Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Tailoring refers to the process of creating or altering clothing to fit an individual's specific needs or preferences. This contrasts with mass-produced clothing, which is made in standard sizes. Historically, all garments were made by hand by individual tailors and seamstresses. The invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century revolutionized clothing production, enabling factory-made garments and leading to the rise of the garment industry.1

Tailoring can also be used metaphorically to describe adapting something for a particular purpose or situation. For example, a speech can be tailored to a specific audience. Clothing that is tailored is often described as custom-made or bespoke.2345

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.