or even checkered/pinstriped ones. It was then Ying Tong (who’s actually QQ’s sister) suggested we can go off the books. She asked me if I had any style ideas in mind, or perhaps something I had seen a celebrity wore that I liked. It turns out that I did – I was a huge fan of the green velvet suit Jake Gyllenhaal wore to the premiere of his sister’s Oscar-nominated film, The Lost Daughter (it’s actually a brilliant film, do watch it if you haven’t yet). I showed the image to Ying Tong, who said she would visit the fabric markets to see if she could find a similar fabric to procure.
A few days later, Ying Tong sent me a message with the above photo, saying that she has managed to find a similar teal-coloured velvet fabric. I instantly loved it, and conveyed my approval. However, we decided not to copy Jake Gyllenhaal’s outfit. Instead, we put our own spin on it by making it into a tuxedo. With the pandemic now in the rear-view mirror, events are promptly resuming, and getting a tuxedo done felt timely. I collected the suit within 2-3 weeks – let’s see how it turned out.
Stitched Custom – Suit Review
Let’s start with the fit.
The front fits nicely, with the jacket comfortably hugging my shoulders without any wrinkling. The jacket is of the right tightness as well – tight enough to look fitted, but without any wrinkling emanating from the jacket buttons. One can also see a slight tapering that makes the wearer looks slimmer. In addition, the suit jacket is of the correct length, ending at the middle of my crotch/the middle of my palms. Lastly, there are none of the dreaded shoulder divots here – one of the cardinal sins of tailoring.
The sleeve pitch is good too, with minimal wrinkling at my arm’s natural resting position. The sleeves are of the optimal length, being short enough to expose about 1/4 inch of shirt cuff. The suit jacket also rests nicely on the shirt collar – no unsightly gap between that often besets off-the-rack and even made-to-measure suits.
In my previous review of the 3-piece suit from Stitched Custom, I critiqued the fit of the back. Here, I’m happy to report that the fit is much improved – there’s substantially lesser wrinkling throughout. The back generally looks clean, save for a tad of wrinkles on my right side (left side of above photo). Given the lack of a baste fitting, I’m impressed at the fit of the back this time around.
Being a tuxedo, we went for a more traditional half-break look with the trousers. I would say that it drapes cleanly overall without too much bunching at the bottom. It’s also of a comfortable width – not too tight on the thighs or the calves.
All in all, I would say that the velvet tuxedo fits much better than the previous 3-piece suit. Everything drapes cleaner now, and the fit feels surprisingly good for an affordable, made-to-measure suit that was achieved without a baste fitting. Very few complaints about the fit here.
However, the star of the show is definitely the stunning velvet fabric. Firstly, it looks gorgeous, with a subtle sheen that catches the eye. I love the colour – it morphs from a shimmering emerald green to a captivating dark teal, depending on lighting conditions. It’s easily one of the most unique fabrics that I own.
Secondly, the velvet texture is soft to the touch and feels premium. It also has this suede-like texture that adds visual intrigue to the overall jacket.
To jazz things up, we went with a satin peak lapel (instead of the more traditional shawl), as well as a single button (instead of the regular double).
I left the button choice to Ying Tong, and she actually picked a dark mother-of-pearl button. The irisdescent nature of the button complements the glossy velvet fabric perfectly, giving the jacket added oomph.
The same mother-of-pearl buttons are utilised for the sleeve buttons. Unfortunately, the buttonholes aren’t functional, though surgeon cuffs are available at an added cost.
I also left the choice of lining to Ying Tong, and she impressed me by selecting a black fabric with a blue floral patterning. The black/blue colourway fits the exterior of the suit jacket perfectly. It’s also subtle, but with its own pizzazz – a perfect balance.
Despite the affordable price point, all suits from Stitched Custom are half-canvassed. For the uninitiated, suits generally come in three levels of construction: fused, half-canvassed, and full-canvassed, in ascending order of quality. I actually did an in-depth article here, where I elaborated on the importance of suit construction. Aside from being more durable and comfortable, a half-canvassed suit also looks better due to the natural lapel roll. In contrast, the lapels on fused suits are flat, and looks like they have been ironed.
As for the trousers, I went for my usual side-adjusters and extended waistband, which Ying Tong adorned with the same mother-of-pearl button. The result is a sleek look that I really dig.
The pants also feature satin piping along its sides – quintessential for a tuxedo.
I liked how the shirt turned out as well. It fitted well, and looked great. Instead of the more traditional pleated or pique bib front, we decided to keep it clean and minimalist with a simple covered placket (which hides the shirt buttons). We also decided to forgo the classic cummerbund – I felt it looked out of place on this chic velvet tuxedo.
However, Stitched Custom does provide all the essential accessories, albeit at an additional cost. I decided to opt for a black bow-tie that I felt added an elegant touch to the outfit.
I also picked these cute hourglass cufflinks – as a watch enthusiast, I resonated with it.
Overall, I’m happy at how the tuxedo turned out. The emerald teal velvet fabric is to die for, while smart touches (such as the mother-of-pearl buttons and the complementary lining) elevate the outfit. I also appreciated the various accessories from Stitched Custom, which added the perfect final flourishes to the look.
Conclusion – so Stitched Custom “shiok” or not?
I definitely preferred this new tuxedo to my previous 3-piece suit. It fits better, and looks more unique as well. Above all, I really appreciated how Stitched Custom was able to bring my idea – the Jake Gyllenhaal suit inspiration – to life. I loved that I didn’t have to be restricted to the standard fabric books or even suit styles (we went left-field with a one button tuxedo). I also liked the one-stop shop nature of Stitched Custom, which made getting accessories eminently convenient. Lastly, prices at Stitched Custom are relatively affordable too. If you’re looking to commission something a little more special for a big day (wedding, etc) without breaking the bank, then do check Stitched Custom out.
Suits at Stitched Custom start from $499. Just for my readers, Stitched Custom is offering a free shirt with every suit purchase, as well as 20% off all accessories. Stitched Custom also offers affordable rental options, including an interesting “Made-to-rental” program where the suit is made to your customisations – like a regular made-to-measure suit, but at 20% off – but have to be returned thereafter. Those interested in rentals can also get a 15% discount on both the “Made-to-rental” programme (on top of the regular 20% off) and general rental suits.
Stitched Custom’s location: 193A Kitchener Rd, Singapore 208534
Book an appointment with Stitched Custom here.
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
