I cannot deny how excellent this place is. Amazing tailoring service!!! Thanks, Nikola for rushing my order and applying great alterations to my dress. I've been a loyal customer for years and learning that Stephen has retired was hard but I'm happy that he left the business in great hands. Can't wait to return read more

This was such an amazing experience. Ask for Chris, he's an incredible artist when it comes to tailoring. I bought my tuxedo for my wedding at a fancy-pants made to order website based out of NYC. They had my measurements, and all was set for the perfect tux. Well, when it finally arrived, it looked like someone had painted it on to my body. I could hardly breathe, let alone anticipate moving around or enjoying myself. Thankfully I came across Chris' website- "Stephen The Tailor". I quickly booked an appointment. Chris was kind, funny, and welcoming to me and my (now) wife. He put us both at ease, helping navigate all that needed to happen. Neither one of us imagined that the suit that was delivered would be salvaged. Chris, must have taken every stitch out of this three piece to reconstruct the perfect tuxedo for me. I still cannot identify what he retooled. Easily the mark of a true craftsman and expert tailor. The photos speak for themselves. It was the perfect outfit for the perfect day. The dry cleaning alone was flawless (my wife was wishing that's where she took her dress prior to our wedding)! Needless to say, I'm all in with this shop. They get the good dry cleaning, and Chris is hired to make all of my future suits! That's right, he's a bespoke suit maker, too. If only I had come to him first... he could have easily crafted this outfit- Jacket, shirt, vest... all of it. Save yourself the headache. Go see Chris. He's the only person I will be seeing moving forward! Thank you Chris!! You're a true hero to us both!! read more

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I have a degree in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York but I hate to do alterations. I found a dress that I wanted but looked all over for the correct size. So, I brought to size medium dresses and the gentleman that works her ma de my two size medium dresses into one extra large. He did such a great job that you cannot tell the dress was altered. The multi-level seams all match up and the dress fits perfectly. It was AMAZING. He even gave me back what was left of the other dress. You should definitely go here if you need a professional job done!! read more

I had a very disappointing experience with this tailor, mainly due to poor service and lack of respect for what I clearly requested. From the beginning, I explained that I wanted my pants to be more tapered. The tailor agreed and also told me that if I didn't like the result, he would redo them when I picked them up. I paid around $66 for the taper and alterations. When I picked up the pants, the taper was not what I asked for at all. I explained again that I wanted them more tapered, just like I had said from the start. He refused to redo it, even though he had previously said he would fix it if I wasn't satisfied. Only after insisting did he agree, but then told me he could only redo them if I pay for it. To re-do the pants he charged $100 just to taper the same pants again. I would have been willing to pay again if it were a reasonable amount, but charging nearly double to correct something that wasn't done right initially is unacceptable. My requests were not taken seriously, and I left feeling like I wasted both my time and money. I won't be coming back, and I wouldn't recommend this place if you care about your input being respected. read more

I had an expensive waxed-canvas jacket taken in and they did an incredible job. Waxed canvas is incredibly difficult to work with -a tailor I had been previously using turned the job down. Stephen the Tailor didn't bat an eye and accomplished the job great. Seams look very clean. Look forward to using this tailor for many future alterations. read more

I have utilized the services of this shop a couple of times for a custom project that involve my own fabric and many design elements that I chose before approaching them. I came away with a fantastic outfit, and while I did employ the services of other people for other elements, the work they did here was critical. In fact, I will be heading there again soon with a completely new set of fabrics and a concept similar to the last adventure. In the picture, the jeans and the shirt were what Stephen the Tailor did. read more

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Quick service good communication Would recommend for fluff & fold in the DC area Thanks! read more

They did an incredible job getting my old tuxedo ready for a wedding. The pants and jacket needed serious work and I am glad I chose Stephen the Tailor. I did a fitting before and after the alteration. Both times, Chris carefully went through everything to make sure he understood what I was looking for. There were even a couple of small problems I had not noticed, but he found them and took care of it for no extra charge. The tuxedo came out great. Their work is thorough and professional. I will definitely be back! read more

