A few months ago I brought a vintage European wool overcoat, that I had found at an amazing high-end Vintage clothing store, into Jack. I had bought the coat, even though it was quite a bit too large for me, because the quality and knit of the vintage European wool was just simply incredible, and you can't buy coats made that well anymore. I'm a 39L, and the coat was probably a 42R, so a fair amount of fitting and tailoring needed to be done, and I hoped I'd be able to find someone who could do a good job with it! Just wanted to say that my experience with Jack and this unique garment and coat, and the work he did on it, was incredible. Jack had to bring the sides of the coat in a lot, since I was almost swimming in it at first, and had to also adjust and trim the shoulders and sleeves, almost realign them. He also had to lengthen the sleeves as much as was possible, AND he also put a completely brand new lining in the entire overcoat. We spent a bit of time measuring and pinning the coat, and then I left it off with Jack for probably a week or so. When I came back and put the coat on for the first time after Jack's work, I'd swear that the coat had been designed specifically for me! It fit me comfortably and like a glove. I'm tall and lean, and the coat had probably been originally designed for a stockier build. It had not been designed for my exact body, but from Jack's work, it felt like I had had a London tailor design the coat exactly for me! Jack's understanding of lines and flow and shape of clothing really impressed me in this particular job, and his work was impeccable. In the past few months, since that job, I've begun to bring my entire collection of dress shirts to Jack, all of which need to be altered since I lost a bit of weight a few years ago. Jack's done a few of them already, and again, all of these shirts that had been too big on me for a few years, are now again exactly fitted to my body! It's like discovering a whole new collection of shirts! Jack's prices, I think, are right in the range of really good tailoring. I had been to a couple of other tailors before Jack, including the one in Harvard Square, and Jack's prices don't seem to be any higher than anyone else. Since when is really good tailoring supposed to be inexpensive? It's kind of a dying skill and art, and I never felt like I was getting ripped off by Jack. He did a huge amount of work on that overcoat, and, since the overcoat only cost me $100 (a steal) I had assumed that it would cost me more than that to have it tailored, but that I'd still come out with a mint-condition, perfectly-fitting, European-quality overcoat for a fraction of what it would actually cost! I think Jack's work is awesome! read more

This review is long overdue. I began a relationship with Jack in 1989. I say 'relationship', because a good tailor is hard to find, and when you find one, you should hang on to them. Ideally, that relationship should be based on trust, mutual respect, confidence and honest advice about what 'looks good', what doesn't, and what garments can--and most importantly cannot--be reconstructed to look good for one's given body type. This is exactly the type of relationship I've built with Jack. Over the past 27 years, he has repaired, altered and reconstructed countless garments for me--everything from simple button replacements to complex suit reconstructions. He's made low cost garments look surprisingly great, and expensive suits look like they were custom made for me. He has seen me through numerous life events where I've needed to look my best, and has exceeded my expectations every time. All the while, he's paid close attention to changes in my body type, changes in fashion trends, and has educated me on how those two things impact alteration decisions on every garment he's touched on my behalf. Jack also loves a challenge. To my surprise, he didn't flinch when I brought him a Lambskin leather jacket years ago that needed significant alterations to fit me properly. Needless to say, by the time he was finished, the cut, fit and stitching looked perfect. Not easy to do! He doesn't rush the simple yet important details (like the proper break on a man's dress slack, for example) that clearly distinguish the master from the amateur. I come from a line of tailors, seamstresses, and textile fabric experts from Italy--and have absurdly high expectations when it comes to tailors. I politely but decisively decline offers for in-store free alteration services, choosing instead to bring all of my new purchases to Jack. The Italian word to describe Jack is 'artigiano'. It's a word used to describe not just a skilled tradesman, but an artisan, and a master at one's craft. In my opinion, his talent goes far beyond the technical skill required to construct or alter a garment. His knowledge and mastery of fit, fabric, fashion, and shaping a garment so that it falls correctly at the right points and flatters your appearance is nothing short of amazing. Jack can take an off the rack men's suit and make it look like custom made--even to the trained eyes of my relatives who are tailors themselves. Jack is a passionate, intuitive, knowledgeable master artisan who takes immense pride in his work. Best of all, he is wonderful to deal with. Outstanding, in every sense of the word. I'd highly recommend his services to anyone who values excellence in all things sartorial. read more

