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 thrift: a tailor on every corner. Use it on the right problems.
SHOT: CHALK LINE DOWN A TROUSER LEG
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 GARMENT
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 CIRCLED
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 MACHINE
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.
- 01Downward alterations: always.
- 02Letting out: rarely, barely.
- 03Shoulders: never.
- 04Pin it, don’t Pinterest it.
Questions people ask.
Can a tailor make a shirt bigger?
Only a little, and only if the seams hold spare fabric. Old fabric often shows a faded line where the seam used to be. If it is too small across the chest, pass on it.
Can jeans keep their original hem when shortened?
Yes. Ask for an original hem (sometimes called a euro hem): the tailor shortens above the hem and reattaches the original, so the worn edge and the fade stay.
Should I buy thrifted clothes a size up?
Slightly big is the safe side, because a darzi can take it in. Just make sure the shoulders fit, since those can't be changed.
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.
Buy the fabric, fit comes after.
On SZN2, measurements tell you what a darzi can work with. The find is the raw material.
MAT 312Selvedge: what the red line means.
MATERIALS · 3 MIN · ENDS AT: ANY DENIM RACKShop the lesson.
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