Overall really friendly service, but I fear maybe they were overwhelmed and made careless errors. I had a really positive experience during the fitting, I had two dresses hemmed and one adjusted at the straps. The seamstress was really kind and had me choose the length. The hem price is matched up with what I saw online, but the additional shoulder adjustments were much more expensive than I thought, but after such a positive fitting I was happy to support them with that price. The first issue was a week later: I still had not heard about when I could pick up, I called and they said they could have it ready by the following Monday but my event was on Friday. I had dropped it off almost 2 weeks in advance and was told it would be a 3-5 day turn around. I ended up picking up my dresses the day before my first event. The pick up was so chaotic ahead of a GW LAW event that I decided not to wait in line after multiple people to try on my dress. That was a mistake. My first dress was well hemmed, I wore it to an event and had a great time. At this point I was still willing to say it was a good overall service even with the bumpy pick up. A month later I tried on my second dress, I felt a sharp pinch at my leg. I turned the dress inside out and find that three pins were still left in the dress from when they lifted it to hem. I acknowledge I picked it up the day before the event in the small shop with multiple other people and didn't want to try it on. But that doesn't excuse pins being left in the dress! Imagine if I had sat on one and it had pierced rather than scratched me. For what I paid and how long I waited, I should not have found pins in my dress. read more

Stephen the Tailor - Pins left in dress - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So my story starts with binge spending during the early dawn of the panini. I bought jeans, sweatpants, dresses, tops, slacks, jumpsuits, skirts YOUUU NAAAAME IT. Unfortunately during this time I was pretty sick and had lost weight due to this illness. The item in question, a fabulous limited edition Ivy Park red jumpsuit from the VDay line came into my possession. And not without difficulty because let me tell you, when Queen Bey drops the drip the kids go crazy. Anyway, the goods were delivered and I tried it on and as I expected it was droopy because the sickness emaciated the bootay. So a year later, after my flare up had been cast away like the demon it is, I was so excited to finally wear something that did not have an elastic waist and string. (As well as to burst free from the confines of my home like the butterfly I am). I went to my closet after my friend invited me out to dinner and drinks. And so the look I was going for was casual cute and no heels because I am not trying to bust my ass on cobblestone streets. There this jumpsuit hung, glowing in all its glory, the savior of ankles and fashion dilemmas because it's pants and a top in one. I tried it on and was like okayyy yesss, ya girl has filled it out since last we met. I get a shower, and then lotioned up and tried to slide right back in there. Then BAM out of nowhere, the zipper that I had just zipped was stuck. It would not go all the way up to my chest! Surely this 25" in waist had not expanded to surpass these seams in 20 minutes! Worse i was ON TIME till this catastrophe was impending my ability for gastro delights! I called my friend and attempted for a few more minutes and then was like okay whatever. It's up far enough. Dranks await!! So we get in my whip and head zee destination when finally we find a coveted parking space on the side of the street. And as I am just about to step out of the car, BADOW! Calamity strikes again! This bish ass mothafuggin zipper busted open from the bottom! And worse, ol girl is STILL STUCK at the top. So now me punky is just sitting there in the fresh air. This wardrobe malfunction got nothing on Janet's titty. The night had to be retired. Moreover, when I got home no pliers, no oil, nor vaseline would move her. And as I had to pee, I had to take scissors to CUT MYSELF OUT. I'm like what the hell Beyonce. Now your ass bigger than me; how the hell did you fit your hips into this b with a faulty ass zipper like this I thought it was all over. A wasted 250 dollars until: STEPHEN. The tailor came through liiike. It took damn near a month, but I found this sweet man and his team perform a resuscitation and now she's back and better than ever. The service was wonderful and the zipper seemed much sturdier. But I will say let my experience be a lesson to you and don't let these invisible zippers catch you slipping! read more

