Congratulations to Phil and Matt - Dashing grooms in tweed

We love weddings, large and small. We had the chance to work with a very lovely couple, Phil and Matt several months ago on their intimate wedding in Boston. 


Both work in creative industries, so they wanted their wedding attire to be unique, yet classic. When they decided upon two complementary gray tweed blazers with matching contrasts, we were beyond thrilled! When the blazers arrived in the studio and we had posted it online, it set our Facebook feed a blaze with rave reviews!

Matt (left) and Phil (right) in their beautiful custom blazers

Some thoughts from Phil....

Name: Phil

Occupation: Regional Manager 

Why did you choose custom? When selecting wardrobe pieces nothing is more luxe than custom made pieces. You and the tailor drive fit, fashion and fabrication, it is the ultimate luxury experience.

What's your best style advice? Less is more, classic is best, don't over think it. A trend is one step away from a fashion don't.

What or who inspires your style? You may laugh but... who was better dressed than Ricky Ricardo. He had amazing style, incredibly masculine yet very classic.

Congratulations again to Matt and Phil! 

Need attire for your wedding? E-mail us at info@9tailors.com. 

Menswear for Women? But, of course!

Pictured: Meghan McQueeney (left), Boo Weintraub (right)

Here at 9tailors, we aim to help our clients create unique, personalized garments that fit any body type. Our Style Consultants take the utmost pride in working with anyone: no matter size, shape, or gender. We thrive on producing well-fitted, tailor-made, exquisite and personalized pieces. What we enjoy  most? Helping our clients discover their inner designer so they may brainstorm outfits that make them feel confident and look fantastic. 

As our business has consistently grown over the past couple years (and continues to expand), we've worked with many women on menswear-inspired suiting, particularly for same-sex weddings. The more couples we work with, the more we have come to learn the difficulties and frustrations of women seeking menswear-inspired suits. Ladies, we hear you! To gain a little more perspective, we asked two of our loyal female clients their thoughts about custom design, the hunt for finding menswear inspired suiting, and what they think of the 9tailors operation. Meghan McQueeney came to us last year for her wedding suit (see her above on the left and her amazing pictures below!) and also referred her good friend, Boo Weintraub, (pictured above on the right) to our services.  

As a woman looking for menswear inspired fashion made for a woman's shape, how would rate the difficulty?Why do you think it so hard to find?
MEGHAN: "It is very difficult to find. I think the biggest problem is that people either: a) don't understand the request; b) think that creating a men's style suit for a female body is drastically different than creating one for a male body (despite the fact that many men have bigger hips and chest than I do); c) they think that women shouldn't be wearing men's styles."

BOO: "It is extremely hard to find a suit that fits properly, especially for people who are on the shorter side."

Tell us a little bit about your experience researching for your ideal suit design.
What problems hindered you the most?
MEGHAN: "The biggest problems are that men's suits off-the-rack are enormous for my frame/body type. Brooks Brothers boys has worked well for me in the past, but the shopping experience can feel embarrassing. The other problem I have faced is from custom made suit sellers who tell me flat out that they don't make women's suits."

BOO: "I am too small to wear men's suits, and boys' suits often use cheesy material or offer little in the way of design."

How did you hear about 9tailors?
MEGHAN: "I heard about 9tailors from a friend who either bought a Groupon or a LivingSocial deal."

BOO: "...from Meghan McQueeney when she went there to buy her wedding suit."

Please describe your experience at 9tailors.
MEGHAN: "Overall, I had a very positive experience. There were a few minor hiccups around shirt style, but other than that, Alex knew to ask what I wanted for every detail. She was very accommodating, friendly, etc. I really felt like she wanted to help me look my best. I will definitely be going back for future suiting/dress shirt needs."

BOO: "Excellent. The staff never batted an eye when I said I wanted a men's suit. Original suit and later tailoring were always very timely."

What are your thoughts on custom design?
MEGHAN: "I love it! For me, in the end, it is only slightly more expensive than buying something off the rack and getting it altered. But the satisfaction is much much higher. It is a more intimate, shared, experience, where you can get what you want.

"I think the biggest takeaway for a custom design clothing company (or any custom design company) is to listen to what your client wants, ask lots of questions, give options, and don't assume you know what they want even for what seem the smallest details."

BOO: "It's great because I get exactly what I want and don't have to settle for features that are too feminine."

What is your advice to women in a similar situation facing this particular predicament?
MEGHAN: "Talk to your friends, know that you are not alone, and don't settle! Try not to get discouraged by a bad experience. There are stores/services out there that will cater to folks looking for a specific style."

BOO: "Go to 9tailors! It is worth the extra expense to get a suit that you will feel entirely comfortable in and the experience of buying a suit from people who do not treat you like you're doing something wrong is priceless."

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Boo and Meghan! See below for more pictures of Meghan's wedding!

Are you a lady looking for a menswear-inspired suit? Come check us out! There is no obligation to purchase at a consultation, but you may come by and see what we have to offer! Email a Style Consultant at info@9tailors.com for more details!

Meet Dorothy and Jill!

How was the weather? Was your wedding indoors/outdoors?
October 07,2012 at the Commander's Mansion in Watertown,MA. The weather turned out to be a little raw with some rain. The ceremony was inside and the reception was outside under a tent. Lucky for us, we opted for heaters because of the unpredictable New England weather.

