how much do you spend on tailoring

[der schneider]

What do you spend on the basics, sleeves, sides, collar work, hems, waist jobs etc?

What would the breaking point be when refurbishing a vintage suit?

 

[Imahomer]

That's something I just don't pay attention to. If my clothes need to be tailored, then I pay whatever it costs. I use the same tailor, because I trust her and she does excellent work.

 

[John Boyer]

I have purchased most of my clothes from the same store for the last 20 years. The basic tailoring has always been included as part of the purchase; it is not billed separately. A few years ago I took some older clothes in for tailoring and I was not billed. I am sure this would be a different story, if I were not a loyal customer. John

 

[Slim Portly]

I have a seamstress who charges $32 to shorten a pair of jacket sleeves from the cuff end (as opposed to bringing the shoulder ends up), $10 to hem a pair of pant legs, and $4 per shirt to add button holes for cufflinks. Considering how many suits and shirts I've brought her in the past year, I was disappointed that the last time I went to her she actually charged me $1 to sew a button onto a jacket. Her work is adequate, and on more than one occasion I have waited a week for work, and showed up at the time she told me to be there only to have her pull out the clothes and do the work right then while I waited. I think it’s time for me to shop around.

 

[cufflinkmaniac]

Appropriate timing for this thread. I've been shopping around and it seems as though $25.00 is the going rate for sleeves around here. Other than that, my lady (well, the lady I plan to use) charges $10.00 for the waist (either way), $12.00 cuffing trousers, $8.00 for plain hem. Other prices from other tailors; $.50 for replacing a button, $6.00 for sewing brace buttons.

 

[de Stokesay]

I am a very hard shape to fit. I am very barrel-chested and have extremely long arms (read monkey or gorilla-shaped ). I have tried off-the-rack, but even with extensive tailoring that has cost more than the price of the suit have still not been happy with the fit. This has nothing to do with the skill of the seamstress, just that off-the-rack clothing is made for the masses and that just does not include my body shape.

I have been very fortunate to have found one of the last real tailors in western Canada. He does all his own measuring, pattern-making, cutting, fitting, and sewing and has been doing so for more than 40 years. I got some lovely fabric in Italy in February and have been taking it in to him a piece at a time as I can afford it, along with pictures that I have found here and he has been making me terrific suits, exactly how I want. I get exactly the features that I want, in the 1930's style, or whatever I please, and the fit is superb with very high arm-holes &c. He lives not only in the same city as I do, but is only about 7 blocks from my home. I consider myself so lucky to have found Danny that I don't really care what he charges. I will willingly pay to have my suits made by a proper tailor. The fact that he charges less to make a bespoke suit than much of the better quality made-to-measure suits cost only means that I can have more, more frequently.

de Stokesay

 

[cufflinkmaniac]

I HATE YOU (not really!) Do you know how badly I would love to have a bespoke tailor 7 blocks away?

I am a very hard shape to fit. I am very barrel-chested and have extremely long arms (read monkey or gorilla-shaped ). I have tried off-the-rack, but even with extensive tailoring that has cost more than the price of the suit have still not been happy with the fit. This has nothing to do with the skill of the seamstress, just that off-the-rack clothing is made for the masses and that just does not include my body shape.

I have been very fortunate to have found one of the last real tailors in western Canada. He does all his own measuring, pattern-making, cutting, fitting, and sewing and has been doing so for more than 40 years. I got some lovely fabric in Italy in February and have been taking it in to him a piece at a time as I can afford it, along with pictures that I have found here and he has been making me terrific suits, exactly how I want. I get exactly the features that I want, in the 1930's style, or whatever I please, and the fit is superb with very high arm-holes &c. He lives not only in the same city as I do, but is only about 7 blocks from my home. I consider myself so lucky to have found Danny that I don't really care what he charges. I will willingly pay to have my suits made by a proper tailor. The fact that he charges less to make a bespoke suit than much of the better quality made-to-measure suits cost only means that I can have more, more frequently.

de Stokesay

 

[cookie]

I have a seamstress who charges $32 to shorten a pair of jacket sleeves from the cuff end (as opposed to bringing the shoulder ends up), $10 to hem a pair of pant legs, and $4 per shirt to add button holes for cufflinks. Considering how many suits and shirts I've brought her in the past year, I was disappointed that the last time I went to her she actually charged me $1 to sew a button onto a jacket. Her work is adequate, and on more than one occasion I have waited a week for work, and showed up at the time she told me to be there only to have her pull out the clothes and do the work right then while I waited. I think it’s time for me to shop around.

