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What Does it Take to Be a Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer?
Career Description Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
What Do Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
- Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.
- Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
- Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.
- Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts such as sleeves.
- Trim excess material, using scissors.
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Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer Required Skills
When polled, Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Fur Tailor
- Under Baster
- Alteration Tailor Apprentice
- Coat Tailor
- Top Collar Baster
Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer Employment Estimates
There were about 44,300 jobs for Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer. The BLS estimates 4,800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer are Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Wyoming, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers is somewhere between $20,720 and $53,990.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers who work in Minnesota, District of Columbia, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,990 |
| Alaska | $35,930 |
| Arizona | $40,830 |
| Arkansas | $25,640 |
| California | $43,200 |
| Colorado | $35,500 |
| Connecticut | $39,620 |
| Delaware | $29,680 |
| District of Columbia | $44,810 |
| Florida | $28,810 |
| Georgia | $39,400 |
| Hawaii | $31,420 |
| Idaho | $31,300 |
| Illinois | $38,710 |
| Indiana | $29,470 |
| Iowa | $34,260 |
| Kentucky | $31,820 |
| Louisiana | $31,350 |
| Maryland | $35,270 |
| Massachusetts | $39,000 |
| Michigan | $35,530 |
| Minnesota | $45,060 |
| Mississippi | $24,320 |
| Missouri | $33,420 |
| Nebraska | $31,000 |
| Nevada | $34,880 |
| New Hampshire | $28,190 |
| New Jersey | $33,870 |
| New York | $39,700 |
| North Carolina | $26,600 |
| North Dakota | $33,350 |
| Ohio | $35,130 |
| Oklahoma | $28,920 |
| Oregon | $33,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,740 |
| South Carolina | $31,130 |
| Tennessee | $29,170 |
| Texas | $28,870 |
| Utah | $35,400 |
| Virginia | $27,340 |
| Washington | $32,620 |
| Wisconsin | $29,790 |
What Tools do Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Google Docs
- Inventory tracking software
- Bookkeeping software
How to Become a Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer
Individuals working as a Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer?
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as a Tailor, Dressmaker, or Custom Sewer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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