What an unstitched suit pack does not include

What is usually missing

• Lining. Lawn, cambric and khaddar suits almost never include one. Some chiffon, net and organza suits list an inner or slip piece; if the label does not, there is none. See choosing lining for an unstitched suit.
• A zip. No pack includes one, and many kameez do not need one. A close cut does.
• Buttons, hooks and loops. Even when the model’s kameez has a buttoned placket, the buttons are rarely in the pack. A few dressier suits do include them, and say so.
• Elastic or a drawstring. The trouser piece is plain cloth; whatever holds the waist is added in stitching.
• Thread and interfacing. Matching thread, and the stiffening that sits inside collars, plackets and cuffs.
• Lace and trims from the photo. Unless the label gives a lace or border in metres or pieces, the edging you see on the model was added for the shoot.
• Fabric for piping. A contrast edge is cut from other cloth, often from offcuts of the trouser piece.
• A whole piece. A two-piece suit leaves out either the dupatta or the trousers; two-piece vs three-piece explains which.

Why the photo shows more than the pack

Catalogue outfits are styled to show the fabric at its most appealing. The sample may be cut longer or fuller than the lengths in the pack allow, lined where the pack has no lining, finished with tassels, extra lace or covered buttons, and worn with trousers from a different cloth. None of that is dishonest, but it means the piece list is the thing to read, not the picture. Our guide to recreating a catalogue look shows how to tell the two apart.

Who supplies the extras

Practice varies between tailors, so ask and do not assume. The small workroom items, such as thread, interfacing, elastic and a plain zip, are commonly part of the stitching. Lining and decorative trims are a different matter: sometimes the customer buys them, sometimes the tailor supplies them as part of the job.

With our unstitched suit stitching, nothing is left to assumption either way. List every extra your design needs in your enquiry and say which ones you are sending with the fabric. You can ask for a lining or a trim to be supplied as part of the order, and whatever is agreed is set out in your written quote before you pay or post anything. Lining, lace and fabric are not sold on their own.

A quick check against your design

Hold your design beside the pack and ask six questions, then put the answers in your notes when you request a Stitching Only quote.

• Is any piece sheer enough to need a lining?
• Is the cut close enough to need a zip or another opening?
• Does the neckline or cuff have buttons or loops?
• How will the trouser waist be held?
• Is there lace or edging in the picture that is not in the pack? If so, measure every edge it trims and add the lengths up.
• Is there a contrast piping, and which fabric will it come from? The trims guide has ideas.