Pros/Cons of "luxury" altering?

[CityHunter]

Hey all

So I rarely alter my jeans because I usually find the perfect fit. The few times I did alter them, I didn't really care of the welfare of the jeans (picked up from vintage or thrift stores, etc) so I brought them to a dry cleaner to get them altered.

I just picked up 2 pairs of fairly expensive jeans, both one size too large because that was all they had and I really wanted them. Since I am a cheap-ass and spent a crap load already, I was wondering if it was worth it to pay the $40 per pair at a place like Denim Doctors (HTC) or at American Rag's Denim Bar to take it down a size or if I should just pay the $8 at the dry cleaners.

Is one place significantly better than another? The Dry Cleaners seem to do a good job, although I have never seen the quality of one of the more 'luxury' alterers.

Also, if the 'luxury' alterers is suggested, does anyone recommend one in the Los Angeles/Orange County area?

Thanks a mil!

[ringring]

Jeans, due to their construction, with the twin chain stitching, fell seams and the thick intersections at the yoke aren't ideal candiates for tailored alterations. And with their workwear roots, jeans tend to look better when they are a bit antifit.

I find most alteration services will alter your clothes in a style that is closer to dressmaking. Even simple things like hemming tend to be treated in the same way as a pair of tailored trousers.

However, given your choices, I'd take them to somewhere that is used to altering jeans & who live and breathe denim . I'm sure that Denim Doctors and Amercian Rag will preserve as much of the jeans-feel as possible and those would be the places I would go to in LA.

[Chicken]

in other words you might have a better chance putting them up on supermarket for trades with your correct sizes first?

[Bill2]

Definitely take them to a jeans specialist. Our man alterations tailor for Stronghold is also the guy who makes a good deal of our jeans from scratch. I just sent him my bucklebacks for alterations. He took the waist in an inch, slimmed the leg 2 full inches in width all the way down, and hemmed them for me. Re-felled the seams, chainstiched everywhere. Can't even tell they were altered.

The point here is that jean alterations can be done (excuse the pun) seamlessly, but what RingRing says is true. It takes specific no-how and specific machinery/materials (i.e. thread) to do it right. Send them to a denim specialist.

We offer free alterations on all of our jeans bought in the store, usually done within 48 hours.

[ringring]

I'd forgotten about Stronghold, do you do alterations on other brands' jeans? Is that done at the sewing workshop on 606 Venice?

You've got some lovely denim there, which is actually understating it and Ray, if I recall his name correctly, & if he's still there, is a lovely fella.

[Bill2]

I'd forgotten about Stronghold, do you do alterations on other brands' jeans? Is that done at the sewing workshop on 606 Venice?

You've got some lovely denim there, which is actually understating it and Ray, if I recall his name correctly, & if he's still there, is a lovely fella.

Yes, all alterations are done across the street from the store. They are walked to and from the shop by our tailor. Yes, we have some really handsome stuff at the store right now. I highly recommend you check out our Persimmon dyed 13oz and our 17oz AI super slub....

Regretably, Ray is no longer at the store. I am his replacement! I was lucky enough to meet and hang out with Ray before his departure. He is quite a character, and a really nice guy.

[the black arm]

the stronghold store on abbott kiney is a must-see on an LA denim tour, Mr. Freedom is another one, two somewhat different ends of the denim spectrum, but the genuine love comes through in both. sorry to hear ray is no longer there, when I stopped by he showed me the 17oz AI, absolutely gorgeous, he also rolled out the denim (I loved that there are rolls on site, brilliant.), I think it was purple selvedge. I also tried on a pair of the ecru jeans. He said, if I remember correctly, that the AI super slub denim was woven on a reconfigured vintage kimono loom . . does that sound right? I was a little surprised.

[ringring]

Yes, all alterations are done across the street from the store. They are walked to and from the shop by our tailor. Yes, we have some really handsome stuff at the store right now. I highly recommend you check out our Persimmon dyed 13oz and our 17oz AI super slub....

Regretably, Ray is no longer at the store. I am his replacement! I was lucky enough to meet and hang out with Ray before his departure. He is quite a character, and a really nice guy.

