Skinny jean tailoring for the short girl
October 31, 2013 6:32 PM Subscribe
Please help me find a tailor that can alter skinny jeans properly. So far, I have had bad luck with the two I've tried.
I'm finally TRYING to get some skinny jeans after being out of fashion for the last couple years (I know, I'm sure there is something that's supplanting it as I write this). I haven't jumped on board in part because I'm short, so my ankles end up where most women's calves are. Getting straight leg, boot cut and flare hemmed hasn't been a problem. Skinny jeans, because they need to be tapered at a different spot, are apparently posing quite a challenge.
Tailor one. Local, new-ish, has previously handled simple hems just fine. First attempt at skinny jean tapering, even though it was on her menu of services (thus leading me to believe she had done, and could do it), left them pretty wide at the ankle; very little tapering from the bottom of the calf. Repair attempt a much better fit, but it's like she took all the material from the front, so the inner seams want to twist towards the front. Also, the hem on the ankle only slightly stretchy, so getting them on and off is difficult (but can be done). Not at all how the original ankle was sewn.
Tailor two. Found someone with high reviews on yelp. The results are even wider at the bottom, like she did very little tapering. Ankle hole has 0 stretch even though the jeans are stretchy and the original ankle hole was stretchy. Same issue with all the material coming from the front. Seams aren't twisting so much, but likely because they're not very tapered at the end. Still it's noticeable how little fabric there is in front compared to the back, and when I look at a "raw" pair of unaltered skinny jeans, it seems like there is only a slight difference between the amount of fabric in the front and in the back. I'm a bit exasperated, so I haven't taken them back to be fixed yet.
I don't know how to find someone that can do these jeans right. I've spent more on the tailoring than the jeans themselves are worth, and so am frustrated that I can't get it done right. I don't know any other short women (To the degree that I am) that get their clothes done, so I have no one to ask recommendations of.
It doesn't seem like the problem is complicated to me, so I don't know why they're so screwed up. However, I don't know anything about sewing, so maybe I'm asking for the impossible. Would appreciate some guidance on how to find a tailor that can do them right. Both said they knew how to do it, but I'm wildly unhappy with the results.
(If location helps, I'm just outside of Milwaukee, WI. I'm guessing it won't).
I'm finally TRYING to get some skinny jeans after being out of fashion for the last couple years (I know, I'm sure there is something that's supplanting it as I write this). I haven't jumped on board in part because I'm short, so my ankles end up where most women's calves are. Getting straight leg, boot cut and flare hemmed hasn't been a problem. Skinny jeans, because they need to be tapered at a different spot, are apparently posing quite a challenge.
Tailor one. Local, new-ish, has previously handled simple hems just fine. First attempt at skinny jean tapering, even though it was on her menu of services (thus leading me to believe she had done, and could do it), left them pretty wide at the ankle; very little tapering from the bottom of the calf. Repair attempt a much better fit, but it's like she took all the material from the front, so the inner seams want to twist towards the front. Also, the hem on the ankle only slightly stretchy, so getting them on and off is difficult (but can be done). Not at all how the original ankle was sewn.
Tailor two. Found someone with high reviews on yelp. The results are even wider at the bottom, like she did very little tapering. Ankle hole has 0 stretch even though the jeans are stretchy and the original ankle hole was stretchy. Same issue with all the material coming from the front. Seams aren't twisting so much, but likely because they're not very tapered at the end. Still it's noticeable how little fabric there is in front compared to the back, and when I look at a "raw" pair of unaltered skinny jeans, it seems like there is only a slight difference between the amount of fabric in the front and in the back. I'm a bit exasperated, so I haven't taken them back to be fixed yet.
I don't know how to find someone that can do these jeans right. I've spent more on the tailoring than the jeans themselves are worth, and so am frustrated that I can't get it done right. I don't know any other short women (To the degree that I am) that get their clothes done, so I have no one to ask recommendations of.
It doesn't seem like the problem is complicated to me, so I don't know why they're so screwed up. However, I don't know anything about sewing, so maybe I'm asking for the impossible. Would appreciate some guidance on how to find a tailor that can do them right. Both said they knew how to do it, but I'm wildly unhappy with the results.
(If location helps, I'm just outside of Milwaukee, WI. I'm guessing it won't).