I never read negative reviews because I simply feel like who has time in their day to be that picky or upset- but after my experience today at Stephen the Tailor, I will take reviews more seriously. On Oct. 10 I went for a fitting to have alterations done on my bridesmaid dress for my best friends wedding. Chris was great and very helpful. I stated that I needed to pick it up by the 26th for an out of town wedding next weekend. Today (Oct. 27) I went to pick up my "ready" dress and I have never been more displeased with a service in my life. My bridesmaid dress is covered with dried food stains, black stain marks, and oily stain marks. Even my garment bag that I brought the dress in has stains now. I pointed out the numerous stains on my dress to Chris and he said, "well are you sure it was clean when you brought it?"....I'm sorry but who would bring a DIRTY bridesmaid dress to be altered for an upcoming wedding?? Also- on Oct. 10 he saw me unwrap the dress in the store so that was just a rude and ridiculous question. As my mom and I were trying to talk to Chris about compensation- a seamstress came in the suite with her food, and ate at her work station over a dress she was working on. Absolutely unacceptable. They offered to have it dry cleaned but there is no way I would trust them again to ensure my dress is perfect for next weekend. The owner Devon said he would reimburse me for the dry cleaning that I get done- let's hope it doesn't take forever to receive the reimbursement. People work and spend their hard earned money to come and spend at it your business. In no way shape or form is it acceptable to come and pick up something as special as a bridesmaid dress and see it ruined. I left in tears. I pray the dry cleaner can get all of these stains out. DO NOT COME HERE!!!!!!!!!!! read more

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Chris saved me...rip in the pants before a big event. Chris took me in and fixed the pant...paying such loving attention to detail. The best. read more

My fiancé got a shirt tailored here and the tailor put the right cuff on the left sleeve and the left cuff on the right sleeve. Also when he went to pick it up the first time, they said it had been moved off site and he wasn't able to pick it up that day. The tailor had to find the shirt, switch the cuffs, and then contact my fiancé again for pickup. I deeply regret giving them a second chance after this and having them tailor a bridesmaid dress. I went in for a fitting and the tailor pinned my dress, but then later called back to say he'd done it incorrectly and needed me to come back on a Saturday because that is the only day his seamstresses come into the office. I rearranged my entire schedule to come in on a Saturday. I scheduled an appointment for X date and time to come back and try the dress on. When I went in, the tailor did not remember that we had an appointment and was not free so I had to wait around. He bumbled around searching for the dress for about 10 minutas before calling his boss. The boss searched their other location and said that my dress was offsite, so I had to come back yet another time. For the fitting after they found the dress offsite, I asked them to shorten the hemline so it was 1 inch above the ground. I also asked them to tack the dress above the knee. When I went to try the dress on again, the hemline on one side was 2 inches and the other side was 1 inch. I had to come back later to try it on again with the hemline fixed. When I went in to try it on again (I'm losing track of how many times I had to go), the dress was tacked to below my public bone so the slit was far too revealing. The tailor had to fix it on site and I finally left with the dress. I do not recommend this tailor to anyone due to their poor worksmanship and organization. read more

I needed a trustworthy tailor to alter my dress for my best friend's wedding and after messaging multiple different tailors, STT provided the most responses, answered all of my questions very timely, and combined with their plethora of stellar reviews, I felt assured that my gown was in good hands. I made an appointment, took the dress in, tried it on and was measured (very respectfully, I'll add) by a kind gentleman. I regret not getting his name to shout him out in this review, but he made sure I was satisfied with all of the adjustments while he pinned and was very kind throughout the process as I asked MANY questions. I took the dress off, paid, and left with a 2 week ticket. Bear with me for this next bit because it's going to sound bad but I promise it isn't. I'm leaving 5 stars on PURPOSE. I so highly recommend this tailor, and plan on returning to them for all my future tailoring needs. However, I would be remiss not to mention that my dress was not ready by the 2 week date I was given at the drop off. As an artist and friend of fashion, I am well aware of the labor, time and effort that goes into composing adjustments. I called the day after my original pickup date to ask if I could come by, and to my shock the dress was not done. They explained that a rush of orders had come in around the same time as mine, put a rush on mine, and apologized for the inconvenience (I was due to leave town by the end of the week for my best friend's wedding, and leaving without the dress was not an option). Luckily, I called with enough time for this rush to take place, and I want to give extra thanks to whoever probably stayed late one night to ensure my dress was finished. When I picked up the dress, it fit like a GLOVE. For my first experience having a gown tailored, it was a chef's kiss, dream-come-true moment. I didn't doubt their skill in the slightest, but seeing the transformation of the dress from slipping-off-of-me to GLOVE was wild and so impressive, especially with the speedy turn around. All around, I'm recommending Stephen the Tailor to anyone and everyone that asks me for a tailor contact. read more

Stephen the Tailor - Stephen the Tailor's final product!! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Chris Smith is a master tailor. He did a fabulous job altering two 1980s vintage Willie Wear sport coats for me. No more shoulder pads! And he's a great guy with great taste in music. What else could I ask for? read more

Thank you for caring about your customers. I took my dress back and it was fixed right away.

