A pre-owned garment rarely arrives at a perfect fit, and it does not need to. A skilled tailor can turn a good piece into one that looks made for you. The skill is knowing which adjustments are worth the money and which are better left alone.
Start with the Garment, Not the Size
Alterations work best when the structure of a piece is sound. Check the shoulders, the fabric quality and the overall proportions first. A tailor can change a great deal about length and width, but very little about how a garment sits across the shoulders. If the shoulders fit, almost everything else can be adjusted.
Alterations That Are Usually Worthwhile
These adjustments are common, relatively simple and make a visible difference:
- Hemming trousers and skirts. Shortening is straightforward on most fabrics and sets the line of the whole outfit.
- Taking in the waist of trousers. Often possible when there is extra fabric in the seam allowance.
- Shortening sleeves. Straightforward on shirts and many jackets, particularly when there are no working buttons at the cuff.
- Replacing buttons or linings. A small repair that refreshes a coat or blazer.
- Narrowing a straight leg. Usually practical when the existing cut is close to what you want.
Alterations to Think Twice About
Some changes are complex, expensive or both. Reshaping shoulders, rebuilding sleeve heads, and resizing garments with intricate lining or heavy structure take real skill and time. Altering leather, suede and very fine knits also calls for a specialist. If a piece needs several of these at once, it is usually wiser to keep looking.
How to Judge Before You Buy
Read the listing measurements carefully and compare them with a garment you already own and wear well. Look at the seams, since generous seam allowances give a tailor more room to work. Consider the pattern too: stripes, plaids and prints are harder to adjust cleanly because the design has to keep matching across seams.
Working with a Tailor
Bring the garment, and wear or bring the shoes and layers you plan to wear with it. Ask for a quote before any work begins, and mark what you want in plain terms: where the hem should fall, how close the waist should sit. A good tailor will tell you honestly if a change will not hold up.
Weigh the Cost
Add the likely alteration cost to the price of the piece and compare the total with a new garment of similar quality. Often a well-made pre-owned item with a modest alteration still comes out ahead, and you gain a fit that off-the-rack pieces rarely offer.
