Tailoring in the Age of Covid-19 — A Hands-On Experience in a Hands-Off World

In-person shopping, for many, can be a chore. To others, it’s a great way to wile away an afternoon and perhaps get in a cardio workout at the same time. As you may have guessed, I fall in the latter category. I much prefer walking around a store, touching garments, trying them on and modeling in front of the dressing room mirrors (for some reason I feel like I look better in those mirrors) and perhaps even sipping on a glass of bubbles throughout the whole retail visit. Our new socially distanced normal has thrown that whole experience out the door.

I had oh-so-many projects and goals as we entered the age of the coronavirus. As I began to shelter in place, I had visions of giving my home a complete makeover and staying in tip-top shape by exercising with the help of a virtual trainer. Instead, as we begin to re-enter the world around us, I find that I’ve racked up hundreds of hours of Prime and Netflix (I regret giving up that much time to Tiger King but definitely enjoyed every minute of Ozark season 3) viewing and the dreaded COVID-15 pounds.

Many of my pants and shirts are now entirely too snug. Not the most attractive look. I tried on some of my go-to suits recently and found the trousers buttons impossible to close. It’s important that every man have at least two suits in his wardrobe for unexpected occasions — a last-minute work-related dinner (yes, I think those are still occurring), perhaps a Zoom job interview or a wedding.

It was time to acquire a new suit, but I was uncertain to go about that endeavor in our surreal six-feet-apart-while-wearing-a-mask world.

Suit Up for What’s Ahead

Like all nonessential retailers, Suitsupply had to close all their Texas outposts mid-March. During those closed months, they used the opportunity to pivot and focus more on their web business. They also knew that they would soon be reopening and that customers would likely want a more socially distanced shopping experience. How could they achieve that when they’re known for custom-fitting their clients? For those of you who have yet to experience this sartorial rite of passage, the tailor gets terribly up-close and personal as they take your body’s measurements.

I reached out to Austin Barrow, one of their specialists, who had assisted me through the process of my first custom-made suit from their house line. He responded that Suitsupply had implemented a guided experience to help customers pre-select items for their visit to the store through a co-browsing session with a style expert on their website. What a great idea, I thought, as I realized that half the time buying that first suit was looking in person at fabric swatches and suit style options (easily done online).

Barrow had requested my email address, and at the appointed time, I received a message inviting me to a virtual shopping session (similar to a Zoom alert). I then met him on the Suitsupply website, where he had control of that screen to guide me through various suiting options.

We likely spent around 30 minutes together, since he already knew me and my tastes. He suggests new clients put aside 45 minutes for that first session. For those wishing a head-to-toe look, Suitsupply has shirts, ties, pocket squares, suspenders, and shoes that can be purchased online and in-store. Specialists like Barrow can assist those who might feel challenged when making decisions on styles or how bold to go with a pocket square’s print.

I decided on a single-breasted navy suit (one should own at least one gray and one blue) constructed from their Super 120 fabric. Super 110, 120, and 150 are all lightweight enough to be worn year-round in Texas’ climate. He then shared a new offering: the opportunity to have monograms placed in the interior lining of the jacket and underneath the collar. It’s a wonderful way to truly personalize your garment. Finally, I chose the buttons I thought would go best with the cut and color of my suit, a neutral pearlized blue.

Hands-On in a Hands-Off World

The next step was my in-store appointment. Suitsupply’s location in Dallas’ West Village was relatively empty, except for one other client who was meeting with a specialist (I definitely felt more at ease here than I do simply making a grocery store stop these days). Barrow wore a face mask for my entire visit and pointed out the new features around the store, including numerous hand-sanitizing stations. He shared that after a client uses a dressing room, it’s thoroughly cleaned before anyone else is allowed to use it for their fitting.

The actual suit fitting was the only part that felt notably different from my first experience. Suitsupply has now introduced sturdy freestanding clear partitions for the measurement process (likely an industry-defining innovation). Barrow reached through small openings to pin my pants and jacket — likely not the easiest technique to master, but I felt very at ease with the partition providing a barrier between his space to mine.

As with any of their custom-made purchases, the last step is the in-store appointment when the suit arrives (generally 2-3 weeks later) and the final custom tailoring. Given my last Suitsupply experience, I know that will be easy and quick. The one thing that might take a little longer is that I decided to order an extra pair of pants to have made into shorts. I like the look of a blazer with shorts, particularly since Texas weather allows for such attire nine months of the year.

If you’re in need of some new wardrobe additions — perhaps due to a new job, a celebration, or because the past two months have given you time to rethink your personal style — then rest assured that stores have put in place new protocols that will make you feel safer. I made a vow when the coronavirus lockdown went into place to not give up dressing my best for every occasion. Go out and reward yourself via some retail therapy for making it through what we might remember as one of the most challenging times in our life. Suit up for what’s ahead.