Looking for a tailor in Chicago.

May 4, 2009 5:20 PM

Chicago-filter: Can you recommend a competent and not too expensive tailor? (Bonus questions about alterations inside.)

Looking for a tailor, preferably one near UIC / Greektown / Little Italy, but one in the Loop would be good also. Will travel for the right place.

As for the alterations:

I've realized the sleeves on one of my suit jackets are too short by about an inch. Luckily* it's a cheaper suit so there aren't faux button holes, just buttons which can be moved without weirdness. What should this alteration run me, money-wise?

The other issue concerns some dress shirts. I have three that are too long. I wear a 33 sleeve and these are 35. Can yo take in dress shirt sleeves? It's probably a lost cause, but I did pay a lot for these shirts and they fit fine in the neck and shoulders...

Thanks for any advice!

*Then again if I had paid more it probably would have been altered right the first time.

posted by wfrgms to clothing, beauty, & fashion (4 comments total)

I had a pair of pants taken in at Nikiforos Tailoring, downtown. It wasn't as glamorous as their website promises, but they did a good job. They've got their rates online. (Jacket sleeves: $35.)
posted by hydrophonic at 8:11 PM on May 4

(They don't do shirts.)
posted by hydrophonic at 8:38 PM on May 4

You can totally take in dress shirt sleeves - as long as the circumference is fine, this should be pretty basic.

I wouldn't totally vouch for these guys yet, but the tailor at UIC Village Cleaners on Halsted and 16th seems good.

He did a great job on some bedding that I brought in last year, though that involved super-basic changes. And the price was definitely right.

I actually just dropped off some other items there for alterations, so drop me a line next week, and I can tell you how they turned out.
posted by asuprenant at 10:08 PM on May 4

Tino's Tailor Shop at 948 W. 18th St. Not glamorous at all, but excellent work and service. I *think* they used to do tailoring for one of the high-end men's stores in town. I had all my clothes tailored a few years ago when I lost a ton of weight, and the quality and pricing was amazing. Highly recommended.
posted by rtodd at 9:26 AM on May 5