Jean's Tailor vs Suit Tailor

jgold47 · Apr 17, 2008

I have finally gotten a couple of pairs of nicer jeans I need tailored. I am nervous from a previous experiace (when I was 12) about getting jeans tailored, and this is the first time I will be doing this. I have a tailor I take my formal wear to, and I have seen jeans (even a pair of 7's) on his rack before. He charges about 14 a hem, so he is expensive. Are there better alternatives to a more formal tailor? Specifically I was thinking about a department store tailor? My real issue is just making sure the hem looks legit, with a chain stitch and the like.

flatfront · Apr 17, 2008

If he has done good work for you in the past and you are a regular customer I would much rather use him than the impersonal departmant store tailor.
If you are worried about his work on jeans ask him to look at some he has altered if you don't like the look of the work you are free to go elsewhere.

Get Smart · Apr 17, 2008

a normal neighborhood tailor will not be able to chainstitch your jeans

If you take a look at the Chainstitch thread that LAGuy started, you'll see that it's not easy to find someone who can do it, other than sending the jeans to a specialized denim shop (like Self Edge)

I have been seeing more alteration places advertise that they re-attach the original hem when they shorten the inseam, so that may be an option in your area too

JoelF · Apr 17, 2008

Recently had some APCs hemmed by my usual (very good) local tailor, not a chain stitch but nice match on the thread color, they came out fine. $10 total cost. But if someone will be taking a magnifying glass to your jean hem you may want to explore other alternatives.

_Gav · Apr 17, 2008

^APCs don't have a chainstitched hem in the first place, so it doesn't matter when having them hemmed.

onion · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by Get Smart

a normal neighborhood tailor will not be able to chainstitch your jeans If you take a look at the Chainstitch thread that LAGuy started, you'll see that it's not easy to find someone who can do it, other than sending the jeans to a specialized denim shop (like Self Edge)
I've also found many tailors will say they can when they can't, absolutely no idea why (maybe the language barrier?). I had 3 or 4 different tailors tell me they could do chain stitching, and when I explained what it was to make sure we were on the same page, all of them told me they in fact could not do it.

hollaforadolla · Apr 17, 2008

chainstiching requires a special machine, some vintage sewing machine or whatever not produced anymore. in any case, any tailor would have to go way out of their way to obtain such a device. so its probably unlikely that your tailor has it

JoelF · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by _Gav

^APCs don't have a chainstitched hem in the first place, so it doesn't matter when having them hemmed.
Thanks for the information man. But who really cares anyway, tell me, are people on their hands and knees checking out your jean hem?

jgold47 · Apr 17, 2008

no but I think it can look marsupialed and really ruin the look of jeans when the hem looks like it was done on your mom's sewing machine. the pinched/ruffled look with the matching stitiching makes the look in my mind and thats what I was going for.

drizzt3117 · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by jgold47

no but I think it can look marsupialed and really ruin the look of jeans when the hem looks like it was done on your mom's sewing machine. the pinched/ruffled look with the matching stitiching makes the look in my mind and thats what I was going for.

Most tailors can match the stitching just fine, that's why they have dozens of colors of threads in their shops.

JoelF · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by jgold47

no but I think it can look marsupialed and really ruin the look of jeans when the hem looks like it was done on your mom's sewing machine. the pinched/ruffled look with the matching stitiching makes the look in my mind and thats what I was going for.
You must be going to a marsupialed tailor if his / her stitching looks like it came off your mom's sewing machine. Suggest you find a different tailor ASAP.

_Gav · Apr 17, 2008

no, what i was saying is you don't need to worry about chainstitching on APCs.

But for repro japanese denim.... it's just important. If you have to question why, then you just don't get it. No big deal but some of us are very particular about these things.

JoelF · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by _Gav

no, what i was saying is you don't need to worry about chainstitching on APCs.

But for repro japanese denim.... it's just important. If you have to question why, then you just don't get it. No big deal but some of us are very particular about these things.
I see, and thanks so much for the very good clarification. Who are you exactly?

Mr. Potato · Apr 17, 2008

The only reason to get chainstitiching is to get a roping effect, cuff to show off the "authentic" feel. With most sanforized denim, it's not necessary to get them chainstitched since you won't really be washing them as often to get the roping. Unless you want to show off other people that yes, you have few more hem threads that is indestructible....

I have my SDAs and Samurais lock stitched as they call it by my local tailor. They still produce the roping effect. Probably the closest to chainstitching.

JO3B · Apr 17, 2008

you don't have to worry about chainstiching any sort of jean. But its a personal preference. Just because APCs don't come chainstitched on their original hem doesn't mean doing so is wrong. It would actually create a more attractive hem anyway.

and as far as i know, the roping effect is not created by presence or lack of sanforization. its due to the stitch tensing up due to washing and wearing.

Jean's Tailor vs Suit Tailor

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