Ask FGG: “What exactly can a tailor do for my clothes?”
Tailor’s Shop, by Twenty Questions
What exactly can a tailor do to clothes? What parts are alterable and what parts are not?
I’ve never had anything tailored (is the picture of me as a hopeless fashion offender forming clearly in your mind yet?), so I took this question to one of San Francisco’s favorite custom tailors, Seymour’s Fashions. Ravi Bulchandani was kind enough to provide some insight into the process of custom tailoring and alterations:
“For women we take about 12 to 14 measurements of the upper body, and another six measurements for the legs. If a client has a difficult hip area, we would do a “hip map” – taking measurements from the waist down every 3 to 4 inches and checking the circumference of the client’s hips.
Once we have taken all of the necessary measurements we cut/alter each garment from those measurements, then prepare the garment for fitting. Once we see how the fit is at this point, we make the changes we need to, i.e., take in, let out, shorten, or lengthen based on what we see. After the fitting is done we go back to work on the garment to finish it.”
There are no doubt lots of other details to understand about custom tailoring and alterations, so I’ll turn it over to those of you who’ve had them done. What can you tell us about the process, and what advice would you offer?
YES ladies please comment! I watch a lot of “What not to wear” and they always say tailoring is best blah blah blah but damn I’m in my 20′s and I don’t have a lot of cash to work with so is it worth it to go get my old navy pants tailored? Help me out here!
I think it’s worth it. Tailored pants feel like you paid $150 for a pair, when it’s actually fairly inexpensive to have tailoring done. Moving through your life in clothing that fits you perfectly is an amazing feeling, because we think more about our bodies when our clothes don’t fit right, which certainly isn’t very helpful for me and my quest to love my body.
>> because we think more about our bodies when our clothes don’t fit right
GREAT point. Thanks ladies!
So, I was actually on What Not To Wear a couple of years ago, and they tailored all the clothes I bought. It was awesome, and I’ve had my suits re-tailored a couple of times (depending on whether I’m on or off cheese, you know, things go up and down!). I have to say that I’ve never felt more comfortable than in my tailored clothes (not including my snuggie – that can’t be tailored, so don’t even try). They really FIT. And, ever since I first had it done, I continue to do it on off-the-rack stuff I buy. Especially for busty gals like me, it helps to have a tailor not only cut the fabric more appropriately for your figure, but they often put in little helpers like hidden snaps at the waist to hold my front butt in, or cut vents in the back of suit jackets to give my back butt room to scoot around. I highly, highly recommend it. You can spend little to nothing on an TJ Maxxified suit or Old Navyed pair of pants (yes, regina, I’ve done that!), and have it look like a million bucks for just $10-20 extra bucks. Plus, I find that once I’ve had something tailored, I take better care of it, and it lasts longer for it, so it’s a double bargain. The challenge is to find a good tailor, which, depending on where you live, can be hard. I actually found mine by looking up sewing classes/schools in my area, but I’ve also had success with craigslist. Good luck!
This is awesome, Jen, thank you. I didn’t realize it was that inexpensive!
If you don’t have the extra cash for tailoring then save up to have the important pieces done — the suit jacket and pants you wear to an interview, the dress to a wedding.
Shop around at a few places to look for a price in your range. Just because it is lower doesn’t mean they do a bad job.
It is an interesting experience everyone should have. You learn a lot about how clothes should fit.
Thanks Moe!
Definitely worth the money. If you can’t afford it on everything that needs it, do it on the important pieces, as Moe said. Inexpensive doesn’t always mean “bad work” either. Shop around, check for recommendations from friends or the web.
I get the things done where cut really matters (yes, suits really should be tailored), but I also get the things done that matter to ME on a regular basis. Go get your black pants, your good jeans, and your little black dress tailored. The things that you wear all the time, dress up, dress down, the things you wear to work Tuesday and brunch Saturday.
It makes a huge difference in how they look and in how good you feel in them. I’m a strong hourglass with a waist 14″ smaller than my hips. Things that fit at the waist don’t slide around and do weird stuff. Skirts hang evenly, pants flatter instead of gap, and all is right with the world.
If $20 would make something a joy to wear rather than make it something that will languish in the back of the closet, you should do it. This goes double if it’s a piece that’s made well from good material. Buy it once, buy it right, get it tailored.
Thanks, this is all good advice. I just got an adorable bcbg long top for Christmas but it doesn’t fit over my big butt :p I’m going to take it to my tailor and have him put in slits in the side of it so it drapes more nicely.
[...] we learned previously here at FGG, tailors can do wonders for your finished silhouette with a few nips and tucks. Consider enlisting a professional to help you look your best in [...]
[...] Ask FGG: “What exactly can a tailor do for my clothes?” « The Fat … [...]