Some might say that the mark of a true gentleman is polished shoes or the perfect watch. Well, we say that the oft-overlooked detail is the perfectly-fitted shirt. There isn’t a ready-to-wear store in the world that can match the elegance of a custom-tailored shirt. But bespoke shirts, where you select everything from the fabric, the prints and the buttons to the cut and design, come with steep price tags. And with thousands of tailors in Bangkok offering this service, it’s hard to know which are good and which ones are cutting corners.

So here is your third option: three made to measure boutiques whose choice of cuts and materials are guaranteed to spare you the uncle look.

Duly

Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-332-3347/8. Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-9298/9. www.laladuly.co.th
Duly is regarded as one of the best shirt boutiques in town. They offer nine styles of collars, three styles of bottom cuts and three styles of front plackets (the vertical panel where the buttons go). What’s more, they import their fabrics directly from textile manufacturers in Italy, unlike most tailor shops in the streets. Made to measure shirts are from B4,450 and can cost up to B12,000, depending on fabrics. But if you want something really special, order Egyptian cotton from Thomas Mason—the Giza Egyptian cotton is very smooth, thin and fine. Duly is launching a new tailoring service soon for more casual looks.

Button Up

113/6 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Soi Thong Lor, opposite Market Place), 02-712-6111/-2. www.thebuttonup.com
Two years into the business and Button Up now has seven branches in shopping malls and the flagship store on Thong Lor. Its recently launched made-to-measure service offers the widest range of personalization we know of in Bangkok: there are 18 choices for collars, three for collar stitches, three for pockets, 13 for cuffs, five for front placket, three front styles, two body styles, six back styles and four bottom styles. There are 33 choices of fabric to choose from if you visit their stores at the malls, but if you go to the flagship outlet, choices go up to more than a hundred. They’ve also just sealed a deal with Italian textile manufacturer Loro Piana, also used by top-notch Savile Row tailors in London. Prices start from B3,500.

July Tailor

30/6 Sala Daeng Rd., 02-235-9210, 02-233-0171. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm. www.julytailor.com
July Tailor is known for the tailor-made suits and shirts it makes for HM the King as well as politicians and government officials. Around for three generations, the place may be old school but it offers a wide range of collars, cuffs and body styles—dependent on customer preferences. “You don’t want to look like your dad, do you?” the owner asked us. Prices for made to measure shirts are from B2,500, but if you’re looking for a finer fabric, B6,500 or more gets you a Zegna-like textile.

GET THIS: Shirt Essentials

Fine fabric
Any half-decent shirt out there is 100% cotton. What really matters is the weaving, especially the number of lines per square inch. Try to get at least 120 lines/sq inch. Super high quality shirts can go up to 300 lines/sq inch—more lines means smoother fabric.

Perfect collar
The collar is actually the first thing people notice on your shirt. A good collar should be stiff, so that it effortlessly snaps down over your tie.

Fine details
Normal shirts have between 14 to 16 stitches per inch. You want 18 or higher. Smaller stitches help your shirt age more gracefully. Your buttons should be mother of pearl, of course.

Flawless assembly
All patterns should match, not just in the obvious places but everywhere. For more comfort, you may prefer a split back York cut on your shoulders. The extra stitching running down the middle of your back makes for a better fit.

The Right fit
You want to be able to put two fingers between collar and neck. Measure the sleeve length standing straight. The cuff should stop where your thumb meets your hand. The rest is mostly a question of taste and your body type.