Best Year-Round Suit

Betty was looking for a versatile, easy-to-maintain, medium weight, non-wrinkly and comfortable grey suit to wear for any occasion all year round. 

Voila! We paired her up with an easy-to-wear budget friendly "Wool (70%) + Polyester (30%)" medium grey suit. With a wool-polyester suit, you get everything you want in a suit:

1. The breathable and moisture-wicking properties of wool

2. Medium weight wool that doesn't feel heavy

3. The texture of fine wool that's soft to the touch

4. Lowered cost due to the added synthetic material

5. The durability of polyester

6. The non-wrinkling property of polyester

7. Ease of ironing at home if necessary (but we always recommend taking it to a professional for pressing)

Check out what we built for Betty:

I really love these high-shine dress shoes by John Vluefog. The gold trim adds so much elegance to it.

Thanks Betty for sharing your suit!

Need A First Custom Suit? Come On In. Matthew Did!

Matthew walked in with a kind of smiley shyness to him, asking for a custom suit that he'd be wearing to his sister's wedding. I don't blame him. It's his first custom suit. Many people are unsure what to expect when they walk into our store. They feel a little intimidated or even overwhelmed by the whole suit-making process. 

It's really quite simple: Think of us as your friend and we're just here to help by giving you professional and stylish advice! There's no right or wrong. Style is a very personal thing. If you feel a little lost, we're happy to offer some suggestions. And if you know what you want, we'll help make your ideas into reality.

Together, Matthew and I, picked a dark grey wool suit that could easily be worn again for other occasions or even to work. A dark grey solid suit is a great base to build upon. You can start off with a more conservative look by pairing it with a shirt that has a subdued colour or pattern. If you choose to take it up a notch, you can finish the suit off with brighter colours and wilder patterns, topping everything off with lavish male accessories like tie-clips and cuff links! 

Canadian Fans in Sochi, Russia

Here's a look at a couple of suits that Balsam Custom Tailors made for two brothers, Greg and James, in collaboration with clothing designer, Ash Turner of Organic Mechanic:

Click here are more pictures from photographer, Mariska Richters.

Thanks for sending in the pictures, Ash! :)

Time to Relearn the Words to "Little Boy Blue"

This is Ryan Gosling in a custom-made Salvatore Ferragamo shiny blue tuxedo (HELLO!). A real eye-opener, right? Who knew adding a new twist (using the colour blue instead of black) to a classic look could be so FUN? And who knew it would make an already very good-looking man into a jaw-dropping, mouth-watering stunner? 

He's no "Little Boy Blue" that's for sure. "6 Foot Hot Man Blue" anyone? 

Photo Credit

One of our customers had found these pictures of Ryan's slim and shiny blue tux and requested that we make him something similar for his wedding day. So we quickly got to work and here is our rendition:

While Ryan's suit looks like it's made of silk, our version is made of a wool blend (which is very affordable!) that has a subtle sheen which is stylish and beckons for your attention. With this suit on, who needs a horn? ;)

Wow, YOU HAVE STUNNING EYES!

Yup, that's exactly what I said upon meeting Narinder for the very first time. I shook his hand and told him straight up his eyes were stunning. They're as bold as the colour of our Moraine Lake in Baff! Isn't that right, Narinder? (I know you're reading this and nodding!)

This sturdy handsome man came in looking for a simple, sleek three-piece custom suit. As a matter of fact, he was convinced to choose us as his tailors after having read the Balsam blog! :)

Nowadays, the trend is to wear something that is simple and tasteful for your big day so that later on, you can where your outfit again for many other occasions. It's a budget-friendly way to go. Who doesn't want to save money? Have a look at what Narinder chose for his big day: A heather gray wool-blend three-piece, custom-made to perfection with lotsa looooove, guaranteed fit--all under $700! Tell me that is not an attractive price?

What I love most about Narinder is his high level of enthusiasm. I asked if he wanted to be showcased on our blog and he responded, not just positively, but he was brimming with excitement! Haha.. It sure got me excited!


Thank you Narinder for being an awesome customer! :)

Is This Man Possibly The Happiest Man On Earth?

I smile a lot and I especially love when my photo subjects are smiley. When everybody is smiling, taking pictures is a breeze.

So, what made Jeremiah smile from ear to ear for these photos?

A. Could it be that he was wearing full cotton underwear that day?

B. Perhaps, the sun came out after the rain and he was able to get his daily dose of vitamin D?

C. He's getting married in the Philippines to his lovely fiance?

D. He's dressed from head to toe in woolen luxury doused with fitted perfection?

The answer?

Only JEREMIAH would know.. Haha!

Jeremiah's 3-piece custom suit: $1030 + HST

The Rossi's Rock! (Part 2)

While Jacob ranks high on the handsome scale wearing his new custom suit, his dad Moreno, sits solidly at the top. Moreno's suit is made out of a ribbed texture wool cloth that makes it slightly more interesting than a plain old black suit. Excellent choice, I say!

May I point your attention to his impeccable taste in hats? Tell me, who knows style more than a man clad in a sleek custom suit, topped off with a fedora on his head?

Cloth #: RKC 6022

Moreno's custom suit price: $780 + HST

Thank you Rossi's for letting me show you guys off!