Tailor Store Review & How To Style A Car Coat

In this article I review the Tailor Store experience from the first measurement to finished product, and also demonstrate a few ways to style the custom garment I had made.

I’ve had some experience with Tailor Store in the past, particularly with their flannel shirts. Since it’s winter time, and I was in the market for a stylish new coat, I decided to check out their outerwear. Towards the end of the article you can see how I styled the car coat.

Hit the play button below to check out the video if you’re interested.

A BIT ABOUT TAILOR STORE

Founded in Sri Lanka in 2003, Tailor Store now employs over 500 tailors in their own Sri Lankan factory where the fabric is sourced and garments are cut.

“We believe it is the tailors who become the product. They carefully choose and hand-cut the fabric for your shirt. Cutting out and sewing it to suit your measurements, checking the stiffness of the collar, sewing the buttons onto the blazer, ironing, folding and gently packaging all garments for swift delivery.”

I like that they view their tailors more than just an extension of the product, but as the heart of the made-to-measure company. They seem to take pride in their process and treat their workers well.

In fact, Tailor Store pays all of their employees higher than average wage, gives them opportunities to train during work hours, play sports and practice music.

“We have come some way on this journey, but we also know more can be done. What we are certain of is that we will change the world. Shirt by shirt. Suit by suit.”

I can stand behind TailorStore’s passion and mission. It’s always good when a company has that driving force to create a better world. And they want to do it through tailored fashion.

PAST EXPERIENCE WITH TAILOR STORE

Last year I picked up some flannel shirts from Tailor Store and I was quite impressed with the quality and fit. There’s a wide variety of colors and patterns to choose from. Here are some shots of me wearing the flannels.

TAILOR STORE MEASUREMENT PROCESS & VISUAL DESIGNER

GETTING MEASURED

There are 3 ways to take your measurements with Tailor Store.

1) First, you can measure yourself the traditional way with the help of a video guide.

2) Second, you have the option to measure an already perfectly fitting shirt (my method of choice).

3) And third, Tailor Store has a Size:Me algorithm that will automatically create your measurement profile based on your height, weight and collar size. Sounds too good to be true, which is why I like to go the traditional route to cover my bases.

A post shared by Khoi N. | Gentleman Within (@thegentwithin) on Jan 23, 2018 at 5:17pm PST

DESIGNING YOUR CUSTOM GARMENT

One of my favorite things about Tailor Store is the ease of navigating through the user interface to design your own custom, tailor-made garment.

It’s definitely a positive ordering experience where you visually see everything from the exact details of your buttons and the fabric type to the type of cuff and cut of your collar. In fact they have over 16 different types of collars to choose from.

I’ve navigated through many online visual designers and Tailor Store might be the best user experience. It’s clean, exhaustive and shows you exactly what you’re going to get in a streamlined experience.

CAR COAT CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS

Tailor Store is chockfull of customization options to the point it can get a bit overwhelming. But I’d say that’s a good thing, especially if you’re super specific about the details on your custom pieces.

CUSTOM CAR COAT DELIVERY SPEED

Ordered on 12.18.17
Shipped on 1.8.18

Exactly 3 weeks, 21 days for delivery from date of order to date received.

CAR COAT DETAILS & THOUGHTS ON QUALITY

GARMENT DETAILS

A car coat is like a topcoat only shorter. Ideally it hits around mid-thigh, which makes it a perfect garment for shorter guys. You’ll normally find it in fabrics like wool, cotton, nylon or a blend. Originally the car coat was meant for (you guessed it) driving in cars and has since become a menswear staple.

I went for the Waterford car coat in navy with an Oxford weave, it’s a dark navy so it almost looks black, though you can tell the difference under the light. I went for the casual style over the classic because I wanted more of a modern vibe, with the lapels giving off a classic trench coat feel.

SPECIFICS:

• Model: Casual
• Fit: Slim
• Fabric: 65% Nylon, 35% Cotton
• Weight: 309 g/m2
• Lining: Warrington Gray
• Buttons: Cork Black
• Thread: Matching
• Warm Lining: Yes

QUALITY OF THE GARMENT

Overall the car coat is well made. The fabric feels strong and durable like it can last for years. There are no dangly, loose threads either.

I like how the nylon gives the fabric water resistant qualities. Water runs right off of the material. It’s lined with polypropylene which gives the coat breathability.

From an aesthetic standpoint the coat looks amazing. And they did a great job nailing the fit on the first go-round.

It’s not all perfect though. My issue with the coat is that it’s a bit lighter than I had thought. It’s more like a jacket. The lining doesn’t provide nearly enough warmth, even though I opted for the warm lining at an added cost.

I’d say anything below 40 degrees F., this coat is a no-go which is a shame because I thought I’d be able to rock this throughout the entirety of the cold winters here in the northeast. However, I do like how there’s enough room to layer thicker garments underneath which is always good thing for a stylish gentleman.

PRICE OF THE GARMENT

A car coat goes for $269 at Tailor Store. Tack on an additional $12.95 for a warm lining, which I opted for. I can’t feel any warm lining. As I mentioned above, the coat feels more like a jacket.

Total of $281.95

It’s a bit pricey in my opinion. Of course custom always comes at a price, but I feel like $200 would be more reasonable.

HOW TO STYLE A CAR COAT

A post shared by Khoi N. | Gentleman Within (@thegentwithin) on Jan 21, 2018 at 2:29pm PST

I just love how the car coat is slightly refined, yet the casualness of the collar lends itself to a little collar ‘pop’ for a more rakish appeal. Can’t go wrong with part refined, part rakish.

For a second look, I paired the car coat with charcoal gray wool trousers with a herringbone pattern, the perfect fabric for winter.

In a smart casual move, go ahead and layer a light sweater over an oxford button down (OCBD) and the car coat as your top layer. Finish things off with a thick woolen scarf, leather gloves and ear warmers for a perfect winter getup.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Pros:

• Free remakes
• Large collection of fabrics
• Endless customization options
• Pleasant User Experience (visual designer)
• High quality materials
• Stellar customer service

Cons:

• Poor packaging (bag, no box)
• Pricy outerwear
• Longer than average shipping time

In the end, I’ve had mostly positive experiences with Tailor Store. Whether you are new to made to measure or a veteran of the custom clothing market, Tailor Store is definitely worth checking out.

A note: The shirt in this review was complimentary.These are all my thoughts and opinions based on my experience. Gentleman Within holds all control over editorial content.

A post shared by Khoi N. | Gentleman Within (@thegentwithin) on Jan 25, 2018 at 4:48pm PST

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TAILOR STORE?

Let’s continue the discussion over in the Gentlemen Within Private Facebook Community.

Looking forward to seeing you in there.