A Trip to the Tailor

What I took, what I asked for, and how it turned out

Imagine me sitting here, earnestly giving you guys a life hack. Doctors hate her! But in all seriousness, if I can only offer one piece of advice to upgrade your wardrobe, it’s tailoring. If you aren’t getting your clothes tailored, it’s the style boost you’ve been missing.

I didn’t visit a tailor for the first time until five or six years ago. Tailoring seemed intimidating, expensive, and unnecessary, and I didn’t feel like I had anything that was valuable enough to alter. I was wrong! It actually wasn’t so scary when I finally made the leap, and it’s only became easier and more comfortable over the years. While it may feel weird to spend $20 tailoring something you thrifted for $4, it’s always smart to consider price per wear. A $4 skirt that you only wear once or twice isn’t as good of a deal as a $24 skirt you wear once a week for months. Investing that extra money can turn a piece from something you barely wear into a wardrobe staple. Those almost right pieces are exactly what keep you out there looking for (and spending more money on) just right. Why not make what you already have just right?

A photo from almost five years ago, wearing a pair of pants I had altered this week. (RIP to these shoes - I won’t say who, but someone in this photo ate them)

I’ll be writing about my trips to the tailor so you can get a look at what I’m changing and why. My hope is that sharing this will demystify some of the process, and give you the right tools to visit the tailor yourself. I’ll explain what I asked for, what my conversation with the tailor looked like, and how much it cost. With before and after photos! Keep in mind that I live in NYC, and am visiting lower Manhattan tailors, so the prices reflect that. Your local tailor’s prices will vary depending on where you’re located. 

I regularly patronize two different tailors - Tailor #1 is at my dry cleaner’s, and it’s where I have most of my repairs done. Tailor #2 is a standalone tailor that I see when I want to make style changes. Tailor #2 is more expensive, but the quality and consistency of their work justifies their higher prices. Let’s get into it!