My first encounter with bespeak was in Dickens’s Nicholas Nickleby, where a “Great Bespeak” is held for Miss Snevellicci, one of Nicholas’s actor friends. From the context it’s clear that it’s a benefit performance for Miss Snevellicci.
Amanda C. Peterson:
February 10th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
I’d also venture that the rise of the term “bespoke” is being used more frequently with the rise of Chinese and Indian tailors making suits, shirts and shoes custom for Americans more frequently — through online sites, in those “coming to your town to measure” and through it becoming more common practice to, if you have to go to Shanghai for business — which happens more frequently, you might as well stop by a custom tailor.
As the price of “bespoke” goes down to be reachable by at least the upper middle class, the language spreads.
Diane:
March 28th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Having traveled to London twice this year, I hear that word overused in the UK, but very seldom hear it used here in the US.
Jeannie:
November 25th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
“Bespoke” is popping up everywhere, and it strikes me as terribly affected. Editors, stem the tide!
mary n:
March 3rd, 2013 at 4:03 am
I have come across “bespoke” in many adverts and it seems to me that it is being used to put an upmarket spin on the item
mary n:
March 3rd, 2013 at 4:04 am
Here here !!!!
Dot:
August 7th, 2013 at 3:31 pm
On holiday in Scotland this year I noticed the word “bespoke” being used extensively, whereas it was still very rarely used two years ago during my previous stay in Britain.
I think the theory about the Chinese and Indian taylors has much plausibility. I also think that it is becoming more and more attractive to own something that was custom-made and is therefore unique. I think it’s the prevailing mass production that makes everybody looking for things that nobody else has.
Steve:
September 7th, 2013 at 9:31 am
There are a few folks in this country (US), who insist on using the word in place of the more familiar “tailor made” or “custom made”. I think such usage is altogether pretentious, since it has never been in common usage in America. It was never at any time used even among the fine clothiers/tailors, of the east.
Leave it where it belongs, across the pond.
Christian Aust:
April 14th, 2020 at 9:36 am
I’d like to add that “bespoke” always reminds me of the german “besprechen”, english “to discuss”. “Bespoke” feels like past tense, something that you discussed.
Thanks for the great site, just discovered it.
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Ben Wrankle:
February 8th, 2012 at 6:00 am
My first encounter with bespeak was in Dickens’s Nicholas Nickleby, where a “Great Bespeak” is held for Miss Snevellicci, one of Nicholas’s actor friends. From the context it’s clear that it’s a benefit performance for Miss Snevellicci.
Amanda C. Peterson:
February 10th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
I’d also venture that the rise of the term “bespoke” is being used more frequently with the rise of Chinese and Indian tailors making suits, shirts and shoes custom for Americans more frequently — through online sites, in those “coming to your town to measure” and through it becoming more common practice to, if you have to go to Shanghai for business — which happens more frequently, you might as well stop by a custom tailor.
As the price of “bespoke” goes down to be reachable by at least the upper middle class, the language spreads.
Diane:
March 28th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Having traveled to London twice this year, I hear that word overused in the UK, but very seldom hear it used here in the US.
Jeannie:
November 25th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
“Bespoke” is popping up everywhere, and it strikes me as terribly affected. Editors, stem the tide!
mary n:
March 3rd, 2013 at 4:03 am
I have come across “bespoke” in many adverts and it seems to me that it is being used to put an upmarket spin on the item
mary n:
March 3rd, 2013 at 4:04 am
Here here !!!!
Dot:
August 7th, 2013 at 3:31 pm
On holiday in Scotland this year I noticed the word “bespoke” being used extensively, whereas it was still very rarely used two years ago during my previous stay in Britain.
I think the theory about the Chinese and Indian taylors has much plausibility. I also think that it is becoming more and more attractive to own something that was custom-made and is therefore unique. I think it’s the prevailing mass production that makes everybody looking for things that nobody else has.
Steve:
September 7th, 2013 at 9:31 am
There are a few folks in this country (US), who insist on using the word in place of the more familiar “tailor made” or “custom made”. I think such usage is altogether pretentious, since it has never been in common usage in America. It was never at any time used even among the fine clothiers/tailors, of the east.
Leave it where it belongs, across the pond.
Christian Aust:
April 14th, 2020 at 9:36 am
I’d like to add that “bespoke” always reminds me of the german “besprechen”, english “to discuss”. “Bespoke” feels like past tense, something that you discussed.
Thanks for the great site, just discovered it.