Again, in my pursuit for the perfect-fitting shirt I turn to custom options. This time, Thread Tradition bears the brunt of my stocky proportions. But first, we must begin with a little background on the start-up company.
According to the founder, Jack Reyer, Thread Tradition provides men with “…a revolutionary alternative to custom tailors; true bespoke dress shirts available conveniently online.” Much like other custom shirting companies, TT thrives on the idea that online custom ordering plays to the time-crunched businessman (which I can’t disagree with). Their goal is to offer men hand-crafted, uniquely personalized dress shirts “wrapped in simplicity.”
Thread Traditions shirt start at $85 and increase depending on the fabric. Currently, there are 8 different types of fabric you can choose from, all with variations on the same options. There are 3 collar types: Button-down, English spread, standard pinpoint. You can also choose your cuff type from the following options: double button, french cuff, and single button barrel cuff. All the shirts come with the option for monogramming, either on the chest or the cuff.
The measurement process is fairly simple as well. First off, you should grab your best fitting shirt and measure that. The thought process behind this is essentially, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If you have a shirt that fits you precisely, it’s best to use those measurements than measure yourself. Takes the human error out of it. If you don’t have the option of measuring a shirt or don’t feel comfortable doing measuring yourself, Thread Tradition has “simple sizing” which is their take on traditional sizing (S/M/L etc.).
For my shirt, I chose the Oxford Blue. I had chosen it originally because I thought it was a dimpled pattern (the shirt is double ply 90s, 100% cotton) and I wanted to add a textured shirt to my repertoire. I chose the English spread collar, as I’m partial to these (and I already have enough button-downs and wanted something a bit more versatile for casual/semi-casual/formal situations). I had never gotten anything monogrammed, so I chose to put it on the cuff to keep the detail discrete. When it came to the measurements, I measure my Indochino shirt that I had gotten earlier this year with a few minor adjustments in the sleeve length.
In a few weeks, I had received my shirt and I was anxious to see how it fit. Right off the bat, I noticed that the fabric wasn’t dimpled but checkered. The product image was a bit mis-leading and the squares have a slight sheen which give the impression of a depth that isn’t there. I was slightly disappointed, but it certainly wasn’t a deal-breaker. The actual feel and heft of the fabric was impressive, especially for the price. Because it’s a two-ply fabric (meaning two inter-woven yarns in a thread, which create a higher quality product), it’s about a medium-weight shirt. Definitely great for the Fall/Winter/Spring, but may get too hot for the Summer.
When I tried it on, the fit was snug, but fairly-spot on. I over-compensated on the sleeve length and they’re just barely too short (truly though, not enough to make the shirt unwearable). It makes the forearms a little tight on me, but nothing I can’t deal with. I venture to say that if the sleeves were about a half inch longer, the forearms would fit better. The body and length of the shirt were perfect, as was the collar size. I also loved the personalized tag (seen above) on the shirt. It’s a great personalized touch, that really speaks to the one-of-a-kind nature of your shirt.
Although, I was a little disappointed with the type of fabric I received, ultimately I was pleased with the shirt. For a sub-$120 custom shirt, it doesn’t leave a lot to be desired. The only thing I would want to see out of Thread Tradition is more features. Things like picking what color thread I want my monogram to be, various button-types, and more collar choices. Obviously, Thread Tradition is still a start-up and while I can’t speak for the quality of the other shirts, what I received was surely worthwhile. The process is pretty simple and as long as you take your time measuring your favorite shirt, you should be pleased with the outcome.
Let me know if you choose to to grab a shirt from Thread Tradition and your experience. I’m curious to compare and contrast!
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We were given a Thread Tradition custom-made shirt in order to conduct the review of this product. We were not compensated by the company or any of its subsidiaries for this article.