My Unlikely Obsession With Amazon’s $25 Custom T-Shirt

From our vantage point, Amazon is constantly innovating new ways to make getting dressed easier. Whether it's Prime Wardrobe's virtual personal shopping service or StyleSnap's photo-scanning tool that searches the site for products featured in an image, there are all kinds of bells and whistles for streamlining your Amazon fashion-hunting experience. The latest addition to the e-tailer's technology-fueled toolbox is an in-app offering — fittingly called Made for You — that enables customers to customize a basic t-shirt to their exact specifications (body type, size, fit, sleeve and hem length, fabric, and color). As a scientist of shopping, I naturally had to take the new service out for an IRL test run. Scroll on down to find out how the process went from start to finish. (If you just want to find out for yourself, don’t forget to use discount code MADEFORYOU25 — valid only through February 28 — before you hit “Buy It Now.”)

The process starts with a pretty standard Amazon product page, which is followed by a selection of prompts on a host of fit criteria. Amazon will then re-direct you to its app — you must have it downloaded on your phone to complete the process — and that’s when things get really futuristic. Once in the app, you’re given detailed instructions on how to document your proportions for precise fitting; propping your phone on the floor at a very specific angle, taking a full-body selfie, and using a ghost-figure outline that’s superimposed over your image as a guide. (They advise users to wear well-fitting clothes for the snapshot. I did not.) I positioned my body as if posing for an airport x-ray, waited for the self-timer beep to go off, and sent my measurements out to be analyzed.

When the t-shirt arrived about a week later, I was kind of flabbergasted. It wasn’t that I was anticipating a terrible product — I just didn’t expect it to be so perfect. (Yes, I know that’s the whole point. Still!) The solid Pima cotton I had chosen felt substantial but still really soft, and the top’s kelly green hue almost perfectly matched the swatch I’d seen on my computer. Fit-wise, there were no surprises — the boxy torso silhouette was in line with what I’d selected as my fit preference. The shoulders and sleeves fit my arms and shoulders with a Goldilocks-ian accuracy, which I did not object to. But, someone who was expecting a looser fit may have found the sleeves a bit snug for their liking. The sleeve hit right at my wrist bone — check!

I’d definitely recommend Made For You for anyone who’s particular about their basics and has trouble finding a fit that they like — or, really anyone who appreciates a well-made top. A quick bespoke process, super-speedy shipping, and a high-quality product for a mere $25? I really can’t argue with that.