The Butterfly Effect
Tailor Swift
Me: I’m looking for a long-term committed relationship with someone who shares my values and my sense of style. Looking to meet for a brief first date to see if we are compatible and share the same vision. I’m envisioning someone with exacting taste. Someone who exhibits attention to detail and always strives for perfection. Please contact me if you think we’re compatible.
And no, I’m not looking for a partner. I’m searching for something even more impactful: a seamstress.
One of the most important tools in your style arsenal? Tailoring. Style isn’t just what you buy. It’s what you refine.
For her new collaboration with Gap, Hailey Bieber reimagined two of brand’s best-selling denim styles—the “Extra Baggy” jean, inspired by a men's vintage Gap fit, and the ’90s low-rise loose jean. The collab, which consists of six pieces, features three washes per style and has been defined by Bieber’s exacting eye for fit.
“The biggest tweaks I made were in fit. That's really important to me. When I'm buying new jeans or pants or anything really, I am very specific about the way things fit. I get everything tailored. Even if it needs to be tighter by a centimeter. I'm really, really detail-oriented and pay really close attention to the way things look and feel on my body,” she told Harper’s Bazaar.
Bieber’s philosophy has very little to do with denim and everything to do with style.
Tailoring, at its best, is more than shortening a pair of jeans or a sleeve. It’s about having a garment fitted to your body and, ultimately, it’s the difference between wearing your clothes and letting them wear you—the difference between settling and defining your style. Sometimes, a single centimeter can make all the difference. It’s often the line between off-the-rack and bespoke.
Throughout my years in sales and styling, I’ve worked with many tailors, and I’ve learned that finding your seamstress soulmate can be harder than finding your actual soulmate.
For years, I worked with the tailor at my local dry cleaner. Blessed with an exceptional eye and gifted hands, she could do almost anything. However, when she retired recently, I was left without a tailor.
I have been on the hunt ever since. My quest? A mixed bag that has left a certain beloved and pricey TWP gown as collateral damage—let her rest in peace and, sadly, pieces, as well.
This is what I have learned on my journey:
Department stores often have top-notch seamstresses and, for an additional fee, most will also tailor clothing that has been purchased elsewhere. Downside: this can be costly. Upside: A reputable department store tailor is well vetted and provides peace of mind that may make the extra dollars worthwhile.
If I use a department store tailor, I like to use a store that carries the brand that I am having altered. If I need the sleeves of a Toteme blazer shortened, I would either choose a seamstress from Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom. Both stores carry Toteme, and, therefore, the tailors there are familiar with the brand and used to working with Toteme’s styles and fabrics. Familiarity with a brand often means fewer opportunities for error.
I also like to ask a trusted salesperson for their in-house recommendation. Sales associates (SAs) see the alterations department on a consistent basis. They know which seamstresses are the most skilled.
Friends are an invaluable source of reference, too. Ask around for recommendations. I have found some of the best tailors through word of mouth. Your most fashionable friend is likely to hold the keys to the kingdom. Tap her.
When using a new tailor, before jumping in with both feet, I start out with one or two pieces. That way I can gauge how well we work together and assess the quality of their work. There’s nothing worse than trusting someone with a piece you love only to see that piece destroyed—aka the aforementioned TWP dress.
Start small and build the relationship as you go. You can always bring more pieces in if you are happy with their work. It’s much harder to undo damage once it’s done.
Currently, I’m vetting new seamstresses. My newest tailor (sob) just told me she retired. Next week I’m auditioning candidates. Wish me luck.
The best wardrobes may start in the fitting room, but they’re finished in the alteration atelier.
And who doesn’t love a happy ending?
