# Good DC area tailor/Darn you J Press tailor!



## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I meant to put this in this forum, not the fashion forum...

J Press took two shots at making the alterations to my new Presstige blazer. The first one failed bad enough that I noticed in the store, but the second time it was close, but then when I got home I realized the sleeves are not equal length (the second time I've seen their tailor do this) and there is a slight issue with the back.

They charged me $20 to fail at altering it twice, I'm done with them.

Is there a good tailor for alterations in downtown DC (the closer to 18th & M the better)?


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

You can try the famous Mr. Field in Georgetown. I heard he's REALLY good, but pricey too.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Georgetown is too far, I want something I can do on my lunch hour. Also, I don't see the need to pay someone a ton of money for alterations, I get it for a suit or a jacket, but alterations don't take THAT much skill...just more skill than the guy at J Press.


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## farney (Oct 5, 2006)

When I used to live in DC I would only use Joe Sauro, Sauro's Custom Tailoring I believe. Really good at what he does. Not super expensive but not cheap. It's on 19th near the corner of L st on the NE corner. Great old guy, get in there quick, he may be retiring this year.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I googled Sauro and I saw in a post back in 2005 that he appears to be in the "I'm retiring so I don't care anymore" phase of his life. Maybe if I explain to him my troubles with J Press though he'll pity my young soul and do his best work.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

marlinspike said:


> Georgetown is too far, I want something I can do on my lunch hour. Also, I don't see the need to pay someone a ton of money for alterations, I get it for a suit or a jacket, but alterations don't take THAT much skill...just more skill than the guy at J Press.


It depends on the alterations you're having done. If you always undervalue your alterations tailor you'll likely always find frustration with the alterations.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

AlanC said:


> It depends on the alterations you're having done. If you always undervalue your alterations tailor you'll likely always find frustration with the alterations.


All I need is the sleeves to be made equal length and the shoulder touched up, nothing major. I've had the guy in the back at Nordstrom do the same alterations for me in 30 minutes once, came out fine.

Actually, I know 2 tailors who can do the work who I have used before, but neither is near my office.


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

Sometimes for fun, I rescind a shoulder when standing at the three-way being fitted. 

*could this be a joke that has gone too far?


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

Spike:

I use Williams the Tailor in the 2000 Penn mall (downstairs shop at the corner of 21st and I on GW's campus. I've been perfectly happy with the gent there, although they are closing down at the end of the month. He's done cuffs and sleeves for me for good price and done well everytime.

JB


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Thanks for the list guys. I think I'm going to see Sauro first because I have read that when he does put effort into it, his work is really really good. That, and he's close to where I work.


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## Foghorn (Feb 2, 2005)

Squire-
LMAO!
William must have fits when you enter the shop!


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Actually...how about Christopher Kim's on 20th & M, anybody familiar?


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## knickerbacker (Jun 27, 2005)

I think that you should call J.Press, ask to speak to Brian, explain what happened and perhaps call his attention to this thread. They may be able to square things up for you either on this blazer or another purchase down the road. Press has always stood behind their work and Brian is a very upstanding individual. If only it was a 3 man operation; Arthur, Bill, and Brian.


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## xcubbies (Jul 31, 2005)

I'm no tailor, but shouldn't a tailor take the measurements of both arms for a suit jacket since arms are different lengths?


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

knickerbacker said:


> I think that you should call J.Press, ask to speak to Brian, explain what happened and perhaps call his attention to this thread. They may be able to square things up for you either on this blazer or another purchase down the road. Press has always stood behind their work and Brian is a very upstanding individual. If only it was a 3 man operation; Arthur, Bill, and Brian.


This hasn't soured me on future purchases, and I'm sure they'd take another swing at it, but considering that this is the second jacket I've seen come from their tailor that didn't come out right, I'm just going to stop using their tailor (which isn't a big deal because I wouldn't buy their suits or pants since I like pleated pants, so that just leaves sport coats that need fitting).


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## VOLUNTEER (Jul 23, 2006)

The customer who chooses to have his alterations done by a private tailor is the short-sighted merchant's dream. The store is spared the expense of altering the garments as well as the exposure to facing the wrath of the customer should the in-house tailor screw up. For a retailer taking the "long view", this arrangement is easy, but hardly conducive to building a business. The alterations pickup appointment is an opportunity to get the customer back in the store, solidify the client relationship, and sell him more merchandise. Should the customer be returning with improperly altered clothing , it's a chance for the merchant to prove his worth by turning a negative situation into a positive one. Isn't the whole point of institutional advertising to get the customer into the store?