As the song goes, it's a shame about Ray. Stronghold have got themselves a good asset in you though.

I am familar with the Persimmon and the Ai denim in your shop. The Ai is basically the Pure Blue Ai fabric and is phenomenal.

[ringring]

the stronghold store on abbott kiney is a must-see on an LA denim tour, Mr. Freedom is another one, two somewhat different ends of the denim spectrum, but the genuine love comes through in both. sorry to hear ray is no longer there, when I stopped by he showed me the 17oz AI, absolutely gorgeous, he also rolled out the denim (I loved that there are rolls on site, brilliant.), I think it was purple selvedge. I also tried on a pair of the ecru jeans. He said, if I remember correctly, that the AI super slub denim was woven on a reconfigured vintage kimono loom . . does that sound right? I was a little surprised.

I agree entirely. Forget a being a must see on an LA tour, it's a must see on a world tour . Mr Freedom is incredible. Another very nice guy too.

The Ai could have been woven on a loom that has also made kimono fabric. Looms can be set up for different fabrics. There's a little photostory on Take5's site, where the owner, Benny, travels to Okinawa and watches some denim being woven on a loom that is normally used to weave fabric for monks robes. The resulting fabric, isn't really like denim. It's a loosely woven, almost floppy fabric. But very interesting nevertheless.

[baskew]

I've been breaking a pair of po's in for almost 2 years that are about 4" too long. I'm just waiting to get back to NY to have them altered at denim specific alterer then just a normal tailor for the exact same reasons people have pointed out...

[dicksonoffonda]

denim doctor is the way to go!

[__3xL]

[kicksaremyvice]

I need some help. I have alot of denim I need to get altered and I need a good tailor. Can someone help me. Its mostly Evisu jeans and a few 501 and a few other random Levi's. help help .

[Chicken]

^ between blue in green and the 45rpm stores, you couldn't go wrong in nyc.

[arem]

45rpm doesn't do alterations other then hemming or simple repairs, and BIG recommends Ramon on Matt St, who cut the selvedge off of my Eternals (the horror!) when he tapered them. There's got to be other good options in NYC, but I don't know them.

[Chicken]

^ oops, for some reason i thought he was talking about hemming. my bad. i have no idea who to go to for denim alteration in new york. in LA or tokyo, a different story.

but arem, sorry to hear about your eternals.

[sybaritical]

45rpm doesn't do alterations other then hemming or simple repairs, and BIG recommends Ramon on Matt St, who cut the selvedge off of my Eternals (the horror!) when he tapered them. There's got to be other good options in NYC, but I don't know them.

I winced when I read this.

[Leonard Leroy]

Eep. Anyone know a place in NYC that could do a good job tapering a pair of S5000VXs just a teeny bit? For Ramon's, do you think they would NOT cut the selvage off if I request it and reiteratate, over and over? I've been wanting to take the 8 inch leg opening down to a 7.5 for a bit, but I want a nice job done on them of course.

[rh3522]

has anyone ever gotten the width of their jeans altered??? i got a pair of nudies that has stretched too much

[toufu]

has anyone ever gotten the width of their jeans altered??? i got a pair of nudies that has stretched too much

it's called tapering

[arem]

Eep. Anyone know a place in NYC that could do a good job tapering a pair of S5000VXs just a teeny bit? For Ramon's, do you think they would NOT cut the selvage off if I request it and reiteratate, over and over? I've been wanting to take the 8 inch leg opening down to a 7.5 for a bit, but I want a nice job done on them of course.

I was pretty specific about them leaving the selvage and tapering from the inside seam (or so I thought), so I would be very careful about it. I know that when I used to have cheap jeans tapered they always did the outside seam too, so it may just be the way most tailors know how to do it.

[Leonard Leroy]

Aw damnit. I don't trust that then. I'd be pissed as hell.

[masuerte]

OOOOh I'm thinking of sufu meetup at Bill's store to get my nudies and crates tapered. Damned slightly flared denim.

[__3xL]

Can I crash with you mas .. I got family in Pomona , but noone in LA