Made to measure shirts are popular and often preferred to an off-the-peg shirt, as they are designed to fit the individual perfectly. There are many benefits of owning a made to measure shirt, which is well worth the investment as they could save you money in the long term!
Custom-made shirts are durable due to the high-quality materials, such as 100% cotton, and expert craftsmanship by the finest tailors. This means that you will not need to go shopping for a new shirt regularly as custom shirts are made to last, which is more sustainable and better for the environment.
A made to measure shirt is individually handmade by usually one highly skilled tailor instead of being made in bulk by many different garment workers in a factory production line. The tailors take great pride in their work and ensure each customized garment is made to a very high standard.
Kitenge’s African menswear tailor, Tairo, cutting out the patterns to make a custom made shirt in Tanzania
The superior fit is extremely flattering to wear so you will look sharper/more stylish and the unique shirt will flatter your own body shape. It also means that the shirt will be more comfortable to wear so you are likely to wear it more often increasing your confidence and boosting your self-esteem.
As you are in complete control of the creative design process you are able to order a shirt that suits your own personality and individual style. You are in charge of choosing your preferred fabric, collar, cuff, placket, and pocket style for example. Who wants to look like everyone else wearing the same mass-produced shirts from the High Street?
If you’re considering purchasing a made to measure shirt but you’re not sure about how to customize the different features, then continue reading this blog for some helpful inspiration.
There are many ways you can go about customizing your made to measure shirts, from the fabrics to the fitting, here are some tips for customizing your made to measure shirt to suit you best.
The first step is to choose your favorite fabric, whether you would like a plain style or a more colorful, flamboyant style to attract people’s attention. That’s the beauty of designing your own made to measure shirt. Our plain-colored shirts are available to order in black and light blue fabrics with more colors to follow. If you prefer to order bold and vibrant patterned fabric then we have a large variety of original, 100% cotton, African print fabrics to choose from.
Kitenge’s unique collection of African print shirts for men includes darker, more subtle tones such as the Maroon Flower Short Sleeve Shirt and the Gold Floral Long Sleeve Shirt. Also included in the collection are bolder, more brightly colored Ankara fabrics such as the Yellow/Red/Blue Short Sleeve Shirt and the Yellow Pineapple Long Sleeve Shirt.
A happy Kitenge Store customer modeling his custom-made African print shirts in Switzerland
What’s more is that you now have the option to create a plain-colored shirt with bold and vibrant African print contrasts on certain features for a really unique look! For example, you could order a plain black long-sleeve shirt with Red Floral African Print Fabric on the collar, cuffs, front placket, and pocket.
Kitenge Store’s Black Long Sleeve Shirt with optional African print fabric contrasts
Find out more about the different custom options available when designing your dream shirt. Learn which features are more suitable for your own unique style, body shape, and where you plan to wear your shirt.
Our colorful shirts by Kitenge are available in both short and long-sleeve lengths. The long sleeve shirts are great for wearing to social events with friends, work colleagues, and relatives. The long sleeve shirts can be worn to formal occasions too such as a black-tie ball. You also have the option of rolling up the sleeves for a more casual look.
A customer wearing his Kitenge Store Green Floral Long Sleeve Shirt with a bow tie at a fundraising ball in London, UK
The premium, 100% cotton, African wax print fabric will keep you warm in cold climates and cool in hot climates. The short sleeve shirts are even more comfortable in warm conditions and are a great option for wearing on holiday or to a summer BBQ. These versatile shirts can be worn to many different occasions by simply changing what you choose to wear with them including the type of trousers, shoes, jacket, sweater, or accessories.
There are several different collar styles to choose from including classic, button-down, cut-away, wing, and mandarin. The traditional ‘classic’ collar is very popular, easy to wear, and suitable for many different occasions. It can be worn with or without a necktie.
Classic collar
The ‘button-down’ collar is the same as the ‘classic’ collar but stays in place due to the two buttons on the collar points that fasten to your shirt. This collar is suitable for casual occasions and can be worn with or without a sweater, necktie, and jacket over the top.
Button-down collar
The ‘cut-away’ collar has a wider spread so there is more room for a necktie. The collar ends also point outwards instead of downwards like the ‘classic’ collars.
Cut-away collar
The ‘wing’ collar is commonly worn with a bow tie for formal occasions including weddings and other black-tie events. The tips sit flat and stand out from the collar, which rests on top of a bow tie.
Wing Collar
A ‘mandarin’ collar is also known as a ‘nehru’, ‘standing’, ‘band’, or ‘choker’ collar. It is a short, unfolded style that stands upwards. It is a versatile collar that can be worn both casually and formally.
