suit alteration after altered by store tailor

[manabout]

Hi, I've always felt it was hit or miss when I bought suits off the rack even expensive suits when it was altered in decent department stores. I got new suits and it's "uneven" from the neck to the shoulder. It should have a nice clean line from the neck to the shoulder but somehow the tailor got it so it's "bumpy." Is there a good tailor in NYC I can go to to get that fixed and have the suit pressed to remove wrinkles? My friend thought I should complain and to have them re-alter it but I just feel sometimes the dept store tailors are overwhelmed and just do an awful job. I'm paying for expensive suits and they can't even alter it according to what the tailor notes and the behind the neck collar part isn't smooth but buckled or doubled over. Any advice? Then on top of that, one side of the label was heavily wrinkled so I hope someone can give me advice to get that fixed. One pant side was also imprinted with wrinkles. I have to get that out now.

Anyone run into this problem? Sometimes, I just want the tailor to just hem the pants and not even touch the jacket!

 

[lakewolf]

Learn to do it yourself.

I learned myself, practiced on some dispossable jackets and pants and now I can do the trousers' hems as a pro.

I also got proeficient in doing the trousers waist ( in and out ) even the jacket sides and back.

I even know to how convert a non vented to 1 or 2 vents.. or to take in the trousers leg width.

It is like a hooby for me now... and I don't have to get upset about the bad job done by a less skilled "tailor"

I attempted to do the shoulders with one good results ( thick fabric ) and one went bad.. the cloth was too thin I guess...

on degrees of difficulty :

Easy

1. cuffed hems ( purely machine sewn is really easy )
2. simple hems ( there is more hand stitching work but with practice is kind of easy)

Medium difficulty

3. let in/out trousers waist ( you have to undo/redo the hand stitching that keeps it in place but other than that it is fair easy )

4. jacket back ( you have to undone the lining and then just sewn the back of both layers cloth and lining and then stitch back by hand the lining... , Not so hard to do, easier when you have side vents. )

5 jacket sides, same as above but twice the work. ( easier when you have a single vent )

Difficult

6. convert a non vented to vented... it depends on how much extra cloth you have on the back to get nice results... fortunately these kind of jackets are cut bigger to give you more mobility and hence you should have enought cloth to get it converted to vented and fitted, much more hand work and care has to be put in.

Very difficult

7. let in the shoulders. I am still working on that technique... I can manage to do it well but I lose the "rollino", keeping the rollino is the most difficult part. a lot o f handwork and care has to be put on it, undo the whole shoulder, re-sewn putting back in place all the parts, cut the extra cloth... not easy...


Key off all this is to be patient and put attention to the details...

do a draft-sewing first by hand with white thread before attempt the real one...


Not for everyone by the way... but I prefer to do so instead of solving puzzles or build miniature model cars

The results ... I have fully fitted my RTW suits and saved a little money in the process, money that got reinvested in more suits

 

[manabout]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

Learn to do it yourself.



Sorry lakewolf but I'll leave the work to professionals! I ain't one. Anyone recommend a top notch tailoring shop in NYC for suit alteration? Thanks.