Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) [Paperback]

Roberto Cabrera (Author), Patricia Flaherty Meyers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roberto Cabrera is retired from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Fairchild Pubns; Student edition (June 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087005435X
• ISBN-13: 978-0870054358
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Carbon copy of men's edition, but without the great pants, February 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) (Paperback)

I bought Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear first. It's great. The text teaches you how to make beautifully tailored garments. I wanted to see those techniques specifically for women's jackets, trousers, and skirts so I bought this edition. Except for the section on pants and skirts, the text is identical in both books. The sections on women's pants and skirts is like anything you'd find in a commercial pattern instruction sheet - nothing special at all. Couture techniques for making beautifully tailored pants for women are not described or even hinted at in this book. Actually, it's not the fault of the author -- tailoring techniques are actually designed for men's clothing. Couture techniques are essentially for women's clothing. If you want to learn to make tailored jackets (men's or women's), either book gives the same instructions. For tailored trousers, use the men's book. For women's skirts, see Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire B. Shaeffer. (Actually, Claire Shaeffer's Vogue patterns for jackets and trousers are probably a better purchase than this book.)

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Traditional Tailoring Techniques, May 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) (Paperback)

I found this book and the men's wear companion to be extremely informative and one of the best guides around for learning how to create a tailored garment using the traditional techniques as opposed to the "speed" tailoring that is so popular. There are differences in men's and women's jackets which each book illustrates respectively. Also, the women's book includes chapters on skirts and pants. My disappointment is that neither book included instruction on the various types of coats and raincoats with zip/button-out linings. Coats are not just long jackets; there are differences in construction techniques. I also think that there should have been a little more clarification of some things. For instance, it took me a while to realize that silk-finished thread was actually Mettler's silk-finish cotton thread and not a type of silk thread. A search of the internet provided the answer. Minor gripes in comparison to the knowledge to be gained therein by those who want to make couture-quality garments.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Guide to Ladies' Classic Tailoring, August 9, 2009

By 

Sator (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) (Paperback)

Along with it's companion on classic tailor for men's wear, this book is absolutely essential reading, for it is an absolute classic in terms of the way the book deals step-by-step with the practical making up of a coat and skirt.

It must be clarified that it is complete and utter nonsense that the methods for tailoring women's coats described here is identical to the companion men's tailoring book. Whoever thinks that has clearly neither read this book, nor it's companion. The techniques outlined are totally different, from the shape of the canvas, the panels being canvassed or mounted/underlayed, and even the layers forming the chest piece. There are even sections dealing with a coat with separately cut skirt, as well as discussions about paneled jackets. Obviously, neither of these are found in the men's tailoring edition. The details on how to construct a coat, or skirt are far beyond the instructions found inside a commercial pattern. Yes, the skirt is a plain tailor's skirt rather than a fancier dressmaker's skirt, but this is what the book is about: classic custom/bespoke tailoring a skirt as part of a suit, not couture style dressmaking.