After sharing my own experience of choosing my wedding suit, one question kept coming up again and again.

What actually makes made-to-measure different?

In that blog, I talked about why I personally chose the made-to-measure route.

Here, I want to step back and explain the service itself — what made-to-measure really offers, how it differs from tailoring an off-the-peg suit, and why, for some people, it makes all the difference.

Let’s start by clearing something up.

Tailoring and made-to-measure aren’t the same thing

At Blooms, we alter suits every single day.

We have experienced tailors and seamstresses on site, and with off-the-peg suits we can already do a great deal: adjusting sleeves, refining jacket balance, shaping trousers, and improving overall proportions so a suit fits and feels better.

This gives customers real control over an off-the-peg suit — and for many people, that’s all they need.

So when someone asks me,

“What’s the difference between that and made-to-measure?”

It’s a fair question.

An off-the-peg suit, tailored well, can be an excellent option.

You’re starting with a finished garment and refining it to suit you — improving comfort, sharpening the silhouette, and removing obvious fit issues. With skilled tailoring, the result can be a suit that looks confident and considered.

This approach gives you control after the suit exists.

But there are limits to how much you can change once a garment has already been cut and constructed.

Where made-to-measure goes further

Made-to-measure starts before the suit exists at all.

Instead of adapting a finished jacket to your body, the suit is cut with your body in mind from the outset — including details that simply can’t be corrected later.

This is where made-to-measure really earns its place.

We’re able to account for things like:

• Drop shoulders or uneven shoulders
  
• Broad shoulders with a narrower waist
  
• An arched or stooped back
  
• Posture and balance differences
  
• Medical considerations, such as bloating or sensitivity through the legs
  

These aren’t problems — they’re just real bodies.

With off-the-peg tailoring, we can often improve how a suit looks.

With made-to-measure, we improve how it behaves on your body.

That distinction matters more than people realise.

Fit is only part of the picture.

Made-to-measure also gives you full control over the design of the suit itself, not just how it’s altered afterwards.

You choose:

• The fabric
• The lining
• Buttons and stitching details
  
• Lapel styles and pocket options
  
• Personal touches such as monograms
  

Nothing is pre-decided for you.

Rather than adjusting yourself to a finished design, you’re building a suit intentionally — one that reflects how you want it to look, feel, and wear.

This is why made-to-measure feels different.

It’s considered from the very beginning.