Your Guide to Using the Local Tailor Shop

How many times have you thrown an item of clothing away because it no longer fits? How many quality pieces have stood the test of time in your closet?

Our current culture consistently encourages a throwaway culture when it comes to fashion. We purchase new clothes to keep up with trends and fads. We’ve disconnected from keeping clothes long-term and, as a result, have left our local tailor shops behind. These garment wizards are the key to a wardrobe that stands the test of time. 

Connecting with your local tailor can be amazingly beneficial. They specialize in garment alterations- changes to help your existing garments stay in-demand. Visiting them to maintain your existing clothes can prevent unnecessary garment waste and save you money in the long-term.

Going into a tailor for the first time can be a nerve-racking experience. What clothes can undergo a tailoring process? What terms should you use? How do you go about establishing a trusted relationship with a tailor?

Let our guide help you establish a confident, knowledgeable foundation before you step into your local tailor shop.

How to Find A Good Tailor

Finding a good tailor can be like finding a good therapist or lawyer -there’s going to be some trial and error. Start by going to Yelp! or Citysearch and look for tailors near you. Read their reviews and get a feel for their past work. 

Ask your friends or people whose style you admire and discover which tailors they frequent. Some department stores have onsite tailors as well. Having alterations done on-site as part of the purchasing process can save time - if the company does quality work.

If you’re hesitant to trust a new tailor with your clothing for the first time, do a test run with a simple alteration, like bringing up the hem of your pants. 

What Can and Can’t Be Tailored 

Not every part of your garment can be altered, especially when it comes to maintaining the integrity of the item. 

For example, if you need a suit jacket tailored, simple alterations include: 

• Lowering or raising a collar
• Taking in or letting out the side seams
• Taking in or letting out the center seam
• Moving buttons

More difficult suit alterations would include:

• Shortening or lengthening sleeves 
• Shortening a collar
• Fixing shoulder divots 

In general, tailors can rework: 

• A neckline
• Adding or moving a zipper
• Adding a lining to simple silhouettes
• Fixing gaps in waistbands

Keep in mind it's almost impossible to take in a garment more than four inches, heavily altering the shoulders of a garment, or dying manmade fabrics.

Speaking the Lingo Correctly

When bringing your clothing to a local tailor, it helps if you’re prepared in advance to ask the crucial questions. Here are a few examples of questions to ask your tailor:

1. What does a good fit look and feel like?
2. How long will these alterations take?
3. Can you show me how to measure an inseam?
4. What’s included in your fitting consultation?
5. How much of this garment can be taken in without compromising it?

In addition, there's an entire glossary of terms that can help you both speak and understand the language of your tailor. Some essentials include:

Break: This refers to the space between the bottom of a pair of pants and shoes. No break means there's no gap between the two. A full break would be one full pant-fold above one's shoe.

Bring Up: To shorten a length of a garment. The alternate would be to "bring down" the same piece.

Darning: A sewing technique that repairs holes with just a needle and thread.

Hem: The edge of a piece of clothing that needs sewing to prevent any unraveling. Most formal pants come unhemmed to allow for a tailor to easily create a custom fit.

Inseam: The inseam is the seam that runs along the inside of one's pants. Measuring an inseam involves measuring the length between the bottom of the crotch to the bottom of the ankle. An outseam measures the distance between one's waist to the bottom edge of the pants.

Take in: Refers to making a garment "thinner" and less bulky. 

Taper: Tapering refers to the narrowing of a garment, such as the waist of a jacket or the leg of a pair of pants.

Prices to Expect

Depending on what alterations you need, what tailor you’re working with, and which location you’re in, the expected cost for alterations may vary. 

If you’re getting simple fixes like the ones listed above, the cost may be anywhere within $20-$40. If the repairs are more complicated, it may be $50-$90. If the fixes are complicated, like shortening an item altogether, rotating sleeves, or reducing shoulder points, the cost could be anywhere from $90-$150. 

Protecting Your Tailored Garments 

Ultimately, your treasured clothing items deserve top-notch care. After collecting your finished product from the local tailor, maintain this investment by hanging your clothes on Butler Luxury’s fantastic selection of the quality luxury hangers. These wardrobe utility tools are thoughtfully created to maintain your garment's original shape and preserve the quality of your clothes.  

Purchase your Butler Luxury hangers today and add an elegant, functional touch to your organized closet!

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