Well during this particular visit, my total cost was $95. I also got a lot of work done, altering practically every part of the suit: arms slimmed and shortened, jacket sides tapered, legs and seat slimmed and hemmed. Everything was shrunken just the right amount so it fit perfectly. I believe the suit in this example was $185, so 50% additional cost.

It really does depend, like you said. There are lots of factors including location and the tailor’s skill (which can be more expensive, the better he is.) I actually wrote an article on tailors over at Primer Magazine here: http://bit.ly/a0G8Fm

What it boils down to is this: Find a suit you love at a price you are comfortable with, knowing that you must take it to a tailor to have it fit perfectly. Let’s say your budget is $300, look for a suit in the $200 – $250 range, knowing you have $50 – $100 in tailoring covered.

There is no optimal ratio and honestly, good tailoring is always worth the extra cost no matter the price of the suit. You can buy a $6000 Tom Ford suit but if it’s 3 sizes too big, it won’t look good. On the other hand, you can buy a suit at H&M, have some basic alterations done for a negligible price, and come out looking like a million bucks.

Thanks for the great question!

Thanks!