With the multitude of tailors' shops in some areas of Bangkok, one couldn't help assuming that most are just jumping on the bandwagon and don't possess the experience or the connections to do a decent job of anything.
It's true that a lot of them turn out some shocking work, I've seen some of it. They really bring to life the phrase: "All over you like a cheap suit".
But you can get a decent job for a decent price. Bear these points in mind:
1) Most places are not really tailors. They just want to sell you material and take your measurements. They farm out the stuff to outside tailors.
2) You're not going to get a cashmere suit for $100.
3) In good places you'll see evidence of actual *tailoring* being done. You know more than just a tape measure and a pencil.
4) Most places farm out their tailoring to a different location but it's a good sign when the shop has a representative on site. You'll know, because they'll be involved in the measuring process and the salesman will communicate your preferences to him/her as you go along.
5) You won't get a decent wool mix suit for $100.
6) From my experience and from the genuine-looking reviews I've seen: Good places don't have touts outside.
7) Results are going to be better if you *really* know what you want.
Walk past the shops and take a good look. Get an idea of what they seem most interested in (a lot are just money laundering fronts). You'll get an idea whether they're just selling third-party generic garments for a markup, selling cloth and lots of sweet talk, or if they're more design-oriented and customer-focused.
A small number of good establishments can be found around Asok (just down from Nana) on Sukhumvit Rd. For more excellent info from someone who really knows his stuff check out the link below.
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