The Basics of Tailoring Every Working Woman Should Know
You’ll always look sharp at work with our simple guide to wearing tailored clothes, from finding the right fit for your body shape to where to go for professional help
October 31, 2019
Photo: Unsplash
If you’re used to buying clothes off the rack, you would know the pain of having clothing that stick too close to your skin or on the other end, hang more loosely than they’re supposed to. It’s these details that contribute to your overall impression, especially at work, which is why choosing the right fit is essential to portraying a clean and professional image.
Of course, this is easier said than done and we often end up overlooking factors we think don’t matter. Having to choose between wool and wool blends or one or two pockets can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re looking out for. To help you out, we’ve compiled a quick yet comprehensive guide to tailoring.
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Needless to say, fit is a critical part about tailoring. When you’re getting something made for you, it needs to fit comfortably. With most tailors, you’ll be fitted into a “trial” piece in a process called basted fittings. Use this chance to walk, sit, run or jump, so you have an idea on how your final piece will feel, and what changes should be made.
2. Function
Obviously, you wouldn’t want to let your newly-made item gather dust in your closet. To ensure you get the most wear out of your dollar, consider your lifestyle habits and how this clothing article can serve it. Should it be smart casual, or business formal? How many pockets do you want? What about buttons – dressier or subtler versions?
3. Fabric
Fabrics don’t just set the final price you’ll be paying, it also plays a key part in your satisfaction with the finished product. Before deciding on a material, ask yourself if it’s suitable for the climate you’re in, what you’ll be wearing it to, and how tedious the care process is.
What: Easily one of the most frequently-used materials in the world of tailoring, wool fabrics come in a range of colours, weights and quality grades.
Pros: Due to its low absorbency rate, wool can help keep you dry when it’s raining. It’s also very resilient, and can retain its shape even for years with proper care. It also has anti-odour properties.
Cons: Wool is an insulator of heat, so you’ll feel hot in it pretty quickly. Plus, if you perspire, it can affect the resistance of the material too. It also needs special care, which can be inconvenient to some.
Wool Blends
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What: Wool blends essentially meld natural-occuring wool together with man-made materials so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Given that it’s not pure wool, blends tend to cost less.
Pros: Wool blends are better at moisture-wicking, and will help keep your skin feeling cool and dry. It also dries quicker than pure wool, and has a smoother touch that makes it more comfy.
Cons: Cheap blends often carry a very unattractive sheen that may not look professional under the light. The fabric also doesn’t breathe as well.
Boucle
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What: Don’t mix this up with tweed boucle, since not all boucles are made of tweed. In actuality, boucle refers to a spun fabric of any type of fibre.
Pros: The fuzzy and plush texture of boucle makes it great for women’s jackets – something that was popularised by Coco Chanel. Because it’s woven in a looser format, boucle allows for your body to ventilate better.
Cons: Caring for boucle is tricky, because the different fabric contents mean that no one washing method can be applied to any boucle.
Linen
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What: Derived from plants, linen is a great suit material for Singapore weather, because the fabric lends itself to the feeling of summer and it has particular properties that keep your body cool.
Pros: Linen ranks highly in strength and durability, and can be easily laundered without fuss. It’s also great at keeping you fresh, because it’s a highly absorbent fabric.
Cons: When washed with hard water, linen can look disheveled and worn. It also wrinkles easily, which means your clothes will look creased as the day passes.
Single-breasted jackets: These have single columns of one to three buttons. 94 per cent of suits use single-breasted fronts, so you won’t stick out wearing one. They are also considered more conservative, which makes them more suitable to be worn every day. Going for the single-breasted front also gives you more flexibility to play with a wider variety of cuts, details and types of lapels.
Double-breasted jackets: These have two columns of buttons. Given that double-breasted jackets are less common, wearing one may earn you more attention, especially since they tend to appear dressier and are better reserved for formal events. Double-breasted fronts also help create broader shoulders and a slimmer-looking waist, especially when cinched with a belt.
When the brand’s dream is to “put every girl in a suit”, you know that you’re in safe hands. 3EIGHTH breathes time-heralded techniques into modern fabrics and cuts.
MADE SUITS
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Packing plenty of panache into their suits, you’ll get to pick from a huge selection of cloths at very friendly price points at MADE SUITS, so you can get more than one item tailored.
Q MENSWEAR
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A brand that has a strong reputation in tailoring, Q Menswear doesn’t just cater to the men. Their sharp tailoring methods extend to female customers as well, and their helpful team of experts stay on-hand to guide you through every step.
