Men should own at least one good suit. The keyword here is good. While it’s easy to buy a suit off the rack or purchase one online for a reasonable price, nothing beats a custom-made suit. But how long does it take to tailor a suit?
This is one of the most common questions men have when suit shopping. We’re here to answer that and give you an idea of what you can expect to pay when getting your suit tailored.
Quick Take
It takes about a week to tailor your suit.
The average cost of purchasing a new suit and having it tailored is $2,500.
The cost of tailoring a suit you already own can range anywhere from $40 to $400, depending on how many alterations you’re having done to the suit.
| Tailoring | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Shorten sleeves | $30 to $50 |
| Adjust waistline | $30 to $100 |
| Hemming the pants | $30 to $60 |
| Tailoring the jacket | $30 to $100 |
Read on to learn everything you need to know about tailoring a suit.
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What Is a Tailored Suit?
A tailored suit is one that has been fitted for a specific buyer. This usually entails minor sleeve or slack adjustments. Off-the-rack, bespoke, and custom-made suits are all examples suits that can be tailored.
Benefits of Tailoring a Suit
Tailoring a suit has numerous advantages. A fitted suit matches your body properly and draws attention to your best features. Some tailored suits can even accentuate your chest and arms while concealing your stomach (if that’s a concern).
These are some of the many advantages of wearing a fitted suit, but the list continues on:
- You may make an older suit look more current by restoring it
- Repair an old suit
- A fitted outfit exudes professionalism
- Tailored suits can elevate the look and feel of a standard suit
- Tailoring a suit increases its longevity
- You can establish a rapport with the tailor
- A tailor may create unique suits for you
If you want to show people that you are serious about your appearance, a tailored suit will do that. You can get the look of a more costly suit without having to buy one by tailoring an existing suit.
Nevertheless, when tailoring a suit, there are several factors to consider, including cost, time required, and tailoring method.
More on all three of these factors below.
How Much Does a Tailored Suit Cost?
A custom outfit will set you back about $2,500. Depending on who tailors the suit, it might cost as little as $1,000 or as much as $10,000. It’s worth noting that this is the price range for a bespoke suit, which is made by a tailor by hand.
The expense of having an existing suit altered is significantly less. Tailoring can cost up to $400 at high-end tailors, yet smaller department stores may just charge $40. This cost is also depends on how many changes you require.
Made to Wear Vs. Bespoke Suits
Bespoke and made-to-wear suits are the two most prevalent types of suits you’ll see. There are some parallels between these suit types, but they are also have their fair share of differences.
We’ll go over some of the important distinctions and explain what each suit type is.
Made To Wear
Made-to-wear suits are what you see on rack in department stores.
The advantage of made-to-wear suits is that they are less expensive to manufacture, sell, and adjust.
This means that just about anyone can buy a suit off the rack, make a few minor alterations, and have a professionally made suit.
Bespoke
Bespoke suits are high-end suits made to a specific individual’s measurements.
These suits are not available off the rack because they typically contain specific designs and styles intended for the person wearing them.
Canvas layers in the jacket, a nice fit around the shoulders (tailored pads), and more expensive fabrics are all features of bespoke suits.
Tailors will usually spend a lot of time and effort creating bespoke outfits.
How Long Does It Take To Tailor a Suit?
Getting a suit customized usually takes around a week. However, the length of time it takes to customize a suit is dependent on a number of factors, which is why some suits might take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
Some tailors charge a rush fee to expedite the process, but this comes at a cost; sometimes half of the tailoring job’s cost. Other elements that affect the length of time it takes to tailor a suit include the person doing the work, the time of year it’s being done, and the availability of materials.
Who Is Tailoring a Suit
Having a suit professionally tailored is nearly always faster than doing it yourself.
Simple alterations (hemming the pants or adjusting the jacket) to a suit can usually happen the same day if a department store tailors it before you buy it.
Suits sent to a professional tailor, on the other hand, can take weeks depending on their workload and the complexity of the alterations. Professional tailors may have a steady stream of clients, so getting on the calendar can be difficult.
When the Suit Is Being Tailored
The season in which you tailor your suit will impact the price. Some seasons are busier than others; consider the popular wedding seasons (summer and spring).
Some seasons are busier than others; think of the common wedding seasons (summer and spring) as an example.
If you are having a suit tailored during the summer or spring months (April through September), it will likely take more than a few weeks. This is because tailors are busy with wedding clients.
If you want the quickest results, take your suit in for tailoring during the fall and winter months. During this period, a suit can be done in as little as a week or two.
If you want your suit fitted as quickly as possible, go during the fall and winter months. A suit can be completed in as little as a week or two during this time.
Availability of Materials
The last factor to examine is material availability.
Tailoring a suit doesn’t involve a lot of resources, but it does necessitate fabrics, sewing tools, and a suit (of course).
If any of these materials are unavailable, tailoring a suit will take longer.
Unless you have a suit with a distinctive or high-end fabric, this isn’t normally an issue.
A shortage of supplies can also make it impossible for the tailor to speed the task because they won’t have the resources on hand.
