Having a good tailor fit your clothing to your unique body shape can truly change your life. You’ll look better, feel better, and experience the huge burst of confidence that comes with those things. There’s only one caveat: in order to perfectly fit your clothing to your body in the way that works best for you, it’s vital that you know what to ask for and how to explain things to your tailor in a way that he can understand.
Having a good tailor fit your clothing to your unique body shape can truly change your life. You’ll look better, feel better, and experience the huge burst of confidence that comes with those things. There’s only one caveat: in order to perfectly fit your clothing to your body in the way that works best for you, it’s vital that you know what to ask for and how to explain things to your tailor in a way that he can understand.
This is something that comes with time and experience, but unfortunately most men today aren’t accustomed to using tailors on a regular basis. Often, the first time they see a tailor is when they need their clothing to fit perfectly for a big event like a wedding, funeral, or dance, but they can’t articulate what they want because they don’t really know.
Thankfully, we’re here to help. Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common helpful questions and requests that you should talk to your tailor about if you want the best fit possible.
Can you bring it in? When you imagine yourself in a suit jacket, there’s a good chance that one of the first images that pops into your mind is the suave sophistication of James Bond. How do you get that look? One of the most important things to do is to have your tailor bring that jacket in at the torso so that you get a sort of triangular look with the shoulders being the widest part and the sides angling in as it drapes downward. Most off-the-rack suits are designed to fit loosely so that a wide variety of men can wear them, but you want the jacket snug (but not too snug!) to your body.
What’s in style right now? If you’re looking for something new and don’t have a clue (which puts you in a lot of good company!), one of the first things to ask your tailor is what’s new, hot, and trendy. You may not even decide to go with the styles she points out, but at least you’ll be able to make an informed choice and possibly even have alterations done to the clothing you do pick to keep up with the trends.
Tell me what fabrics are best for each season. Going in to get a suit or other piece of clothing for a specific occasion means that you’re going to need to wear it comfortably in the weather around that time. Good tailors can tell you which fabrics are best for each season as well as what’s currently popular.
I need my pants hemmed. Here’s a scenario we’ve all experienced: after searching for what seems like forever, you finally find a pair of pants you like that fit perfectly… with one exception – the legs are too long! Most of us would probably just sigh and toss the pants back in this situation, but if you’ve got a good tailor, you don’t have to. Instead, bring those otherwise perfect pants in and have them hemmed to the length that you desire. Most people prefer to have the bottom of their pants just brushing the top of their shoes when they’re standing.
What’s the difference between made to measure, made to order, and ready to wear? Men going to a tailor to buy a suit should definitely know the difference between these three things, and any tailor with experience will be able to explain it to you in a manner that’s clear and simple. If they can’t do that, you probably should just thank them for their time and seek out another tailor because you’re probably going to have a tough time communicating.
How long should the sleeves on my jacket be? Besides shortening pant legs, adjusting the length of the sleeves on suit jackets is one of the most common alterations that tailors make. But how long should your sleeves be? Common wisdom says that you want somewhere between ¼ to ½ of an inch of your shirt sleeves showing beneath the jacket, but talk to your tailor to get her recommendations and try a few different lengths to see what feels the most comfortable to you.
What’s the timeline? If you’re having a suit custom-made, you need to know how long it’s going to take and you should never, ever assume. Before you even start talking specifics with your tailor, ask him how long it generally takes to make sure that your suit will be ready when you need it. Also, make sure that you ask again after you’ve worked out the details, because any personal touches you add can make it take longer.
Author Bio: These tailoring and style tips brought to you by Matt from Balani Custom. Connect with Balani on Google+.
