If you are looking to upgrade your wardrobe and have been tempted by the idea of having your clothes made especially for you, a made to measure shirt could be the perfect introduction to the world of custom clothing. Less of an investment than a suit, but with the same ability to upgrade any formal outfit, and with the added ability to give an edge to your more casual dress, it’s one of menswear’s true luxuries.

Need another excuse? The wrong shirt will detract from your look. Although the high street offers hundreds of off-the-peg options when it comes to fit and style, it can still be hard to find exactly the type of shirt you’re looking for. If your preferred collar shape is out of fashion, or you have particularly long arms, having your shirts made could be the 007-approved solution.

It’s easier than ever, too. In a world where you can easily customize your Nikes, made to measure shirts are now being offered by new and old brands alike. Darren Tiernan, a senior cutter of one of the latter, Budd shirtmakers in London’s Jermyn Street, believes that MTM (as it’s known in the trade) is “simple, convenient and enables a shirt to be personalized, offering you the finest choice of high-grade cottons and the luxury of your own fit, collar and cuff style.”

You can expect to pay anything from £145 to £250 depending on the brand and materials you’re going for. Sound good enough to make you part with your hard earned? It should be. Here’s everything you need to own about ordering your own made to measure shirt.

What Is A Made To Measure Shirt?

With made to measure, the shirt will be made individually for the customer but with a pre-existing pattern, which is altered to fit. Various components and design elements can be mixed together. If, for example, you have a small neck but a larger torso, you can choose to put a 15” collar onto the body of a size 16”.