FAQ’s in custom tailoring

Need to Know In General

Price is a transparent discussion at Watson Ellis when you come in for an appointment. It really depends on the type of fabric, and we have thousands to choose from. It also depends on the type of fitting that you need and-or want — true custom or bespoke. We would urge you to visit both this blog post and our How it Works page for more details on both prices and fitting types. Please visit the “Services and Prices” page for the most up to date pricing.
We take all major credit cards, bank transfers, zelle and offer a cash payments.
We take payment in full at the end of your first fitting and design session at which time we get order and ship your cloth and get started on your custom order right away. We do not take deposits.
No problem! As long as your specialty project is broadly in the same ballpark / family as the tailored suit, then we can definitely work with you. We have created lots of specialized garments in the past. Everything is made by hand, we don't use cookie-cutter processes. Sky is really the limit in terms of design.
We ask to see you at least twice before you take home your new custom suit or tuxedo. But this is dependent on what service you need, please have a read through the “How it Works” page for our services menu. We are very committed to the final look of your garment, and hope that you can commit to this process as well. If you pursue the bespoke option (with a muslin or test garment), we would be talking about at least three visits.
Suit care shouldn't be too intensive, nor should you dry clean it after each wear. However we provide some comprehensive know how and advice from hanger types and dry cleaning that you should definitely check out. Take a look at our Suit Care page for in depth instructions on how to care for your suit depending on what fabric / fiber it’s made from.
We give you a 24 hour grace period to make any adjustments to your order, however after we submit design and fit to the factory, changes cannot be made to design as your pattern is crafted on the specifics of what you chose at your appointment.
We take lots of care to fit your garment as close to your wearing or need date as possible. If you are planning on or undergoing a major physical change, we highly suggest going with the bespoke process, which includes the muslin fitting (test garment) before the real suit gets made. This is helpful for many reasons, including your own peace of mind and comfort! The muslin is a useful tool in cases of medical weight loss (e.g. Ozempic), surgeries and just plain old weight fluctuation.
Your suit should be fit so you can fluctuate 5 lbs. either direction, and generally alterations can be achieved with ease up to about a 25lbs fluctuation.
One round of alterations are included from the day you take your suit home up to three months after.
We do not make lifetime adjustments due to weight fluctuation of more than 5lbs from the time of your fitting. Any alterations for future weight fluctuation can be done for you at current market rates.
That being said, we will fit the suit to the body you have right now to perfection. And before making a second or third suit, we will of course check the fit of your previous WE suits and make any necessary updates to your pattern.
Sorry, we do not alter suits made by other companies. However, if there's an old suit of yours that you absolutely adore and want to replicate, we'd be more than happy to work with you on recreating it in the form of a new suit.

WHAT to know for Men’s Custom Suits

Watson Ellis stands apart from other custom suit providers by combining meticulous craftsmanship with bold, visionary design. Every piece is handcrafted by master tailors who obsess over every detail—from the precision of the cut to the finest stitch—ensuring unparalleled fit and durability. Unlike mass-market custom options, we offer a truly personalized experience that fuses traditional tailoring techniques with modern aesthetics, giving you a suit that isn’t just made for you, but for your identity. Our commitment to quality, individuality, and fearless style redefines what it means to build a wardrobe that commands attention and respect.
All of these things should come with the territory of running a business like ours, but the truth is that they don't; there's often more salesmanship than actual craft going on out there. Not the case with us. At Watson Ellis, we listen to your style-voice and will not let you walk out the door until you're completely satisfied with your one-of-a-kind custom suit, tuxedo or other garment.
Yes, making custom wedding suits for men is a huge and highly valued part of our business. We love working with our wedding clients, and offer a huge range of options in terms of fabrics and unique modern styles for men's wedding attire. We'd advise you to please check out our weddings page to read further on the subject and see some examples of what we can do in this regard.
Absolutely! We love traditional styles in men's suiting as well and make them all the time for many of our male clients. From classic pinstripe suits, to houndstooth blazers, men's black tuxedos, to understated sports coats and sharkskin suits for the office -- we have a wide array of more traditional and conservative options to choose from.
We don't do made-to-measure suits, which are generally only moderately customizable items. Instead we offer both what we call 'true custom' suits and bespoke suiting options. Both options are crafted by hand and completely customizable in terms of design options and fabric choices. We would advise you to please read our Services Page for further guidance on our processes.
Believe it or not this question comes up a lot, and yes, we absolutely do make these items. We’ve made quite a few custom field jackets and workwear jacket styles out of a beautiful dark moleskin and heavy weight canvas fabrics we have on offer, and they worked out beautifully. We love to keep exploring these styles, so please don't hesitate to make an obligation-free appointment to come in for a design session and discuss further.

WHAT to know for Women’s Custom Suits

We absolutely do make plus size suits for women. We welcome everyone with open arms, and most importantly, we are experts at working with women of all shapes and sizes, especially curves. We will not try to squeeze you into some generic size. We will listen to your unique body and shape the suit to it, because that's what everyone deserves when they come in for a custom garment, whether it’s a custom power suit, a white wedding tuxedo, mother of the bride pant suits, double breasted blazer, or just a pair of wide leg trousers. In most cases when someone is a really unique fit, we will require a bespoke fitting process. Read more about that process and pricing on the How it Works page.
No problem! As long as your specialty project is broadly in the same ballpark as tailored clothing, and this includes skirts and some dress styles, just nothing too draped, as we ARE in fact, a tailoring company. We have created lots of specialized garments in the past, including original designs for clients, including special fabrics like velvet suits for women. Please see our “Service Menu” for the service levels and prices on a bespoke original design. Everything is made by hand, we don't use cookie-cutter processes. Sky is really the limit in terms of design.
A custom suit is tailored to your measurements, posture and personal preferences ensuring a better fit than off-the-rack options. It allows for personalization in style, fabric, and color. There is the added benefit of the experience and advice from an expert tailor that cannot be quantified!
This is the fun part of being a female and wearing a suit, you have such a wide range of options and ways you can style your suit. Some non negotiables are to wear similar undergarments to the fitting to what you plan on wearing with your suit ultimately. Some other things to consider are if this is a fall or winter suit and if you want to layer thicker sweaters or shirts underneath. Seasonality is a thing!

WHAT to know for Nonbinary Custom Suits

Watson Ellis strives to be a friendly, comfortable environment for all people. We mean it when we say that all are welcome, and that at our company we strive to make suits for all people. We have worked with the full range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum in making custom suits, and we look forward to meeting you, too! We will work hard to make your fitting both enjoyable and affirming.
During the fitting, we'll ask you questions about how you'd like to present, what makes you feel comfortable and confident, (as well as the inverse). It's very collaborative! We fit the body in front of us so that your suit appears made for you, and then use fashion elements to make it fit your vision. This is true for all of our clients!
Great question! If your suit is for everyday or work wear, please wear similar undergarments (or whatever feels right for you) to what you would wear with your suit in the future. Things like binders and shapewear of course change the shape of your body, and we need to account for this at the time of the fitting. If you can, also bring proper shoes and a shirt.
We take lots of care to fit your garment as close to your wearing or need date as possible. If you are planning on or undergoing a major physical change, we highly suggest going with the bespoke process, which includes the muslin fitting (test garment) before the real suit gets made. This is helpful for many reasons, including your own peace of mind and comfort! The muslin is a useful tool in cases of weight loss, surgeries and transitions, or even pregnancy.
If you can think of it, we can make it. If you have specific ideas please come with photos! If not, we will talk you through our many choices. We'll ask you what your design goals are (androgynous, femme, masculine, etc.) and work with you to achieve them.