Whether it’s your first time having clothes altered or you’re a seasoned suit shaper, there are some simple insider tips you can learn that will make a visit to the tailor smoother and your suit alterations more successful.

1. Know your tailor

Knowing your tailor comes through research and recommendations. Learn about their experience, reliability, and quality of service. You can get a good understanding of this by looking at their site and reading reviews.

At Looksmart Alterations, we take pride in giving you fast, courteous, inexpensive tailoring – with a level of quality that’s gained the respect of leading fashion retailers, the corporate world and close to a million satisfied customers. Through finely detailed custom tailoring and a trained understanding of fashion and styling, we focus on ensuring the perfect fit.

2. Give a courtesy call

Most tailors welcome you to drop in for a quick fitting.

That said, it’s always appreciated to receive a courtesy call at least 30 minutes before your arrival. Pinning and tucking different garments can vary in terms of how long it takes. For example, a 3 piece suit will take much longer than a pair of pants. Quality tailoring takes time, and to save yours, we recommend booking ahead.

3. Be prepared for suit alterations

Whatever it is that you’re having altered – be it a suit jacket, tux pants, or a dress shirt – bring all the basic items you’re planning to wear with it to the fitting. This is especially relevant when hemming garments, as length depends on the type of shoes you are going to wear with it.

For repairs, bring along the repair kit the manufacturer may have supplied when purchasing your garment. Men’s suits usually come with an extra swatch of material, a button, and some thread supplied in the back pocket of the pants or the interior pocket of the jacket. If not, most garments with buttons will at least have a spare sewn on the inside near the care label.

4. Know the language of suit alterations

It’s safe to say that the fashion industry employ a vernacular of their own – similar to how doctors have their own medical jargon. Knowing some of the terms will help you to accurately describe what it is you’re after from your alteration.

Here are 4 sewing terms to get you started.

Darts:

A fold of fabric sewn into the garment to create shape, commonly to fit the waist and bust.

Vents:

Vents refer to the slit located near the tail of the jacket.

Inseam

The seam along the inside of the pant leg from the bottom crotch to the lower ankle.

Taper

Taper is the narrowing of pants towards the ankle; rather than a straight or bell-shaped end.

5. Know what’s in style

Following the current trends of suiting will help to determine whether or not you’re asking for something appropriate.

4 current suit trends include:

1. Allowing shirt cuffs between ¼” and ½” in length showing.
2. Pant breaks should be kept to little or no break, so the pant flows seamlessly into the shoe with just a little extra fabric draping over.
3. Jackets should be kept slim-fitting, with only the slightest hint of tugging at the front when buttoned.
4. Pants should be slim and flattering, with a slight taper to your ankles.

If you’re unsure, we work across a variety of corporate accounts at LookSmart Alterations and go out of our way to stay up to date with styles. With our knowledge and experience we are confident we can give you the perfect look and fit.

6. Know your basic measurement

Non-custom suits are measured by the wearer’s chest and come in three separate dimensions: short, regular and long. Knowing where you sit in this basic form of measurement will allow you to start with a jacket that requires the least amount of tailoring. The closer fit you start with, the easier the finished product will be.

7. Pay attention

Having a tailor tinker around you might seem like a good opportunity to catch up on your emails, but pay attention to what is happening. It’s easier to move a pin than it is to open a seam, so speaking up as your tailor works their magic is important. If you’d like something tighter or looser, longer or shorter, let them know.

8. Listen to your tailor

If you’re insecure about certain parts of your body, you’re not alone. Most men and women dislike something about themselves, be it their height, their broad shoulders, or any bulges. You might think you know the secrets to hiding these less-than-desired areas of your body, but chances are you are doing yourself a disservice by choosing something that doesn’t fit you right.

Some common mistakes include shorter people wearing longer jackets thinking it will make them look taller, when in actual fact, it does the opposite. A similar thing happens with heavier people who often want baggier suits, assuming it will make them look slimmer, but again, this is not the case.

Your tailor fits different body shapes every single day, so listen to their advice. They know what secrets really work, so trust them.

9. Keep an allowance for suit alterations

A big fear when getting a suit altered is that too snug a fit means you can’t fluctuate in weight at all. This is not true. When you keep an allowance of one inch on all seams, you’re actually allowing your suit to be let out one full size.

No one wants to spend hundreds or thousands on a suit only to grow out of it following a Christmas eating binge, so give yourself some room to grow.

10. Try it on, again

Always double check your alterations and repairs before leaving the store. Ask to try your suit on again and if it’s not what you envisioned, say so. Most tailors will be able to tweak your garment then and there if need be, and at no additional cost. This will save you time and the hassle of bringing your suit back.

Bonus tip… look for a guarantee on your suit alterations

Putting on a great suit is transformative – your shoulders are broadened, your lines longer and leaner, your waist trimmer… you look great and feel great. It pays to get your suit altered to the perfect fit, as nothing feels worse than a bad one.

Choosing a tailor that offers a satisfaction guarantee gives you peace of mind that your altered or repaired suit will be exactly as you envisioned. If you’re not happy with the results, a guarantee will ensure your garment is altered again for free. At Looksmart Alterations, our guarantee means that if you’re still not satisfied, we will return 110% of your money back. We will even pay for your garment/s to be altered at a tailor of your choice! Contact us to learn more about tailoring or visit our website to look at the other services we provide at Looksmart Alterations.

Suit alterations with LOOKSMART

All 120 LOOKSMART Your Stylist Tailor and Dry Cleaner stores provide expert business, formal and wedding suit alterations.