Some people perfect their clothes by spending thousands of dollars on bespoke fit. For the rest of us, there's Jack. Simply put, Jack's an incredibly effective tailor, maybe the most skilled of those with whom I've ever worked. (I've had garments done by maybe close to a dozen tailors in three cities, so I respectfully submit some experience here). I've now had two suits altered by Jack, though alteration seems too weak a verb. In both cases, what had obviously been purchased off the rack came back appearing as if it had been individually made for me. Jack has an incredible eye -- he called out my size as soon as I walked into the shop -- and shows that power in his results. Jack's style is, as another review put it, strongly in the modern European sensibility. He'll almost always want to taper the sleeve and pants, and he did urge me to shorten the collars of both jackets (a somewhat unconventional -- and pricier -- alternation, though one done to excellent effect). My sense is that he's strongest at shaping a jacket's waist and sides: the resulting line in each is absolutely beautiful its curvature. By contrast, he's somewhat more disinterested in the pants waist, though will certainly take that in or out if you request. In addition to being excellent in quality, the work is also quite efficient. Both suits were turned around in a little over a week, which for the effort required is significantly faster than schedule. Jack's also remarkably honest in his craftsmanship. I've seen him (apologetically!) turn a customer away for bringing in a jacket that Jack didn't believe could effectively altered. Instead of accepting the money and turning in a half-baked result, he rather offered that would-be customer sizing and shopping advice. As someone who's had tailors work on garments that they shouldn't have, I appreciate this quality especially in Jack. A word about pricing. Jack's a little on the pricier side; both suit alterations cost me in the realm of $200. That said, my experience very much confirmed the adage that one pays for what one gets. In both cases, the suits stand out as some of the sharpest things in my wardrobe, and appear significantly more expensive than what I've put into them. This may not be the single cheapest choice in Cambridge, but it still arguably offers one of the best values. Bottom line: when it absolutely positively has to look right, there's no one else I'd be more enthusiastic to take it to than Jack. read more

Walked in for the first time 2 weeks ago and I must say very old fashion, He's an older gentlemen and asked all the right questions. For starters he greeted me asked me my name and what brought me in. I didn't call ahead and I just showed up, I told him my name and that I had purchased a suit and wanted to see he would be able to see me today on such short notice. He said yes why don't you go ahead and put the suit on and let me take a look at it. I tried the suit on and I already knew the pants needed adjustments the waist was too small and the pants needed to be hemmed. He let me know this right off the back and then asked me when did I need the pants by I told him if possible the weekend he said yes it would be possible. This was a Wednesday afternoon and surely enough they were ready by Saturday. Very polite man remembered my name and asked me to try on the pants and I did they fit PERFECT!! he bragged a little which I don't mind. He knows his work is great so he has the right to. Now it came time to paying it was cash only so I was prepared for it. I won't mention exact pricing because that's his business, what I will say is that it's a little on the expensive side. But if you think about it; it's like comparing Starbucks to Dunkin Donuts.... There is no comparing it. Does Starbucks charge more yes, But does there product taste and look better? Hell YES. Bottom line it was worth it. I since then brought him another suit that was slightly larger on me and he didn't tell me I need X Y and Z done he recommended I get X Y and Z done. He made it my choice and it was an easy one, The suit look 1000 times better when he made the alterations and didn't push any adjustments that I may not have needed. Jack is a great guy with a bloodline of tailoring. He learned from his father and his son owns a shoe repair shop in downtown. These guys are the real deal and would rather see you looking like a million bucks and they sure know how to boost your confidence. Jack will now be my tailor. I came to him from south Boston and he did not disappoint. read more

