Find A Tailor

Sure, everyone knows you can get your pants hemmed at the dry cleaners. But what about when your threads need a little more attention? Perhaps that fabulous new suit needs fine-tuning or you’d like your own custom-designed dress shirt. How do you find a great tailor who can expertly handle a variety of complicated and specialized tasks?
First and foremost, don’t be afraid to ask around: Ask a friend, that sharp-looking dresser at work or go to a high-end department store. Once you've assembled yourself a list of recommended tailors, start doing some research.
Now that you’ve found some tailor candidates, you need to make up your mind about which one to trust with your style reputation. The following are some details you should keep in mind when conducting your search.

Experience
Start with this direct and most important question: How long have you been in business? If you want someone experienced, make sure he's not the new business on the block. Of course, everyone has to start somewhere, but do you want to be the one to take a chance?
Secondly, ask if he can provide a list of clients. There is no better reference than a satisfied customer; make sure you get at least five names, and don’t assume they’re all happy customers -- call them. If your candidate won’t or can’t give you a list, cross him off of yours; it doesn’t matter if you've heard great things about him.
Vision
Find out the tailor's personal take on fashion: Is he strictly into old-school, classic styles or can he do trendy items for you as well? Having your own fashion authority is a great tool to form your own sense of style.
See if the tailor has the same vision as you. Search magazines and bring photos of what appeals to you. Discuss fabrics and styles you prefer. Find out if he is open or resistant to your ideas; a tailor who balks at your suggestions is not the tailor for you.
Making sure your visions mesh is of the utmost importance. You need to be comfortable working with this person, so it’s best to find out from the very beginning whether this will be a pleasurable collaboration or not. You don’t want to be halfway through a suit to discover you are rubbing each other the wrong way; chances are it will show in the garment.
Samples
The only way to know the exact quality of a tailor’s work is to see it for yourself. Ask if he can provide you with samples or photos of his work, and judge for yourself if this is the kind of craftsmanship you’d like applied to your own clothing. Also, browse through some samples of the materials he works with.
Furthermore, make sure to ask him about his style of workmanship. Ask how much of the garment will be hand-sewn and how much will be machine-made. Ask him to describe the process to you so you can make a well-informed decision.
Time frame
So far, so good, but what about the wait? Check his availability and the time frame allotted to complete various projects; unrealistic, overextended time frames can be a deal-breaker. The tailor may make a great garment, but if you have to wait forever for it to be completed, it may be a good idea to visit the second tailor on your list.
Price
Once you’ve found the tailor you like best, you must find out the most important detail of all: How much does he charge? You need to listen to your wallet, but don’t go with the bargain basement either -- unless a polyester plaid ensemble is more your thing.

After interviewing your tailor candidates, take the time to review your options. A tailor's experience and his happy repeat clients are the hallmark of an expert tailor. Shy away from anyone who resists your style vision; you must be comfortable working with this person -- after all, it will be a close and personal relationship. Choose the one who most closely reflects your sense of style and taste, has a good turnaround time and offers reasonable rates.
Hand-tailoring is not inexpensive and has traditionally been in the realm of the upper class, but consider this: Who do you think looks better -- the guy in a $300 off-the-rack suit or the fellow in the hand-tailored $3,000 suit that drapes like a dream?