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Your thoughts on tailoring clothes

DressLover

Veteran

After completing my most recent wardrobe evaluation, I am left with a huge pile of clothing to drop off at the tailor. I definitely value a tailor, but I don't feel I utilize mine as much as I should even though I love a polished, flattering fit. I can't figure out why I get some things tailored immediately and I let other pieces sit for awhile. I was wondering what other people's thoughts are on the topic.

If the tailor is your best friend, what convinced you of their value? Hard to fit body type, professional wardrobe needs, obsessive compulsive fit disorder?

If you don't use a tailor very much, what keeps you from using one? Cost, time, weight fluctuations, lifestyle?

Thanks for your input!

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from Alecia

Lisa

Veteran

I think a tailor can work wonders, but I often balk because I am not sure what to say to ask what I want (ie what the options are) and when is asking for too much from an alteration.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Often, it depends on the item, and how much you love it. Hemming and waistband alterations are 100% worth it. You need to become more discerning with other types of alterations as labour in the US is very expensive.

Dianne

I use a tailor for more expensive pieces like suits that I will wear for several years.

When I was a brand new lawyer here in NYC I bought a few expensive suits at designer sample sales( Escada for example). One of the women working at the sale recommended a nearby tailor that all the gals who worked in the garment center used. He worked wonders, moving buttons, shortening sleeves and of course hemming skirts.

More recently my tailor also suggested ways to update older pieces, taking an older suit jacket and updating it by making the sleeves bracelet length. My tailor has also made copies of my favorite dresses in different fabrics.

Its hard to find a good tailor, but when you do it can be worth the effort.

Maya

Veteran

Yeah, what Angie said. I am skeptical of tailoring because I have no idea what is reasonable to charge for anything but basic hems and waistband adjustments. I thought it would be worth it to get the arm holes on two dresses fixed because I usually can't wear sleeveless garments otherwise, but it ended up costing a painful amount. I'm not sure if I would do it again.

taylor

Veteran

I alter alot of my own clothes myself, but I use a tailor for all my hemming needs. I am just not as good as a pro when it comes to that...they do careful finish work..mine does at least!!

Vix

Veteran

At 41 I have done my time wearing stuff that *really* doesn't fit. Never again will I be in high-waisted pants that give my long-torso'd self a wedgie or tops that (accidentally!) show too much.

I use a tailor -- and lately have moved into heavily customized or made-to-measure clothes -- for all of the reasons you listed. While I don't sew, I actually started to read a lot of sewing blogs to help me better understand clothing construction; I find this helps me be realistic about alteration/construction cost. Also it's great to see the creativity out there!

[Would that I could get everything that was a little off -- even the inexpensive things like T shirts -- to the tailor, but budget realities (aka my greed for new stuff) intrude.]

Anyway: Because so much of my clothing budget was spent at the tailor, I actually made an effort to find local shops that produce their own clothes. This way I can start from scratch or get them to make changes to the pattern for things they can't alter after the fact...and the price point is in line with mainstream shops like Ann Taylor/ATL/Banana Republic/J Crew.

While this means my wardrobe is pretty small (and babied so that things last!) I am so much happier this way. It helps that I am much more of a classic/vintage-esque dresser than a trend-based one.

ps I'm pretty good about taking new stuff (or stuff I definitely want to change up) to be altered, but drag my feet over repairs!

Rose

I'd love to have a tailor as my BFF but my limitation is TIME.

April

Veteran

I get a lot of things tailored too, DL, but I am just as unpredictable as you about it. Sometimes I go right away and sometimes things sit... and sit... and sit before I take them in. I lack the patience to try on multiple items and have them keep pinning me.

Some tailoring is surprisingly inexpensive (my tailor hems pants for $10) but some is downright painful. I had a lined winter coat hemmed and sleeves shortened and that cost $60. Fortunately the coat itself had been a gift, and I was very pleased with the results, so it was worth it.

I had boots taken in at the calf too, also expensive and also worth it.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I have never gone to a tailor... I guess I have never bought anything that seemed worth the trouble. Either my clothes cost so little that spending the cash to tailor them seems ridiculous, or I liked them as-is. The exception would be hemming jeans, except that I can do that at home.

Frances

I get a lot of items tailored. I'm hard to fit--my bottom half is borderline petite, yet most petite-sized trousers tend to be ankle-length instead of covering the tops of my heels as I would like. My top half is regular length, but almost all sleeves are too long and seem to cover my hands. For cheap items, I'll sometimes roll up my sleeves and make do, but for pricier items like a suit or overcoat, I want to maximize the number of wears I get out of them and feel great in them, so I will spring for the tailor. No doubt about it--it IS pricey, and I tend to space out trips to the tailor so my budget can absorb the expense a little better. I feel fortunate to have found a great tailor and to have developed a relationship with him over the past couple years. I trust him implicitly, he's always up front with me about cost, and I understand that when I'm asking him to do more complicated and time-consuming work, the cost of his time and expertise is going to be more. And if he doesn't get something quite right, he'll often take it back and make adjustments free of charge. For me, he's absolutely worth every penny, and I feel better spending a little extra by putting my clothes in his competent hands than I do letting ill-fitting clothes hang in my closet unworn or toting them off to the Goodwill, only to go out and buy more ill-fitting clothes!

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I use a tailor mostly for hemming; I am 5'7" and I like to wear heels so pants are always a problem for me. Actually, that's one of many reasons why I'm glad I made the switch to dresses: no more tailoring bills on top of the purchase price!

I've also used them for waistband alterations on certain pants that I loved, but most of the time I would just keep looking until I found pants that fit better off the rack.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

When I lived in NZ I had the same tailor for 28 years - her name was Mum Since living in London I have had trousers taken up disappointingly once and never went back, but I did invest in that iron on tape which does a reasonable job (I am also a fan of safety pins...)

Part of the problem for me is that I work in central London so most of the tailors that can afford rental space are correspondingly expensive - but I have just been given the name of one that is more affordable and I will be trying her out soon.

Losermom

I worked as a tailor (mostly menswear) for 10+ years. So I feel that I have a pretty good feel when alterations are easy vs. difficult. I have all of my machines still but actually sew very little now. Fabric is still cheap but sewing patterns (which I cannot make) are expensive. I'm pretty good, but not exceptional. I love to thrift and do alter items to fit both myself and DD22 (she's petite). Alterations can make an ok item to killer with 2 simple seams. I consider myself very lucky to have the knowledge and no how to do it.

I currently have a white lined sleeveless shift dress that has been sitting in my sewing/laundry closet pinned for 4 months. I don't know what's stopping me from completing it. Well I do know...I'm kind of lazy and I'm working on costumes for a play at church. Just yesterday I picked up 2 jackets at the Salvation Army--a super cute jean jacket (the Limited $4) and a partially lined blazer that has higher belt loops and 3/4 length sleeves(50 cents). I might have to take the blazer in. Sometimes I have to think on it.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I am very lucky as my mom is a tailor so she alters my clothing all the time. She also makes clothing for me sometimes. Actually I never bought ready made clothes until i was thirty and moved away to Canada. I am telling you that was a shock to discover how difficult it is to fit anything from the rack.
Fortunately my mom moved to Canada as well and I have my personal tailor again.

Alecia

Veteran

The tailor is as much a part of my fashion life as is Macy's or Nordstrom. Much of what I have has to be tailored to fit just right. I think it is completely worth the extra cost to have pieces that fit like a glove. In fact, that was one of the first things I learned here at ylf, fit makes a world of difference in how clothes look. You may have the most beautiful piece in the world, but if it doesn't fit right you look awkward and not so fab.