Tailored garments have a perennial appeal, but there seems to be an air of mystery about the tailoring process. Is tailoring defined by the results or the techniques used to achieve the results? In custom menswear, tailoring is defined by proven methods. Cutting, sewing, and finishing a jacket follows a logical progression. Each step has a purpose, based on what is understood about fabric and interfacing, the rules of geometry, and the human body’s shape and movement.

There are other schools of thought. In ready-to-wear manufacture, tailoring shortcuts are often required, and for the home sewer, the pattern instructions seldom, if ever, contain these details. Regardless of the precise route, creating a well-tailored jacket or garment is a process requiring attention to detail and applied sewing skills. These skills can be learned and mastered, particularly once you understand the rationale behind them. Get started with Jeffery Diduch in this article of Threads issue #160.