Inspired by the people I met when writing about tailored shirts I thought it time to surprise my husband with a personal gift. I gave him Matt Hübscher`s card and suggested he pop into their showroom- telling him that he could choose whatever he fancied.

I honestly didn`t know what my husband would think of the experience. He returned full of ideas of what he could do in the future. He loved it!

He chose cloth woven in Italy- double twisted super 140 Egyptian cotton, this means that the fabric is robust as well as soft in touch. A cutaway collar. Handmade buttonholes with mother of pearl buttons. The collar, cuffs and arm hole sewn by hand. With his initials embroidered on the cuff.

A few weeks later his shirt arrived in the post. It was slightly too big on the body, but Hübscher had that re- assessed and tailored to perfection in no time.

When considering having your own tailored shirt made here are a few tips:

TAILOR MADE GUIDE

The correct fit:
Most tailors suggest having a basic shirt made first. By investing time, money and by having a second fitting once produced, your garment will correspond perfectly to your figure, comfort and needs.

Themes to consider

Collar height: The collar should be 1-2cm higher than the lapel of your jacket.

Arm length: The cuff should be at least 1-1.5cm longer than the sleeve of your jacket. The cuff should sit at the root of the thumb, just covering the wrist.

Arm hole: In my opinion alot of tailored shirts have too wider arm hole. Perhaps a traditional touch- however, for me an armhole which allows enough movement at the same time as fitting with the proportions of the individual is much more attractive.

Collar Style: You should be able to slip two fingers inside the collar when closed.
It is important to consider your proportions when choosing a collar style and size. Do you have a long neck? Then you should choose a higher collar. Do you have a small face or neck? Then compliment that with a smaller collar.

Cuff Style: Is a matter of taste. I have clients who love double cuff shirts because it gives them the opportunity to add an accessory. I have other clients who would rather not fuss with cufflinks in the morning and have a monogram (usually their initials embroidered on their cuff) to show a unique statement.

The fabric
Fabric choice is important. Perhaps you need something that is easy to iron, easy to travel in? Maybe you prefer to wear softer, lighter fabrics?

Cotton: Cotton is the main fabric of choice due to its comfort, breathability drape and finish. The quality is calculated by its length, fineness, purity, colour, consistency and origin. Leading cotton threads are Sea Island cotton, Pima cotton and Egyptian cotton.

Blended: Fabric-finishing techniques are continually improving, pure cotton products cannot match blended cottons in terms of easy care. Cotton blended with an elasticated yarn can create a shirt so fitted that it`s simply a second skin. I would be wary of choosing a blend with high artificial fibres due to its finish and breathability.

The weave

Thread count: This is simply the number of threads per square inch. Typically, the higher the thread count, the finer the shirt and the more expensive the fabric. Do not forget that the ply and type of cotton blend will have just as much to do with how luxurious the fabric is!

Ply: This is how many yarns are twisted together to make the thread. Two ply means that during the weaving process two yarns have been woven in with the warp (vertical threads) and the weft (horizontal threads). A two-ply shirt is normally more robust. A thread count of 120 makes a descent two-ply shirt.