Why did you decide to go with 9tailors on your own custom design?
I knew right away that I wanted to wear a suit. I don't particularly like how women's suits are cut and just forget about the amount of tailoring needed for a men's suit. So the best and obvious answer was to get a custom suit. I knew I could get exactly what I was looking for!

Describe your 9tailors experience and items.
My experience at 9tailors was very good. The first meeting was tons of fun being able to pick exactly what I wanted from many many different options. Alex was extremely helpful, especially when I had a hard time deciding. There was a hiccup in the middle with the jacket but it was quickly taken care of. In the end, I got an awesome 3-piece suit with fun details made just for me.

What was the best part of your wedding day?
Hands down the best part of the wedding day was seeing Jill for the first time. She wouldn't let me see her dress or her hairstyle, so I just couldn't wait to see her. Seeing her turn the corner was one of the most amazing moments and feelings I've had. Truly unforgettable.

What is your advice to other wedding couples thinking about designing custom suits or shirts?
When it comes to your wedding day people usually get a little pickier with what they want. 9tailors is able to give you exactly what you want, which definitely helps alleviate a lot of stress that comes with planning the big day.

What is your favorite picture and why?
The picture of Jill and I coming into the reception is my favorite because it's the happiest and proudest I've felt.  I think it also symbolizes the ending to a beautiful ceremony and the beginning a crazy fun party!  The smile on my face in this picture was there well after the lights went out.  Simply amazing!

Gettin' hitched? In the market for wedding attire? We're here for you! Email a Style Consultant at info@9tailors.com

Meet David and Dan!

What are your names?
David Rogers & Dan Ferrell


Where and when was the big day?
October 20, 2012 at the Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge, MA

How was the weather? Was your wedding indoors/outdoors?
Beautiful. 71 degrees and sunny. A perfect fall day and a beautiful day to have an outdoor wedding.

Why did you decide to go with 9tailors on your own custom design?
I decided to go with 9tailors because I knew I didn't want to rent my tux and I wanted to perfect tux for my wedding. I figured I would have to have any tux I bought tailored to fit me perfectly so I thought - why not have a tux actually made to fit me perfectly the first time around.

Describe your 9tailors experience and items.
I came to 9tailors with a picture and Alex took it from there. It was so nice to have someone knowledgeable about style and fit. I trusted Alex from day one. The service was great and I couldn't be more happier with my tuxedo. Thank you 9tailors.

What was the best part of your wedding day?
Having it outdoors. We had always anticipated having the ceremony inside since it would be so late in October. But the weather cooperated and by 12:00 that afternoon the chairs were moved outside. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. We had an a cappella group from Harvard sing during the ceremony which we kept as a surprise from our guests. They were fantastic and added so much to the day.

What is your advice to other wedding couples thinking about designing custom suits or shirts?
Trust the folks at 9tailors. They really listened to my ideas and what I liked. They are professionals so when I had a question I just asked them what they thought and they didn't steer me wrong.

Choose your favorite photo and tell us why.
I think they are all my favorite. I keep replaying the day over and over again in my mind and I tried hard to take it all in. But I really like the one with that just shows are legs (and my red socks).

*All photos courtesy of Brian Fitzgibbons of bdfPhoto

Getting married? Why not design your own suit or tuxedo with 9tailors? Find the fabric, personalize with an array of style options, and wear something that fits you...like a glove. Email a Style Consultant at info@9tailors.com and schedule your design appointment today, preferably two months ahead of your wedding date.

Wedding Attire for Same-Sex Couples

We are officially in wedding season at 9tailors! We feel so happy and excited that we can be apart of such a special day. From casual weddings on a farm to stately weddings in a mansion, our couples tastes and styles couldn't be more diverse. Thankfully, our custom process is flexible enough to make our couples' visions come to life.

We also work with many same-sex couples. But, one of the biggest dilemmas for same-sex couples, particularly for brides, is finding something that is not only sophisticated, but also reflective of their personal styles. Many brides are also not interested in getting married in a traditional gown either, so they turn to us for suiting or shirting.

Here are some ideas for our same sex couples.... 

1) Matching outfits. While I this is not my favorite idea, I do like the continuity. One way to personalize each of the suits is to line the inside jacket with two complementary colors (typically the couple's wedding colors) inside the jacket. Or, if we're doing a three piece, I might even suggest choosing vest fabrics in two similar colors (e.g., one in a lighter hue and the other darker). See below George Takei and Brad Altman in matching dinner jackets and slacks.

Brad Altman & George Takei

2) Contrasting Outfits with One Matching Piece. I love this idea. Choose one main element to contrast and then another matching piece to tie the look together. This way you can avoid looking too matchy-matchy. Do this by choosing a matching shirt with a contrasting suiting colors. Or, you may select the same suiting fabric and opt for different shirt fabrics. While the shirts may be in two different shirting fabrics, you can tie the shirts together with the same accents. See couple, TR Knight and partner, Mark Cornelsen, below in matching shirts and contrasting suits.

Mark Cornelsen &TR Knight

3) Complementary Outfits. This is another fantastic idea. You may choose the same hues like Ellen's wedding to Portia. This is a fantastic way for each person to shine in their own way on their wedding. Many people choose whites, off-whites and creams - it's simple and elegant. But, bolder colors in the same hues are fantastic as well! See Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi looking beautiful in their whites on whites.

Portia DeRossi and Ellen DeGeneres

There are so many unconventional and unique ideas that same-sex couples can choose from!

Need suiting or shirting for your upcoming wedding? Contact us here.