How to talk to a tailor

If your old suit doesn’t fit quite right anymore, or you bought something new and need to have it fitted, a visit to a tailor is in your future. The value of tailoring is too often overlooked. An inexpensive jacket that’s been fitted to you will always look better than the finest designer piece in the wrong size. The trouble, though, is that it can be difficult to communicate your desired fit or understand the tailor’s advice. If you pick up a few new vocabulary words, learn what can and can’t be done, and stay loyal to your tailor, your efforts will be rewarded.

Express yourself

• Use the right terminology to avoid misunderstandings. Asking for “a modern fit” can be interpreted differently depending on whom you ask. Be as specific as possible. For example, if your favorite trousers have an 8” leg opening, tell the tailor that’s what you want on the new pair. 

• Here are some key terms: “Let out” means to make something wider. “Take in” is the opposite, reducing the circumference. A “hem” turns up the raw edge of the fabric to create a finished edge, like at the bottom of a pair of trousers. “Tapering” a pant leg or sleeve makes them slimmer. 

• You might want to ask for a “heel guard” when hemming a pair of trousers. This is a ribbon that extends very slightly below the leg opening to protect the fabric from rubbing against your shoes. Some tailors add a heel guard by default and some don’t, so if you have a preference be sure to ask.

• If an item is being tailored for a kid or teen, it’s wise to leave extra fabric so that it can be let out later as the kid grows. Tell the tailor you’d like to leave a larger allowance than usual; they’ll hide the extra fabric in the seams instead of cutting it off.

• Dry clean or launder your clothes before having them altered. Not only is it just the respectful thing to do, it is also common that uncleaned items will be sent back home with you. 

Be realistic

• Tailors have fantastic skills but they aren’t magicians. In general, it’s possible to adjust a suit to fit roughly one size up or down, but the result may only be close enough to work in a pinch. Anything more than that, it’s probably time to buy a new suit.

• These are some common jacket alterations and their typical max ranges (which will vary somewhat between brands). Side seams: in or out 2”, limited by the fabric allowance left in the seam. If the jacket won't button now, it never will. Sleeve length: 1” longer, depending on the amount of excess fabric inside. About 1” shorter if the buttons are functional, otherwise no limit. 

• These jacket alterations are possible, but ideally should be avoided. Jacket length: shortening a jacket by about an inch is doable, but can ruin the proportions of the jacket because the pockets and buttons don’t rise. Lengthening a jacket is impossible. Sleeve width: Tapering sleeves up to ½” is okay, but more can risk making the jacket restrictive and uncomfortable. Also, the armhole can’t shrink to match the narrower sleeve, which can create an odd bubble of excess fabric.

• The chest and shoulders of a jacket should be considered unalterable. If these don’t fit, no amount of tailoring will compare to the correct size jacket. 

• For trousers, the waist can increase or decrease by about 2 inches. The legs can be tapered but don’t overdo it. Leave at least an inch for movement around the thigh and calf. Unless the fabric is very stretchy, a skin tight fit will be unwearable.

• Sometimes a tailor will refuse a request. That’s not bad customer service and they aren’t just being stubborn. Tailors know a garment can be ruined by pushing alterations too far. They’d rather deal with an angry client before the clothes are damaged, not after.

Keep it up

• This may seem obvious, but when you find a good tailor, stick with them. Just like your barber knows how to tame your cowlicks, your tailor will learn your preferences. They’ll probably even fix issues you didn’t know existed, like one leg longer than the other or a low shoulder.

• Repeat business often leads to little favors, like reattaching a button on the spot or “forgetting” to charge rush fees. 

• Tipping isn’t expected or required, though it would usually be accepted gratefully. Don’t overthink the math; a $5, $10, or $20 bill works depending on the amount of work done. A box of chocolates or a bottle of wine once in a while also goes a long way, and is well worth it for a closet full of perfectly tailored suits.