Tailoring never went away—it just became impractical at scale. Traditional tailoring requires pattern drafting, multiple fittings, and skilled makers, which makes it expensive and slow. Digital capture and pattern automation are changing this, making tailoring practical for everyday garments. Here's why tailoring stalled and how technology is bringing it back.
Why Tailoring Stalled
Traditional tailoring scales poorly. Each garment requires pattern drafting, multiple fittings, and skilled makers. This makes it expensive and time-intensive—a bespoke suit might take weeks and cost thousands of dollars. For everyday garments, this wasn't practical, so tailoring became limited to formalwear and investment pieces.
The cost was prohibitive. Traditional tailoring requires skilled makers who can draft patterns, fit garments, and execute quality construction. This expertise is expensive, making tailored garments cost-prohibitive for most people. The result was that tailoring became a luxury, not an everyday option.
The time was impractical. Multiple fittings mean multiple visits, which takes time for both maker and customer. For everyday garments, this wasn't practical. People needed clothes faster than traditional tailoring could deliver, so they turned to ready-to-wear, even when it didn't fit well.
How Technology Changes This
Digital capture makes body measurement fast and accurate. AI body scanning can capture your body shape in minutes using just a phone camera, eliminating the need for in-person measurements and multiple fittings. This makes the process practical for everyday use.
Pattern automation reduces time and cost. Digital tailoring can automate pattern adjustments, reducing the time and cost of made-to-measure. Automation handles the repeatable math of pattern adjustment, while humans handle the craft of making. This makes tailoring more accessible.
The result is faster, more affordable tailoring. Technology doesn't replace the craft of making—it makes the process more efficient. You still get quality construction and fit, but the process is faster and more affordable. This makes tailoring practical for everyday garments, not just formalwear.
Why Tailoring Matters
Tailoring delivers better fit. As we explain in Made-to-Measure vs Bespoke vs Custom, tailoring adjusts patterns to your measurements, creating garments that fit properly. This reduces returns and extends lifespan by matching garments to bodies, not bodies to arbitrary size categories.
Tailoring creates attachment. As we cover in The Psychology of Fit, garments that fit well create attachment and are kept longer. Better fit extends lifespan and reduces waste, making tailoring a sustainable approach to fashion.
Tailoring preserves craft. While technology automates pattern work, humans still handle cutting, sewing, and finishing. This preserves the craft that makes garments special while making the process more efficient. The result is quality construction with better fit.
The Future: Tailoring at Scale
Technology makes tailoring scalable. Digital capture and pattern automation make it practical to offer made-to-measure options for everyday garments. This doesn't replace traditional bespoke for complex bodies or statement pieces, but it makes better fit accessible to more people.
The future is body-aware, not size-based. Instead of guessing which size might fit, you match garments to your actual body dimensions. This is what tailoring has always done—it's just now practical at scale. Technology enables the fit benefits of tailoring without the cost and time of traditional bespoke.
Tailoring isn't old-fashioned—it was just waiting for technology to make it scalable. Now that digital capture and pattern automation are practical, tailoring is becoming accessible for everyday garments. This is the future of fit: body-aware, not size-based.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did tailoring become less common?
Traditional tailoring scales poorly—it requires pattern drafting, multiple fittings, and skilled makers, which makes it expensive and time-intensive. For everyday garments, this wasn't practical, so tailoring became limited to formalwear and investment pieces.
How is technology changing tailoring?
Digital capture ([AI body scanning](/blogs/how-phone-ai-body-scanning-works)) makes body measurement fast and accurate. Pattern automation ([digital tailoring](/blogs/digital-tailoring-from-video)) reduces time and cost. Technology makes tailoring more accessible without losing the craft of making.
Is modern tailoring as good as traditional tailoring?
It depends on your body shape. For bodies close to standard sizes that need adjustments, modern tailoring can achieve near-traditional fit. For complex body shapes significantly different from standard sizes, traditional bespoke with multiple fittings is usually necessary for perfect fit.
Will tailoring replace ready-to-wear?
Not completely, but it will become more common. Technology makes tailoring practical for everyday garments, making better fit accessible to more people. Ready-to-wear will still exist, but tailoring will become a viable option for people who want better fit.
Is tailoring worth the extra cost?
Often, yes. Tailoring delivers better fit, which extends lifespan and reduces returns. When you factor in lifespan and the cost of returns, tailoring often pays for itself. Better fit also creates attachment and confidence, making it a good investment.