In looking for a good tailor, I had some poor experiences in the DMV. That's all over now that I found Stephen the Tailor. His work is top notch and he knows how to make you look good in a suit. I've taken several sports jackets, dress pants and a suit for him to work his magic. Each piece has come out exactly as I expected and they look great. They can do rush jobs, but I was not in a hurry. Turn around for a couple of jackets was 2 weeks. Prices were fair for the area, but with his work being superior, I count his pricing as a real steal. He has 2 fitting rooms where you can change into your clothes which are next to his fitting area. He will have you stand on a platform next to a set of mirrors and measure/mark your clothes. There is a small waiting area of about 4 chairs. Look at the photos here on Yelp for the entrance to his shop. It is underneath a brick stairwell in a corner brick building. There is a sign next to the short descent to his shop entrance. Don't waste your time with tailors in Alexandria. Go straight to Stephen's. read more

Best tailor in DC. Did everything right, on time and at agreed cost. I would highly recommend Stephen.

I reached out to several tailors regarding getting my bridesmaid dress altered. None of them were able to get my dress done in time for the wedding except here! They are located in a little strip mall type building. It's a small shop but perfect for what you need it for. The staff was professional and friendly. The dress alterations were executed perfectly. I would definitely take anything else I needed altered back here. read more

On my trip across the US to discover at the airport my jacket liner had 2 holes in them. Before I landed in DC I inquired on Yelp. Stephen replied quickly and was accommodating to my rush requirement. I dropped off Saturday and picked up Sunday before my flight. Everything was repaired well at a very reasonable rate. Much thanks to Stephen I will carry on my travels with a jacket like new. Thank you sir! read more

Excellent service and very professional. But altering my pants costs more than the pants cost, and the pants weren't cheap, so unfortunately I won't be returning. Maybe the rent is high at this location. Otherwise if cost is no deterrence for you, Stephen does superb work and turn around time was one week. read more

I went to Stephen the Taylor because it is minority owned. I brought the gown for my daughter's wedding April 2023 for a June wedding. I asked for the leftover material from my dress (I am short and knew there would be several inches to work with) that a COVID-type mask and shawl be made with left overs. When I arrived on June 10th to pick up the gown, I saw scraps of the material from my dress on the floor . I was given the shawl and noticed that it was not well done or complete. The dress was not finished when it was given to me. I tried the dress back on, got measured again and waited an additional hour for it to be completed. I explained to the Taylor I had been working with, asking when had they completed my dress. I was told that morning. I said that I was disappointed and would not pay for the shawl. I was told that I would receive a deduction for this. I was told $60, but only received $48. I suggested to the Taylor that he call when running behind and change the pick up date. It would have avoided valuable time and not enough compensation for the less than masterful work. read more

I met the Master Taylor Chris at Stephen the Tailor. He was AMAZING! He has over 45 years of experience, and it showed in his way of taking care of customers and measuring me for my dress. I would HIGHLY recommend him, read more

Chris and Tina are amazing!! I brought in two complicated dresses for my wedding weekend - one was a fully sequined dress with feathers on the top and the other a corseted dress that needed fabric inserted so the chest wasn't completely see through. Both were not easy jobs and they completed them quickly and PERFECTLY!! The dress that is fully sequined had to be hand sewn by Tina. I owe her my life!! They were patient with me as I decided how I wanted them altered and never made me feel bad for how complicated the job was. I was really nervous because both of these dresses were expensive and for my wedding so a lot of pressure but they were so great!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND going to see them for any of your alterations! They are so kind and talented. I'm so thankful for the work they did!! read more

