They say that a tailored suit will look better than any off-the-rack suit because it is made specifically to suit your own body. It's a one-of-its-kind suit, the only one in the world, etc. etc. So I did some online research on how to make my own suit, what I wanted and etc etc. It was then that I actually found out that KL is well known for its quality and cheap suit-tailoring. I've heard of people going to Bangkok to make suits, but I never knew that people actually come to KL to make suits. Apparently suits in Bangkok fall apart after a few months. How about that eh? KL, suit-hub of the world.

The major stumbling block was to find a good tailor though. Apart from a few well-known tailors who make suits for royalty and celebrities (is there a difference anymore?) and whose price-range is also well beyond my reach (anything from RM2500-RM60,000) there were few other recommendations, especially from local and smaller tailorshops. The risk with having it tailor-made from a lesser known tailor is that you never know how it's going to turn out. I did find one guy plugging for a 'bespoke' tailor in Ampang Park with supposedly impressive credentials having trained in the UK. Or something. So I decided to go there. Only to find that it was closed -_-'. Determined not to let the day go to waste, I walked around and found that there were quite a few tailors in Ampang Park. I went and examined the suits on display, to check their quality and what not. If they show it on display, it should arguably be their best work, yes?

I came across one tailor whose couple of suits on display looked excellent as compared to the others and I walked right in. I had a nice chat with him. I asked him how long he's been in business (actually I asked him how long he's put up shop in Ampang Park, since it was pretty rude to ask him how long he's been in business. He told me he's been there since Ampang Park opened in the 70s, and his outdated catalogue of Italian magazines would testify to that!), his price range, and I had a look through the fabrics he had whilst waiting for my fiancee. He asked me how I came across his shop and whether anyone recommended his work to me . Politely, I told him no (hihi). During the course of discussion I mentioned to him what sort of suit I wanted, and the type of cutting I was looking at. He seemed to understand what I wanted, and called it 'the young man's fitting'. yeah, whatever you want to call it, old man. Having run out of things to talk to, and anxiously looking through the magazine I bought several times over, I told him that I was going to have a look around at the other tailors in Ampang Park . He didn't seemed bothered or annoyed about it and was still friendly. Another plus point.

The other shop of note which I came across looked slightly more established and had a larger shop-space with more materials on display. There was another customer who came with his wife and kids, but the vibe I got from the shop wasn't good. They couldn't be bothered with me, to be honest. I know there was another customer but there were 3 people manning the shop. Did all three need to wank over said customer? (not his fault by the way) I don't mind waiting really, if they had just told me to. Instead, it was pretty much: We're busy now and you can go f@ck off in the corner and we'll attend to you when we want to. I wasn't having any of it and just left. Hey, I even wore shoes instead of my trusty selipar! Maybe I didn't look 'smart' enough but it isn't really my loss. The customer is king, or haven't you heard? (Sedapkan hati sendiri).

There weren't any other tailors whose display pieces caught my eye (ceh macam best jeh), and so and lo I returned to tailor number 1. Who knew that choosing a colour could be so darned difficult? Grey is grey is grey right? Turns out it wasn't. There were so many hues, texture, patterns that it took us an hour to at least choose the colour, so much so that we even left the final decision on the colour until after the measurement. The tailor even conveniently reminded us that we have yet to decide on the colour, after he finished measuring me. It was quite difficult. Grey is definitely a colour I like, and I loved all of them. How could I possibly choose? I did anyway, but it was probably the hardest decision in my life! (Cue: exaggeration).

In the end, I decided to make a two-button, three piece suit and also a shirt to wear it with. Fitting will be sometime in May, and I'll be looking to see what the tailor comes up with. The price he came up with was really reasonable, and if his work is good, (I hope) I'll definitely be recommending him to others.

Having such a gorgeous bride-to-be, I really need to keep up and try to look good. But will I look like this? I doubt it. But this was what I had in mind, although the final colour chosen is much lighter than this.



It also just came to me yesterday (in a dream) to have my shirt collar double-buttoned. So I text-ed the tailor to tell him I'm thinking of some adjustments to be made to the shirt. I then unintentionally came across this yesterday, and I'll be taking this picture to the tailor and see if he can come up with this. Since it's my wedding shirt, I think it'll have to be a bit different. How different? Let's hope the tailor can pull this baby off :





Haha, I might end up looking like a douche. Seriously, its more than just an imagined possibility at this point. But at least you can't fault me for effort. Right?