Now, A Suit That Fits isn’t just another online tailor that takes your measurements, punches them into a computer which then cuts and stiches the material. The company was founded in 2006 after the owner was travelling in Nepal and became friendly with a family of tailors. After returning to the UK with a few suits that he had purchased he decided, after receiving high praise on their quality from friends and strangers, to form an ethical partnership with the family run business.

The cutters each have on average 30 years of experience whilst the stitchers have over 4 years of experience and both cutters and stitchers are paid 50% above the national average and receive work-related bonuses. In addition, 5% of all profits are donated to the local HPV School; by paying well and providing excellent working conditions A Suit That Fits ensures that the high standards that you would expect from a bespoke suit are not only met, but exceeded.

Ordering is done in one of 2 ways, you can enter your measurements and design your suit online or if, like me, the idea of ordering a suit online scares you, you can book an appointment at one of their 25 fitting centres throughout the UK and get not only an exact fitting but the chance to see and touch the wide variety of cloths that you can choose from. A fitting costs £25 but all customers who are measured in-store receive a fit guarantee and a second fitting for any tweaks that are required. If you order online with your own measurements there is a £40 fee for alterations.

It would seem that, if at all possible, you opt for an in-store fitting as you’ll then get to design your suit from a range of fabrics ranging from the best quality wools, from winter cashmere to summer mohair with materials like silk and linen.  What’s more there will be a style adviser to help guide you through the process of choosing fabric, linings and style whilst taking great care to ensure perfect measurements are taken.

Once the measurements are known your specifications are then wired over to the family-run workshop in Kathmandu to be expertly cut and stitched, checked by a quality support team and then checked again before being shipped to the UK ready for you to wear within 3 to 8 weeks.

At A Suit That Fits.com a bespoke two-piece suits start at £200, tailored overcoats at £300, shirts start at £50 if you buy 5 or as singles from £70.  They will also tailor trousers, jackets, waistcoats and dinner suits.

Every now and then an offer comes along that you can’t afford to miss and today is one of those days. In case you haven’t heard, Keynoir is undoubtedly THE leading luxury lifestyle members’ club which handpicks only the finest experiences in and around London for its members.

Given that membership is free there really is no excuse for missing out on offers such as 70% off an evening of whiskey tasting at London’s Albannach or 61% off dinner at Soho’s Quo Vadis Restaurant and today they have a fantastic offer of a £160 voucher towards a bespoke suit from King & Allen for only £80, that’s a 50% saving!

With King & Allen there are no online forms to fill in and quite possibly get wrong.  You can only get a suit by being measured in person at one of their nationwide fitting locations.  Once there you can inspect the range of over 2,000 fabrics while a King & Allen expert measures you and creates a blueprint of your body.

This blueprint and the measurements will be used to tailor your suit by hand from a roll of bespoke cloth within 6 to 8 weeks. You’ll want to experience the renowned King & Allen’s full bespoke fitting service, including their Fit Guarantee when you discover that a bespoke tailored suit can be yours for far less than you imagined.

Ladies and gents suits are priced from £249 however with the Keynoir offer you’ll save £80 just by claiming 1 of 140 half price vouchers, even better is the fact that you have until 19 April 2011 to redeem the voucher so you don’t have to feel rushed into ordering Having said that you could end up with a new bespoke suit in time for Christmas.

Other than a pair of jeans, it’s hard to think of a more American garment than the chino. It should be noted though, the casual cotton trousers weren’t invented in the States. Their story begins on our side of the globe a long time ago and it starts, like so many pieces of men’s fashion, with the military.

In the 1840s, British colonial soldiers marching through India dyed their white uniforms to match the terrain’s dusty, saffron-hued sand. In fact, the term khaki is derived from the Persian word khâk, meaning “dust/ashes” Eventually, every solider was outfitted in khaki cotton uniforms and soon they became standard issue for many of the world’s military. But it was young American soldiers who introduced the chino to civilians—sporting their uniform chinos on college campuses after returning from World War II.

Durable, comfortable and adaptable to any range of styles and colours, the young men wore the drill-cloth pants with everything from T-shirts and trainers to Oxford cloth button-downs and loafers and because the trousers were as timeless as they were durable, the style endured.

An essential part of the modern man’s wardrobe in my mind  would be 3 pairs of chinos in Khaki, Navy and Black. Try to stay clear from grey chinos as they look all a little too formal.

Every brand under the sun now seem to produce chinos at varying price points and quality, but for me there really is only one brand to look at…..

Dockers Comfort Fit Chinos

The original chinos were from Dockers made by Levis, you know what you are getting here, good solid construction a reasonable price tag and in Khaki suitable for casual wear or a more dressed down look in the office.

Available from House of Fraser and other outlets.

mr.black@gentlemensgoods.com