Getting Clothes Professionally Tailored

[Jay]

Expensive off the peg suits aren't all bad - Daniel Craig for example says that if he buys a suit from Brunello Cucinelli (sp?) he'll never need to have it altered; the more cash you spend the more likely you are to find a perfect fit.

Oh, I'm not suggesting that expensive off-the-peg suits are bad at all. Although I don't have the kind of money to spend on a Cucinelli, my wardrobe mostly consists of Paul Smith suits. I buy them because the finish and detailing is infinitely better than a cheaper suit.

My Paul Smith suits with a few alterations > a cheaper suit with alterations.

But, just because Daniel Craig doesn't need his suits altering (as a a guy with a physique which clothes are typically made for), doesn't mean I wouldn't need to (with my short arms and tiny waist). I tend not to fit standard sizes (although Paul Smith 36" chest with 29" waist trousers come closest) so whether I spend a £300 on less expensive suit or £1000 on a Paul Smith, it's going to need some alterations.

[TOE BAG]

Well I have found myself a tailor who is actually someone I've known for months but he only revealed yesterday that his original trade was as a tailor and he has worked with some big names! Tonight im taking a ted baker suit so be altered. Praying he is as good as he claims, haha. Dont want this one ruined.

[Danny]

As a student I can't afford it but my mum has a sewing machine so I just take everything in myself. taking up trousers is the easiest thing in the world! I've done jeans, trousers chinos anything though I think a proper tailor would be required for blazers etc.

[TOE BAG]

Well I got my suit back last night. It was definitely worth doing, the trousers are the best - he tapered the leg and took them up slightly. I also had the jacket taken in slightly. looks 100x better. It cost £40, which given the quality of the work seems fine.

Now that I trust him I will be taking several other garments.

[kruzo]

Well I got my suit back last night. It was definitely worth doing, the trousers are the best - he tapered the leg and took them up slightly. I also had the jacket taken in slightly. looks 100x better. It cost £40, which given the quality of the work seems fine.

Now that I trust him I will be taking several other garments.

I have been looking for a tailor in London that doesn't cost the earth. Would he be willing to take on more work?

[Anthony]

This seems to be the right thread to ask my question, so i'll try and word it to the best of my knowledge on the subject (not much).

I purchased a Peter Werth leather jacket from eBay for £60, and it came today. While i was ecstatic with the purchase, the fit itself isn't what i was hoping for, or what i feel comfortable in.
The sleeves are too 'large' (wide may be a better description, or baggy) for my slim frame. The jacket has shoulder pads, which i want removing as they give the jacket a 'squared' look. To finish off, the jacket itself is too wide on the waist.

Could a tailor fix any of these problems? If so, how much would the alterations cost roughly?
I feel as though my option at the moment is selling on the jacket, which i'd be gutted about, as i do want to keep it.

I dunno if living in Liverpool, with it being a major city, would affect my questions, but that's just a bit more information ontop. If anyone knows of a good tailor in Liverpool aswell, please do tell.

Thank you.

[Sam]

The shoulders are the issue - they're the hardest thing for a tailor to work on as they're integral to the structure of the jacket. It would be an expensive fix.

What I suggest is that you try the easier fixes to the sleeves and waist, which could very well sort out the issue you're having with boxiness, and ask whether the tailor could sort the shoulders while you're there so that if you're still not happy with the look of it you can get that last bit done, although the alterations to the shoulders may cost upwards of £50.

Overall you could be looking at £30-40 in total for the two simpler fixes, reaching potentially nearly £100 if you opt to tweak the shoulders.

[rubyblue]

The waist is easy to fix. I don't live in the UK so I can't give you an idea of the price, but where I live is fairly cheap. You may have a problem if the elbows need to be re-done (after removing the shoulder pads), since it means the whole structure of the jacket has to be touched.

[Anthony]

Thank you for the great replies, my lack of knowledge is absolutely shining through!

Well the major issues for me were the waist and the bagginess (god help me find the right word, circumference?) of the sleeves, so its pretty encouraging to hear they are 'simple' fixes, rather than extensive and costly. I could absolutely live with the shoulders being as they are, without feeling uncomfortable with them.

I shall head into the city centre hopefully tomorrow or Friday and see what can be done and afforded, then bring back the news. I'll provide pictures too.

Again, thank you very much for the replies, i think this tailoring business may grow on me!

[Jay]

My understanding is that having leather items altered is quite expensive and would end up costing more than the price of your jacket. Having the jacket taken it could cost £60-£80 on its own from a leather repair/alteration specialist. I've never had it done myself though, so this might be a high-end price.