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How to know if the tailor's good?

newn

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How can I know if the tailor's good? For example, I'd like to get a tailored suit, how do I know that he'll do a good job tailoring it? Even sewing it "properly?" How can I know that? They don't have any "examples" or anything, so can't check it out.

Just wondering...
 

mensimageconsultant

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This is one of those questions that probably deserves an extensive article answer. But even before that, is the post about bespoke tailoring? Bespoke tailors should have examples of their work on hand. Generally, with any type of tailor, one first should commission smaller jobs (e.g., dress shirt alteration, if a tailor does any alteration work). Also, his or her opinion (and generally men make better menswear than do women) should be sought about the fit and quality of the would-be client's comparable items. Finally, obviously word of mouth and online reviews can be used to help gauge in advance a tailor's quality.
 

CousinDonuts

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For most tailors or alterationists the best you can typically do is word of mouth, yelp, maybe a message board. If you are worried, test them out with something simple and perhaps even on a piece of clothing you don't use much - have them hem pants or something.
 

newn

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Well, I have an old jacket that needs to be fixed (everything has to be tightened/shortened except shoulders, though shoulders should be by .5cm on both sides too, in my opinion). I haven't used it yet, but it's of average quality, 50% polyester, checkered. I want to make it into a sports jacket that I could wear when going out in the evening, as originally it is from a suit.

It's a moderately nice jacket I think, but that's the best I can do for a test.

It's a company by the way, they don't have examples.

Also, we don't have such forums, no men "do" custom clothing here, it's mostly companies and women who pay for custom clothing here. Even women not so much.

The people around me are actually laughing at me for even having the idea of adjusting clothing to fit me well, so they don't know any tailors either.
 
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VinnyMac

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Do you mean that you want to have a jacket made or altered? If you want to have it altered, you should look up a few places in your area. Once you've called to find out about their prices and made your choice, take in a simple item (like a shirt) for a test. If you like it, you're good to go. If you don't, repeat with a different place.

If you're looking for someone to make items for you, then you can look that up online as well. There are plenty of sites (like this one) where you can get a recommendation for bespoke clothing in your area. That's the beauty of the internet; you can find out about anything without having all of the exclusive connections.
 
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mensimageconsultant

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50% polyester.
And part of a suit jacket, albeit the check pattern might make it look okay as an odd jacket.

It's probably not worth tailoring. At most, get an estimate and compare with the price of a sport jacket that's mostly natural fiber(s). Don't trust a new tailor to alter the shoulders or shorten the overall length by more than a very small amount.
 

GBR

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Well, I have an old jacket that needs to be fixed (everything has to be tightened/shortened except shoulders, though shoulders should be by .5cm on both sides too, in my opinion). I haven't used it yet, but it's of average quality, 50% polyester, checkered. I want to make it into a sports jacket that I could wear when going out in the evening, as originally it is from a suit.

It's a moderately nice jacket I think, but that's the best I can do for a test.

It's a company by the way, they don't have examples.

Also, we don't have such forums, no men "do" custom clothing here, it's mostly companies and women who pay for custom clothing here. Even women not so much.

The people around me are actually laughing at me for even having the idea of adjusting clothing to fit me well, so they don't know any tailors either.


It has little going for it:

"50% polyester" is not worth keeping, you cannot convert a suit jacket into a sports coat, it will always look what it is. Suggest buy yourself something intended for the purpose that fits rather than throw good money after something very bad.

Just burn it yourself, that way you will know a good job has been done.
 
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newn

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Do you mean that you want to have a jacket made or altered? If you want to have it altered, you should look up a few places in your area. Once you've called to find out about their prices and made your choice, take in a simple item (like a shirt) for a test. If you like it, you're good to go. If you don't, repeat with a different place.

If you're looking for someone to make items for you, then you can look that up online as well. There are plenty of sites (like this one) where you can get a recommendation for bespoke clothing in your area. That's the beauty of the internet; you can find out about anything without having all of the exclusive connections.


Altered. There are 2 places as far as I know, but I couldn't find the second one. Basically it's somewhere deep into a rural area, and with no GPS it's quite hard to do it. Consider that I'm able to find a way home from a place I haven't been before and have done that many times, so yea. The other tailor is a company, they make clothes and alter them as described in the previous post.

I also don't have shirts yet, so I can't do that test. I've ordered a custom-tailored shirt, it's yet to arrive. I can wait, but it may not need to be altered.

Unfortunately I'm not from the US or any other "known" country. Most people don't even speak English here.

And part of a suit jacket, albeit the check pattern might make it look okay as an odd jacket.

It's probably not worth tailoring. At most, get an estimate and compare with the price of a sport jacket that's mostly natural fiber(s). Don't trust a new tailor to alter the shoulders or shorten the overall length by more than a very small amount.


Said the price would be around $30-50. A new jacket, 100% wool would cost around $200 or so. Could probably find a 50% polyester for around $100. But anyway, yea, the length has to be shortened as well, or so I think. It may just look too big and create an illusion for an untrained eye like mine, because honestly - I can almost fold the front in two. The sleeves need just a little bit of shortening though.

It has little going for it:

"50% polyester" is not worth keeping, you cannot convert a suit jacket into a sports coat, it will always look what it is. Suggest buy yourself something intended for the purpose that fits rather than throw good money after something very bad.

Just burn it yourself, that way you will know a good job has been done.


Even if it is a checkered suit jacket? It's brown, has green-blue barely visible checks on it. Reason on why I'm even considering this (and wearing a 50% polyester) is because I can't afford another jacket after getting a suit. So basically going by the logic "something's better than nothing." Not sure if it's right in clothing, so accepting feedback with open arms.
 

mensimageconsultant

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It's a country where the prices are low? Still, "can almost fold the front in two" sounds like high-risk for any tailor. Why not post pictures here before doing anything?
 

newn

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It's a country where the prices are low? Still, "can almost fold the front in two" sounds like high-risk for any tailor. Why not post pictures here before doing anything?


Will try to get a picture, the soonest's Wednesday though. May stretch to the weekend. So... Stay tuned, I guess.
 

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