You don't mention your height or the inseam you need, but something like the skinny skinny ankle jean from Madewell might fit without alterations - they have a 28.5" inseam.
posted by ella wren at 6:46 PM on October 31, 2013
posted by ella wren at 6:46 PM on October 31, 2013
I don't want to not answer your question, but this kind of tailoring isn't standard and is hard. How short are you? I ask because I've always been short, but at one stage I was a skinny, skinny-jeans sized short woman. And I sometimes wore petite jeans, but more often girl's or boy's jeans. Are these possibilities for you? (You need to not have teh booty.)
posted by DarlingBri at 6:49 PM on October 31, 2013
posted by DarlingBri at 6:49 PM on October 31, 2013
Everyone's short at some point in their life. When I was, my jeans came from the children's department.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:49 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Sys Rq at 6:49 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I wear skinny skinny ankle jeans from Madewell and have been really satisfied with them over the last couple years. Not cheap, though they have good sales. I think I may have ended up having them hemmed an inch or so, but I have a very short inseam.
Other brands I like in terms of the convenience of having them already in the ballpark of the inseam I need are Levis (which also come in different "curve" levels, if you do have a booty) and the BDG brand sold at Urban Outfitters. I believe Banana Republic also sells pants in a choice of inseam sizes, but I've never bought jeans there. Gap does as well but the quality of their jeans is awful in my opinion.
posted by Sara C. at 6:53 PM on October 31, 2013
Other brands I like in terms of the convenience of having them already in the ballpark of the inseam I need are Levis (which also come in different "curve" levels, if you do have a booty) and the BDG brand sold at Urban Outfitters. I believe Banana Republic also sells pants in a choice of inseam sizes, but I've never bought jeans there. Gap does as well but the quality of their jeans is awful in my opinion.
posted by Sara C. at 6:53 PM on October 31, 2013
1. Buy pants that are designed to stop around the ankle. It does not matter if they are $5 from Goodwill, $10 from H&M or $200 from $brand. Those pants will be easier to be tailored or might only need to be hemmed or even fit right away.
2. Try DIY. Here are two tutorials. First: How to get from straight/flare leg to skinny. Second: How to hem right. If you want more, there are many tutorial and videos online. Doing this will get you a better understanding for garment construction and what to look for when buying pants. And if you decide to give another tailor a chance it should be easier to describe what you are looking for. Hope this helps.
posted by travelwithcats at 7:45 PM on October 31, 2013
2. Try DIY. Here are two tutorials. First: How to get from straight/flare leg to skinny. Second: How to hem right. If you want more, there are many tutorial and videos online. Doing this will get you a better understanding for garment construction and what to look for when buying pants. And if you decide to give another tailor a chance it should be easier to describe what you are looking for. Hope this helps.
posted by travelwithcats at 7:45 PM on October 31, 2013
As a short, slim/athletic-build woman, I buy and wear children's skinny jeans. Perfect fit (and that one pair with an adjustable waist has been a revelation).
posted by halogen at 9:22 PM on October 31, 2013
posted by halogen at 9:22 PM on October 31, 2013
When sewing pants from scratch, adjustment for length comes just below the knee, thus the problem for anyone with short legs even if tall otherwise. The roll up to check the drape at the new length method is good for this reason.
If you now have useless hemmed pants that look good on top, consider hemming into shorts to at least not waste the purchase?
posted by chapps at 11:16 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you now have useless hemmed pants that look good on top, consider hemming into shorts to at least not waste the purchase?
posted by chapps at 11:16 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the clothes buying thoughts. Unfortunately only one actually attempts to answer the question. From previous ask me searches, the answer is always "find a good tailor". Now I'm trying to do just that, and failing. I don't know what criteria makes a good tailor. That is what I want to know.
As for going to a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, there are none in the area*. $200 jeans, where they can be found (I've found 1 shop that carry diesel jeans and heard of another), are from boutiques, and they don't offer tailoring services (at least the ones I've been to.) Macy's is probably the closest, but I don't believe the offer tailoring. I will check, but a quick interwebs search suggests they do not.
And because it's germane to the discussion, I have a 25" inseam. Kids jeans do not work because I'm too curvy, though in my thinner past, I shopped them, and frankly hated it because the styles were lacking. Delia's has a small number of pants in 26" inseam if you order online, but the selection is extremely limited, and their shipping and customer service is terrible.
I do not know anything about sewing includes not knowing how to sew. But I assume from reading the links that what I am trying to have a tailor do isn't difficult.
