WHO Sonny Balani, 32, grew up around perfectly fitted suits that his father made and sold at trunk shows. After working as a trader, he decided to take a bricks-and-mortar approach to his father's business. WHAT A custom suit and shirt shop ideal for 25- to 40-year-old men WHERE 10 S. LaSalle St., second floor; 312-345-1535, www.balanicustom.com/custom-suits-chicago

"I can make you look perfect, and compensate for anything," says Balani, who helps customers decide on fabrics, lapels, and whether to pleat or not to pleat. "Big guys who sit at a desk all day need pleats," he insists.

The shop uses a variety of high-end cottons for shirts, which can be specified as to collar and cuff style (starting at $85). For suits, wool is imported from mills in Great Britain or Italy. Balani takes up to 30 different measurements, from inseam to shoulder width. Customers choose the cut, venting, and number of buttons on flap and sleeves-all working, and the sign of a great suit.

Suit prices start at $795 and can go up to $10,000 for a custom pinstripe with a customer's name subtly woven into the wool. Expected wait time: six weeks