I paid $270 (!) to have alterations done on a new suit. The fitting was great, but when I went to pick up the suit today I was basically handed the hanger and rushed out the door. I should have stayed to try it on and check the alterations. As far as I can tell, everything I paid for was done, but it was done with what seem like some careless errors. 1) There are still obvious marks from the tailor's chalk all over the suit. Whatever they did to remove the chalk marks left dark residue that looks like a grease pen. 2) The stitching inside the jacket cuffs is unfinished and loose---nothing like the original stitching that they replaced. It honestly looks like a place-holder that the tailor forgot to finish and I'm expecting it won't last long at all 3) For some reason there are tons of little bits of glitter on the suit. Obviously a dry cleaner will take those off, but it's frustrating that hundreds of dollars of alterations on a new suit result in the suit being returned dirtier than I dropped it off. I'll be taking this back to Stephen for a remedy but not returning in the future. For the money, I was expecting all the work to be done carefully and correctly the first time. read more

Stephen did an excellent job tailoring my dress (including shortening the back of the dress as well as hemming), and I felt incredibly comfortable in it all evening. The length was just right for the heels (which he kindly reminded me to bring during my drop off). Overall, I was impressed with the work and customer service, and I will definitely be coming back! read more

I was the MOH in my twin sister's wedding. I needed the straps shortened on my bridesmaid dress, which they said they could do no problem, but I would need to wait almost two weeks for the alteration to be complete. When I went to pick up my dress, I was pretty horrified. It was so blatantly obvious where the dress had been cut and re-sewn, both because of the quality and because the thread they used to sew the straps did not even remotely match the color of the dress. In fact, a different color thread was used for each strap. One side was less atrocious than the other, but they agreed to resew both with a thread that actually matched the dress. No one at the shop seemed even remotely apologetic about the mistake, which was the worst part. The next day I went to pick up the dress on my way out of town for the wedding. The thread color matched the dress and the quality of the job seemed to have improved. However, the day of the wedding the seam on one of the shoulders literally fell apart within 2 hours of wearing the dress. 10 minutes before walking down the aisle, the bride was re-sewing the seam of my strap, which I had just paid close to $40 for professionals to do. Needless to say, I won't be returning. read more

Stephen the Tailor - The bride resewing the strap of my bridesmaids dress (after 2 hrs of wearing it) due to the poor quality of Stephen the Tailor. - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Found this gem and grateful that I did! I was nervous about using tailors around the area and reached out to Stephen several times via yelp to get my questions answered including a quote and if I needed to expedite tailored dress if that was possible. He was extremely responsive and told me to bring the shoes I was planning to wear. Overall loved how Stephen tailored my dress and was able to make a quick 4 day turn around. read more

Stephen the Tailor - Tailored dress on the left (black). - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've had Stephen work on my clothing four or five times over the last couple of years. He's always fast and does really good work. Friendly service and the new shop location is great. read more

I purchased a suit online. The pants were perfect, but the jacket needed serious work. After looking at reviews of several tailors, I decided to take the item to Stephen the Tailor. From tailoring the sleeves to fit my uneven arms to rectifying the awkward fit at the shoulders and upper back, they did a beautiful job of fixing the jacket. It now fits perfectly. They also called me when the clothes were ready. Stephen the Tailor's skills and workmanship far outstrips those of the tailors I've dealt with in stores like Brooks Brothers, Jos. A. Banks, and Hugo Boss. In fact, I'm so happy with the work, that I've taken jackets poorly tailored by Boss and Banks, to him to correct their blunders. I can't recommend this place highly enough. read more

Good work, but pricier than I expected and eh customer service. I came here because of the convenient location at 2000 Penn to have a special T-shirt taken in. The original quote to alter the shirt was $35 but we settled on $22. I would have gone somewhere else for a better price but I was in a rush that day. The customer service is meh. No one was rude, but they definitely weren't too happy to see me. The service took a full week. read more

