If you really want to know the secret to owning a closet’s worth of fine suits, it’s not about looking for a certain brand or following a certain style. What can make a huge difference at the end of the day is if you’re working with a good tailor.

A tailor can customize a suit to your exact measurements and help you assume the appearance of the refined gentleman with greater ease. It would be in your best interests to find a reputable tailor to work with long-term.

This article will offer some tips for how you can find that tailor and finally get your hands on the suits of your dreams.

Pay a Visit to the Store and Get to Know the Tailor Better

Having a phone conversation with the tailor you’re considering working with can work for breaking the ice, but it may not be enough if you want to get a better read on what kind of person you’re dealing with. The best thing you can do is to still pay a visit to the tailor’s store in person.

By doing so, you may be able to have a longer conversation with the tailor and also get a chance to take a look at around the store. If there’s anything amiss there, you will be able to catch it quickly and take your search elsewhere.

While there, go ahead and ask your tailor about ways to stay in touch as well. It would be a real plus if the individual in question is tech-savvy so that the two of you can work out deals faster.

Ask the Tailor to Complete a Specific Test

You’re probably not paying full price for a new suit or an alteration right away, especially when you still don’t have a good read of the tailor’s skills. To change that, you can politely ask the tailor to take on a test.

This article from Esquire suggests asking the tailor to shorten a jacket sleeve from the shoulder as that’s a particularly tricky maneuver. Check the result thoroughly and be sure that it is to your liking before moving forward.

Check Out How Much Time the Tailor Needs to Complete Assignments

Tailoring is not easy work. You need to pay close attention to the details and exhibit precision at all times in order to satisfy your clients.

Even so, you can’t just sit around waiting for your tailor to get back to you. It’s important to have a clear idea of how much time they need to work before deciding whether or not they are the tailor for you.

According to Art of Manliness, minor alterations should be completed within two to seven days, though you can cut the tailor some slack if it’s the busy season. The bigger undertaking could take around two to three months to complete.

Those are just guidelines though. What’s important here is that the tailor is able to meet the deadlines that the two of you agreed to. You obviously want nothing to do with a tailor that can’t deliver on time.

See if the Tailor Is Willing to Form a Long-Term Partnership

The tailor has to get to know more than just your measurements in order to come up with the right alterations and the best suits. He or she must also be able to understand your preferences and take them into consideration, which is why it’s so important to have a tailor who you can talk to easily.

Finding a good tailor is easier said than done, but there are certain qualities to look for that can point you in the right direction. Hopefully, your search for a tailor will be a productive one so that you will be able to enjoy the luxury of having a custom-made suit in the near future.