Vintage Guys (NYC) - Tailor Travails?

[pwbower]

I came to cm via a longtime obsession with everything vintage. Because I work in a creative field, I can look like a full-on oddball with only mild eyebrow raising if I like. However, I never dress period-correct or in anything resembling a costume. I like to put together modern, wearable outfits that go to the source of inspiration, rather than the contemporary iteration. For example, I'd rather spend a year searching for a mint Brooks triple patch pocket blazer from 1963 than go for the Armoury reboot.

So there's a slight tension between wanting something that I can use and abuse in real life ... and a kind of collector mentality. It's the collector in me that has been burnt by all the NYC tailors I've tried. Time and again they've sacrificed period details to accomplish alterations like lengthening or shortening sleeves, taking in the waist on a jacket, etc. One even removed the tag from an amazing Brooks blazer! Now it's only the buttons that prove its provenance. And they never ask permission, no matter how much I beg them.

I write this because I just got a jacket back from Wazin -- the first time I've used them. It's a BB polo coat that I got from Crowley Vintage. Had the sleeves lengthened an inch. Instead of removing the applied cuffs, adding material and reattaching, they halved the width of the cuffs in order to "roll" them down.

They look fine, the work is, of course, expert. But now, everytime I look at it, I will see cuffs that are a bit too narrow, not period correct. My wife is rolling her eyes so hard they may fall out. This is still a beautiful, functional piece that now fits me perfectly and which, to almost eveyrone in the world, is completely intact. And yet ...

I'll work on my personal issues with my shrink, but I bring this to you, SF, to ask if you know of any tailors that really respect vintage and follow a kind of Hippocratic oath of first doing no harm? Thank you!

 

[comrade]

My tailor in the San Francisco Bay Area, who just came out of retirement,
for how long?, I have no idea, would do the job exactly as you require.
Not worth the the trip from my home town. Good luck.

 

[Despos]

I came to cm via a longtime obsession with everything vintage. Because I work in a creative field, I can look like a full-on oddball with only mild eyebrow raising if I like. However, I never dress period-correct or in anything resembling a costume. I like to put together modern, wearable outfits that go to the source of inspiration, rather than the contemporary iteration. For example, I'd rather spend a year searching for a mint Brooks triple patch pocket blazer from 1963 than go for the Armoury reboot.

So there's a slight tension between wanting something that I can use and abuse in real life ... and a kind of collector mentality. It's the collector in me that has been burnt by all the NYC tailors I've tried. Time and again they've sacrificed period details to accomplish alterations like lengthening or shortening sleeves, taking in the waist on a jacket, etc. One even removed the tag from an amazing Brooks blazer! Now it's only the buttons that prove its provenance. And they never ask permission, no matter how much I beg them.

I write this because I just got a jacket back from Wazin -- the first time I've used them. It's a BB polo coat that I got from Crowley Vintage. Had the sleeves lengthened an inch. Instead of removing the applied cuffs, adding material and reattaching, they halved the width of the cuffs in order to "roll" them down.

They look fine, the work is, of course, expert. But now, everytime I look at it, I will see cuffs that are a bit too narrow, not period correct. My wife is rolling her eyes so hard they may fall out. This is still a beautiful, functional piece that now fits me perfectly and which, to almost eveyrone in the world, is completely intact. And yet ...

I'll work on my personal issues with my shrink, but I bring this to you, SF, to ask if you know of any tailors that really respect vintage and follow a kind of Hippocratic oath of first doing no harm? Thank you!

Did you ask Wazin if it's possible to make the sleeves longer while maintaining the original cuff width? He either can do it or explain why it's not possible.

Hard to give you a proper answer when you are asking online and no one knows how the cuffs are made and what the options are.

 

[notdos]

Just my .02. The odds of someone in your circle recognizing the minor inconsistencies, is extremely low. Wear and enjoy. ??

Phillip

 

[pwbower]

Did you ask Wazin if it's possible to make the sleeves longer while maintaining the original cuff width? He either can do it or explain why it's not possible.

Hard to give you a proper answer when you are asking online and no one knows how the cuffs are made and what the options are.

I did ask, actually, and he was nice enough to explain. I think there just wasn't enough material, basically, to move it down. I really don't want to pick on him for doing his best at all! I would just have preferred to have been asked. I'm looking I suppose for a certain circumspect approach to doing these alterations that defaults toward preserving the period details.

I hope that makes sense—not trying to be negative about Mr. Wazin in particular.

 

[pwbower]

Just my .02. The odds of someone in your circle recognizing the minor inconsistencies, is extremely low. Wear and enjoy. ??

Phillip

Oh absolutely. I won't be (too much of) a baby about it.

 

[Despos]

I did ask, actually, and he was nice enough to explain. I think there just wasn't enough material, basically, to move it down. I really don't want to pick on him for doing his best at all! I would just have preferred to have been asked. I'm looking I suppose for a certain circumspect approach to doing these alterations that defaults toward preserving the period details.

I hope that makes sense—not trying to be negative about Mr. Wazin in particular.

Doesn't make sense. Seems the cuff would get wider not narrow if you make the sleeve longer. Must be an issue I can't figure out.
Those details have and require a sense of balance and proportion. Especially a top coat that is big and bulky. Skimpy details will stand out.
I disagree that no one notices. No one will care is more likely.

 

[pwbower]

Doesn't make sense. Seems the cuff would get wider not narrow if you make the sleeve longer. Must be an issue I can't figure out.
Those details have and require a sense of balance and proportion. Especially a top coat that is big and bulky. Skimpy details will stand out.
I disagree that no one notices. No one will care is more likely.

Oh, I'm sorry if I confused things with my terminology. I'm not talking about the width of the sleeve opening. I'm talking about the size (length?) of the applied cuff.

Now you have me curious. Do these pictures help?

 

[Despos]

I understood what you meant, cuff width not sleeve opening width.

Looks like this is just rolled up to create the cuff. If so, the cuff would become narrow when lengthening the sleeve.

We make this style by making the cuff from a separate piece of cloth and sew it to the sleeve. When made separately the cuff can be removed and sewn on again without changing the size.

Not sure if there is a way to modify this as is. Not familiar with this method of creating the cuff.

 

[pwbower]

Despos, I thought I'd follow up this, as I'm sure you've been waiting in absolute agony for the conclusion (haha).

Given that Wazin seemed to really not understand the concept of how to lengthen polo sleeves (by removing the cuff, adding material) based on my initial discussion with him, I just wrote that experience off as a loss and decided to try The Tailoring Room on the LES.

Great folks. I showed them what had happened and asked if they could help. They understood what I wanted immediately and, in two weeks, returned my polo coat in pristine condition with not only the cuffs perfectly restored—but also with the sleeves lengthened exactly the way I wanted them. And it was 50 bucks cheaper! So anyhow, happy ending.

 

[Despos]

Despos, I thought I'd follow up this, as I'm sure you've been waiting in absolute agony for the conclusion (haha).

Given that Wazin seemed to really not understand the concept of how to lengthen polo sleeves (by removing the cuff, adding material) based on my initial discussion with him, I just wrote that experience off as a loss and decided to try The Tailoring Room on the LES.

Great folks. I showed them what had happened and asked if they could help. They understood what I wanted immediately and, in two weeks, returned my polo coat in pristine condition with not only the cuffs perfectly restored—but also with the sleeves lengthened exactly the way I wanted them. And it was 50 bucks cheaper! So anyhow, happy ending.

Good news!
Gold to hear it is resolved to your satisfaction.