Jack is great -- I would whole heartedly recommend him to anyone. He was suggested to me by a friend who had gone in repeatedly for alterations on (usually expensive) dresses. I've brought in several suits over the past year, each with unique massive problems that made them borderline unwearable. Two of the suits were simply the wrong cut, and the third was ultimately the right cut, but not fitted and sized well for me. In general, I'm very particular about how a suit should fit, but don't have enough knowledge to describe exactly what needs to be done -- this is probably related to how salespeople have successfully sold me ill fitting clothes... Jack is very good at taking your vague descriptions and translating them into exact alterations. He'll pin his suggestions up on you, and make comparisons if you have any input. His suggestions are almost always exactly what I'm looking for. Previously, I'd brought two of those suits to other tailors in the area (I'll be nice and leave their names out). Mostly, people just altered the waist of the pants, and were reluctant to do anything useful with the jacket. No one recognized or pointed out exactly how the cut was wrong for me. In one case, I never even got that far, because I was brusquely told they wouldn't even look at the suit for several weeks (residents of this area of Cambridge can probably guess which shop this was). Jack has been friendly and clear about what the problems are, and to what extent they can be fixed. Great experience every time. $175 for two of the suits, and $90 for the third -- I can't say if this is high or low, because no one has known or been willing to take on such comprehensive alterations. It breaks down to about $20 per individual change. In the end, I have three suits that I'm excited to wear, which otherwise would have sat in my closet until I had the guts to throw them out... compared the cost of three new suits, I'm very happy. read more

Feng Shui for clothes. Jack has kept me looking very good throughout the years, as I went from athletic build to 40lbs overweight, to back to somewhere in between. I just picked up a garment yesterday, I left a simple black blazer with him and he returned a flawless and elegant evening jacket, a piece of art in fabric. There is the feeling you get walking into a fundraiser with the most stunning women in the room, there is the comfortable feeling you get slipping into a family photo, and the special moment spent sipping a perfect cup of coffee while watching the sun rise over a summer lake. That is the feeling I get every-time I walk out of Jack's tailoring. The reviews giving him praise are all overly long, as customers try to put into words the magic that he does. He take you and your clothes and creates a feeling of grace and elegance in 3D and motion. There have been a few who have complained about his prices, but you don't want the cheapest surgeon, and you don't negotiate with the repairman working on your car brakes. The only people who have issue with his prices are those who have never worked with him. When you have your clothes fitted by Jack, it will feel like coming home. One last thing to keep in mind, a lot of garments look great standing absolutely still in front of a mirror as you do your best imitation of a store manikin, but for living and movement in the real world you need much more, and Jack delivers every time. The goal is not to have clothes that look great, but for the man or woman to look great, and the best way to optimize that is to visit Jack. read more

To the person who thinks $30 is too much to hem your jeans: that's nuts. Do you realize the labor involved in executing a 'reattachment' hem (which is what Jack charges $30 for)? That is an exceptionally difficult hem to do perfectly, and Jack does do it perfectly. You cannot tell the pants have even been hemmed. It is pure genius. People generally want this type of hem because they want to preserve the faded look at the bottom of the hem and they are too impatient to wait for a few wash cycles when the hem will naturally develop the original 'off the rack' fade. If you wash & wait, you only pay $18 for a regular hem. You get what you pay for. I've been a loyal customer turned friend of Jack's for 22 long, beautifully fitting years. I come from a line of Italian tailors, and I know a thing or two about clothing and how it should fit. Jack is quite possibly the most capable tailor in Boston. He is a gentleman and a master at his craft. My grandfather custom made a set of wool top coats for me with silk linings and velvet collars, and Jack is the only tailor I would let touch those coats. Over the years Jack has hemmed pants, fixed many suits, and even took on a seemingly impossible lambskin leather jacket that he made look like it was custom made for me. This was exceptionally difficult job, but Jack took on the challenge and exceeded my expectations. He is a gentleman, an honest businessman, and a pleasure to know and do business with. Overall, just an exceptional man. I cannot endorse this man or his work enough. Go see him and you will not be disappointed. read more

