# Alterations: what should and shouldn't be done at the dry cleaners?



## GreenPlastic (Jan 27, 2009)

Ok, so allow me to present the predicament here. I live and go to school in a small suburb of Chicago, and to the best of my knowledge, there are no highly reputable tailors in my suburb (Evanston). Obviously there are some great tailors in Chicago, but none that I'd find myself trekking 45 minutes into town to bother with shirt and chino alterations.

Generally speaking, is it safe to get minor to moderate shirt and (inexpensive) chino alterations done at a dry cleaner? I assume that the answer to this question really depends on the particular dry cleaner, but let's just put out a general confidence interval here. Would you say that most dry cleaners will butcher a nice shirt? 50/50? Don't bother at all?

For my most expensive items (higher end shirts, suits, etc.), I definitely wouldn't chance the local dry cleaners. But for one-off or less expensive pieces like some RTW shirts, I'm wondering if it's worth the risk.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about here: most likely this would be "taking in" a looser dress shirt to get a more tapered fit. Trimming down the chest and torso, -possibly- trimming sleeves (though I know that's harder to do), etc.


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## deanayer (Mar 30, 2008)

Before you can calculate the probability of success I think you have to ascertain two other probabilities, the first being will the dry cleaner provide the service and second will they provide a fairly complex service like altering a shirt to the extent you described. Right off the top of my head I think you are asking for the stars to align. I dont see this working unless you A. find a dry cleaner who provides alterations B. That dry cleaner's tailor is onsite and available to take measurements and to discuss alterations with and lastly the big one C. They can handle the job and do it correctly.

I would suggest a very low-tech approach, crack open the local yellow pages and look for a tailor or seamstress, you might even ask at a fabric store for a recommendation. As older skilled tailors are not being replaced by as many young ones chances are they arent going to be on the web. You may find a decent local tailor just working out of their house. 

This is actually how I found my tailor who oddly enough had a store so nondescript it was actually next to my dry cleaners and I never even noticed it - and as they are from the old country (not sure which exactly! but eastern european) no they did not have a website but they did have a yellow pages ad.

If its more than just getting pants hemmed and maybe sleeves shortened I would keep looking, there has to be a tailor somewhere near you. you might want to go to a dry cleaner that DOESNT have a tailor to ask for a recommendation as well since it probably comes up often enough.


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## GreenPlastic (Jan 27, 2009)

My apologies. I realize I should have been clearer up front about filtering down my search. I'm talking about dry cleaners in my area (and there are many) who advertise alterations services -- not just any old dry cleaners. Now, clearly I'd never get alterations done by any place that won't measure me on the premises. So that rules out shops without an on-site tailor, or at least a tailor-proprietor. 

I know there is at least one dedicated alterations tailor in Evanston, but the shop has received very mixed reviews on Citysearch. I also think they're one of those prom dress specialists, who don't necessarily work with men's clothing too often, and whose expertise is in "just good enough" alterations.

Good advice, though, about finding places in the yellow pages and not necessarily leaving things up to the internet. I'll definitely give that a shot before making blanket condemnations of the state of tailoring in an entire suburb.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

The only alteration I have done at the dry cleaner is hemming. I buy most of my pants long and then have them shortened to the length I want. I even mark them myself before taking them in.

Everything else goes to one of two tailors I use. One is strictly an alterations tailor and I let her do things like take in shirts and shorten shirt sleeves. I don't think it takes an award winning tailor to do these things but I do trust this lady more than the lady at the dry cleaner.

For alterations to jackets and pants (other than hemming) I go to a bespoke tailor who also does alterations. The only reason I don't take all my business to him is that he is more expensive than the strictly alterations tailor who is in turn more expensive than the dry cleaner.

Cruiser


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## welldressedfellow (May 28, 2008)

I will let my dry cleaning alterations lady hem trousers and shorten jacket sleeves.


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## Preu Pummel (Feb 5, 2008)

welldressedfellow said:


> I will let my dry cleaning alterations lady hem trousers and shorten jacket sleeves.


Same.


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## gnatty8 (Nov 7, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> The only alteration I have done at the dry cleaner is hemming. I buy most of my pants long and then have them shortened to the length I want. I even mark them myself before taking them in.
> 
> Everything else goes to one of two tailors I use. One is strictly an alterations tailor and I let her do things like take in shirts and shorten shirt sleeves. I don't think it takes an award winning tailor to do these things but I do trust this lady more than the lady at the dry cleaner.
> 
> ...


Good advice here. I would never trust a complicated alteration to a dry cleaner's seamstress, you'll be sorry. Hemming trousers, not much else.


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## mysharona (Nov 4, 2008)

gnatty8 said:


> Good advice here. I would never trust a complicated alteration to a dry cleaner's seamstress, you'll be sorry. Hemming trousers, not much else.


Hemming only, although my motto is, if I'm going to wear it, it goes to my tailor.


