Every once in a while, I’ll get an email from a reader who asks the most important wardrobe question: Can you recommend a tailor? For all the information online about sleeve pitch, shoulder divots, and the dreaded collar gap, solving any fit issue still requires finding someone who can lay their hands on your garment. More than knowing the technical intricacies of tailoring, you need to find a good tailor.
So, I reached out to some friends from around the country to get their recommendations. The list, with cities organized in alphabetical order, is below. However, before getting into that, we should cover some generally good principles on how to find (and work with) a good tailor.
- Call Around: Like any trade, the clothing business can involve a bit of insider baseball. If you don’t already have a tailor you trust, call a few stores in your area that sell high-end suits (as suits often require a higher level of alterations). Ask them who they recommend. If you hear the same name pop up, that person likely has a good reputation for a reason.
- Start Simple: When trying out a new tailor, start simple. Don’t give them some huge, complicated task on an expensive garment, such as asking them to recut a suit. Give them a simple job, such as hemming trousers or taking in the waist on a shirt. When you get these items back, inspect the quality of the work. Does the sewing look neatly finished? Are you happy with how the work turned out? As your experience with a tailor grows, you can entrust them with more complicated tasks.
- Don’t Micromanage: There’s so much information online nowadays about technical tailoring details, such as coat balance and shoulder divots, along with ideas on how to solve these issues. But the worst thing you can do is go into a tailoring shop and tell them how to do their work. A good tailor doesn’t need you to tell them how to do their job; a lousy tailor won’t be improved by your instructions (as you’re not a tailor). Instead, tell them how you want to look and let them find the technical solution. When I see bad tailoring online, it’s often the result of a customer who meddled too much.
- Expect to Pay: Tailoring on any level takes time, and with skyrocketing real estate costs, tailors should be reasonably compensated for their labor. That said, some places charge more than others. Some dry cleaners offer basic alterations as part of their services. Other shops are custom tailoring businesses that do fully bespoke suits but offer alterations to supplement their income. The second type of shop will likely be better at recutting a suit—and probably charge more for basic stuff like hemming pants. Always expect to pay for quality tailoring, but know that some shops charge more based on their experience and skill level.
Below is a list of tailoring shops across the US (and one in Canada) that offer alterations. We compiled this list by reaching out to trusted sources (e.g., menswear enthusiasts and people in the clothing trade) to get their recommendations. While some of these shops offer fully custom suits, the recommendations below are only based on their alterations services (not necessarily an endorsement of their other work). Keep this list for when you move and are looking for a tailor in a new city.
Asheville, NC: Sew & Sew Custom Sewing and Alterations
Atlanta, GA: ATL Tailor, Weini’s Designs, Flor’s, HKT Custom Clothiers, Miller Brothers, and Q Tailor (recommended for complicated work)
Berkeley, CA: Uni-Tailor and Advanced European Tailoring (they can also do leather jackets)
Boston, MA: Rodolfo
Boulder, CO: Boulder Custom Tailoring and Canoe Club (for chainstitch hemming)
Buffalo, NY: Stergio’s and Prestige
Cambridge, MA: Queen Dressmakers
Chicago, IL: Boguslaw, Reino’s Tailor, and Without A Trace (for reweaving and invisible mending)
Dallas, TX: J’s Tailor & Cleaners
Denver, CO: Erol’s Tailoring
Houston, TX: Montrose Tailors, Nichol’s Alterations, Quality Custom Tailors, and Marcello’s Alterations
Los Angeles, CA: Wilshire Tailor, Milt & Edie’s, Fazio Cleaners (recommended for quick hems), Santa Monica Tailor by Bello, Jose Tailor, and Fitting Room
Milwaukee, WI: P’Dia
St. Paul, MN: Tom’s Tailor and Science & Kindness (for denim repair)
Mountain View, CA: Center Tailor & Alterations
Nashville, TN: Stitch It & Co, Topolina Tailoring, and Only One Tailoring
New Haven, CT: Valentino Tailors
New York, NY: Wazin Custom Tailors (most often recommended), Allen Tailoring and Cleaning, Stanton Tailor Shop, Wilfred Tailoring, Milanos Tailor, Beckembergs Alterations, Bode Tailor Shop (for sweater repair and alterations), French American Reweaving (for reweaving and invisible mending), Williamsburg Garment Company (for denim), and Denim Therapy (also denim)
Philadelphia, PA: Dress Right Tailors (recommended for more complicated work), Broad Street Cleaners, and Master Tailor & Cleaners
Portland, ME: David Wood
Portland, OR: Gien’s Tailor and Valentina European Alteration
San Francisco, CA: Martinez Tailor (recommended for complicated work)
Santa Fe, NM: Alterations and More
Seattle, WA: Sew Generously, Gold Thread, and Adam Tailoring and Alterations
Vancouver, BC (Canada): Paradise Fashion Studio
Washington, DC: Field Custom English Tailor, Geoffrey Lewis, Best Fit Tailoring, and Georgetown Alterations