*Do not get me started on buying bras for a petite but curvy figure here. My attempts include confused and sad looks from fitters trying to figure out what they can do for me. Serious, I can only assume women of my stature have moved to the big cities, or more likely are just straight up wearing the wrong sized bra.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 11:33 AM on November 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
As for going to a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, there are none in the area*. $200 jeans, where they can be found (I've found 1 shop that carry diesel jeans and heard of another), are from boutiques, and they don't offer tailoring services (at least the ones I've been to.) Macy's is probably the closest, but I don't believe the offer tailoring. I will check, but a quick interwebs search suggests they do not.
And because it's germane to the discussion, I have a 25" inseam. Kids jeans do not work because I'm too curvy, though in my thinner past, I shopped them, and frankly hated it because the styles were lacking. Delia's has a small number of pants in 26" inseam if you order online, but the selection is extremely limited, and their shipping and customer service is terrible.
I do not know anything about sewing includes not knowing how to sew. But I assume from reading the links that what I am trying to have a tailor do isn't difficult.
*Do not get me started on buying bras for a petite but curvy figure here. My attempts include confused and sad looks from fitters trying to figure out what they can do for me. Serious, I can only assume women of my stature have moved to the big cities, or more likely are just straight up wearing the wrong sized bra.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 11:33 AM on November 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hi clever name. I guess the point of my comment was that a good tailor may not be able to do what you want, simply due to the style of the pants and how pants are normally shortened. A wider cut has more leeway in shaping the pant leg. And a good tailor would tell you so rather than ruin your pants. The pant roll up test will also help you determine if tailoring is possible-- does it hang nicely at the knee? when the pant is folded up at the cuff to the desired length? If not, the tailor may not be able to help.
They may also be able to advise if there is a different cut of pants that can be made into skinny jeans more effectively.
posted by chapps at 12:50 PM on November 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
They may also be able to advise if there is a different cut of pants that can be made into skinny jeans more effectively.
posted by chapps at 12:50 PM on November 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Unfortunately, what you are trying to do *is* quite difficult. It's relatively easy to "skinnify" a pair of jeans or pants, but creating equivalent front and back sections requires completely dismantling and re-cutting the garment...a custom job for which you may end up paying more than the jeans themselves.
And chapps has it absolutely right that a good tailor would be forthright about this fact. You need a tailor that first and foremost specializes in denim (the weight and movement of the fabric really does require a particular skillset...just as working with chiffons or velvet do...) and it helps to begin with a pair of jeans that is much closer to what you are looking for...possibly with a higher stretch percentage to give you the fitted ankle for which you are searching.
posted by squasha at 7:17 PM on November 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
And chapps has it absolutely right that a good tailor would be forthright about this fact. You need a tailor that first and foremost specializes in denim (the weight and movement of the fabric really does require a particular skillset...just as working with chiffons or velvet do...) and it helps to begin with a pair of jeans that is much closer to what you are looking for...possibly with a higher stretch percentage to give you the fitted ankle for which you are searching.
posted by squasha at 7:17 PM on November 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, that helps. Knowing that a tailor probably should have been telling me these things is a good start. As is finding one that works with denim.
All were skinny jeans, just for people not my size, and all have varying amount of stretch and spandex.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 7:51 AM on November 6, 2013
All were skinny jeans, just for people not my size, and all have varying amount of stretch and spandex.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 7:51 AM on November 6, 2013
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When I try on jeans, I roll or fold them to where I'm going to have to get them hemmed and think to myself "when the jeans are hemmed this way, will they achieve the desired effect?" If the answer is no, or if I'm in any way not happy with how I think the jeans will look with a simple "make these pants shorter" hem job, I do not buy them.
Things that help:
- buying jeans that come in different inseam sizes to begin with. It's much easier to shorten jeans by an inch or two than it is to cut off the 4-5 inches that will inevitably have to come off jeans with a 32 inch inseam. If you wear heels or aren't as stumpy as I am, you may not even have to hem jeans that come in shorter inseams.
- not expecting the tailor to recut the leg of the pants to drape, hang, or taper differently from how they're designed. It's not really about being good or bad at tailoring -- the goal of tailoring is to take an item in, not to re-cut it into a different garment. Hemming is literally shortening the leg. It's not re-creating the pants from the ground up.
posted by Sara C. at 6:44 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]