Mandarin Collar
Did you know that face shape also has a part to play with collars? People with square and full faces benefit from choosing narrow point collars, while if you have a slim face, a spread collar is the best choice as it will make your face look wider.
For an everyday shirt, you could choose to have a ‘classic’ collar with a ‘curved single’ cuff, a ‘front placket’, and one ‘curved’ pocket. For a more unique shirt, you could select a ‘mandarin’ collar with a ‘straight double’ cuff, a ‘covered placket’ (hidden buttons), and ‘no pocket’. Here is a photograph of what this shirt combination looks like in our ‘Yellow Pineapple’ fabric taken by a customer at his home.
A customer modeling his Yellow Pineapple Long Sleeve Shirt by Kitenge Store
The style of cuff that you choose depends on the occasion and personal preference. There are three types of cuff available to choose from including a ‘single’ button, ‘double’ button’, and ‘adjustable’ where you can make the fit of the cuff either tighter or looser around your wrist.
The ‘adjustable’ cuff is suitable for all occasions. A ‘double’ button cuff is dressier and more elegant than a ‘single’ button cuff. You also have the option of selecting a ‘curved’ style cuff, which has a soft, rounded edge and is suitable for all occasions.
An ‘angled’ style cuff, which is formal and professional looking is cut across the corner at a 45 degrees angle. It is more formal than a ‘straight’ cuff. And finally, the classic ‘straight’ style cuff, which is popular for both casual and business shirts. It has a straight corner and is less formal than the ‘curved’ cuff.
From left to right: a curved single cuff, an angled double cuff, and a straight adjustable cuff
If you are looking to choose a cuff style for formal occasions, such as weddings, then you can choose to have a ‘link’ cuff so that you can wear the shirt with cuff links.
Link cuff
Alternatively, the most casual cuff style is the ‘angled short’ (or ‘narrow’ cuff), which is cut across the corner at a 45-degree angle with one button. It is suitable for slim-fit shirts and the width of the cuff is shorter than all the other cuff styles.
Angled short cuff
For a formal, black tie event, you could order a long sleeve shirt with a ‘wing’ collar, ‘link’ cuff, ‘covered placket’, and ‘no pocket’. You could then accessorize the shirt with a bow tie and cuff links. A casual shirt combination could feature a ‘button-down’ collar, with an ‘angled short’ cuff, ‘no placket’, and ‘angled’ shaped pockets on both sides.
A placket is the long and narrow fabric section where the buttons and buttonholes are positioned on a shirt. There are three different placket style options available including ‘no placket’, ‘front placket’, and ‘covered placket’. If you choose not to have a placket then the material will not be folded back over and raised like the ‘front placket’. No Placket (also known as ‘French front’) is a popular style for both business and casual shirts but can be more difficult to iron neatly.
The ‘front placket’ is the most common style and is suitable for business shirts. The material is folded back over before it is sewn and fused with an interlining to give it a neat finish. A ‘covered placket’ (also known as ‘fly front’) has hidden buttons and is a more formal style.
From left to right: no placket, a front Placket, and a covered Placket (hidden buttons)
There are three different types of pocket styles to choose from including ’rounded’, ‘straight’, and ‘angled’. The choice of style is completely down to your personal preference. The majority of our customers prefer to have the same cuff and pocket style. For example, you could choose to have a ‘curved’, ‘angled’, or ‘straight’ cuff and pocket combination.
From left to right: a curved pocket, a straight pocket, and an angled pocket
If you like the sound of getting creative by designing your own custom-made shirt then why not try our online service for yourself? Browse our men’s made to measure shirts and get started by choosing your favorite fabric and sleeve length. Then you can start to customize your shirt design by choosing your preferred features as explained above. The final step is to measure a shirt that fits you well at home by following our simple ‘how to measure’ guides. All you need is a fabric tape measure.
If you need any help during the design or measurement processes please do not hesitate to contact us or visit our helpful FAQs page. Don’t forget that we currently have an amazing special offer that you won’t want to miss. When you purchase your first made to measure shirt from our online shop you can get another one for free! Simply design two made to measure shirts (with the same sleeve length) and add them to your basket. They can be two different fabrics or two of the same. Then enter the coupon ‘MTMFIRST‘ to receive a 50% discount off your order!
If you prefer to order a long and short sleeve shirt together for your first purchase, then you can get the cheapest shirt for free by using the coupon ‘MTMFIRSTSPECIAL‘.
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