Last fall I was watching the Carly Jean Los Angeles Instagram stories. I love their styling tips, and I kept noticing the way Carly would respond to questions about fit: “Take it to your tailor.”
A tailor? Isn’t that for fancy clothes like bridesmaid dresses and suit jackets? Who actually has a tailor they see on a regular basis?
A lot of smart people do, as it turns out. And it especially makes sense for those of us who strive to live a more simplified life.
If we’re buying fewer clothes of higher quality, and we want to wear them for a longer amount of time, a tailor is a must!
My tailor’s name is Rose, and she has a little shop down the street. I stop there at least a couple times a month, and I never bring her fancy clothes. (Mostly because I never wear fancy clothes).
Here are 5 reasons I love my tailor:
1. She takes my clothes from just OK to the perfect fit.
When I find myself adjusting my straps too many times, she makes them the perfect length. When I order a pair of jeans online, she makes sure the waist fits just right.
Little tweaks here and there make me feel more comfortable in my clothes, and allow me to take more risks buying online. This works great for shopping secondhand and doing clothing swaps too.
2. She makes my clothes last longer.
Last month, a seam split on the side of my jeans. I took them to Rose and she stitched them up right then and there for free.
This week I went to pick up a jacket she had been working on. While I was there I showed her a top that had a separated seam on the right side. She stitched it right up and reinforced the left side just in case. Once again, for free.
These are pieces I would have either gotten rid of or put on the shelf with the intent to fix them (which inevitably would never have happened).
3. She helps me feel more comfortable in my button-up pieces.
Last summer I picked out a cute little button-up chambray dress for my birthday. The first time I wore it to church, the buttons below the waist kept popping open. I have no idea what the pastor talked about that day because I was too busy making sure I didn’t flash the congregation.
The dress hung in my closet for months before I realized I could take it to a tailor. Rose made the button holes smaller and it worked! I can finally wear my dress without worrying.
4. She makes my clothes more flattering.
As much as I love pockets, sometimes they make a skirt or dress look wider, and sometimes they hang out of a jacket that has a looser fit.
Whenever I have these issues, I take them to Rose and she tacks the pockets in the most flattering position. Suddenly something I sort-of liked becomes a favorite.
5. I love supporting a small business.
Rose is right down the street, she’s been there forever, and she loves her customers. I know when I walk in that she wants to help me and will get creative to make things work. She has given me a new perspective on how to buy and take care of clothing.
In today’s culture of disposable fashion, developing a relationship with a tailor is a great way for me to live out my version of simple living.