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## artdeco73 (Apr 29, 2004)

marlinspike said:


> Actually...how about Christopher Kim's on 20th & M, anybody familiar?


I've used Chris Kim for alterations for the past three years. He has done a great job so far. His prices for basic alterations are reasonable, anything more complex be sure to ask before leaving the garments with him.

Regards,
Tony


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I went to Chris, but he wanted $240 to fix it - bring the shoulders in, fix that fabric bunches up behind the collar, bring the gut in more - plus I'm not sure he understood how a sack suit should fit - he wanted it to look sharp, but more like something Italian.

So I went back to Press. First the tailor said it was my fault because I wear it wrong, then after I said a few times that he should be able to fix it, he took it back. He pretty much fixed how it bunches up at the back behind my neck, but the shoulders probably should still be brought in - should the edge of the shoulder padding line up with the edge of my shoulders? These stick out a bit, because my shoulders are sloped more.


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

$ 240? How much do these tailors make these days?


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Untilted said:


> $ 240? How much do these tailors make these days?


Too much. I do have a coupon for $15 off, but that's still a lot if you ask me. There's a place in either White Flint or Montgomery Mall (I forget which, whichever one has the tuxedo rental place) that has done good work for me before, and if I recall I had an entire tuxedo (i.e. jacket and pants) done by them in 2 days for $65.

To be fair to Chris, he did say I'd be better off trying some other places, and only then if they say they can't do it should I bring it to him.


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## Benjamin.65 (Nov 1, 2006)

marlinspike said:


> I went to Chris, but he wanted $240 to fix it - bring the shoulders in, fix that fabric bunches up behind the collar, bring the gut in more - plus I'm not sure he understood how a sack suit should fit - he wanted it to look sharp, but more like something Italian.
> 
> So I went back to Press. First the tailor said it was my fault because I wear it wrong, then after I said a few times that he should be able to fix it, he took it back. He pretty much fixed how it bunches up at the back behind my neck, but the shoulders probably should still be brought in - should the edge of the shoulder padding line up with the edge of my shoulders? These stick out a bit, because my shoulders are sloped more.


How do you "wear it wrong". Did they explain what they meant? I wonder if the alterations tailor is a new chap, or has he been with Press since before Arthur mysteriously disappeared?


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Benjamin.65 said:


> How do you "wear it wrong". Did they explain what they meant? I wonder if the alterations tailor is a new chap, or has he been with Press since before Arthur mysteriously disappeared?


He was saying to pull it down at the back once I've put it on...nevermind that how it was I would have to do that every time I moved an inch. It's pretty ok now. I do think it's the same guy who's always been there - i.e. the guy who was there when my brother bought a 130's sharkskin suit from Arthur Noble that didn't get tailored properly in-house (one sleeve is a different length than the other).


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

If you are indeed talking about the DC Press, it's a new tailor, and he's not my favorite thing about Press these days.

The old tailor used to assume 1 3/4 cuffs unless you told him otherwise, and then he'd look at you over his specs, the same way a normal tailor looks at you when you ask for proper cuffs. 

We had a communication problem on a previous set of cuffs a couple suits ago: I said "inch and three quarters", he heard "inch and a quarter", but wrote "1 3/4"" Go figure. They came out as 1 1/4". And if you thought 1 1/2 was looking small! Well, they weren't sure they could fix them, but they did, for no charge. But I wasn't very happy. 

I'm really sick of tailors telling me what I should like and what I shouldn't. Yes, I know full break is more stylish. Yes, I know everyone else has 1 1/2" cuffs. I'm not everyone else. I shouldn't have to say that. 

Sigh.

JB


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Joe Tradly said:


> If you are indeed talking about the DC Press, it's a new tailor, and he's not my favorite thing about Press these days.


I'm going to defer to you on that, because I only vaguely remember the former tailor.

And yeah, tailors need to learn to do what the customer says and only suggest if the custom asks you to or doesn't have an opinion.


