There’s Gonna Be Haters Who Think You Look Stupid In Your Tailored Clothes

I want to share something that hits my inbox literally every day. Many of you send messages, DMs, and emails, telling me how the stupidly simple act of tailoring their own clothes has completely transformed your lives.

Every single day, I receive pictures of your projects, and I'm honestly blown away by the dramatic transformations. From a crappy fit and lifeless to sleek and tailored, the changes aren’t just in the clothes but in you. The before and after photos tell a really cool story: at first you’re super upset with your ill-fitting clothes. You’re tired and annoyed and want a solution to fix them. Then there’s the insane glow of pride after you do tailor them. Your facial expressions are always polar opposite of each other and it kinda makes me laugh.

Navigating The New Attention

However, diving into the world of tailoring your own clothes isn’t without its challenges, especially at the beginning. I want to talk about a common issue a lot of people face after starting: dealing with all the unexpected attention, and not all of it is positive. Not even close.

When you start wearing perfectly tailored clothes, you stand out. You might be the only one in a group or at an event who's ditched the off-the-rack fit for something that fits like it was custom made for you. While some might wear a tailored dress shirt or suit for special occasions, everyday apparel like jeans and t-shirts usually don’t get the same treatment. That’s where you, my Sew Bro, shine. Your clothes from Old Navy, Target, or even Walmart look fantastic on you compared to how they look on other people.

But here’s the catch: not everyone will look at you and think you look nice. Tailoring your everyday wear can make others feel self-conscious about themselves and how their everyday wear looks on them. This can lead to a lot of people hating on you. Some people will sort of project their insecurities onto you, trying to pull you down to their level. At first, this can be disheartening. You might even question your choices or feel out of place. It’s like “man, I spent all this time tailoring my outfits to fit me better and I’m getting more negative attention than positive”.

Coping with Criticism

I've been there too. At first all the negative attention caught me off guard. I wondered if I looked stupid or if I had made a mistake by choosing to wear tailored casual clothes. But then it hit me: their glares and comments weren’t about me as much as it was about them. Their reactions were reflections of their own insecurities and how they felt about themselves.

This can come from the least expected places too. It can come from friends, family, and co-workers. People that I knew for a long time and trusted. It’s tough when it comes from those you assume are your friends. They might think your hobby is weird. Trust me, explaining your passion for tailoring to someone who doesn’t "get it" can be as impossible as threading a needle in the dark.

In fact I’d say threading a needle in the dark is easier…

But you wanna push through that initial resistance. Just like wearing a new style of hat or a new jacket, it feels kinda weird and uncomfortable at first. It feels like the entire world is staring at you judging you.

An example I like to use is adding darts to the back of your dress shirt. It’s pretty easy, you put pins in the back to check the fit before you sew it to make it contour to your lower back better. But the weird thing is it introduces a sensation many aren't used to. Your shirt actually touching your back might feel too tight or just plain uncomfortable.

But it’s not. It’s new, and like all new things, it takes a bit of getting used to. Thats most likely the first time in your life that a dress shirt has fit you properly.

Embracing the Change

Remember, when you tailor your clothes, you're not just altering fabric—you're setting a totally new standard for how you present yourself to everyone around you. The discomfort you feel from wearing something different or the reactions from others will go away eventually. Well, that and you’ll get so used to them that you don’t even notice them anymore.

But you’re gonna be left with undeniable confidence and comfort that comes from clothes that don’t just hang on your body like a garbage bag but complement it.

DIY tailoring is about making ordinary clothes extraordinary. Not not about buying specialty brands or brands that are luxurious. It’s about wearing the same brands as everyone else and having those clothes fit you fantastically. When people ask, "How does that fit you so well?" you’ll know you’ve crossed the line from ordinary to exceptional. And yes, haters are going to hate, but like everything else, you’ll get used to it.