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## eamuscatuli3 (Jun 12, 2006)

Everything of mine goes to the tailor.


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## GreenPlastic (Jan 27, 2009)

eamuscatuli3 said:


> Everything of mine goes to the tailor.


Yeah, I'm starting to come to the conclusion that there are no shortcuts to good tailoring. And honestly, if I plan to get several good years' worth of use out of a nice shirt, I shouldn't leave the tailoring to chance.

Thank you all for the advice. It sort of confirms my initial suspicions, but I'm glad to have confirmed them either way.


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## rgrossicone (Jan 27, 2008)

Cruiser said:


> The only alteration I have done at the dry cleaner is hemming. I buy most of my pants long and then have them shortened to the length I want. I even mark them myself before taking them in.
> 
> Everything else goes to one of two tailors I use. One is strictly an alterations tailor and I let her do things like take in shirts and shorten shirt sleeves. I don't think it takes an award winning tailor to do these things but I do trust this lady more than the lady at the dry cleaner.
> 
> ...


Cruiser, are you trying to steal my identity? Because your story MIRRORS mine to the tee. If you'd like, you can pay off some of my credit card debt, and I'll let you use my name. Deal?

Seriously though, simple alterations like shirt sleeve length, and inexpensive thrifted jacket sleeve length go to my local cleaners up the street (easy and cheap) and they do a decent job. They also narrow ties for $5...can't beat that.

I have a lady who is a seamstress close to my work that does a decent job on mall brand suits and in an emergency, she once did a tux for me in less than 24 hours. Nice lady, nice prices, a bit more than my local cleaners/tailor.

Anything I'd be really upset about having butchered, I take to my local bespoke tailor. I'm lucky that here in Brooklyn, none of these places are farther than 2 miles, and all are walkable (well my bespoke guy would be a bit too long).

I also suggest doing a trial run with a cheap-o shirt/trouser before sending any more business to a place. If you like the work, then take the rest of the stuff.

Good luck.


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## ykurtz (Mar 7, 2007)

I asked to see samples of the work my local dry cleaner's seamstress from time to time over a period of several months while I dropped off shirts, etc., for dry cleaning. I was suitably impressed and she did an unbelievable job shortening my jacket by 1/2 inch. As good as my tailor for 1/3 the price. That said, I think it's a very hit or miss proposition so I would lean towards using a trusted tailor for your prized wares and maybe someone cheaper but professional for your less important pieces, e.g. an eBay purchase.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

If you find a good tailor and he makes you look and feel good when you need major alterations, why would you cheap out when it comes to hems and other things you believe to be easy?

Good tailors are a dying breed. I do all I can to keep my guy in business, and suggest if you have a good tailor you do that same.


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## GreenPlastic (Jan 27, 2009)

mrkleen said:


> If you find a good tailor and he makes you look and feel good when you need major alterations, why would you cheap out when it comes to hems and other things you believe to be easy?


I'm in kind of an interesting predicament. I'm from Los Angeles, and my trusted tailor is in Los Angeles. But for the next two years I'm in b-school in Evanston. It's neither feasible nor cost effective for me to fly into LA just to get tailoring done, and I'm in LA infrequently enough that bringing my stuff with me whenever I _do _happen to go is a twice-a-year proposition at best. In the meantime, I'm stuck with quite a few items that won't be out to LA for 6 months or longer and yet need some tailoring.

I guess this means I'll have to choose one of the Chicago tailors that come recommeded here or on Citysearch, shlep into town, and try them out. I think the general consensus is that life's too short to cheap out on good tailoring most of the time. So with that in mind, I'm not fond of driving into Chicago for tailoring vs. going local in Evanston -- but you gotta do what you gotta do.


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## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

GreenPlastic said:


> I'm in kind of an interesting predicament. I'm from Los Angeles, and my trusted tailor is in Los Angeles. But for the next two years I'm in b-school in Evanston. It's neither feasible nor cost effective for me to fly into LA just to get tailoring done, and I'm in LA infrequently enough that bringing my stuff with me whenever I _do _happen to go is a twice-a-year proposition at best. In the meantime, I'm stuck with quite a few items that won't be out to LA for 6 months or longer and yet need some tailoring.
> 
> I guess this means I'll have to choose one of the Chicago tailors that come recommeded here or on Citysearch, shlep into town, and try them out. I think the general consensus is that life's too short to cheap out on good tailoring most of the time. So with that in mind, I'm not fond of driving into Chicago for tailoring vs. going local in Evanston -- but you gotta do what you gotta do.


As many of the others have said, I would only trust hemming with my dry cleaner.

I live and work in the city and can understand the pain it can be to drive around, but it's well worth it to get good tailoring. However, you might have some luck with trying to find someone on the north shore or suburbs somewhere. Surely there is a competent tailor somewhere in the Chicago burbs. Unfortunately, I can't reccomend one as I rarely make it out to there.


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