Let's talk tailors. What do you tell...

[KtownGreg]

yours when you go in for alterations? Apparently I haven't been telling mine enough. All of my WAYWT posts look excessively baggy. I need to speak up. Any interesting stories or insight?

 

[embowafa]

I had the tailor that I go to do a simple hem job on some pants that needed no alterations otherwise, just to see how he worked and how much he charged.

With every item I took to him, I sort of turned it up a couple notches in terms of what I asked for.

Next came the cuffs which he fought me on at first (he thought 1.5" cuffs were way too big....he now makes me 2" cuffs w/ no question)

Then the pant slimming, which he pinned at a 'still too baggy for my taste' amount, but I told him to go more, which he obliged.

Now, he knows exactly what I want and doesn't question it.

I guess the moral of the story is to just vocalize EXACTLY what you want and don't back down. My guy is used to pretty simple alterations, so I had to stay firm when I told him the not so normal things I needed.

 

[acidboy]

as a suggestion, why don't you show a picture of a pair of pants of your fit preference?

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by acidicboy

as a suggestion, why don't you show a picture of a pair of pants of your fit preference?

This works well, but be warned, he may ignore it nevertheless. Stand your ground, esp. if things come back still loose.

 

[Nicola]

The problem is if they don't know you they don't really know what you want.

It's no different then getting a new person to cut your hair. You sit in the chair and tell the girl you want short. She thinks does he want me to wave my hands around and make clicky sounds? Or does he want me to shave his head? So she plays it safe. If you aren't happy you speak up.

 

[embowafa]

If you give the guy exact measurements (especially for pants), he really has no choice but to alter them to those specifications.

For one pair, I just gave him the measurements at the thigh, knee, and hem....worked out great.

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by embowafa

If you give the guy exact measurements (especially for pants), he really has no choice but to alter them to those specifications.

For one pair, I just gave him the measurements at the thigh, knee, and hem....worked out great.

Yep. This is the best thing to do with trousers no doubt. They are much more 'two dimensional' than anything up top.

 

[gamblor]

I've never had the hem length come out just right if the tailors marks them.

To get it right, pin them yourself and then set a camera on the floor to verify.

 

[KtownGreg]

Originally Posted by embowafa

If you give the guy exact measurements (especially for pants), he really has no choice but to alter them to those specifications.

For one pair, I just gave him the measurements at the thigh, knee, and hem....worked out great.

Good advice here. May I ask where you came up with the measurements? Did you measure a great fitting pant in your closet (how)? Or, did you measure yourself?

G

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by AndrewRogers

This works well, but be warned, he may ignore it nevertheless. Stand your ground, esp. if things come back still loose.
I agree, one has to be persistent and firm with tailors.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I do my own hems now, but when my tailor does them she's great about actually doing them exactly as she shows me.

I used to buy pants and have the instore tailor do them, they always came out 2" too long, reguardless of how many times i told them i wanted a light break.

My shirts are the same way, and now my tailor knows me well enough to know how i like them, and really does a fantastic job, the first few i had done were a bit too baggy.

As with most professionals, 99.9% of the people they serve have no clue about what they want, and .1% really know what they want. We're typically the .1%

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Ktown,

for you, i suggest finding another tailor. Some just refuse to do what you want. From your most recent pics i think that you need to have the pants slimmed quite a bit. Have your tailor pin it up until you like the fit.

Then, ontop of that, you're going to need them shortened, with trimmer pants, they look terrible with a full break, and fantastic with no break of a light break.

Its the total opposite of full cut pants, which look terrible if they're too short, they slim pants require it.

Along with that, the slimmer pants will really look good with a 2" cuff.

I hope you dont mind me being curt, but your shoes have always appeared to be swallowed up by your pants. You'll really get to show off those fantastic shoes by slimming up the pants alot.

 

[KtownGreg]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

Ktown,

for you, i suggest finding another tailor. Some just refuse to do what you want. From your most recent pics i think that you need to have the pants slimmed quite a bit. Have your tailor pin it up until you like the fit.

Then, ontop of that, you're going to need them shortened, with trimmer pants, they look terrible with a full break, and fantastic with no break of a light break.

Its the total opposite of full cut pants, which look terrible if they're too short, they slim pants require it.

Along with that, the slimmer pants will really look good with a 2" cuff.

I hope you dont mind me being curt, but your shoes have always appeared to be swallowed up by your pants. You'll really get to show off those fantastic shoes by slimming up the pants alot.

Amen. Keep preaching it brother. I took 3 pair to a NEW tailor yesterday. At first she didn't want to taper the wool pants but I persisted. Had her pin both seams to keep the crease centered. She relented. We will see what happens next Tues. when I pick them up.

Thanks for the great suggestions.

G

 

[Despos]

Originally Posted by KtownGreg

Amen. Keep preaching it brother. I took 3 pair to a NEW tailor yesterday. At first she didn't want to taper the wool pants but I persisted. Had her pin both seams to keep the crease centered. She relented. We will see what happens next Tues. when I pick them up.

Thanks for the great suggestions.

G
Ask her to do only one pair first. If they need further adjusting she won't have to do it on all 3 trousers only the first pair. Go back and try on the first pair to know you are happy with the new size of leg and let her see the results herself before she starts to work on the others.

 

[Patrician]

Originally Posted by KtownGreg

yours when you go in for alterations? Apparently I haven't been telling mine enough. All of my WAYWT posts look excessively baggy. I need to speak up. Any interesting stories or insight?
You gots to keep yo pimp hand strong like mt_spiffy. Even though he has a tailor, he tells him to keep his mouth shut and do nothing but obey him. I can assure you, those alterings (or non alterings) don't come without arguing, that's for sure.