Your Menswear Questions: Answered by the Expert

We have the pleasure of working with thousands of brides each year to help them select what might be the most important dress they’ll ever wear. Oftentimes brides ask us questions about what their fiances should wear to complement (but not outshine, of course!) their gorgeous gown. We sat down with Ryan Wagner, Owner of Bespoke Edge, award-winning local custom menswear clothier, to answer some questions we’re often asked regarding menswear.

LWD: How far in advance of the wedding should grooms start looking for a suit?

Ryan: The short answer is: the earlier, the better. We absolutely love it when our couples approach us six months out (or more!) from their wedding day. This is a great time to start thinking about groom's attire because all the other wedding planning items haven't started to converge yet. The final weeks and months leading up to any wedding can certainly get quite hectic, and since groom's attire is something that can be addressed early on in the planning process, we definitely recommend starting early.

That being said, we feel comfortable scheduling appointments around two and a half months out, but we would prefer three. After being in business for over six years now, we've learned that in the final month before the wedding, it can be difficult for our grooms to make time for their second fitting. So, the earlier, the better!

LWD: What makes Bespoke Edge stand out from other menswear options?

Ryan: Over the years, we have been very fortunate to have worked with hundreds of grooms. The feedback we've gotten is that they really enjoyed the no-pressure experience of buying a wedding suit with us and that they knew we had their best interests in mind. Something that Brett and I have observed from our father, Ron, is his incredible commitment to service and always doing the right thing. We never rush through our appointments and it's very important to us that our clients find the suit style and cloth that's appropriate for their needs. Also, our concierge approach to deliveries and fittings means that we will work around our clients' busy schedules, thereby saving them time and energy.

From a more technical perspective, we are a fully custom clothier. What that means is that we have control over every detail of the garment and can customize just about anything. It can be difficult for some guys to find suits that fit them in a store. But because we're building it from scratch and creating a unique pattern, we're able to provide menswear that fits better than anything they've ever worn before.

LWD: What are some pros and cons to paying for a custom suit versus ready-to-wear?

Ryan: In my opinion, the big distinction between a custom suit and a ready-to-wear suit is that with the former, you're going to get just what you were looking for. Not only in terms of the fabric and styling, but the fit as well. We carry hundreds of fabrics, representing the full spectrum of weaves, patterns, and weights. After we learn about the type of wedding suit or tuxedo that our couples are looking for, we work to guide them through finding the right cloth and ensuring that they are making a smart purchase.

Similarly, many of our clients are looking for a versatile suit: one that is going to look great on their wedding day, but that can also be worn after the wedding. That might be for work, date night, or something else. Designing a suit that will balance these needs is easy to do when starting from scratch and building a custom suit.

Regarding pricing, we work very hard to maintain a good selection of versatile fabrics at competitive prices. Many of our grooms have found that our opening range custom suits are very close to, if not a better value, than what they can find in a high-end department store.

LWD: What kind of customization options do you offer?

Ryan: There are lots of fun things! The whole idea here is that by customizing a suit or tuxedo, the groom can show a little personality and tell a story with his attire.

For instance, our couples often want to incorporate their wedding colors into the suit via contrast buttonhole stitching on the sleeves. The jacket lining is another item that is a ton of fun. We have several swatch books filled with unique linings that cover all types of sports (e.g. skiing), hobbies (e.g. fishing, beer, etc), and cool patterns like the classic paisley or an edgy skull and crossbones. Additionally, monogramming the date of the wedding inside the jacket is a thoughtful way to make the suit extra special. Our gallery has lots of great examples of some of the creative suits that our clients have built over the years.

My favorite customization option is our surgeon cuff, also known as working sleeve buttonholes. On most off-the-rack suits, the buttons on the jacket sleeve are non-functional: they are just there for decoration. However, because we can measure a groom's exact sleeve length, we can offer this traditional feature and make the buttons functional.

LWD: Should grooms pay for their groomsmen’s suits as well? How do your clients usually handle groomsmen suits?

Ryan: I think that this is definitely a personal choice made by the bride, groom, and their respective families. The costs that are considered "normal" for the groom to cover have certainly changed over the years. We've seen both ends of the spectrum: some grooms have decided to outfit all of their groomsmen with custom BE suits, whereas others selected a very special custom suit for themselves, something that would intentionally set them apart from the style of their groomsmen.

LWD: What is your general price range?

Ryan: Our 2-piece suits begin at $1,095 and go up to around $5,000 according to cloth and build quality. Our custom dress shirts range from $145 to about $300.

Regardless of price, all of our clients walk away with a suit or tuxedo that fits them and only them; the end result of a process rooted in tradition. Many of our clients have never owned a custom suit before, and it's always such a pleasure for us to introduce them to the world of custom clothing.

LWD: Is there anything else you’d like brides and grooms to know?

Ryan: Yes! That above all else, the thing that is most important to us is educating our audience on custom clothing and style. Other the years, we've created all sorts of practical and relevant content to help guys look and feel their best. Whether you're renting your groom's attire, buying off-the-rack, or creating something custom, we hope that we can help you to make smart buying decisions.

If you'd like to learn more, we have lots of great info on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube. We even have an Amazon Alexa Skill with a daily style tip.

We're always here to help! Appointments can be scheduled via our website or by simply reaching out to me anytime at ryan@bespokeedge.com. We would be happy to invite you into our Denver showroom to chat more about what we do.

Fashion, Wedding Inspiration, Wedding InterestsKelly LeggettSeptember 24, 2018The Bespoke Edge, Menswear, Wedding Menswear, Sareh Nouri, Wedding SuitsComment