SP based on those prices and her tardiness/slackness you may need to look around elsewhere...

 

[cookie]

I have been very fortunate to have found one of the last real tailors in western Canada. He does all his own measuring, pattern-making, cutting, fitting, and sewing and has been doing so for more than 40 years. I got some lovely fabric in Italy in February and have been taking it in to him a piece at a time as I can afford it, along with pictures that I have found here and he has been making me terrific suits, exactly how I want. I get exactly the features that I want, in the 1930's style, or whatever I please, and the fit is superb with very high arm-holes &c. He lives not only in the same city as I do, but is only about 7 blocks from my home. de Stokesay

Short description of every Lounger's fantasy... :eusa_clap

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Slim Portly, those are pretty good prices for the work, if it's done right.

I learned to do all this myself so i don't pay any more, but were i to pay, i would want to pay those prices.

bk

 

[Cody Pendant]

The cost of looking like a million bucks.

I take in 1 or 3 garments a week. I usually have to rotate through the local circuit of the three Tailors that I like, because I have the same trouble as Slim Portly. The first one or two pieces are done on time and then the; “it’s not ready yet” thing starts. I would think the constant business would be a motivator, but alas, it is not.
My new current favorite alteration person, however, is keeping on time and is doing a great job. Her prices are average for here. (Prices in $USD) She is charging $15 for regular suit sleeve hemming,(15 to 25 others) paints plain hem is $7 and $12 for cuffs, ($8 to $15 others) $20 for the back / waist of jacket. ($12 to $20 others) Pants waist and seat taken in $8 to $10. Sleeve tapering is about $20 or so. I have pay $40 for functional sleeve buttons per suit. Run’s about $5 per buttonhole, and only one will do it, but he’s an actual tailor. A lapel buttonhole on a dinner jacket was $8 or $10. $40 for an extensive collar adjustment ($20 to $35 others).
I recommend trying a new tailor with a sacrificial garment first as I have had some things butchered before. The actual owner was capable but they let a hireling work on the garments, so request that only experienced people work on your vintage stuff. A $35 dollar refund is NOT going to replace your 19XX suit.
As for a breaking point, it depends. The suit needs to be close to fitting to begin with to even be considered. I don’t count the jacket sleeves, pant waist, or pant cuff adjustments, too heavily in the equation, as that’s a given for me. I look at it this way; it is what needs to be done with any new OTR suit, it’s just part of the cost of the suit. Alterations that give me pause are collar, lapel, jacket waist, jacket length, jacket back or sides taken in, sleeve taper, pant leg taper, or repairs such as lining replacement or zipper replacement etc. I’ll have to really like it a lot to undertake those on top of the basics.
If it is, an unusual, unique, and valuable vintage piece and it will actually look great on you when done and you love it, then I would say alteration cost is of little consequence. For relatively commonly available so-so pieces, then my outlook is more modest, say $50 to $100. That is still a bargain for a nice suit.

 

[Widebrim]

Confession time...

Although it pained me, I spent $175 to have my father's 1946 DB, gray, pin-striped suit with huge lapels re-done to fit me. I had wanted to have it altered for years, and decided to take the plunge. Since my father was only about 130 lbs. when he came back from the War (he was an Infantryman, PTO), and is shorter than me, it took quite a bit to bring the suit up to snuff. If it had not been my father's suit, I would never had spent that much. And on top of that, the tailor later told me that he should have charged me $75 more on top of that.

 

[vitanola]

I was recently clearing out my closet and found an old Countess Mara suit that I purchased at Jacobsons back in the early 1990's, along with a barely worn camel hair overcoat of similar vintage.

I have lost some weight since then, so the suit required alteration, and I thought that the cut might possibly be updated.

Took the suit to the little men's wear shop around the corner. They took 6" out of the belly of the suit jacket (it had always been a bit too baggy) and entirely recut the trousers, taking in 4" from the waist and rather more from the seat. They removed the waistband of the trousers so that the belt loops could be done away with, removed some of the taper form the legs, and widened the cuffs a bit. They took 8 inches out of the belly of the overcoat. It appears that they opened and recut every seam of that heavy garment.

In addition to all of this work, they sent everything out to the dry-cleaners after the work was fininshed.

