Sound familiar?
Good clothes, and nothing fits the way it did
- Your good suits hang in the closet because the trousers won’t close and the jacket hangs off your shoulders.
- You stand at the counter wondering if a $75 alteration is worth it, or if you should just buy new.
- Your collar pinches by noon and your trousers pool on your shoes, and nobody tells you why.
- Your wife says it’s time for new clothes, and you’d rather settle it with a tape measure than an argument.
- You want to look sharp, not like that old guy trying to look young.
It isn’t you. Your measurements changed and your clothes didn’t. Most of them can be made to fit again, for less than you think.
The math
One man’s closet, two ways
Buying the same pieces new
- Blazer, suit and wool trousers$650
- Two chinos, jeans, five shirts, two sweaters$545
- Two pairs of leather shoes, overcoat, rain jacket$770
- Belt and four ties$155
The tailor’s way, from the book
- 12 pieces altered at the tailor’s and the cobbler$575
- Cardigan pills shaved at home$10
- One new pair of jeans (the old ones failed the half rule)$50
- Flannel shirts and four ties kept as they are; 3 pieces let go$0
He kept about
$1,485 in his pocket
Sort your own closet the same way and that’s money kept the year you do it. The book costs $27, once.
Both columns are the real sample closet on page 13 of the book, priced at typical shop prices as of October 2026. Prices vary by town; big-city shops often charge more. Your closet will differ.
What you were told, and what the tailor says
“It doesn’t fit anymore. Time to buy new.”
Most good pieces can come in up to 2 inches at the waist, for about $30 on trousers and $45 on a jacket. p. 21
“Altering costs more than it’s worth.”
Sometimes. The half rule says when: if the fix is half or less of the new price and the cloth is sound. p. 17
“A tailor can fix anything.”
Not shoulders, not for a fair price. That’s the one point that decides whether a jacket stays. p. 87
“Your collar’s tight, you need all new shirts.”
Moving the button gains up to ¼ inch for about $5 a shirt. p. 60
“Long trousers look relaxed.”
An inch of cloth pooled on the shoe is what makes trousers look borrowed. A plain hem is about $20. p. 38
Real pages from the book
Look inside
Swipe to see all 4 pages →
What’s inside
The Chalk Book is a tailor’s straight answer to keep, alter or let go, with 100 fixes, every one priced against buying new.
| # | Part | Page |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Closet Sort. The mirror test, the half rule, one closet priced | 11 |
| 2 | Trousers. Hems, waists, pleats, jeans, shine | 35 |
| 3 | Shirts. Tight collars, long sleeves, frayed cuffs | 58 |
| 4 | Jackets and Suits. Sleeves, waists, shoulders, the old jacket | 80 |
| 5 | Knitwear. Moth holes, pilling, stretched cardigans | 103 |
| 6 | Shoes. Heels, resoles, polish, what to stop wearing | 125 |
| 7 | The Small Things. Belts, braces, ties, socks, handkerchiefs | 148 |
| 8 | Coats and Outerwear. Overcoats, zippers, linings, raincoats | 170 |
| 9 | Warm Weather. Shorts, polos, linen, summer jackets | 192 |
| 10 | Occasions. Weddings, funerals, church, the family photo | 214 |
A few things you’ll find
- The five points a tailor checks before he says a wordp. 15
- Why the shoulders decide whether a jacket staysp. 87
- The $5 fix for a collar that pinchesp. 60
- Jeans belted high: fix them or retire themp. 52
- How to tell a 20-year-old classic from a dated jacketp. 89
- When a full new sole is worth it, and when it isn’tp. 130
- Getting a suit ready for a family weddingp. 218
- What to say at the counter so you pay for what you asked forp. 33
Plus the price card for every job, the mirror test card, a printable closet sort sheet, a tailor’s ticket to take to the shop, a measurement card, an index by garment and an index of the cheapest fixes.
How the book was made
The notebooks in the cutting-table drawer
I came to a downtown men’s shop in 1973, twenty-two, and learned the trade at the cutting table under Aldo Benedetti, a tailor trained near Naples.
