Buying tailor-made clothes while in India

I've read Ankur Banerjee's answer and your comment to it, so I realize my contribution is ill-timed. Besides, I'm a woman, so I may have faced different issues than the ones connected with gentlemen clothes.

I've had clothes tailor-made in India four times in four different areas in the South (never in Bangalore, as I didn't stay long enough in the town), and the results of these experiences range from extremely satisfactory to totally unsatisfactory. I agree with Ankur as to the fact that most of the times the best tailors work in very modest surroundings, at least according to Western standards, but one should not be put off by this. It is also true that the best results can be obtained when the tailor creates something which is not too different from the style which is traditional in India, so don't expect them to create clothes in the latest Parisian fashion.

My best experience was with a tailor I was taken to by the people who sold me the cloth. Not only did he take my measurements, but he also showed photos of the various details of the garment he was going to make for me (sleeves, neckline, slits, length) so that it was easy to choose and to "foresee" the final result.

My worst experience was with a tailor (again, recommended by the textile shop keeper) who agreed to all my requests and didn't comply with any of them. In the end, of all the things we commissioned, only one tunic was acceptable.

My advice then is the following :

• make yourself as clear as possible as to what you want
• try to get the tailor to "show" you what the final product will be like
• ask for a second or even a third fitting session to make sure that the job is well done
• if possible, provide a sample of what you're after (shirt, jacket, ... ) for the tailor to copy

From experience, I've learnt that it is very difficult to mend what has been done badly. I'm glad that you seem to have been lucky in your choice of a tailor.

I've bought tailored shirts and suits in Bangkok, Thailand, but some things I learned will probably apply in India too. (In fact, I think the Khao San Road salesguys I did business with were from India.)

• Don't worry; you don't need to know that much beforehand. The service will likely be good, and they will make everything very easy for you. (To me the whole thing was easier and more pleasant, if anything, than shopping off the rack in Finnish stores.)

• Before you commit to buying (give any money), I recommend comparing a few different shops, even if you're already quite convinced. Look at the price, quality of materials and stitching (to the best of your ability) and of course the general "legitimacy" of the business. The offers will likely be similar, but after you've asked in many places, you can at least be more confident that you aren't being blatantly overcharged. (NB: this is easier said than done—it can be hard to walk away (even if you say you're coming back), as the salespeople tend to be proficient in persuading you to make the deal as soon as possible, before you talk to competitors trying to do the exact same thing.)

• Fortnight is more than enough. Typically, for a suit, they'll need just a couple of days after taking the measurements (and possibly taking more measurements using a sort of "draft" of the suit jacket the next day).

• When you make the order, you'll probably be expected to pay a part of the price up front, as a sort of pawn, something like half or one third of the total (negotiable, of course, if e.g. you don't have much cash on you).

Hope this helps. (If tailor shops work radically differently in India compared to Thailand, let me know, so I'll delete this.)