I had an extended conversation with the gentleman who runs this shop explaining I was having a baby and needed my project completed before the baby's due date. He assured me repeatedly that the project would be done on September 2. Mind you this was 3 weeks after I dropped off the curtains and all I was asking for was a simple hem job. I showed up on the 2nd and was told they weren't done and they couldn't say with certainty when they would be done - "sometime next week" is the best i could get. On top of that it was abundantly clear the person I spoke with did not care that he had guaranteed these would be ready before my baby was due. I guess what I'm saying is, if you have a hard date you need something by, this is 100% not the place for you. I can't speak to the quality of the tailoring, but I hope to be able to do so "sometime next week." read more

Took a suit in to have it fitted, it came out wonderful. Super friendly service. Definitely plan to user Stephen the Tailor in the future. Service was quick and price wasn't bad for the area. read more

Overpriced and low quality. I brought two pairs of pants to these guys, one of which I just wanted tailored exactly like the other. Not only did they charge me over a hundred dollars for this, but they told me they didn't finish their other orders in time and that they'd have to delay mine. When I finally got my pants, they were hardly anything like the pair that I'd literally given to them as a blueprint. They significantly over hemmed the leg and didn't even do anything to the inner leg area. Incredibly disappointed as these were expensive pants that I can't replace. You can definitely find a cheaper and more reliable option somewhere else read more

Superb work on oversized suit jacket and dress pants. Good price and will come back for sure.

I really wanted to have a great experience here - the prices are very reasonable and location is convenient for me. However, these pros do not make up for the frustrating experiences that I have had with Stephen the Tailor. I will be going back for a third time to fix mistakes that were made during the first alteration and not fully corrected when I brought the items back for a second time. I brought 5 basic pencil skirts in to have the waists taken in, a very simple alteration, for $90 total. The employee who pinned my items worked way too quickly and only used two safety pins on each side to mark where it needed to be taken in. The lack of attention to detail to my specific measurements, and the fact that they only gave themselves two reference spots to work within, was a disaster. After the first alteration, all 5 of the skirts did not fit my waist and each had extra fabric left around the hip area - which was below the placement of the lower safety pin - that pointed out like triangles (and not in a fun, futuristic sort of way). I returned to have them fix these issues for a second time, and brought along a dress that I was desperate to have done too. This took over 3 weeks to complete. All five of the skirts still have lingering issues with pointy hips, that I will have to find the time to go back for a third time and have fixed. For the dress - I asked to have the zipper replaced because I was worried it would break as it was too small that it would get stuck on the thick fabric it was connected to. Stephen decided to instead loosen the thick fabric in an effort to move the bulk away from the zipper so that it could function, and did not replace the zipper with a larger or more sturdy version like I wanted. The zipper pull physically snapped in half and rendered the dress unwearable when I tried it on at home after these alterations. TL;DR: don't waste your time going here. read more

Did a great job on two jackets and two pants. Both were perfect on first fitting and didn't need any additional alterations.

