Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tailor-Made Clothes
Many tourists arrive in Bangkok with the notion of getting clothes custom-tailored at a
bargain price. While this is entirely possible, there are a few things to be aware of. Prices
are almost always lower than what you'd pay at home, but common scams such as
commission-hungry túk-túk (pronounced
đúk đúk;
a type of motorised rickshaw) drivers,
shoddy workmanship and inferior fabrics make bespoke tailoring in Bangkok a potentially
disappointing investment.
The golden rule of custom tailoring is that you get what you pay for. If you sign up for
a suit, two pants, two shirts and a tie, with a silk sarong thrown in, for just US$199 (a very
popular offer in Bangkok), chances are it will look and fit like a sub-US$200 wardrobe.
Although an offer may seem great on the surface, the price may fluctuate significantly de-
pending on the fabric you choose. Supplying your own fabric won't necessarily reduce the
price by much, but it should ensure you get exactly the look you're after.
Have a good idea of what you want before walking into a shop. If it's a suit you're
after, should it be single- or double-breasted? How many buttons? What style trousers? Of
course, if you have no idea, the tailor will be more than happy to advise. Alternatively,
bring a favourite garment from home and have it copied.
Set aside a week to get clothes tailored. Shirts and trousers can often be turned around
in 48 hours or less with only one fitting, but no matter what a tailor may tell you, it takes
more than one and often more than two fittings to create a good suit. Most reliable tailors
will ask for two to five fittings. Any tailor that can sew your order in less than 24 hours
should be treated with caution.
