The prospect of going on a great holiday is enough to get anyone excited, although the idea of sorting out the luggage is one major drawback for many people.
When you go to a hot country the temptation is always to pack your suitcase with nothing more than the basic selection of shorts, sandals and t-shirts. However, you may like to consider taking something a little bit more formal as well. Let’s look at a few different types of holiday and the kind of clothing that might come in handy:
Casual resort holiday - You probably aren’t going to need much more than the warm weather clothing mentioned above, although taking one piece of light but elegant evening wear means that you have the option of having a special night out in a fancy restaurant or club, which can be the highlight of a resort holiday.
Luxury resort - If you are going on an all inclusive or 5 star trip then sometimes these hotels have a “formal” restaurant as well as a more relaxed one. Taking a couple of pieces of formal wear will let you enjoy a variety of evenings.
Cruise ship - You should check the itinerary and list of on board entertainment before packing. A meal with the captain, a formal dance and a cocktail party are among the various events which might require you to be dressed elegantly. Don’t forget that, unlike the other two options, buying clothes when you are there is less of an option.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Stop shopping and Start Tailoring
How many times have you talked yourself into buying something less than perfect? You justified the purchase because it was the latest trend or you loved the fabric or color, but then it hangs forlornly in your closet waiting to be worn. Let’s face it; you are never going to wear it because it just doesn’t fit well. Oh, it might fit well in the butt, but be too big in the waist or it’s a great color, but it’s too tight.
Free yourself from the frustration by going to a tailor!
Want to combine your two favorite pastimes, shopping and traveling? Plan a trip to the Far East. Asia has long been known for a wide selection of tailors as well as stunning spas and resorts, so plan to combine both. Traditionally the bastions of fine tailoring have been located in Hong Kong and Thailand, but mainland China is starting to increase its share of the custom market. This makes sense as many of the people who do the actual sewing in Thai tailor shops are of Chinese origin. Due to the fact that many flights to Asian destinations pass through Bangkok, this is an easy way to delve into the world of custom tailoring.
You cannot walk down the street in Thailand without passing a tailor shop. The abundance of tailor shops makes finding a tailor seem like an easy task, but the sheer volume of choices can create difficulty.
So how do you find a good tailor?
It’s not a good idea to just walk into the first promising shop as once inside the storeowners are well versed in how to seduce a potential customer. Do your homework before landing. Research the Internet for customer reviews and search for articles in the finest travel magazines recommending certain shops. Avoid the shops that have signs plastered on them advertising 2 suits and 5 blouses all for some ridiculously low sum. The choice of fabrics will be poorer, the styles outdated and the quality will be low.
Also, never let a tuk tuk or taxi driver take you to a tailor, they are getting a good commission for doing so and don’t have your best interest at heart. Finding a tailor who can do women’s clothing well is the hardest part. You can visit some of the best known tailors in the city who can make a fabulous men’s suit for your husband or boyfriend yet be disappointed in the one they made for you. Most tailors in Bangkok are geared towards men’s clothes. A few of the most reputable ones will steer you away, but most will accept your business with less than satisfying results. Let’s face it; women’s bodies are vastly different than men’s. Our beautiful curves mean the tailor needs to be really practiced to get a great fit all the way through.
The first tailor I visited in Bangkok was proof of this. I had even brought two blouses I owned so all they had to do was make copies as opposed to taking my measurements and creating the shirts from scratch. Even with a blouse to work from, when I tried one of the shirts on it didn’t fit well even considering it was simply a copy of the original shirt. Fast-forward to three more visits each time sending the shirt back for more work. It just never fit right. To the tailors’ credit they only charged me for the two other blouses that were ok and even gave me the one that didn’t fit without charging me.
