Call (713) 520-6090
00 Upper Kirby · Houston

Alterations.

Bring in the thing that almost fits. Most of it is fixable, and the part that is not, we will tell you about honestly.

Call (713) 520-6090

Walk-ins welcome. 3801 Kirby Dr, Upper Kirby. Doing this since 1998.

·Pick the garment

Five kinds of fixable.

Each one has its own page, its own list, and its own honest caveats. Or skip the reading and bring the garment in.

01 A finished black dinner jacket with striped shirt and patterned tie on the shop's form Jackets & Suits

Sleeves, waist, length. Shoulders when it is worth it.

Full page → 02 Hands pinning a dark garment at the seam, a tape measure hanging alongside Trousers

Waist, seat, taper, hem, cuffs. The fastest work we do.

Full page → 03 A tape measure run down the front of a black dress on a dress form Dresses

Straps, bust, waist, hem, zippers. Fitted, not just shortened.

Full page → 04 A tan shirt under a black waistcoat on the shop's dress form Shirts

Body, sleeves, collar. From tolerate to wear.

Full page → 05 Three replacement zippers in cream, brown and black laid on dark leather Zippers & Repairs

Zippers, buttons, linings, and the catch that keeps catching.

Full page → 06 Cut tan cloth pieces laid out on the dark cutting table Custom Tailoring

The other side of the bench. Cut to you from cloth.

How custom works →
01 Jackets

Jackets

The sleeves and the waist are the easy part. Length within reason. Shoulders are the hard one, and anyone who tells you otherwise is about to ruin your jacket.

SleevesLength, and width if they are wide
WaistTaken in or let out
LengthWithin reason
ShouldersThe hard one. Sometimes worth it, sometimes not. We will say which.
BackCollar gap, cloth pulling across the blades
A black dinner jacket covered in white basting and marking lines, on the shop's form
Fig. 01 · A dinner jacket, basted and marked for alteration
The same black dinner jacket, finished and pressed, on the shop's form
Fig. 02 · The same jacket, finished

The full jackets page →

02 Trousers

Trousers

Usually the fastest work we do.

WaistIn or out
SeatThe most common one
TaperThrough the leg
HemAnd the break over your shoe
CuffsAdded or removed

The full trousers page →

03 Dresses

Dresses

A dress that fits everywhere except one place is the most common thing we see, and it is almost always the easiest to solve.

Straps and shoulders
Bust and side seams
WaistTaken in
HemAnd the length
ZippersReplaced
The full dresses page → Women’s work →
04 Shirts

Shirts

Anyone can buy a dress shirt. That shirt was not made for you specifically. Taking in the body and setting the sleeve length is the difference between a shirt you wear and a shirt you tolerate.

BodyTaken in through the waist
SleevesLength
CollarAdjusted

The full shirts page →

05 And the small things

And the small things.

Linings. Buttons and clasps re-sewn. Zippers replaced. Repairs. The unglamorous work that keeps a good garment alive.

Zippers replaced Buttons and clasps Linings and seams Hems and cuffs Honest repairs

The full repairs page →

06Questions

Questions people ask.

What is the difference between a tailor and a seamstress?
In practice the words overlap. A tailor traditionally works in structured garments like suits and jackets, and a seamstress works across garments and sewing generally. At our bench the same people do both, so bring in whatever needs work and we will handle it.
What is the difference between tailoring and alterations?
Alterations adjust a finished garment to fit you better. Tailoring, in the fuller sense, also includes building garments and reworking their structure. Most of what comes through the door is alterations, and most of it is straightforward.
How long do alterations take?
It depends on the garment and the work. A hem is quick and reworking a jacket takes longer. Bring it in and we will tell you when it will be ready before you leave it.
How much do alterations cost in Houston?
It depends on the garment and what it needs, and we would rather look at it than guess over the phone. Bring it in and we will tell you what it needs and what it will cost before we start. If it is not worth doing, we will tell you that too.
What can and cannot be altered?
Most garments can be taken in, shortened and reshaped within reason. Letting a garment out depends on how much cloth was left in the seams. Shoulders on a jacket can be moved, but it is real work and not always worth it. Bring it in and we will tell you honestly.
·Weddings

Getting married?

The wedding dress is the most careful fitting we do, fitted to you in stages so it is right on the day. Bridesmaids, the mothers of the bride and groom, and the groom’s suit can all be fitted at the same bench.

Wedding & bridal alterations →

06 What it costs

What it costs.

It depends on the garment and what it needs, and we would rather look at it than guess at it over the phone. Bring it in. We will tell you what it needs, what it will cost, and when it will be ready. If it is not worth doing, we will tell you that too, and we will not charge you for the opinion.

Call (713) 520-6090 Book an appointment

3801 Kirby Dr, Suite 100 · Upper Kirby · Houston, TX 77098