I went in to the shop to check fit, and everything was perfect. They did a much better job than did the big department store from which I had originally purchased the pieces. The seamstress found a small moth-hole in the suit jacket, and so she has sent it out for reweaving.

My total bill for all of this work, including the reweaving was less than seventy-five dollars.

When I have this local shop recut an ebay suit to my hard-to-fit dimensions the work generally runs around thirty to thirty-five dollars, usually including extensive wirk th the belly of the jacket.

I am awaiting the receipt of a few recent purchases, and will soon be setting the tailor to work again. Have found a really nice tweed three piece that should be arriving any day.

 

[JimInSoCalif]

^^^ Wow - sounds like you found the right place - you could probably sell the name of that shop to others in your area.

My cleaners can send things out for reweaving and I think they charge $40.00 for each hole.

 

[cookie]

Article from the Chap on fake UK brand suits

Not Really Made in England
Soho tailor Tony Lutwyche has launched a sartorial campaign to stop manufacturers labelling products 'Made in England' when they have really been made abroad. He plans to petition 10 Downing Street and demands the Government acts quickly to protect the standards and integrity of English tailoring, and other goods, by prohibiting any product not made entirely in this country from displaying the 'Made in England' label.

"This week," said Mr. Lutwyche, “John Lewis was forced to stop selling falsely labelled ‘Made in England’ suits for £350, but the net spreads much wider. Other leading clothing brands are still selling inaccurately labelled 'Made in England' suits, leading to the loss of over £3 million per year from British industry."

The 'Made in England' label suggests that the suit has been entirely manufactured in this country, whereas some unscrupulous clothiers have their suits made abroad, then returned home for the final touches. Minor details such as attaching the buttons, stitching the pockets and even sewing in the ‘Made in England’ label are completed here. They can then charge over the odds, because British people like to think they are supporting their own economy. "The Made in England label promises customers a superior quality product," says Lutwyche, "and most people simply don’t realise they are fake. Sales of truly home-grown produce strengthen the economy and put money back into the training and maintaining our own workforce."

To support the petition, visit petitions.number10.gov.uk/realenglishsuits

 

[kools]

To be honest, I don't know what I pay my tailor. What I do know of Joe the Tailor on Lincoln Avenue is that I trust him; he always does exactly what I what, and shows appreciation for the work that I bring him. He's a good egg. I enjoy talking clothes with him; he enjoys the clothes I bring him. Would I like it if he cut me a deal once in a while? Of course I would, but I don't expect it. I am accustomed to such "discounts" in other business I handle, but I never expect it...I appreciate it whenever and wherever it appears. As long as I am happy with the service, Joe will continue to get my loyalty. Finally...I don't think I could use three tailors...I'd feel like I was cheating on my "main" tailor.

 

[vitanola]

^^^ Wow - sounds like you found the right place - you could probably sell the name of that shop to others in your area.

My cleaners can send things out for reweaving and I think they charge $40.00 for each hole.

The shop around the corner has been in the same building since 1893, and is owned and staffed by the fourth and fifth generation of the family. The forks who operate the store grew up in the business, and all of them are handy with both chalk and needle.

They have some deadstock, but generally along the lines of size 14 collars, size 6AA shoes, size 6 1/4 hats, tiny men's shirts and underclothing, and little girl's pinafores.

We live in a rural community where no one is very up-to-the-minute fashion-wise. Some of the old farmers still wear their Leisure Suits, and others wear their wedding suits, if they still fit, and so this hsop found a ready market for almost everything that they ever stocked at some price point or other, save these tiny items.

 

[AlanC]

One rule to observe on picking up your alterations: call first!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I'm one of those people that has no choice but to get every suit, blazer, and dress trouser altered (short legs, short arms :rage: ). When I buy anything, I automatically add the tailor's bill in my head. If I don't feel that the item is worth that much, I don't buy it.

If it's vintage, or a thrift store find, what I'll pay to alter relates to how much I like it. A suit I love, I'd pay $75, tops. But it would have to be a smokin' suit. Most stuff, if a sleeve and leg trim won't fix it, I throw in the towel. But one day I may find that special item that I would go to the ends of my bank account to get just right. Who knows?

 

[ortega76]

I end up having to have EVERYTHING altered. I'm short and stocky. I typically wear a modern 46Reg but it SHOULD be a 46 Short (which no one makes). So everything gets re-cut. From trousers (length) to jacket sleeves, I typically have to spend an extra $25-$45 minimum on every suit purchase.