Jack knows his stuff. Brought in a nice suit with a standard fit from Macy's (230$ clearance). I put it on and wasn't annoyed when he asked me what I wanted. Of course I didn't know what to say at first because I didn't know the exact "tailor's terms" for things. So I used a combination of laymen's terms and hand gestures "It's wide in this area," "too long over here..." Then he made his own suggestions, each was an option, each had a price, no pressure at all. He put on pins on my suit to give me an idea how it would look like. I picked to have him do everything: shortened and tapered the pants below the knee, shortened and tapered the sleeves, made it more fitted around the abdomen, pulled back the neck (so he shortened from the middle seam on the back of the suit to narrow the collar so it touches the shirt collar which also brought in the shoulders to exactly my width.) Total was 200$ which I paid when I picked it up (wasn't asked for any deposit, I don't know how that policy works.) The suit fit me so well that it looked like it was worth a lot more than what I paid for in total. Not to mention that it made me look really good. I had a conversation with Jack as I was leaving. He did mention that he likes to make the clothing fit the person. So I guess if you really want something to fit more loosely (I understand some people want it that way.) Just mention that to him. He does ask you what you want at the beginning. Summary: Went in with standard suit, came out very satisfied with a great tailored suit. read more

Jack is a consummate professional and an honest, careful, dedicated craftsman. He has worked wonders on everything which I have brought to him. I never knew my clothes could look so sharp before I met Jack. The first time I went to Jack I brought him two suits, which didn't fit me and I probably should never have bought in the first place. He looked at me, pointed to a picture on the wall of some model and said "I'm going to make you look like that" and darn if he didn't do exactly that. When I wear clothes Jack has tailored I feel like I should be at Milan fashion week. He's that good. Jack wants you to look your best. If he thinks something isn't worth tailoring, he'll tell you that. If he doesn't have the equipment to tailor something (different fabrics require different techniques) he'll tell you. This is called honesty and I've been grateful for it because it's saved me money that would have been wasted at a less scrupulous tailor. Is he dirt cheap ? No, but he's not expensive either. His prices are more than fair for the quality and personal attention which both you and your clothes get. Everything I've taken to Jack has turned out fantastically, and the single jacket which didn't turn out quite right he fixed *free* *of* *charge*. Jack's an friendly, interesting guy, in addition to being an incredible tailor, and he's taught me a lot about what I should be wearing, what I shouldn't and how to tell the difference. Go to Jack. I simply I can't recommend him more highly. read more

I brought in an inexpensive suit I bought at an outlet store, and Jack made it look perfect. This being my first experience with a real tailor, I wasn't sure what to expect, but he was very helpful in explaining details that could be changed to make the suit look better. When I first came in, he was very friendly, showed me to the dressing room, and had me try on the suit. He then pointed out things that could be altered and gave me ample time to look in the mirror and decide what I wanted. I ended up having my pants hemmed and slimmed throughout, and even had my jacket's shoulders taken in about an inch. For that work, he told me it would be $150 and would take about a week. From research I had done online about tailoring, that seemed on the low side of both time and cost, so I was very excited. When I went to pick up the suit about a week later, I wanted a couple other minor alterations done to the pants. Jack took about 5 minutes to make them absolutely perfect, and he did not add any amount to my total bill, despite doing a bit more work that he hadn't anticipated. I wholeheartedly recommend going to Jack's for your tailoring. I was a bit nervous about going to a proper tailor for the first time and wasn't sure what my suit needed to fit better. Jack made me feel very comfortable, explained things about my suit very well, and performed impeccable work. All for a very reasonable price. read more

Having used multiple mens clothing tailors past, I can say hands down that the quality and attention to detail that Jack puts into his work is far superior to anything else in the Boston area. Furthermore, his genuine level of service and committment to honesty and integrity places him in a category all his own. On multiple occasions, Jack has transformed dress pants, jeans, suits etc. into custom fitting attire, easily raising their value. However, Jack's true talent lies in his ability to customize off the hanger dress shirts. Although skeptical at first about tailoring a dress shirt, I decided to bring in a high end dress shirt for tailoring about a year ago. Given the high cost of the shirt, I wanted to make sure the fit came out perfect. Jack walked me through the entire process, expalining each and every detail while offering his opinion as to what would look best by reducing the extra material which made the shirt look somewhat oversized and baggy on the sides and sleeves. The result was absoultely stunning...he made the shirt look as though it has been transported directly from the pages of GQ!!! Ever since this phenomenal experience, I have brought Jack every dress shirt I own, and each one has exceeded my expectations. Believe me, it makes a major difference!!! I would recommend anyone considering shirt alterations to try Jack. You will not be disappointed. read more

