Yangbok

One of the things you can do in Korea is get a suit custom-made for a reasonable price. There are a lot of tailors on Itaewon 이태원 Street in Seoul. The area has long been a favorite destination of American military personnel and other foreigners seeking cheap clothing and nightlife. Some of the tailors display signed photographs of senior American military officers adorning their walls.

I bought a suit here back in 2000, and thought it might be time to expand my wardrobe to two suits. Since the previous one was a rather somber and conservative black, I decided to go for something a bit flashier this time. For the fabric I picked a shiny, silver wool-silk blend with a herringbone pattern.

The day after I was measured, I returned to the tailor for a "basted fitting". I tried on a rough preliminary version of the suit, the cloth pieces basted together, and the tailor made slight adjustments.


Today I showed up at the tailor with an envelope literally bulging with cash -- 70 bills in all -- to pay for the finished product. Fit like a glove.



Monkey Boy is also getting a custom-made suit based on his measurements, but since he's back in the States, he wasn't able to enjoy the benefits of the basted fitting. Still, his new suit ought to fit pretty good.