how much do you spend on tailoring

[filfoster]

tailoring costs

On a related note, how much do you pay for reweaving? Most vintage suits have the odd moth nip. In Cincinnati, our oldest reweaver finally closed, death and ill health of the surviving spouse who did a lot of the actual work.

 

[kools]

Welcome fil,
I haven't found a reweaver in Milwaukee, but I'm also looking to have some repairs done. Results I'm finding online show $35 to $85 per hole depending on size & fabric. The shops I'm finding will allow you to ship your garments...I'm likely to drive to Chicago for this place: www.withoutatrace.com

 

[Cody Pendant]

Reweaving thread (cross-pollination)

A thread on the subject started by reetpleat: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=35317

Excerpt from above thread that might be of use.

I am afraid it’s another about to be lost "black art" as they say...Yes, their are some sites about reweaving:
http://www.reweave.com/faq.htm ,
A book: http://www.awesomeguides.com/money_maker_reweaving_book_tailor_sewing.htm
Examples:
http://www.withoutatrace.com/reweaving.html http://www.overthemoondesigns.com/Repairing_Fabric_Threads.htm
Google as usual and spend hours researching.

.... Perhaps buy a practice garment from the thrift and practice on it.
Hope this helps!

 

[Tomasso]

Welcome fil,
I haven't found a reweaver in Milwaukee......I'm likely to drive to Chicago for this place: www.withoutatrace.com

I've used WAT several times and have been very pleased with the results. I've also used Alice Zotta in NYC and she's right up there. I highly recommend using one of the handful of reweaving specialists as they do much better work that your local tailor/dry cleaners.

 

[kools]

That's good to hear. I would rather have it done right the first time.

 

[randooch]

This discussion is of interest to me, as I have a burgundy jacket in the shop now for a sleeve lengthening, which is to cost 45 bucks. That sounded a bit rich to me, but I committed nonetheless. I kind of figure it's like back when I worked in a hardware store in college. Some bloke would complain about the price of a small bolt, and I'd say, "could you make it for 14 cents at home?"

 

[kools]

Interesting...I'm headed to my tailor tomorrow for sleeve lengthening on a sport coat. I'll let you know how much he's charging.

 

[kools]

I stopped by Joe the Tailor today...$30 for the sleeves lengthened.

 

[Buddy]

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

Where in western Canada?? I'm currently having my suits done MTM by a Bangkok tailor who has a sales rep visit here twice a year. I'm not getting a very consistent product out of them though (they muck up my measurements between batches) but I haven't had much luck with the local tailors either.

 

[randooch]

I stopped by Joe the Tailor today...$30 for the sleeves lengthened.

Ouch!

 

[kools]

Joe the tailor did me right again...for the $30 I got the sleeves lengthened on a 1940s sport coat, with needed extra fabric added inside the cuff the reach the liner (Joe told me he shopped three places to find the best match for the fabric)...and new buttons all around. I dropped off a 1940s lightweight leisure jacket for sleeve lengthening as I picked up the sport coat.

 

[PSK123]

Last time I had something altered was a pair of trousers, had the waist taken in, the inseam shortened and a turn up added. Came to £25 which didn't seem too bad at all.

 

[der schneider]

$30 bucks!!!! A friend in milwaukee asked me to move there maybe I should

I get $18 for sleeves maybe $24 if they need speacial attention

My dad would'nt teach me reweaving he said it will make you go blind.

I refer my customers to Without a trace they do great work but the cost has been going up.

the range of pricing has been very interesting on this thread

thanks for your input everyone.

back to the coal mine

 

[Tomasso]

Tailoring fee schedule from the Polo Mansion in NYC.

It's around two years old. The prices in the right hand column are pretty much NY/Chicago street prices.

Magnification may be necessary.

 

[kools]

Once again...Joe the tailor did me right. I stopped in to pick up another sleeve job on a jacket-$30. He also threw in a box of

he had these sent to him by relatives in Croatia. Delicious. He then took pictures of me to take home to his wife. Good old Joe!

 

[kools]

Pickup from Joe the Tailor last night:

1 194s suit coat: pocket restitched by hand.
1 1940s suit pants: seam below right front pocket restitched.
1 1940 gabardine shirt: 1 button moved from wrist to front; two new buttons at wrists; pressed.
2 1940s sportcoats pressed.

Total $20.00

 

[cookie]

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.

That's my present size I am usually a 44S. So instead of buying that size from paul fredrick for my latest linen suit on clearance I buy a 44S thinking I would lose weight faster than I have. AUD75 later for the alterations!:rage: The suit only cost USD80. If I had bought a 46S with altered pants it would have cost USD90 instead of originally USD260. They have great fractional fitted suits especially on clearance.

 

[de Stokesay]

Where in western Canada?? I'm currently having my suits done MTM by a Bangkok tailor who has a sales rep visit here twice a year. I'm not getting a very consistent product out of them though (they muck up my measurements between batches) but I haven't had much luck with the local tailors either.

My appologies for taking so long to see and respond to this query but I have been quite busy with work and studying. My tailor is in Saskatoon, SK and is an older semi-retired gent (meaning that he doesn't feel bad turning away the boring alterations work on customers he doesn't know). He much prefers to do bespoke tailoring as he finds alterations uninspiring and is at that stage in his life where he feels that he can concentrate on what are to him, more enjoyable projects. He will do alterations for existing customers however, but more as a service to them.

I have found that finding a good tailor is much like finding a good barber. You find one with the requisite skills and keep patronising him, making specific consructive criticism and suggestions as to what you really want until he knows just what it is that you are after. I think this is because most people out their are not looking for the same things that most of us are, either in a barber or a tailor. I am very picky about the details that I want but sometimes it takes a little time to ensure that your tailor (or barber) really "gets" what you want and that you really do want what you say you do. Patience is not only a virtue in this regard, but a necessity if you want something really specific, like a certain fit.

I am actually going to see him towards the end of this month to get him started on a 1930's-cut, single-breasted, peak-lapelled, belt-back 3-piece suit in midnight navy wool cloth that I bought last year when in Italy. The decision now is whether to go with a notch-collar or double-breasted waistcoat.

If you have any other questions please feel free ask away, or PM me if you are looking for a more immediate response as I tend to get very busy and don't check each thread that I have posted to very often.

de Stokesay

 

[mt_spiffy]

I may need to look up Joe the Tailor in Milwaukee.

I go to an Italian tailor in Madison, WI. He can do some phenominal things, and I've been going to him for many years and he knows exactly how I like my clothes. I general get a deal as I've been a loyal customer for so long. However even my special rates seem to be higher than the majority of tailors in other cities, so it might be worth going elsewhere for the most basic stuff i.e. pants hems and whatnot. He's usually so busy that I'm sure he wouldnt take it personally.

I'm trying to think of what his standard prices are. $16 for pants, no cuffs? That cant be right.