My son Casey recently purchased five pairs of slacks which needed to be shortened. My mother was a professional seamstress and I learned the craft from her. With my eyes now failing I realized it was time to find a tailor outside of the family. I searched online for a tailor that could match the expertise and quality of work that I expected. I sent my son to an establishment that had a large following by all the reviews I read on City Search--it was Jack's Tailoring & Dry Cleaning in Cambridge, MA. My son said he was friendly, and took the time it needed to be precise with the measurements. Those five pairs of slacks were ready for pick-up in just three days! When my son brought his finished slacks back home, I thoroughly inspected them to see Jack's work. I was very impressed with the quality of his work, and how he paid particular attention to being precise not only in his measurements, but also with his expert stitching! I knew we found the right tailor with Jack, and the fees he charges is what you pay for a REALLY GOOD TAILOR! As a seamstress myself & having made my own sons clothes, I can personally state that Jack's fees reflect not only the quality of his work, but also his artistic ability in the tailoring & altering trade. To me, it is a labor of love to make people look good in what they wear--Jack is now our tailor and part of our family. read more

When my dad passed away a few years ago, my mother gave me a few of his nice blazers and tuxedo. Brooks Brothers, Hickey Freeman, nice stuff. They didn't quite fit right, so I finally got around to wanting them properly tailored. Wasn't quite sure where to go to trust with these. My wife had mentioned she'd been to Jack's years ago and that he did quality work. So I went in and met Jack and it was a great experience. He took his time with me trying each item on, asking what I wanted and offering his professional opinion (which I was very happy to hear). Jack made some great suggestions, and we ended up going with European style alterations - tapered and fitting nicely to my body shape. A big improvement to the boxy look that they had before. I have to say the tux and jackets fit so well now, look sharp and feel comfortable to wear. Jack is a very nice man and a high quality tailor. I'm very happy with the work he did. While the cost wasn't cheap, I felt that it was fair and well worth it for the amount of work he had to do - and the vision and experience he brought to the table. I'll certainly be returning in the future when I need other alterations of my dress clothes. read more

Jack is an amazing tailor, no doubt about it. As far as my personal experience goes, I have taken in several sport coats, a few pairs of pants, and many, many shirts. While I have loved his work on all of my clothes, he is especially good at taking in shirts. He is far better than the average dry cleaners at alterations, as he can take the shirts in at the side seam and make it appear as if no alteration has been made. He can also quickly add darts to shirts, but I highly recommend the full alteration. All of my coats have turned out great as well, and now Jack has an eye for how I like them to fit and customizes accordingly (extra waist suppression and plenty of shirt cuff showing). Jack will never let you leave until you are fully satisfied. I have had him tweak a few things after his initial alterations, and he was willing to do it while I was in the store with no hesitation. He really is a great tailor who takes pride in the quality of his work and his customers' satisfaction. I have tried several shops, and Jack's Tailoring is definitely the place to go for tailoring in the Boston/Cambridge area, especially for those baggy, off the rack dress shirts! read more

After visiting Jack's earlier today, I had to write a quick review of his business. I live in Wayland, work in Waltham and make the effort to drive to Cambridge for "my" tailor Jack. This start 18 years ago when I lived in the South End and bought a Tuxedo from Keezers in Cambridge. Mind you, I bought this Tuxedo on a Thursday in advance of a Saturday night formal event. I was in a big time bind, I needed alterations in less than 48 hrs. Well, Jack came through for me and did a wonderful job on that Tuxedo. I promised myself that I would always use Jack for any of my alterations. So for the last 18 years, I make an effort to go to Jack. I tell this story because today I found myself making the trek to Cambridge to have two pairs of pants shortened. Really nothing that complex. My wife thought I was crazy to drive all the way into Cambridge for something that could be done by many other tailors much closer to my home or office. Frankly, I wouldn't think of going anywhere else. Jack's craftsmanship, his precision and friendly manner really make an incredible difference. It was great to see him today and I happily recommend him to anyone else. read more