When a young man starts getting ready for Coming of Age Day (the ceremony held each January to celebrate turning twenty), the question on everyone’s mind, his and his parents’, is also the one nobody quite likes to ask: “So, realistically, what is this all going to cost?”
Let me start with renting. Yes, there are places that hire out suits. But I’ve worked on both sides, rental and retail, and there’s one thing I can say without any hesitation.
“If you’re going to pay ¥30,000 (about US$200) to rent a suit, you are far better off spending that ¥30,000 on an off-the-peg suit you actually own!”
Unlike a hakama (the traditional formal kimono outfit many young men hire for the day), a suit doesn’t stop being useful once the ceremony is over. Friends’ weddings, job hunting, your first day at work, family celebrations: through your twenties there will be plenty of occasions when you absolutely need one. Rather than paying tens of thousands of yen for something you wear once and hand back, buying a suit that stays in your wardrobe, even an off-the-peg one, is a hundred times smarter use of your money.
And for anyone thinking about made-to-measure, there’s something I’ll keep saying as a tailor, however many times it takes.
“An expensive suit is not automatically a good one!”
Whether It’s Expensive or Cheap Is for You to Decide
Suits at ¥100,000, ¥200,000 or more. There’s no shortage of costly cloths and tailoring out there, but the idea that “expensive means superior” or “expensive is the right answer for everyone” is simply wrong.
What do you do for a living? What car do you drive? Where do you picture yourself wearing this suit? If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle and your values, even the most expensive suit in the world is just money wasted.
Whether something is worth the price isn’t for the shop to decide. In the end, it’s decided by the customer who pays for it and puts it on.
That’s why, at my shop, we always start with a proper conversation, so I can suggest “the suit that’s the most comfortable stretch for you, and the one you’ll look your best in.”
It’s Absolutely Fine to Name Your Budget Up Front!
Walking into a made-to-measure shop for the first time, a lot of people worry about the same things.
“Is it rude to bring up money myself…?” “If I say my budget is low, will they look down on me…?”
Don’t give it a second thought. Tell me your budget right at the start!
Money is a serious matter, and it should be. In fact, if you tell me early on, “I’m thinking of roughly this much,” I can put everything into finding “the best cloth and details within that budget that will make up most beautifully.”
When you’re doing your homework, start with the base prices listed on the shop’s website. Use those as your starting point and you won’t be far off.
Why a Suit Can Easily Go Over ¥200,000 Even with Modest Cloth
Here’s something about how made-to-measure works that I’d like you to know. Even if you choose the most affordable base cloth, it’s perfectly normal for the total to go over ¥200,000 (about US$1,300) once you start adding the things you care about.
Why does that happen? Because the way a suit is made changes completely depending on how far the customer wants to go.
During the consultation, while we talk, this is always what I’m trying to work out.
- Do you care most about the quality of the cloth itself? (the lustre and handle of fine wool, how well it wears)
- Do you want it to make a striking first impression? (an eye-catching lining, unusual buttons, playful stitching)
- Do you want an unusual design or silhouette? (a twist on the double-breasted, a special lapel shape, different pocket placement and so on)
- Or, to begin with, do you simply want something that fits your body perfectly?
When it comes to options, the price almost always moves because of these three things.
- Making it a three-piece (adding a waistcoat)
- Switching to a bold patterned lining, or a fine cupro one
- Choosing natural or unusual buttons, such as horn, shell or corozo nut
As a rough guide, lining and buttons add anywhere from ¥0 to around ¥30,000, and adding a waistcoat (making it a three-piece) adds roughly ¥30,000 to ¥56,000.
On top of that, my shop gives you a lot of freedom with design and silhouette. So for anyone who wants “a unique shape nobody else will have, refined down to the millimetre,” we also offer a proper basted fitting (around ¥30,000 extra), where we fine-tune the fit while the suit is still loosely tacked together, before the final make.
Where Should You Buy Shirts, Ties and Shoes? “You Don’t Have to Buy It All from Us”
One of the questions I hear most often is, “What should I do about everything else, like shirts, ties and shoes?”
My answer is always the same.
“There’s no need to rush out and buy them now. Wait until the suit’s finished, then put it on, look in the mirror, and choose to match!”
Of course, I can make made-to-measure shirts here too, and I have ties and accessories as well. But I will never push anyone with “Let’s order your shirts and shoes too!” I only suggest them if asked, and my usual advice is, “Off-the-peg shirts and shoes from a high-street shop will do just fine.”
After all, if I had you buy everything from me, the total would shoot up and the burden on you would be far too heavy, wouldn’t it?
As long as the suit itself is the real thing, cut to fit your body perfectly, it will look remarkably sharp even with an inexpensive shirt and tie. Put the finished suit on, see for yourself how the V-zone opens and how the whole thing balances, and then take your time finding a shirt and tie in colours and patterns that suit it.
Whatever you save, I’d be happiest if you spent it on drinks with your friends after the ceremony, or a nice meal out with your family.
More on coming-of-age suits
Is December Too Late? Why Coming-of-Age Suit Orders Close in Mid-November, and a Smart Schedule for Students Living Away from Home
Grandfather’s Buttons on the Cuff: Why a 20-Year-Old Who Barely Talks to His Parents Ends Up Laughing with Them
Coming of Age Is Your Debut as an Adult: The One Rule for Looking Sharp, and Why It Starts with Your Shoes
A suit made to your measurements
Sleeves, trouser hem, jacket length, shoulders and arms are all cut to your own body, not a size chart. Fittings are by appointment only. Tell us the dates you are in Japan and we will propose a time.