Therefore, I set out to investigate another shop where a website customer post mentioned they were great at women’s clothes. The shop is called Tailor Pro and it is located in the basement level of the Somerset lake point hotel right convenient to all parts of the city. Despite the fact that there were male customers there it was clear that Dee, the owner, understands women. After being offered the ubiquitous beverage I sat on the sofa and browsed some of the latest catalogs from Joan and David, Escada etc. Dee is very honest about what styles would flatter and also knows a lot about fabrics. She will show you the difference in quality or explain why a dress style won’t work well with a certain type of fabric. The interaction creates a sense of luxury as much as the finished clothes do. Having someone completely focused on you for a period of time is similar to when women get married and it’s all about the bride during the wedding.
Frustrated by my previous inability to get a great fit from clothes off the rack I hadn’t invested in any nice clothes in years and I quickly became a Tailor Pro addict. Getting a piece of clothing custom made was as much of a therapeutic experience for me as getting a massage or my hair done. My closet is proof of that. So is my confidence that I look great in my clothes – I should as they were made just for me!
A few final tips: In order to get the perfect fit, you will need to make sure you have enough time in your vacation schedule for a first fitting and then some additional alterations as needed. A smart strategy would be to fly into Bangkok, visit the tailor and see the Grand Palace and other city sites, and have your first fitting. Then head off to a great resort town like Phuket or Samui visiting beautiful beaches and having spa treatments. Or you can even fly to one of Thailand’s neighbors such as Laos or Cambodia for a week. On your way back out of Bangkok you can pick up your new clothes or arrange someone to bring them to the airport if you are only transferring through. Another method is to bring a favorite item of clothing you own that already fits great and ask them to copy it, which will speed up the process a little.
The best thing of all is that they will keep your measurements on file. Once you get back home and everyone compliments you on your flattering clothes you can order more and have them shipped to you. Isn’t that a lot more luxurious than fighting for a parking space and standing under a harsh fluorescent light bulb while you tug at a piece of clothing that doesn’t fit?
Free yourself from the frustration by going to a tailor!
Want to combine your two favorite pastimes, shopping and traveling? Plan a trip to the Far East. Asia has long been known for a wide selection of tailors as well as stunning spas and resorts, so plan to combine both. Traditionally the bastions of fine tailoring have been located in Hong Kong and Thailand, but mainland China is starting to increase its share of the custom market. This makes sense as many of the people who do the actual sewing in Thai tailor shops are of Chinese origin. Due to the fact that many flights to Asian destinations pass through Bangkok, this is an easy way to delve into the world of custom tailoring.
You cannot walk down the street in Thailand without passing a tailor shop. The abundance of tailor shops makes finding a tailor seem like an easy task, but the sheer volume of choices can create difficulty.
So how do you find a good tailor?
It’s not a good idea to just walk into the first promising shop as once inside the storeowners are well versed in how to seduce a potential customer. Do your homework before landing. Research the Internet for customer reviews and search for articles in the finest travel magazines recommending certain shops. Avoid the shops that have signs plastered on them advertising 2 suits and 5 blouses all for some ridiculously low sum. The choice of fabrics will be poorer, the styles outdated and the quality will be low.
Also, never let a tuk tuk or taxi driver take you to a tailor, they are getting a good commission for doing so and don’t have your best interest at heart. Finding a tailor who can do women’s clothing well is the hardest part. You can visit some of the best known tailors in the city who can make a fabulous men’s suit for your husband or boyfriend yet be disappointed in the one they made for you. Most tailors in Bangkok are geared towards men’s clothes. A few of the most reputable ones will steer you away, but most will accept your business with less than satisfying results. Let’s face it; women’s bodies are vastly different than men’s. Our beautiful curves mean the tailor needs to be really practiced to get a great fit all the way through.
The first tailor I visited in Bangkok was proof of this. I had even brought two blouses I owned so all they had to do was make copies as opposed to taking my measurements and creating the shirts from scratch. Even with a blouse to work from, when I tried one of the shirts on it didn’t fit well even considering it was simply a copy of the original shirt. Fast-forward to three more visits each time sending the shirt back for more work. It just never fit right. To the tailors’ credit they only charged me for the two other blouses that were ok and even gave me the one that didn’t fit without charging me.
