Astor Vance Is Revolutionizing Men's Clothing

Getting your first suit is a right of passage into manhood, or at least that's what I thought when I stepped into the mall department store with my dad at 14. I felt like such a grown-up walking into our middle school dance with my navy blue suit. Looking back on pictures, I looked like a total child in my ill-fitting suit: it was a little baggy around the legs, the sleeves were too long, and it just looked weird. Now that I'm in my twenties, I have three friends' weddings coming up, and I don't want to make the same mistake again by going with a suit off the rack. I want to find a suit that will really fit me, made just for my measurements. One that makes me feel like a page out of GQ instead of a fish out of water.

I did some digging into custom-made suits, and while they do look amazing, they were out of my budget. Like thousands of dollars out of my budget. So, when I saw pictures of a coworker at a wedding wearing a completely dapper suit, I asked where he got it. His suit fit him like a glove, and had a unique patterned lining that really stood out. I know he makes about the same amount of money as I do, and there's no way he could afford the super expensive ones. He told me about Astor Vance, an apparel line that custom makes clothing to your exact measurements and design specifications. They custom make each piece, which means they literally cut the fabric to fit your body, as opposed to getting a suit tailored after buying it at the store. I immediately checked their website to see if it lived up to the hype. They have amazing style options, and let you chose hidden monograms, fun or traditional linings, colors, fabrics, button type and more. They were the coolest looking suits I'd ever seen—but, the best part, because they sell direct to consumer and skip the department store mark-ups, they're incredibly affordable.

After checking out their website, I was ready to design my own look, starting with picking the fabrics I wanted. The process 100% gave me the power to be my own designer and pick exactly how I wanted the suit to look. For me, that meant an all black with a fun black and white striped interior lining. I'm into the monochrome, sleek look. I even had my initials stitched on the inside coat pocket—a cool touch that made me feel really sophisticated. The best part is, Astor Vance teaches you how to enter your measurements digitally by following their step by step videos which only take 5-10 minutes.

Most high-end suits from stores like Brooks Brothers can cost up to $2,000. But with Astor Vance, I got a full look for wedding season—shirt, jacket, and pants—for about $650. I even got free shipping on my order. The entire process was done online, without running back and forth to the store, which I really appreciated because It saved me a lot of time & without the hassle.

Though the design process was really fun, Astor Vance's fitting and customization process is definitely what sets them apart from the rest. They show you how to take 20+ measurements on yourself, using videos if you need the help, then they handcraft the suit to your exact specifications. I didn't realize the difference a well-fitting suit could make. Before, I always felt a little awkward, because the suits didn't quite lay right on me. Astor Vance made me feel like a character out of Mad Men.

Now I'm actually looking forward to all of the weddings I have coming up this summer thanks to my new suit. Astor Vance completely changed the way I think about clothes in general. Now, I know that there's no excuse to buy sub-par clothes, even on a budget.

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