In this review, I’ll share my thoughts on Indochino, a made-to-measure men’s suit brand.
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For many shorter men, it can be a challenge to find a suit that fits well off the rack. Suit jackets are especially tricky.
At 5’3” I haven’t had much luck with ready-to-wear suits, so the advent of made-to-measure (MTM) companies was a real game changer. My first MTM experience was with one of the most popular (and affordable) custom menswear brands, Indochino.
Going Custom
Made-to-measure has been a blessing for men of shorter stature, no matter where they live. Most of these companies offer an online service where you either submit your own measurements or send in a few pictures of yourself.
Since I live in New York City, I chose to visit one of Indochino’s showrooms and have them take my measurements for me. I made an appointment with one of their style guides at their Soho location.
Now, MTM is not exactly bespoke – a process in which a suit pattern is made just for you from scratch – but it’s still custom for your build.
Here’s how it works…
The Ordering Process
At Indochino’s showroom, I’m fitted into a sample suit that’s pretty close to my ready-to-wear size. From there, the style guide starts taking measurements and pinning parts of the suit to achieve a better fit.
After that comes the fun part. I get to choose a fabric, jacket style (single or double-breasted), lapel style, number of buttons, jacket lining and several other customizations.
For my first Indochino suit, I chose the Hemsworth Gray Suit. I went with standard shoulders, notch lapels and slanted pocket flaps.
Being that this was my first suit purchase, I thought it would be best to choose a basic yet classic style. I also wanted a suit that would transition easily from business to leisure.
I mean, you really can’t go wrong with a medium grey suit. This color is just as versatile as navy or charcoal.
For the trousers, I went with flat fronts (no pleats), a blind hem (no cuffs) and side adjusters. For more versatility and an additional $119, I chose to include a waistcoat.
I was told the suit would be shipped to my home in about three weeks. Once it arrives, I can bring it in for any fine tuning.
Initial Fit
The suit arrived within the quoted delivery time inside a flat box with some minor creasing.
The trousers fit well, for the most part, but I did need to have the legs shortened for a no break look.
The jacket, on the other hand, was too snug around the chest. It looked great as long as I kept my arms at my side but was too snug when I crossed or folded my arms.
Indochino told me they’d just need to let the jacket out a bit in the chest. For these sorts of basic alterations, Indochino has in-house tailors, so the turnaround time is about a week.
A week later, the jacket was ready for me to try on again. Unfortunately, it was still too snug. Indochino said that if they let it out anymore it would be too loose. They figured that the error may have been in the initial cut and offered to re-do the whole jacket at no additional charge.
Final Fit
The new jacket arrived about three weeks later, and this time it fit much better. I had them take it in just a bit for a near perfect fit, at no additional charge.
Then, finally, I had my first well-fitting suit!
Indochino Sports Jackets
While I haven’t bought any other suits from Indochino, I did order two sports jackets which fit perfectly.
Once Indochino has your final measurements on file, your future orders should come out close to perfect, barring any change to your body (i.e., weight gain or loss).
Indochino Quality
Now, I’m no expert when it comes to fabric, but I can tell you that I found my Indochino suit to be very well made. There were no loose threads or sloppy seams, and the attention to detail seemed to be right up there with other brands I’ve tried.
The fabric is Super 100S Australian Merino Wool. This is a midweight wool that’s suitable for most seasons, including fall and early spring.
I’ve worn the suit about five times, and it’s held up just fine so far.
I haven’t had it dry cleaned yet, but I have steamed it to remove minor wrinkles. So far the suit has held up great.
Indochino Outerwear
Indochino offers more than just suits. They also offer outerwear, including overcoats and trench coats, as well as shirts and chino pants.
As of today, I’ve gotten three overcoats, one trench coat, two vests (waistcoats) and three shirts.
I think it’s safe to say that I’m a satisfied Indochino customer!
The process for outerwear is the same as it is for suits. If you’re measured in person, you start off by trying on a sample that’s close to your size, then your style guide pins up the garments and takes notes of your measurements.
Just like with the suits, you get to customize the coats. You get to choose button style, functional or non-functional sleeve buttons, collar style and lining.
My first coat fit great. The only thing that needed adjusting was the sleeve length (an easy fix). The second one also fit well.
My third coat – a grey peaked collar, double breasted overcoat – needed to be taken in. But again, that’s all done on premises for no additional charge.
The following coats (trench and mac), came out perfectly.
I have to admit, the coats are my favorite Indochino pieces. At 5’3”, finding a coat that I wasn’t swimming in was close to impossible, so these coats look and feel great.
The quality is really good. The overcoats are made of a blend of cashmere and heavyweight merino wool – a luxurious but functional combination.
My Recommendation
I must admit, although the jacket on my first Indochino suit had to be remade, their customer service and quality control has made me a repeat customer.
Since they now have my exact measurements on file, ordering new pieces has been a breeze.
I recently ordered two more blazers, both of which fit well right out of the box.
If you haven’t had much luck finding properly fitted clothing off-the-rack, maybe due to your height or unique build, I strongly recommend you give made-to-measure a try.
If you’re looking to get your first suit, I personally vouch for and recommend Indochino.
Try to get measured in person at an Indochino location, if you can. If not, don’t be afraid to place your order online.
Click here to check out Indochino’s current collection.
