Made to Measure, Made to Order or Standard Size: Which Should You Choose?
Made to order means nothing is cut until you buy it, standard size means you choose a size from a chart, and made to measure means the garment is cut to your own numbers. At PehroDesign every piece is made to order, and you then choose a standard size or send your measurements. Standard sizes can be returned for a change of mind, and made to measure pieces cannot.
The terms get mixed up, so here is what each one means, what it changes in practice, and how to choose.
Three terms, defined
- Made to order: the garment does not exist until you order it. It is cut and stitched for you afterwards. This is about when the garment is made, not how it is sized.
- Standard size: you pick a size from a chart, here XS to 3XL. The garment is cut to that size's measurements, after you order.
- Made to measure: you send your bust or chest, waist, hip, height and preferred length, and the garment is cut to those numbers. We do this at no extra cost.
You can have made to order without made to measure, which is what a standard size order is. You cannot have made to measure without made to order, since a piece cut for one person cannot sit on a shelf.
What about "bespoke"?
Bespoke traditionally means a pattern drafted from scratch for one person, usually with fittings. We use the term made to measure instead, because we adjust our own designs to your numbers. If you want something that is not on the site, the custom order page explains how to send a picture; we come back with what is possible and a price before anything is cut.
How the three compare
- Ready to wear, off a shelf: cut in bulk to an average body. It is fast and you can try it on, but it is made for nobody in particular.
- Made to order in a standard size: the same sizes as ready to wear, but cut after you order, so nothing sits on a shelf. The fit is only as good as the chart.
- Made to measure: the best chance of a right first fit, particularly where your bust, waist and hip do not match one row of a chart.
Timing is the same for the second and third. Production takes 2 to 5 business days, and your order arrives 15 to 20 days after you place it, dispatch included. Made to measure does not wait in a separate queue.
What changes when you return something
This is where the choice matters most.
Standard sizes: you can return one within 30 days of delivery if it is unworn and unwashed, and you get a refund of the garment price to your original payment method. You pay the return shipping. Customers in the EU and UK also have a 14 day withdrawal right on standard sizes.
Made to measure: these are final sale, because the garment is cut for one person. In the EU and UK, goods made to your specification are exempt from the withdrawal right that applies to standard sizes. What you get instead is a remake: if the finished garment is off by more than 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) on any measurement you sent us, tell us within 30 days of delivery with a photo and we remake it once, free. You cover the shipping to send the first garment back.
Either way: if an item arrives damaged or is the wrong item, tell us within 7 days with a photo. We replace it or refund you in full, and we cover the shipping both ways. You can cancel within 24 hours of ordering for a full refund; after that the cloth may already be cut.
When a standard size is the better buy
- Your measurements sit neatly inside one row of the size guide.
- The style is loose or oversized, where a little difference disappears into the ease.
- You are not sure of the style, colour or cut and want the option to return it.
When made to measure is worth it
- You are between sizes, or your bust, waist and hip fall in different rows.
- Length is the problem, as it often is on dresses and trousers. You can set the hem and the inseam.
- Your bust is above 46 inches (117 cm). Above that we cut to measurements only.
- You want the fit decided once and repeated.
To make it work, send your numbers within 24 hours of ordering. If we have not received them by then, we make the standard size you selected. Our guide to choosing a made to measure linen brand explains what to ask any seller before you pay.
Shirts, trousers and dresses
The same logic applies across the range, with one difference for men's shirts: the sizes describe the shirt laid flat, not your body, so you compare a shirt you like with the chart, or send body measurements and we choose or tailor for you. Examples of each: a sleeveless linen shift dress for dresses, the men's pure linen shirt in a relaxed fit for shirts, and tapered linen trousers for bottoms. Browse linen dresses, men's linen and linen bottoms, or read our questions and answers on sizing, shipping and returns. If you live outside the US, our guide to delivery, duty and returns by country covers what changes by region.
The verdict
If a standard size already fits you everywhere, keep the right to return it. If one size never fits, or the length is always wrong, pay attention to made to measure, because it costs nothing extra and does not slow the order. When you are unsure about the style itself, take the standard size first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between made to measure and made to order?
Made to order is about timing: the garment is cut after you buy it. Made to measure is about fit: it is cut to your own measurements. A standard size order is made to order but not made to measure.
Is made to measure the same as bespoke?
Not quite. Bespoke traditionally means a pattern drafted from scratch for one person, with fittings. Made to measure adjusts an existing design to your numbers.
Does made to measure cost more or take longer?
Neither. We make it to your measurements at no extra cost, and production is 2 to 5 business days either way.
Can I return a made to measure garment?
Not for a change of mind, because it is cut for one person. If it is off by more than 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) on any measurement you gave, tell us within 30 days of delivery with a photo and we remake it once, free.
What if I forget to send my measurements?
Send them within 24 hours of ordering. After that we make the standard size you selected at checkout.