This is such an exciting post. Thanks for your adventuresome spirit and showing us photos. I never knew this option existed. You look great in your new jacket!

What an interesting post Angie! It must be very nice to be able to have things made to order. The jacket turned out beautiful and it looks great on you! I am curious how does the total cost ( work and material) compare to that of a jacket bought in a store. Can’t wait for more HK posts!

Angie – this is great information we can only get from a passionate expert like yourself. AND I see the infamous watch in one of the photos. You are looking so fab.

Angie – you look amazing. That’s a fabulous jacket! (The pictures really help.) I’d love to have this experience some day.

Wow, what a great option. It’s too bad that service is not more readily available in the US. I love the look of your new jacket and can’t wait to hear more about your HK trip!

wow! what a great post! All that info is fabulous and the end result looks great!
I LOVE that jacket!

You’ve inspired me. I have long skirt in my closet with a terrible hole in it. I’ve been unable to get rid of it with the thought in the back of my mind that I could have the skirt remade shorter (more flattering anyway) to remove the hole all together. How to find a good tailor who does more than just alterations?

It’s a shame there aren’t more tailor’s or tailored-to-fit clothing for women in the US. Especially with as many women in business as there are now, it’s surprising this trend hasn’t caught on. Of course, I’m out here in California where when someone puts some effort in, it takes folks by surprise. [And what ever happened to the philosophy "dress for the job you want" ?]

How incredibly fun to have a favorite garment recreated in a new fabric! Looks like an exciting experience, and the finish product is gorgeous.

The jacket and your new hair cut are beautiful.
Amazing how quickly they made the jacket for you.

Oh Angie, that jacket is beautiful! And I love it over the bright red blouse. So fab.

I once had a red linen dress custom made for me in Thailand. Custom tailoring is very affordable in many Asian countries and a wonderful experience indeed. The dress looked wonderful and truly made for my body. Sadly, this was 10 years ago and I gained quite a bit of weight so it just doesn’t fit me anymore

I have a good tailor in Seattle whom I’d trust with making a garment (they make Vietnamese wedding attire from scratch) in case anyone wants the contact info – but note that I haven’t done that there myself; I’ve just been happy with all the alterations they’ve done for me and they are incredibly cheap.

I have been trying to find someone to make me a couple dresses since early summer. The only two seamstresses I found flaked out It is very difficult to find anyone to make clothing around here, the largest city in Canada, no matter what price I am willing to pay. It is very disappointing and as a result, I am trying to learn how to sew more than just drapery myself. I am envious that you’re able to meet with a good tailor!

Wow! How fun to live vicariously through your adventure! A nice homage to your mother too.

I love posts like these! Angie, what a wonderful experience you had and the jacket turned out super! I especially loved the monogramming. How cute is that?

I add myself to the list of people that are sad that we can’t do this type of custom-made clothes here in the US! Why??? oh, why?????

Wow! Makes me wanna take a trip – looks fantastic on you Angie. While I am a costumer, and seamstress, it is very hard to find a great tailor. Yes, even with my expertise, tailoring and pattern making is both an art and science – and I’m sure we are going to read about that further with Angie. My advice? Talk to other clients, see what their experience was. Look at the work they have displayed. If they are all over the top evening wear, and you’re looking for a suit, it might not be a good match. Start with something with simple lines, and give them plenty of time. Usually the best have more work than they can handle. A good tailor is worth their weight in gold!

OMG! Sam’s Tailor made the tuxedo that’s hanging in my DH’s closet – it was purchased by his father during the Korean War. Small world.

My tailor has offered to copy things for me, but I’d have to find the fabric…..gulp. Sounds too hard.

Dare I ask the price range? My tailor offered to copy a sundress made by Hoss International – and improve the design to make it even more flattering. He quoted me a range of $200 USD, which sounded reasonable for what I’d be getting.

P.S. You look soooo chic in that jacket. Does the collar really stay up?

Love your jacket! It’s so refined, but with an edge. May I ask how much it cost? I hear things tailored over there are very inexpensive. I might just take the trip just to get a new wardrobe! lol

I absolutely love the jacket! I’ve been wanting to copy a jacket that was ruined by my ex-cleaners. I’m a waffler, so it’ll probably take me a few more months before I get started.

The jacket is so fab. Love the collar and the texture. I like your new hairdo too, Angie. You look super fab in the red and grey! Cant wait for more HK posts…

Angie, that is amazing. I don’t know why it’s not more commonplace to have clothing made in this era as it was in times past. The jacket is beautiful!