The Process of Tailoring a Suit
To tailor a suit efficiently, many tailors follow a regular techniques and measurement practices.
Having Measurements Taken
A tailor will take measurements as one of the first things they do. A skilled tailor will take measurements of your legs, waist, wingspan, and other details.
Tailors do this with a measuring tape, and they may measure you twice or three times to ensure an accurate measurement. They can then start altering the elements of the garment that don’t fit.
Additionally, some tailors will take your measurements before you buy a new suit to verify that it fits you properly. This is especially handy if the outfit is custom-made.
Many tailors will take measurements for free, but there will be charges if portions of the suit need to be adjusted.
Shorten Sleeves
TLDR; shortening the sleeves of your suit shirt will run you about $30.
Depending on the suit shirt, the sleeves might be long or short.
The fit of your shirt sleeves should be comfortable. If your sleeves are too long, or too tight, have a tailor adjust them accordingly.
The tailor will perform this work by folding the sleeve to the appropriate length and removing the fabric.
Adding fabric to the sleeves is more difficult and not done very frequently.
The cost of shortening sleeves varies depending on the type of sleeves being adjusted.
Changing the sleeves on a sports coat, for example, might cost upwards of $40, whereas changing the sleeves on a dress shirt is much less at around $20.
The length of time it takes to perform these alterations is also determined by the type of sleeve being adjusted.
Waistline
TLDR; tailoring the waistline of you suit will cost between $30 and $100.
Some guys have implemented DIY methods of tightening the waistline of their suit by tightening their belt as much as possible, or even using binder clips.
That said, it’s best to get the waistline of your suit pants hemmed by a professional because it requires precision sewing or the pants won’t look right.
The cost of tailoring this area of the pants varies depending on the style of waistline.
If only the waistline is being altered, a price range of $30 to $60 is average.
You should anticipate to pay between $40 and $100 for customized pants at the waistline and crotch, depending on the type of pants.
Hemming the Pants
TLDR; hemming the pants of your suit will run you $30 to $60.
One of the most common reasons to visit a tailor is to have pants hemmed, and most department shops have someone on hand to hem pants.
The process of hemming pants entails removing cloth from the legs. Tailors use fabric tape to cut and fold the pants inward to remove the fabric.
The fabric is taken from the pant legs after they have been folded inside.
From a tailoring aspect, hemming the pants is affordable.
Tailors don’t have to spend as much time on the pants because they simply need to be hemmed at the ankle and calf; this is reflected in the price.
Hemming costs around $30 on average, however the price varies based on the fabric.
High-end hemming jobs can cost well over $50 or $60.
Tailoring the Jacket
TLDR; tailoring the jacket of your suit will cost you between $30 to $100.
When it comes to tailoring your suit jacket, tailors will focus on the shoulders, sleeve length, and the jacket’s waist.
You can tailor a boxy-looking sports coat in these places to give a sport coat a slim-fit look.
Expect to pay between $30 and $60 for sleeve and waistline suit jacket work.
Changes to the shoulder, on the other hand, have a significant impact on the price. Even without alterations to the sleeve or waistline of the jacket, some shoulder work can cost up to $100.
If you have the sleeves, waistline, and shoulders of a bespoke suit tailored, you’re likely looking at $100 or more.
Maintaining A Tailored Suit
Tailored suits are not cheap. When you invest a lot of money on anything, you want to get the most out of it and make it last as long as possible. Neglecting a fitted suit is the quickest way for it to lose value.
Neglecting a suit can degrade the fabric, destroy a tailoring job, and make the suit look amateurish and sloppy.
We’ve included some basic guidelines to help you maintain your fitted suit.
Have It Dry Cleaned
The best way to keep a suit’s appearance, size, and style is to dry clean it. Taking your suit to the dry cleaning will prevent it from shrinking in the dryer and damaging the fabric.
While some suits can be washed at home, we always advise against it. Dry cleaners are reasonably priced, and you won’t have to wash your suit between uses.
Stay Up-To-Date on Your Size
Tailored clothes are made to fit well. A tight suit allows you to move about comfortably without hurting the fabric or seams.
If you gain a few pounds, your suit may tear, which causes the fabric to be permanently damaged.
Losing 5 or 10 pounds, on the other hand, will make the suit appear loose. Keep track of your measurements to avoid these problems.
Rotate Your Suits
A tailor-made suit is a great piece of a man’s wardrobe. Even though it can be an expensive outfit, it’s not indestructible.
There will be issues if you wear the same suit to work every day, and it will not last as long as a suit that is rotated.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t wear your tailored suit often; it just means you should take care to allow the cloth to breathe.
Stay Sharp!
Because tailored suits are necessary for many occasions, having at least one is a terrific way to instantly boost your wardrobe. While tailored suits may appear to be pricey, if you already own a suit, you can have one fitted for a fair price and in a reasonable amount of time.
Even if you don’t own a suit, getting one that fits you perfectly will always be worth the money.
In addition, if you need a suit taken in, a professional tailor can make minor alterations swiftly. Always strive to look your best and maintain a professional demeanor!
