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23rd Apr 2015

Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask: JOE interviews an Irish tailor

A good suit ain't so hard to find

JOE

Some men fear their doctor.

Others fear the dentist. A lot of men fear their bank manager. Most married men fear their mother-in-law. But there’s one person no man should fear, and that’s your tailor.

The first impression you’ll ever make is what you’re wearing. To make things a little easier we got in touch with Paul Galvin.

No, not that Paul Galvin, but the owner of Galvin Tullamore, a store which has been helping men find the right suit for the last 65 years.

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‘It’s all about trust’ says Paul, ‘you need to know that you can come into our store and that we’ll spend the time finding the right suit for you. It’s an investment piece. We want to be sure you get it right, and that you’re just as confident every single time you wear that suit.’

Paul gave us the rundown on everything you need to know when looking for that perfect suit…

JOE: Hi Paul, thanks for talking with us today. So really the first thing is how does someone go about getting fitted for a suit?

PAUL GALVIN: Well at Galvin Tullamore you don’t need an appointment, you can just walk in. Then we’ll find out what you need the suit for, whether it’s for a special occasion or a work suit.

JOE: And what would be the differences between a work suit and a suit for a wedding?

PG: If it was a work suit we’d look at more durable fabrics. A lot of lads take off their jackets as soon as they get to the office, so we do a ‘Mix & Match’ service, where someone can get two pairs of trousers, so they don’t have to replace their entire suit after the trousers get worn out.

JOE: And for a wedding then?

PG: For special occasions then we’d look at lighter fabrics, and different colours, rather than the tradition black. Blue suits are very popular at the moment.

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JOE: So what can you expect when you go for a fitting?

PG: Well you will meet with someone from the team, and they’ll ask what you need the suit for. Then we’ll discuss what styles and colours you’re interested in. So depending on the guy and his size, we’ll find the right style suit for him.

We have a large range, 10 different brands, and over 1,300 suits in the store at any one time. Then we’ll get the tape out and do a proper measuring. It’s very important to have the right sizes, and over the years your measurements can change.

We carry 3 different lengths, and sizes 34 (teenager boys sizes) right up to 56 (5 XL), so we really can accommodate anyone. If you’re a taller guy, you’ll need a longer jacket. It’s the same with someone who’s a bit shorter, we need the right fit always.

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JOE: Is there anything you need to bring with you to a fitting? Shoes, or a dress shirt?

PG: No, not at all. If you have a pair of shoes you want to wear then definitely bring them with you, but the shoe can depend on the colour of the suit, and the cut of the pants. A narrow leg needs a narrow pointed shoe.

At Galvin Tullamore we have our own in-store shoe shop, so we carry all the big brands, lots of dress shoes, but we have trainers as well. We have shirts too you can try on, so really you don’t need to bring anything with you.

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JOE: What’s on trend at the moment?

PG: As for the cut of the suit, the style right now is slim fit. Comfortable, but close to the body. The trousers are narrower at the end, and have a shorter hem, so they suit a narrow shoe.

It’s really about the whole look. As I mentioned earlier blue is the in colour at the moment, all shades of the colour. We’re lucky because we have an outdoor courtyard set up with a mirror, so you can see the suits look like in the daylight. A lot of colours can change from indoors to outdoors.

JOE: So I’ve picked out a suit, what happens next?

PG: We have an in store tailor at all times, so once someone is happy with the suit we’ll make the needed alterations. The alterations can be done in 30 minutes to an hour, so really you can get everything done in the one day.

JOE: So finally, what do you need to finish off the suit?

PG: Well there will always be the classics, a matching belt and shoes. The right shoe is really important to finish the suit. We have a wide range of ties and bowties too. We’re seeing pocket hankies making a big comeback. A lot of guys now are wearing suits without a tie, just a pocket hanky instead. It’s a nice way of bringing a bit of colour and personality to a suit.

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Tech talk

JOE: So Paul, you’ve mentioned a few tailoring terms, can you just explain to our readers about the hem of a trousers?

PG: Simply the hem is the end of your trousers. For a slim fitting suit, where the trousers are narrow, the hem should be an inch from the heel of your shoe, not an inch from the ground, but your heel.

JOE: Good to know, and then jackets?

PG: At the moment all the emphasis is on single-breasted, so that’s a jacket with one or two buttons. We’re seeing a look more details now too, so that might be in the lining of the jacket, or the buttons on the cuff (end of the sleeve).

JOE: And what about shirts?

PG: Well you have your standard shirt that everyone knows, but what’s becoming popular in store is the extreme cut-away collar, so thats the back of the collar removed.

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This is a nice choice if you want to go a bit more casual with your suit. With the cuffs then the trend is a single button, so we’ve been moving away from a double

JOE: So finally Paul, we’re getting close to the summer, so a lot of lads will have weddings coming up. Can you tell us what’s on trend for the summer?

PG: We’ve really seen a big rise in vibrant suits, with blue being the most popular. The great thing about wearing blue is that it really suits the Irish complexion, very complimentary.

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Check suits are making a comeback, nothing over the top, but subtle check patterns, again it just adds a bit of personality and is a nice change from the black and grey suits.

Galvin Tullamore is an independent Irish store located in Tullamore. This year it celebrates its 65th year in business.

The premises is a huge 7500 Sq Ft (210 feet from front to rear entrence), and covers everything from young fashion lines like Superdry, Farah and G-Star, to contemporary brands such as Armani, Boss, Ted Baker, Barbour, Gant and Hilfiger. There’s also the Suit Department, The Shoe Store, and Formal Suit Hire Department.