The idea of jeans as a weekend, around-the-house
garment has changed fundamentally over recent years. These days we
see jeans everywhere and at almost any occasion.
Were you to purchase a pair of fine wool trousers or slacks,
you'd have no hesitation having them altered to ensure a perfect
fit.
When it comes to off-the-rack jeans, however, we tend to buy
them and wear them, even if the fit is unbecoming.
There's much that a good tailor can do to ensure a better
fit:
Here you have to be careful. You
might be limited to 1 or 1-1/2 inches, otherwise the two rear
pockets will collide.
So often we buy jeans that fits
right at the waist but is a little baggy in the legs (or vice
versa).
The key here is to achieve the fit
while reproducing the exact look of the original. That means that
the tailor must use the same color thread (if those seams are
visible), the same thickness of thread, and the same spacing
between the stitches.
Any tailor or seamstress can shorten
a pair of jeans by cutting off some fabric and running the hem
through an industrial sewing machine.
Again, the key here is to achieve
the correct hem length while reproducing the exact look of the
original hem. That means the same thread color, the same thickness
of thread, and the same spacing between the stitches.
Of course, if the jeans have been
prewashed or exhibits a distressed look, your tailor must be able
to produce a hem with that identical washed out or distressed hem
look.
As a general rule you ought to have your jeans professionally
wet cleaned or dry cleaned before having them altered.
This will ensure that any shrinkage takes place prior to altering
the jeans.
Bottom line: alter your jeans for that perfect fit. And ask your
tailor to return it with the original stitching and look.
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