I have tried multiple tailors so far. They've all ranged from bad to mediocre. I live in a small town in a small country. Finding a good tailor has been a real challenge for me. I tried looking in other cities but I'm now afraid to try new tailors.
The first tailor I tried is actually considered the best tailor in the area, so I took him a shirt to give him another chance as there might have been some misunderstanding the first time around and I'm tired of looking for tailors and getting clothes ruined. I took him a cheap shirt this time. Among the alterations required is shortening the sleeves quite a bit. In order for the shirt not to look off at the sleeve placket I asked him if the sleeves can be shortened from the shoulders, and he said the shirt would look and feel off at the shoulders then (he was right as I have tried shortening a shirt's sleeves at the shoulders at another tailor and it did look and feel off, even a bit uncomfortable at the shoulders). But when I got home I looked up how to shorten shirt sleeves, and I was surprised to know that the sleeve placket can be moved. He didn't even suggest this. I'm guessing he either has never done it or doesn't even know it's possible. He said I'd have to simply accept that it would look a bit off. Not very professional when there is another option. I find it really weird how a tailor doesn't know this stuff, it shows a lack of skill.
Any advice on what I can do? It's truly frustrating not being able to find a good tailor. I'm considering the following options:
The first tailor I tried is actually considered the best tailor in the area, so I took him a shirt to give him another chance as there might have been some misunderstanding the first time around and I'm tired of looking for tailors and getting clothes ruined. I took him a cheap shirt this time. Among the alterations required is shortening the sleeves quite a bit. In order for the shirt not to look off at the sleeve placket I asked him if the sleeves can be shortened from the shoulders, and he said the shirt would look and feel off at the shoulders then (he was right as I have tried shortening a shirt's sleeves at the shoulders at another tailor and it did look and feel off, even a bit uncomfortable at the shoulders). But when I got home I looked up how to shorten shirt sleeves, and I was surprised to know that the sleeve placket can be moved. He didn't even suggest this. I'm guessing he either has never done it or doesn't even know it's possible. He said I'd have to simply accept that it would look a bit off. Not very professional when there is another option. I find it really weird how a tailor doesn't know this stuff, it shows a lack of skill.
Any advice on what I can do? It's truly frustrating not being able to find a good tailor. I'm considering the following options:
- Keep looking for a tailor and expand my search to other cities. This could take a long time and I'd basically be losing money on ruined clothes.
- Buy a sewing machine and learn how to tailor my own clothes.
- Show the tailor I went to the videos I saw of sleeves being shortened with the plackets being moved. Maybe I can take him one of the ruined shirts, agree that we will do an experiment with this with an already ruined shirt. And pay him for it of course. If he does it well then I might have found a good tailor as he can do all other alterations.
- Go exclusively MTM. I tried Tailor Store, but twice the fit was not perfect. They offered to keep making shirts until the fit is perfect. I ordered my third shirt from them yesterday. This might be a good option but what about other clothing items like trousers, jackets, sweaters... etc? I'm also planning to lose some weight, so maybe I'd need a tailor anyway as even MTM clothes would need adjustment then.
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