Like the shoemaker, tailors were once common in Irish towns. Tailors made and altered clothes.
Tailor
Tailor James Murphy at work in his shop in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim.
© Leitrim County LibraryTailor
© Leitrim County Library
© Leitrim County Library
Tailor
Tailor James Murphy at work in his shop in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim.
© Leitrim County LibraryThese days there are very few tailors or dressmakers as most people buy their clothes ready-made or "off the peg".
Most tailors and dressmakers earn their living today from making alterations to shop bought garments.
Tailor's Tools
Photograph of the tools that tailor James Murphy uses in his Ballinamore tailor shop.
© Leitrim County LibraryTailor's Tools
© Leitrim County Library
© Leitrim County Library
Tailor's Tools
Photograph of the tools that tailor James Murphy uses in his Ballinamore tailor shop.
© Leitrim County LibraryThere are also fewer places to buy fabric, sewing machines and needles and thread.
In olden times, more people made some of their own clothes at home.
In olden times, more people made some of their own clothes at home.
They also mended their clothes more often than people do nowadays. Old pieces of fabric were used to patch up holes. Items made from wool, like jumpers and socks, were often darned.