Antje, please pass along the tailor’s information to me. I have piles of alterations I need made. You can do so at stephanie (at sign) stephaniedoll.com or through Angie. Thanks so much!
Stephanie Doll

Love it! you look great and the color combination is wonderful.
wish I could fly away to HK!

Great jacket!

I went to Sam’s with my husband during a trip to Hong Kong. My DH has several suits from Sam’s that are fabulous.

However, I too was terribly disappointed with their women’s blouses. They actually *informed* me that women don’t like linings for button plackets and french seams. Well, THIS woman does. I specifically asked for the french seams. ALl of the men’s shirts have linings for the button plackets; this is basic good tailoring and I expected it in the woman’s blouse. The unlined button placket had big gaps in it and didn’t have a clean line under a jacket. I was disappointed enough that I refused to purchase one of the blouses they had made for me (yes, you can do this if the garment is unacceptable).

I would recommend Sam’s for men’s suits but warn folks away from the ladies’ blouses.

Hm, I’ve also had some bad experiences with Sam’s and know many others who have had bad experiences as well. I’ve a friend with a decent suit from them, but nothing spectacular.

I generally go to Mr Xu, a friend of a friend who’s a semi-retired Shanghainese tailor and even more skilled than my favorite tailors back in Shanghai. I won’t lie, though — all of my favorite tailor-made items come from Shanghai, probably because I was able to pick out my fabric at the fabric market and then specify exactly what I wanted because the tailor and I both spoke Mandarin and I had more free time to go for fittings and be a pushy person and demand changes, something I don’t have time for here in HK. Even better was getting hand-knit items (I can knit myself, but nowhere near as far and beautifully as the professionals!) made according to my customizations, with yarn I selected, etc. Good times.

Angie, that jacket is gorgeous! I would LOVE to have something like this done–oh that it were available here. By the way, you seriously look like Agnes Deyn in the bottom right photo by the light pole. SO pretty!

Patience, I go to Ace Alterations on Far West. There is a location at Barton Creek Mall, but I found the Far West location to be less busy, and the manager is really nice and patient, and good at making suggestions for alterations if you know what you want, but not exactly sure how to achieve it. She’ll be honest with you too about how expensive it would be (this is why I haven’t gotten my denim jacket cropped yet, just taken in). I’ve always been really happy with their work. I know they do more complicated alterations because I’ve seen them pinning a lady wearing a beaded formal gown. I’m going to buy a pair of bootcut cream jeans and take them there to have them made into straight leg jeans.

Fantastic jacket! The styling is modern and retro at the same time. And your hair is too cute.

Funny you mention the power of tailoring, as I just took a recently purchased wool jacket in to have some minor fixes…I can’t wait to get it back!

I’m touched by the compliments, ladies. I’m thrilled with this recreation and glad you approve. Thank you. (I realized yesterday as I was wading through our HK pics that if I am not smiling or laughing, I go through life pulling faces. Pictures do not lie! I suppose I’ve always known that I wear my heart on my sleeve ).

Thank you Jane for acknowledging the reference to my late Mum.

Ana, considering I’m almost 20 years older than Agnes Deyn, I’m humbled that there is a likeness in that picture!

Mirah and San, thanks for noticing my new hairdo. The colour change has allowed for slate grey tops which is exciting seeing as I have never been able to wear that colour before.

K Lauren, GREAT tips and I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment that a good tailor is worth its weight in gold. Sounds like you have an interesting job.

Such coincidences Trish, Therese and Swirl. It’s such a small world! Swirl, you might find tomorrows blog post particularly interesting.

Therese, I have seen the work of Shanghai tailors and am in awe. I have a handful of clients who have had garments made there and they are beautiful.

Contrary to Antje’s experience in Thailand, having items tailor made in HK is not cheap. Depending on the fabric that you choose, you can expect to pay between the price of an Anne Taylor and Pret-a-porter garment.

The collar absolutely stays standing up, Trish. I had extra vilene inserted for that very purpose.

Angie I was excited to read this post. My bf and I got a heap of clothes (28kg in fact) custom made earlier this year in Vietnam. The quality definitely varied between tailors that we tried. If you ever go there I recommend Yally all the way!!

Angie—that is a lovely jacket! I have had a few inexpensive items that fit well or were of an interesting design that did not last as long as I would have wanted because the quality was not the best. Having a tailor copy them in a better fabric would have been a great solution. It’s a pity that good tailors are quite hard to come by here in the US and very expensive. I grew up in the Far East too, and my mom and grandmother also had many of their clothes custom made. I remember they would get recommendations from friends, as quality could vary greatly from one shop to the next.