How to Have Clothes Tailored in Vietnam

If you plan on visiting Vietnam and are interested in having clothes made, then this short guide is for you.

Research Your Style

Before you leave your hotel, research the styles of clothing that you like. Do you want your dress shirts to have a certain kind of collar? Do you want your pants to have an additional metal hook fastener? What about that three-piece suit?

Save images to your phone or print them out so that you can bring them to the fabric store and tailor. This will help you find fabrics with the right color, texture, and feel, and it will also help the tailor better understand what you want made--particularly useful if there's a language barrier.

Research Prices

Ask your friends and search online to find out how much you should expect to pay (*ahem* bargain down) for fabric and tailoring. This is especially important if you're going by yourself. Naturally, it's better if a local friend goes with you, that way they can do the bargaining in language on your behalf!

Jumping ahead a bit, don't feel discouraged if you didn't get the exact same price as a local. You're a foreigner, so the chances of that happening were slim from the start. Also, I noticed that someone will always claim that you paid too much or that you got ripped off. Ignore that chatter. Remember that you've paid a fraction of what it would've costed you back in the States.

Buy Fabric

Buying fabric to make shirts, pants, and suits is very straightforward.

First, have a friend recommend a place to buy fabric. I've gone to the same vendor at Tan Dinh Market (Chợ Tân Định) all three times I've had clothes made in Vietnam.

I've bought fabric from
her a few times already.
Cool woman.

Second, find the row of shops with vendors who sell nothing but fabric. The moment you take your first step down that row, all eyes will be on you. Vendors will be vying for your attention, calling you over to take a look at their fabric. If this is your first time shopping in such a place, then the experience can be very overwhelming and claustrophobic--which, again, might be a good reason for you to go with a friend.

Keep calm, breath, smile, and be polite. It's perfectly OK for you to stop by as many vendors as you want until you find the right sales person, fabric, and price.

Third, find the fabric you like. See how it feels by touching it and rubbing it between your fingers. Do you like the color? If not, then see if they have other shades. Do you like the pattern? Is it too thick or too thin? Does it match with the rest of your wardrobe at home? Take your time and think through these things.

Fourth, ask about prices and don't be afraid to negotiate. If you don't like the price they offer, then it's OK for you to politely say "no thank you" and move on. Chances are that the vendor will come down a bit more in price once they realize that a potential sale is walking away. Remember that you will also have more negotiating leverage if you buy more than one piece of fabric. I typically buy five different pieces of fabric for five shirts; this allows me to ask for additional discounts.

If you're shopping alone, then know that you're probably going to pay more than what a local person would be asked to pay. Consider it the cost of being a foreigner. Trust me, you reap the social and monetary benefits of being a foreigner in many other ways, so don't be too disappointed that you're not getting the same exact prices as locals.

When you agree on the price, the vendor will cut the fabric for you. Don't worry about explaining how much fabric you need; the vendor will do a good job of determining how much fabric to cut for a given article of clothing (shirt, pants, vest, etc.). Of course, the amount of fabric will vary based on your body type.

You also don't have to worry about being sold too much. I've had about 10 shirts made, and they all have had the right amount of fabric; never once did the tailor comment that I was sold too much.

Once you have your fabric, then you're ready to go to your tailor.

Visit a Tailor

I've visited this place twice, both
with very positive results.

Again, start by asking a friend for suggestions on where to have clothes made. My preference is Hong Quang. I've had most of my clothes made by him, and I've always been satisfied with his service and quality, so much so that I blocked out time during my short visit to Saigon to have clothes tailored by him again.

Take your fabric and any images of styles that you researched with you to the tailor. If you don't have any particular style of clothing in mind, then the tailor will most likely have some sort of a fashion book or magazine for you to flip through for ideas. Even better, bring an article of clothing from home that you can use as an example of what you like.

As the tailor takes your measurements, be sure to clearly state any other specific preferences that weren't already explained through the photos. For example, I like the collar of my dress shirts to have partitions so that I can put in my own collar stays.

Before you leave, have the prices for each article of clothing written down, and agree with the tailor on what day and time (this is important) you are to come back and pick them up. It usually takes the tailor about one week to finish your order.

When you come back to pick up your newly tailored clothes, make sure that you try each of them on and look at yourself in the mirror. I even go so far as to bring along my dress shoes just to make sure that the cuff of the pants rests on my shoes exactly how I want.

Newest additions to my wardrobe!

Feel free to point out anything that needs adjusting. It's better to double-check the work and make sure that you're satisfied with the look, feel, and overall fit. If you want to make any adjustments, then plan on the tailor needing another couple of days to do the work. Any adjustments should be free of charge. When it's ready, then come back and try it on again. If everything is to your liking, then you'll pay for the work done and take home your new clothes!

I hate shopping for clothes, but, ironically enough, I really enjoy having clothes made in Vietnam. What I pay in total for making five shirts and two pants may come out to only one shirt and one pants back in Seattle, and everything fits exactly the way I want.

I highly recommend anyone visiting Vietnam to try having clothes tailored if they have the budget and time to spare.