Therefore, I set out to investigate another shop where a website customer post mentioned they were great at women’s clothes. The shop is called Tailor Pro and it is located in the basement level of the Somerset lake point hotel right convenient to all parts of the city. Despite the fact that there were male customers there it was clear that Dee, the owner, understands women. After being offered the ubiquitous beverage I sat on the sofa and browsed some of the latest catalogs from Joan and David, Escada etc. Dee is very honest about what styles would flatter and also knows a lot about fabrics. She will show you the difference in quality or explain why a dress style won’t work well with a certain type of fabric. The interaction creates a sense of luxury as much as the finished clothes do. Having someone completely focused on you for a period of time is similar to when women get married and it’s all about the bride during the wedding.
Frustrated by my previous inability to get a great fit from clothes off the rack I hadn’t invested in any nice clothes in years and I quickly became a Tailor Pro addict. Getting a piece of clothing custom made was as much of a therapeutic experience for me as getting a massage or my hair done. My closet is proof of that. So is my confidence that I look great in my clothes – I should as they were made just for me!
A few final tips: In order to get the perfect fit, you will need to make sure you have enough time in your vacation schedule for a first fitting and then some additional alterations as needed. A smart strategy would be to fly into Bangkok, visit the tailor and see the Grand Palace and other city sites, and have your first fitting. Then head off to a great resort town like Phuket or Samui visiting beautiful beaches and having spa treatments. Or you can even fly to one of Thailand’s neighbors such as Laos or Cambodia for a week. On your way back out of Bangkok you can pick up your new clothes or arrange someone to bring them to the airport if you are only transferring through. Another method is to bring a favorite item of clothing you own that already fits great and ask them to copy it, which will speed up the process a little.
The best thing of all is that they will keep your measurements on file. Once you get back home and everyone compliments you on your flattering clothes you can order more and have them shipped to you. Isn’t that a lot more luxurious than fighting for a parking space and standing under a harsh fluorescent light bulb while you tug at a piece of clothing that doesn’t fit?
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Bangkok: A Haven for Men’s Quality Suits & The Best Tailors Around
Every man needs at least one elegant and high-quality suit in his lifetime. This suit will not only be used for business functions but for other formal affairs that would require any man to look their best. However, most men, when required to put their best foot forward wearing their suits, often step first inside shopping malls and branded men’s stores to purchase the “best suit” in town. It’s funny to think that men often associate brand with quality without even realizing that quality doesn’t have anything to do with another person’s name.
If you want to achieve an elegant look, the first thing that you need to look for is a good tailor which is, unfortunately, a rarity nowadays. You might want to ask around and see if your friends may recommend one that is worth checking out. As for me, I would recommend Bangkok tailors since I’ve had one of my suits custom-tailored out there before and I can say that I’ve been deeply satisfied with quality, price and service. Obviously not all tailors in Bangkok will be suitable, but with a little research you will know which are best.
In your search for a good tailor, you might find that most recommended Bangkok tailors are seasoned tailors whose expertise are unparalleled in their field. These Bangkok tailors do not only boast of fine custom-tailored suits but they also have the best customer service.
Most men are not hugely selective with the tailor who does their suits. Often, when they need suits, jackets or trousers that need to be custom-fitted, they simply go to the first one that they find (or the first one that is recommended to them) and they stay with these tailors not because they do not have other or better options but because they do not know that “another option” is also a possibility. This coupled with the fact that most men also do not understand what a proper fit is, makes some tailors survive despite not being able to live the real essence of what a good tailor should be.
However, many Bangkok tailors are highly praised not because their patrons are clueless about their trade and appropriate men’s style but because they actually produce good quality suits. These recommended Bangkok tailors do not just take pride in their work, they also take pride in making their clients understand the basic difference between a good suit and an elegant suit. Before you are done transacting with these tailors, rest assured that you will be aware, if not totally knowledgeable, of the basics of men’s style and fashion—one characteristic that most men lack nowadays.
So if you want a tailor that understands style and timeless fashion, don’t settle for the first tailor that you find. Go for highly recommended bangkok tailors because only these people can give you a suit that does not “just fit” but also adds a little flair and style to your overall look.
Dressing really well is not crime.
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