MAT 309
What a darzi can fix — and what he can’t.
Taper, shorten, take in: yes. Shoulders: no. Bring this list, not a Pinterest photo.
India’s unfair advantage in second-hand: a tailor on every corner. Use it on the right problems.
SHOT: CHALK LINE DOWN A TROUSER LEG01
Easy: anything downward
Taper a leg, shorten a hem, take in a waist. Removing fabric is a darzi’s home ground — cheap, quick, reliable. Buy slightly big with confidence.
SHOT: SEAM ALLOWANCE OPENED, INSIDE-OUT GARMENT02
Hard: anything outward
Letting out only works if the fabric exists in the seams — usually 2cm at best, and old fabric shows the fold line. Too small is too small. Walk away.
SHOT: JACKET SHOULDER ON A HANGER, SEAM CIRCLED03
Never: the shoulders
Moving a shoulder seam means rebuilding the garment — sleeve off, recut, rehung. Most darzis will say yes and shouldn’t. Fit the shoulders in the shop or leave it.
SHOT: HAND POINTING AT PINNED HEM, DARZI AT MACHINE04
Say it in stitches
Don’t show a photo of a different garment. Pin what you want, point where it ends, ask for the original hem kept on jeans. Specifics get respect. Vibes get guesses.
THE 30-SECOND VERSION
01Downward alterations: always.
02Letting out: rarely, barely.
03Shoulders: never.
04Pin it, don’t Pinterest it.
THIS LESSON ENDS AT
Your local tailor
Take one piece that almost fits. Ask for a single change, pinned. You’re not just fixing a garment — you’re auditioning a darzi you’ll use for years.
CONTINUE IN THE CULTURE
Buy the fabric, fit comes after.
On SZN2, measurements tell you what a darzi can work with. The find is the raw material.
Next lesson.
THE SET CONTINUES
MAT 312Selvedge: what the red line means.
MATERIALS · 3 MIN · ENDS AT: ANY DENIM RACKENROL
One lesson a week. Then first look at the drop.
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