Last Updated: July 2nd, 2022 by
Career Shortcuts
Do you have a love for fashion and clothing? Are you always the first to know about the latest trends? If so, then a career in tailoring may be perfect for you!
Tailors are experts in creating, repairing, and modifying clothing items to fit their clients perfectly.
Tailors use their knowledge of garment placement and work to ensure that each piece of clothing looks great on the person wearing it.
If you’re interested in learning how to become a tailor, keep reading to learn more about this exciting career field!
This article will guide you through how to become a tailor.
Visit our Career Guide for a list of all our job insights for an in depth look at the new career path you are considering.
What Do Tailors Do?
What do tailors do? A tailor is a person who makes, mends, or alters clothing. Tailors use various tools, including scissors, sewing machines, and irons.
They may also use patternmaking software to create custom designs. Tailors usually work in clothing stores, alteration shops, or dry cleaners, but may also work from home.
Tailors may also be self-employed or work for a clothing manufacturer.
In addition, some tailors specialize in specific clothing, such as wedding dresses or men’s suits, while others may specialize in a particular type of alteration, such as hemming pants or taking in the sides of a dress.
No matter where they work and what they specialize in, most tailors learn their skills through on-the-job training.
Some may also complete an apprenticeship or take classes at a trade school.
To be a successful tailor, you need to have good hand-eye coordination and follow directions carefully.
You also need excellent sewing skills and knowledge of fabric types and garment construction.
If you’re interested in becoming a tailor, contact your local clothing stores or dry cleaners to inquire about job openings.
You can also look for open positions on job board websites.
Career Guide
How to Become a Tailor
There are steps one should take if one wants to pursue a career in tailoring.
These steps include:
Step 1: Earn a High School Diploma
Becoming a tailor involves completing a few key steps, and the first is to earn a high school diploma. While this may seem like a no-brainer, it’s an essential first step.
A high school diploma demonstrates to potential employers that you have the basic skills needed to complete the tasks associated with being a tailor.
In addition, many technical and community colleges require students to have a high school diploma before enrolling in their programs, so earning your high school diploma is an essential first step to becoming a tailor.
Step 2: Complete an Apprenticeship
Becoming a tailor typically requires completing an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships usually last 3-4 years and combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction.
During an apprenticeship, aspiring tailors learn about the different types of fabrics, how to measure and cut fabric, and how to sew seams using a variety of stitches.
They also learn how to operate sewing machines and other equipment, and how to troubleshoot common problems.
Apprentices also learn essential business skills, such as bookkeeping and customer service.
By the end of an apprenticeship, tailors should be able to create garments that meet the highest standards of quality and fit.
Step 3: Take College Courses
Becoming a tailor requires both technical skills and an eye for detail. One way to develop these skills is to take college fashion design or sewing courses.
These classes will teach you the basics of garment construction, fabric selection, and how to use different sewing machines.
In addition, you’ll also learn about color theory and how to create flattering silhouettes.
While you may be able to learn some of these skills on your own, taking college coursework can give you a solid foundation on which to build your career.
If you’re planning on opening your own tailoring business someday, taking business courses can also be helpful.
So, if you’re serious about becoming a tailor, consider enrolling in some college courses. They might help you achieve your dreams.
Step 4: Develop Social Skills
To thrive in this competitive industry, it is also essential to have strong social skills.
After all, tailoring is a highly collaborative process, and good communication is vital to ensuring that both the tailor and the client are on the same page.
In addition, tailors often work closely with other fashion industry members, such as designers and stylists.
Therefore, building solid relationships with these professionals is essential to streamlining the tailoring process.
With strong social skills, a tailor will be able to develop a successful career in this dynamic industry.
Step 5: Choose a Work Environment
When choosing a work environment, there are many things to consider, such as the type of clients you want to work with, the hours you want to work, and your business location.
The first step is to decide what type of clients you want to work with – do you want to work with individuals or with businesses?
If you’re working with companies, do you want to work with large companies or small businesses?
Once you decide who you’d like to work with, the second step is to decide what hours you want to work.
Do you want to work full-time or part-time? Are you interested in days, evenings, or both?
The third step is to decide where you want to locate your business. Do you want to have a home-based business or an office-based business?
These are just a few things you need to consider when choosing a work environment.
Where you work and what you work on with affect your end salary, but most tailors can make anywhere from $22,000 to $57,000 or more depending on the area and expertise.
For example, a tailor in a high-end shop in New York City will more than likely make more than a tailor working at a small- or home-based business.
So you want to be a Tailor? Check out this informative video:
The Benefits of Being a Tailor
The benefits of learning how to become a tailor are numerous. For example, it is a highly versatile profession that allows you to work with various materials.
From cloth to leather and everything in between, tailors have the opportunity to work with some of the most diverse materials available.
Additionally, tailors can use their skills to create a variety of garments, from everyday clothing to one-of-a-kind wedding dresses.
The sky’s the limit for what type of garments a tailor can make.
Another significant benefit of being a tailor is the satisfaction of creating something beautiful and unique.
When you handcraft a garment, you put your heart and soul into it, which shows in the final product.
There is nothing like seeing someone wearing something you made with your own two hands. It is an incredibly gratifying feeling.
Lastly, tailors get to interact with a wide variety of people on a daily basis. You learn about their lives, families, hopes, and dreams.
You get to be a part of some of the most critical moments in their lives, and that is an incredible privilege.
Being a tailor is a gratifying profession, both emotionally and financially.
If you have a passion for fashion and a desire to help people look and feel their best, then a career in tailoring might be the perfect fit for you.
Conclusion
In conclusion, becoming a tailor is a great way to use your creativity and sewing skills to make a living.
It is essential to have basic business management knowledge if you plan on owning your shop.
Tailors who work in shops typically have set hours, but self-employed people can often set their schedules.
If you enjoy working with your hands and making people look their best, then a career in tailoring may be the perfect fit for you!