A couple of months ago, another traveler asked us what we were planning to do in our afterlife, you know, when we return to something that resembles normalcy. The name stuck and ever since then we’ve been discussing this theoretical post-trip existence as our afterlife.
For us the afterlife is going to require a few adjustments, not least of which is our wardrobe. It may sound ridiculous, but I’ve been living in cargo capri’s, stretchy black pants and wicking shirts for almost 2 years. Look at our pictures, you’ll see its the same rotation of shirts and bottoms in every photo almost since the beginning. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, that probably won’t remain the daily wardrobe in the afterlife. It just so happens that the ancient city of Hoi An, Vietnam is also the center of inexpensive custom tailoring in Southeast Asia, so we decided to take full advantage.
There are hundreds of tailors in Hoi An and as you can imagine the quality spectrum ranges. We read reviews, advice and all sorts of tips on buying clothes in Hoi An, but when it came down to it we relied on our instinct and headed right to the Cloth Market. Although there are tons of really nice tailor shops lining the major streets we were most comfortable in the chaos of the market. We went by a few stalls, looked at some samples and fabrics and then spoke with a few vendors.
Hiding in a back corner for a moment to check a price tip on the Internet, we were literally accosted by a bright eyed and bubbly vendor. Pulling us towards her shop we immediately liked her style of sale.
Energetic but not pushy, we checked out her samples, fabrics and nailed down the details. We made a number of changes to the suit and shirts Danny ordered and by that afternoon we started with the fittings.
We ordered a whole variety of stuff from several shops. As Danny said later that night, “I appreciate that my wife decided to spread her business all over town.” That pretty much summed up our next day, running from fitting appointment to fitting appointment. In the end we had a duffel bag filled with 16 shirts, 4 pairs of shoes, 2 suits, 1 dress and a new winter coat…all made exclusively for us, with fabrics of our choosing, and cut to fit our bodies as they exist now; hopefully our afterlife will be kind to us.
Standing in the Cloth Market at 6pm the evening before we left, watching the tailor mark Danny’s jacket to make minor adjustments I had to run to my own final fitting. Waiting and waiting at the shop, they told me the skirt was on the way. Forty-five minutes later who should arrive? The same tailor. He and I shared a secret laugh and shook hands before he drove off into the night. From what I can tell he was probably working with several shops in town.
Was it worth it? We think so, but only time will tell. It certainly was a bit frustrating, but having read all the tips and advice online certainly helped. We had to be picky, assertive and very specific, but in the end I think it all worked out well. Maybe you’ll be the best judge…
IF YOU GO: Plan to spend at least two days in Hoi An if you want to have clothes made, order early on your first day and you’ll have plenty of time for fittings. Ask around for recommendations, but be careful, many hotels get kickbacks or own their own tailor shop so you might not get an objective opinion or recommendation. Be specific, even about the small things when you order. Be clear on when you should expect to see the garment, but be realistic. We were very happy with our clothes from ‘My’ Tailor Shop inside the Cloth Market as well as the shoes we purchased from Tan Loc just outside the cloth market. To travel to or from Hoi An you will need to first go to Danang as that is the closest airport and rail station.
Good call to have your clothes made by a tailor in a place where it doesn’t cost too much! I do that regularly, mostly in Peru and Thailand, but also other places. You DO have to be careful about quality, but the payoff is stuff that really fits (at least until you outgrow it 🙁 ) and prices that compare very favorably with off-the-rack at almost any store in the US.
For very casual clothes, you can also often find what in Spanish are called “saldos” – leftovers from an export order. Again, you need to check them carefully, but you will be rewarded by often name-brand clothes at serious bargain prices.
Very Cool!
I know how you feel Danny, but the Suit will be worth it! Let me know if it fits! I went to buy a suit today and they were like $550 so I didn’t buy it. Now I regret not picking up one or two…or three of those $100 suits abroad! Tell her to get off the phone while she’s sizing you up!
@Jeff- New plan. Stop shopping in Chicago, take the next flight to Bangkok. Buy your clothes here and take the whole trip off your taxes as a looking for work expense. See, all figured out.
@Mark- Sounds like custom generally works out for you- I never thought it would be cheaper than off-the-rack, but it certainly was, amazing! Hopefully we’ll have the same experience with the stuff from Vietnam. Where do you find Saldos in the US? I just bought some name brand T-shirts here in SE Asia that were definitely made for a US big name store, tag and everything!
Now I know where to get my next afterlife wardrobe! Maybe I can even motivate Donn to come with since his current life’s wardrobe is from Nordstom’s & some shops in London. I can’t wait to see all your new stuff! Gotta know prices to see if I can justify the cost of the trip by $ savings on ropa.
Also wondering about Mark Kennet’s comments about Peruvian & other Spanish discounts. We’ll talk when you get home…
Love you both, Aunt Pam
@Aunt Pam- I think my favorite part about your comment is that you want us to fill you in on the details about cheap clothes in Peru. haha 🙂 Vacation!
Sorry, I should have been clearer. Saldos are available only in countries where the products are being produced, like Peru. If you do go back to Lima, there is a section of town that is all about fabrics and garments, buying and selling, called Gamarra. You can find anything you want there. But even in Miraflores, there are stores in which saldos are sold on huge tables, each run by an independent entrepreneur. One such is on the corner of our street with the main drag (Larco) called La Quinta.
You do have to be very careful about the quality, inspecting each item very carefully. I have had the experience of buying a pair of jeans, thinking I checked it, and later discovering that it had no belt loops and that the buttonhole was not reinforced. Solveable problem – find a seamstress working in a booth on the street, and in fifteen minutes or so, problem solved and you still come out ahead, but it does cost some time…
@ Mark – I believe I purchased a pair of sweatpants from that very store in Miraflores….