Get yo shit tailored

Today’s lesson might be as important as the first. Unless you are having clothes created specifically for you, they won’t be made for you. That sounds simple and kind of stupid but it’s very much the case.

There is nothing better than getting a skilled tailor to take a swing at your clothes to make sure what you roll out in actually fits.

When you purchase a shirt, a pair of pants, a suit or whatever, it was designed around a set of parameters and rules that are not specific to you. The garment might fit perfectly in places but chances are it’s off on quite a few others.

A few rules of tailoring:

The crazy Asian tailor you undoubtedly have on your street is perfect for quick jobs like hemming a pair of jeans or taking in the waist. They are fast, cheap and reliable however you might what to look to someone else for your big jobs such as fitting a shirt, a sport coat or suit.

You will pay more for the expertise and more then likely wait longer but it will be completely worth it. Most cities have a “best of” section each year. Find the listing for best tailor and go see that guy. If it looks like a chop shop it might be, move on. If it’s a chain, move on. If it’s a really old guy that seems pissed off and doesn’t speak very good English, well that’s your guy. He’s been doing that job his whole life and he’s really good at it.

While shopping keep in mind, a tailor can’t add fabric to the garment. If the shirt fits in the shoulders and chest but the sleeves are a little too short, move up a size. The sleeves being long enough is a key part because you can and should have the shirt taken in at the shoulders and the back.

Most men buy a shirt to fit a certain way and ignore the places where it doesn’t. This generally looks sloppy and will bring down the overall look.

You might ask “I just spent $80 on this shirt why do you have to spend even more to get it right? It’s just the way it is! Until you are ready for the next step, which is custom clothes, then sack up and spend the money. It will last you longer, look better and pay for it’s self in time. A shirt that’s too big only gets bigger and things that are too small, well, no one likes to see that.

Here’s a link to a great step-by-step breakdown, with pictures! It’s a solid walk through of how a shirt should fit.

Fit that shirt