You may be preparing to buy a suit from a Chiang Mai tailor when you come through the northern Thailand mountain city, and that's a great place to start when looking for quality craftsmen. But there are also plenty of tailors, domestic and foreign, who have settled in Chiang Mai looking for a quick buck. If you don't know the difference between a good suit and a bad one, you better learn to tell the differences between different kinds of tailors. Here are 5 criteria to keep in mind when searching for a good Chiang Mai tailor: 1. Reputation First off, high quality tailors don't stay secret long. You talk to the right people, and you can be willing to bet you'll get a recommendation you can count on. Are there tailors in the city who are highly skilled and dependable but don't yet have the reputation? Yeah, I'm sure there are, but in your short time that you're here, are you coming to gamble or get a guaranteed high quality suit at a cheap price? Go for the sure thing. See what people are saying online, talk to some expats, or talk to some local Thais who wear these kinds of clothes themselves. 2. In Hot Pursuit A tailor whose services are in high demand isn't going to pursue you down the street trying to make a sale. If you haven't been to Thailand yet, you might think I'm trying to be funny, but this is exactly what 90% of the tailors do—at least in the tourist centers. Never buy a suit from someone that desperate for business. In fact, never buy anything from someone that desperate for business if quality is mandatory. 3. Overseas Service Do they offer an overseas service? The well-established reputable tailors often come overseas to satisfy a growing demand for their services in foreign markets. They frequent big cities around the world and take measurements to send back to their tailors in Thailand. Not only is this a good indication that they are delivering quality suitable to European and American standards, but it offers you a great opportunity to keep the cheap suits coming back at home. 4. Testimonials Usually, a good Chiang Mai tailor will have plenty of on-site testimonials. Be careful though—anyone can make up a testimonial. If all of them are misspelled with poor grammar and have nothing but a first name, it could be something they slapped together. Photos are nice, and a link to a website is even nicer. 5. Multiple Fittings Typically, if a tailor tells you its okay to just send them your measurements or pushes you out of the shop saying they have all the data they need, you might want to stop and think a bit. A lot of times, a new suit is going to need adjustments, and if you're not there for those second or third fittings, you're likely to get a lousy fit. While this may not always work with your travel plans, I'd be weary of a tailor who doesn't at least try to tell you to stick around until the suit is finished.
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