Aldo kept a pocket notebook at every fitting: the garment, the measurements, the price, and often one word. Keep, alter, or let go. I started my own that year. There are about sixty of them now, his and mine.
Lately most of the men on my fitting step are my own age, asking the same thing: is this worth fixing, and what will it cost? My daughter Karen pointed out that most men never get to stand at a tailor’s mirror and ask.
So I went through the chalk books, wrote down the hundred jobs that come up most, and priced every one against buying new. That’s this book.
Ray Dunbar
Who it’s for, and what it won’t do
It’s for you if
- You’re over 60 and your good clothes stopped fitting the way they used to.
- You want to know whether a fix is worth the money before you pay a tailor or buy new.
- You hate shopping and would rather keep the clothes you already like.
- You’re a wife or daughter who wants a fair, plain answer to settle it.
It’s not for you if
- You want the latest fashions or a whole new wardrobe.
- You’re looking for advice on weight, health or grooming. This is about clothes and fit only.
Prices vary by town
Every figure is a typical price at an ordinary shop as of October 2026, with the usual range. Big-city shops often charge more. Ask before the pin goes in.
Some things can’t be saved
Shoulders, worn-through cloth, a jacket that’s too short. The book says so plainly, and tells you when buying new is the cheaper road.
You still need a tailor
Some fixes you can do at home with a $10 shaver or a needle and thread. Most need a tailor’s machine, and the book tells you exactly what to ask for.
Get The Chalk Book
The Chalk Book
- 100 fixes in 10 parts, each with what it costs, what the piece costs new, and the verdict
- One closet sorted and priced line by line: $635 against $2,120 new
- The exact words to say at the tailor’s for every alteration
- A line from the chalk books beside nearly every fix
- Printable price card, closet sort sheet, tailor’s ticket and measurement card
- PDF + EPUB, large type, for phone, tablet, computer or e-reader
- Every future edition free
🔒 Secure checkout by Gumroad · Card · Apple Pay · Google Pay · PayPal
Right after you pay, the download page opens and the link comes by email. Start on page 15: five minutes in front of your own mirror, and you’ll know which pieces are worth a trip to the tailor.
Coming next: Buy It Once, a tailor’s guide to buying clothes that fit after 60: what to check on the rack and what each piece should cost. Buyers hear first.
The Fitting Room Promise
Read it, sort your closet with it. If it isn’t for you, email within 30 days and you get every cent back. No questions. Keep the book.
Questions men ask
What exactly do I get?
A digital book of 100 tailor’s fixes in 10 parts, as a PDF and an EPUB, with a printable price card, closet sort sheet, tailor’s ticket and measurement card. One payment, no subscription, and the download link stays in your email.
Can I read it on my phone, or print it?
Both. The type is large and the contents are clickable. Or print the page you need and take it to the tailor’s with the garment. There’s no paper copy yet.
Can my old suits even be let out?
Most good trousers and jackets can come in or out up to 2 inches at the waist. Shoulders can’t be changed for a fair price, and the book tells you how to check them in the mirror first.
Do I need to sew?
No. Most fixes are done by a tailor or a cobbler, and the book tells you what to ask for and what it should cost. A few are simple jobs at home.
Will the prices be the same where I live?
Close, not exact. Every job has a typical price and the usual range as of October 2026. Big-city shops often charge 10 to 40 percent more, so ask before the pin goes in.
My wife already tells me what to wear.
Then you’ll have something to settle it with. Every piece goes through the same mirror test and the same price test, so it’s decided at the mirror, not over supper.
Why is there a clock on the price?
$27 is the launch price. It holds for 90 minutes from your first visit to this page, then the book is $37. The clock doesn’t start over.
Who is it not for?
Anyone after the latest fashions or a whole new wardrobe. This is for men who want the clothes they own to fit and look right.
Step up to the mirror before you spend a dollar.
100 fixes, every one priced against buying new, so you know what to keep, what to alter and what to let go.
Fix what fits. Let the rest go.
P.S. Sort one closet the way the book does and you’ll know what’s worth fixing before you spend a dollar on new. It’s $27 today, and if it isn’t for you, every cent comes back.