The Gaps in Custom Clothing

Many people pass on shopping for custom clothing. Frankly, I get it. There’s a lot wrong with the category. There are four big shortcomings that I believe stop people from benefiting from a custom garment experience.

It’s not for everybody. The fashion industry sends a loud message that custom clothing is not for everybody. It’s intentionally exclusive. Haute couture sets outlandish prices. Wearing a designer piece of clothing is a status symbol. For many “everyday” people the only occasion where they’d even consider a custom garment is for their own wedding. Outside of these types of big events, most people don’t even explore the idea of a custom garment. They’ve been fed the idea that custom isn’t meant for “their type” of people. It’s messaged as for “those who have”, purposefully making it more precious and coveted.

It’s concentrated at the extremes. Outside of the decadent designer clothing I described above, there’s a newer concept of custom. Big direct to consumer brands that list garments as “customizable”. These brands allow you to change fabric and maybe add a few of your measurements. You can find these kinds of dresses for as little as $100. These brands provide the option of a few specializations, while also meeting most of the standards of fast fashion that we’ve grown accustomed to. They keep their prices, their delivery quick, which in turn makes their garments easily disposable which keeps the fast fashion flywheel spinning. But where’s the middle ground between these $100 dresses and the $30,000 haute couture dress?

It’s difficult to understand. Part of making custom exclusive has been making it difficult to understand. Haute couture their dresses to feel inaccessible to most, while large, low cost direct to consumer brands using the term custom want you to give the impression that their garments are highly customized for you. They may use the word “Custom” generously across their site, while in reality they may only be making a couple basic adjustments to the garment. These experiences are on opposite ends of a spectrum, but both use the term custom. It makes the whole category messy, to the point that many feel it’s too daunting to dive into. With the loose definition of custom, how do you know what you’re actually going to get? Does the price actually reflect the quality you receive, or are you just paying an arm and a leg for the perception of custom. It’s overwhelming and off-putting for anyone who wants to learn more about the category.

Most brands are missing a chance for great fit. Because the majority of brands are focused on status or trying to operate at fast fashion speed/prices, few are actually providing a much desired service many women are looking for: Clothing that fits them! Where is the clothing that fits a variety of women's bodies and personalities. I’ve heard from hoards of women now about the struggle to find off the rack clothing that actually fits their body. Few women in this world find it easy to shop for clothing that fits their bodies. It’s a problem! Yet so few “custom” brands are connecting women with clothing that prioritized fit.

I’ve encountered all of four of these shortfalls personally. These issues were some of the initial bits of kindling that started the fire for Right Side Out. It’s why I have tried to design my site to be warm and welcoming, communicating custom clothing should be everybody. It’s why I have positioned my pricing conservatively, while still focused on quality and the experience of a custom dress. It’s why I share educational content about custom clothing and try to make my site easy to understand. It’s why I focus so much of my dress development on fit for the body, while also giving women the chance to customize my dresses for their personal style. These gaps in the women's clothing landscape are mind-boggling and frustrating, but having successfully connected women with customized clothing that fits all elements of them, I have hope that we can change the landscape.