Introduction
Picture this: You’ve just bought a new shirt, and you’re excited to try it on. You take it out of the bag, unbutton it, slip your arms through the sleeves, and…it doesn’t fit right. It’s gapping at the arms or pulling across the chest. Or maybe you find a beautiful blazer that would look great over your favorite dress; but when you try it on, the fit is all wrong—the length is too long, or maybe one side fits better than the other.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about tailoring and alterations so that you can get rid of those clothes hiding in your closet—and dress in confidence wherever life takes you!
What is an alteration?
An alteration is when a tailor or seamstress adjusts the fit of clothing. This can include shortening a hemline, adjusting the neckline, taking it in to make it smaller, or letting out seams to make them larger. Alterations are less precise than tailoring and usually involve changing one or two things to fit better.
Alterations are more common and cheaper than tailoring because they're simpler to perform (and thus less expensive).
What is tailoring?
Tailoring is a very specific form of alteration that involves cutting, sewing, and finishing a garment by hand. Tailoring can include more than just changing the size of your clothing; it's also used to re-shape or alter certain parts of clothing, such as reconstructing the shape and style of the garment.
This process is often used to make clothing fit better after weight loss or gain. If you've lost weight and bought new pants that are now too big in the waist but fit everywhere else, tailoring will be able to fix this problem so that all areas of your pants are fitting properly again.
What’s the difference between tailoring and alterations?
Tailoring is the more precise way of getting your clothing to fit you, while alterations are much less precise.
If you want to get an exact fit on your clothing, tailoring is your best option. It will be more expensive than alterations but it’s a better choice if you want to customize the fit of your clothes or have something made especially for you (like a suit).
If you just need small changes done quickly and affordably, then alterations may be better for you.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it! Both of these services can help you look your best, but they’re not the same thing. Tailoring involves making changes to an existing garment, while alterations are dependant on the fabric and style of the original design for simpler alterations. So if you’ve got a favourite suit that needs a little work or some jeans that don’t fit quite right, head to your local tailor such as the highly respected master tailors of AlbertGerald.