I wasn't going to write this review initially. I was going to get over my frustration, get my jacket fixed somewhere else, and move on with my life. But then I got a new job, a couple of new suits, got busy, and completely forgot about the magnitude of the ordeal. Then, this morning, my (first) world came crashing down around me. I slid out of my Egyptian cotton sheets and out from under my baby albino goose down comforter, had my butler scrub me down, did my 1000 pushups while he shaved my face and moisturized me, then opened my closet to determine how I wanted to look while I crushed the working life this day. Then I saw it. I was out of suits. There must have been some oversight. Some mistake. Had Woodhouse forgotten my dry cleaning? It couldn't be--the last time he did this, I took his wedding finger (it's fine--he'll never be married due to his blood oath, and he sews almost exclusively with his right hand). No time to dwell, I had to work with what I had. As I frantically ran through my closet, I remembered the Brooks Brothers suit. Charcoal. 1818. Fitzgerald. Without thinking, I hopped into the pants (which had gotten a little snug in the backside, probably due to the butt-enhancing underwear I was wearing), grabbed a Crisp White Shirt (CWS), and threw on my jacket. Then I felt it. The Pull. A great jacket should fit like a glove. A larger, sexier glove that gets you promotions and girlfriends and happiness. When you button it, the jacket should Hug. A Hug comes from all parts of the jacket. Like a good bed partner, it lets you know it's there without clamoring for your attention in the middle of the night. It brushes against you occasionally during the day, reminding you how great you look and how people should appreciate your handsomeness and charm. When you're wearing a suit, you never feel the heat, only the Hug; like a well-trained group of gypsy children, it presses against you and desensitizes you to everything, especially the status of your bank account. My Brooks Brothers jacket was not Hugging. It was Pulling. I felt it around my kidneys at first, a gentle tension that didn't sit well with my protein shake. Then I stepped in front of the mirror. Damnit. It all came flooding back. The uncomfortable heat. The smell of the place. The transactional nature of the fitting. The feeling that I was waiting in line at a checks-for-cash spot. The platitudes exchanged over the +$1K piece of cloth surrounding my body. "Sure, that's fine." Men: a lesson. When you're getting something tailored, nothing should be "fine." Everything should be "perfect," or "excellent," or "wow." That's what you're paying for. Turns out, I paid for The Pull. This jacket was far from "wow." After the initial tailoring (which went poorly enough that I had them re-tailor it), I told them I wanted it more fitted in the waist, so they took the waist in and added....hips. I'm not sure why they decided to do that, or why they wanted me to button both buttons when they pinned the jacket. I'm not sure why the jacket no longer had a lumbar curve, or why even the top of the back had lost its tautness. I still had a lot of questions, about this jacket and life generally. Regardless, I now looked like a Bama Sig Ep on the way to his first formals (apologies to anyone offended by that, or any of this post, really): sloppy and disheveled, or perhaps like I was bootlegging liquor strapped to my thighs. I looked like a cross between Jack Donaghy and George W. Of course, this is fine if you work in Ohio or want a suit that matches your dad's. But I don't work in Ohio. I work in Dupont. Bottom line: tailoring should be a delightful process, not a trip to the DMV. And you should come out of the tailors looking like a million bucks--not sweaty, stinky, and with a horrible picture of yourself. Unfortunately, I didn't have a great experience at Stephen's. Maybe yours will be better, but mine won't, because I'm not going back. *Note: I do not have a butler, can only do about 100 pushups, and do not believe in taking goslings from their mothers. read more

Please note correct phone no. is (202)789-4276. Stephen (the tailor) has taken over the business from Williams, who passed away a few years back. Stephen worked as tailor and co-founder with Williams for many years, before taking control of the business. Stephen is very personable fellow with passing resemblance to actor Andre Braugher. He is third generation in his family to go into the trade and has three sons, one of whom he hopes will some day takeover his business. It's clear he's passionate about his trade and says it's in his blood. It's a cozy shop in the basement of 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. bldg, really at the corner of Eye and 21st, NW. While I was there, a steady stream of customers came through. I called ahead, but no appointment is really necessary, and he does have Saturday hours for customers' convenience. But I digress, I bought, at Overstock.com, a designer men's suit, which of course did not fit well and so I dropped it off at Stephen's for expert tailoring. He completes the work in about a week and this is really rather major alterations, sleeves shortened, adding padding to one shoulder, adding padding to front so material drapes well, altering shoulder fit, gathering it in, hemming trousers, cuffing them, as well as, taking them in and fixing some flaws in the waist fastener, among other things. In other words, an extreme makeover. Cost will approach $175, which will mean I essentially have a custom-tailored suit. I think this is excellent value, and not a bad strategy to pick a good designer at Overstock, deeply discounted, and then finish it to look like a classically tailored suit, that will serve one well over many years. Plus, you gain knowledge about construction of suits and what distinguishes a cheaply sewn garment from one of good quality and you'd be surprised at how most unaltered suits really do not fit well. Quality service and who doesn't need an excellent tailor on his Rolodex, um, cell phone address book? Two needles, enthusiastically up. read more

This guy is a moron. In fact, he should remove the word "tailor" from his sign and replace it with the term "person who can only do minor alternations." Last month, I brought him a pair of poorly fitting dress pants to see whether he could figure out why they were bunching up so strangely when I walked. His response was essentially some random BS whereby he informed me that the issue was "uncorrectable". Luckily for me, I immediately realized that he had no idea what he was talking about and went elsewhere to get a second opinion. (Ultimately, I took the same pants to Christoper Kim's and he was able to diagnose and correct the cause of the poor-fit ASAP.) read more