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## knickerbacker (Jun 27, 2005)

Joe Tradly said:


> If you are indeed talking about the DC Press, it's a new tailor, and he's not my favorite thing about Press these days....
> 
> I'm really sick of tailors telling me what I should like and what I shouldn't. Yes, I know full break is more stylish. Yes, I know everyone else has 1 1/2" cuffs. I'm not everyone else. I shouldn't have to say that.
> 
> ...


Ahh, the plot thickens! So this new tailor, does anyone know when he started?
I bought a sportcoat in early January 2007 that was a decent fit in the store and when it arrived stunk to high heaven of dry cleaning fluid. Despite having shed some of the holiday pounds it didn't quite fit. Being in California did not give me the option of going in for resolution, but it was very well resolved by the store despite the distance.

Here in San Francisco, I was recommended to Maccione Custom Tailors. Great guy, used to do the specialty stuff for BB when his wife was there in the old days. Came highly recommended by my godfather; a Yalie who is the epitome of a sharp dresser in total trad style. I took a few things there and over time I noticed that my new friend really didn't seem to appreciate what I wanted- pants came back too tight, wanted to do it his way- too much waist surpression, etc. This coincided with the prices seeming to spike as he grew to understand that I didn't want him to retrofit my sack to his MTM standards and I took the hint, moved on to CCC and asked them for a recommendation. "Try Andreas Gorges. He's a great guy, listens to your requests, and isn't overpriced. We use him when our in house person's gone on vacation". All true.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I guess 3rd time was the charm for the alterations, because it got the approval of the Brooks Brothers tailor and my dad (who hates Press stuff, and has a VERY critical eye of clothing, I guess because his dad was a textile engineer). The only issue (which my dad picked up) is that they had accidently in a tiny spot of the sleeve, pressed in a 1 inch long crease which needs to be taken out. Can I do it at home? I rather not take it back a fourth time, but I don't want to turn the blazer shiny with my iron either.


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## VA540 (Dec 15, 2009)

Just dont go to Stephens tailor at 21st and I, he is terrible. Doesnt know how to properly cuff pants.


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## closerlook (Sep 3, 2008)

you must get your hard earned money back from Jpress for this.


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## MidWestTrad (Aug 14, 2010)

Sounds like a trip to JAB a few years ago in which I was literally arguing with the tailor about sleeve length. Haven't been back since.


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## VA540 (Dec 15, 2009)

I once visted JAB, never went back.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

knickerbacker said:


> I think that you should call J.Press, ask to speak to Brian, explain what happened and perhaps call his attention to this thread. They may be able to square things up for you either on this blazer or another purchase down the road. Press has always stood behind their work and Brian is a very upstanding individual. If only it was a 3 man operation; Arthur, Bill, and Brian.


What is your opinion of a salesman named Chris that works in the Washington, DC store?


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

I also had a recent bad experience with tailoring from the J Press store in Washington. I bought a seersucker sport coat at the beginning of the summer and left it with the store to be tailored and then shipped to my home. When I received it the lining on the inside had not been sewn up completely after finishing the work on the coat. I returned to the store and they took care of it, but they have lost some credibility with me as it was such an obvious oversight for them to overlook.


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

Brio1 said:


> What is your opinion of a salesman named Chris that works in the Washington, DC store?


I like him. He's interesting, in his own way, and we speak for a bit whenever I drop by to say hi. There is some drama (for understandable reasons if you take the time to see how things pan out over a potential sale) that occasionally goes on between him and another worker, according to a former employee there, but that has never affected my shopping experience there. I prefer to buy things "from" him when I do actually buy something. I won't say more about him, though.

Last summer, when I bought a blazer there, the alterations done left the sleeves too long... I still haven't fixed this and bought a $30 Southwick on ebay that I think fits much better.


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

marlinspike said:


> So I went back to Press. First the tailor said it was my fault because *I wear it wrong*, then after I said a few times that he should be able to fix it, he took it back.


Sounds like these peeps subscribe to the Apple iPhone 4 school of excuses. 'You're holding it wrong'.


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## DCLawyer68 (Jun 1, 2009)

Sounds like we're in the same hood (or will be shortly). I'm not really clear why the folks at Press couldn't be helpful (and why they charged you - I've had alterations made to all the suits I've brought from there done exactly as ordered and for no extra costs).

Still, Geoffrey Lewis at 15 and H has taken care of those alterations I have needed and done them very well.


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