The Tailor is Your Friend

The only thing that upsets me more than seeing things like too long pants, are women who get so frustrated with shopping because they can’t find clothes that “fit them” right off that rack.  Well, if you have ever watched any episode of “What not to wear” then you already know what I’m about to say: Go to the tailor!  A good tailor can fix just about any “problem” you have with your clothes, and well-fitting clothes make you look thinner, younger, and much more put together.

There are several things a tailor can fix very easily and cheaply, which include:

Taking up a hem in pants or skirt

Taking up the sleeves

Taking in the gap in the back of the pants

Taking the hem down in a pant (making them longer)

Also, tailors can take in shirts at the waist or bust, and move buttons as well.

Here are some general rules of thumb when buying clothing with a tailor in mind:

-Only buy something if it needs just one thing fixed, max two.  If you need everything on the pant fixed, it’s not worth the money.

– Even if you don’t want to take everything to the tailor, for your basic items (that I listed in this post), spend the money to get them fitting perfect.

– Ask around for the best tailor in your area.  This is not where you want to pick the “cheapest” thing you can find.  Go with the tailor with the best reputation, not the cheapest.

-When trying out a new tailor, start with ONE article of clothing, and if you are pleased with how that one turns out, bring the rest to them.

-If bringing pants, launder them first, and bring the shoes you will wear with them most often.

-If you are tall, look at how much hem is in the pants you want to buy.  If it is an inch or more, you can definitely get the hem taken down.

I hope this is helpful.  Most people think a tailor is too expensive–but really, for less than the price of one martini, you can get pants or a jacket that fits you just right! Is that really that bad?

I’ve been going to a tailor for years, and it’s saved me a lot of frustration in the stores.

What about you? Have you/do you use a tailor? What are your experiences? Leave a comment or email me at smartstyletips@gmail.com.

~ by Jess from JessRunsATL on September 1, 2009.