Shanghai Tailor

I came in to Shanghai Tailor to have a bridesmaid dress altered and I’m so glad I did. Lili was so great she finished the work in two days and it fit perfect after. She was very nice and explained exactly what she was doing to the dress. The price was great for the amount of work she did. Thank you!

I came to have a bridesmaid dress altered about 5 – 6 weeks before the big day after realizing the previous tailor I used was not taking on new business. The entire process was so smooth and easy. My initial fitting only took ten minutes and she promised my dress in two weeks, including the holiday weekend! The previous places I’ve been to all took much, much longer.
It cost $ 70 but was well worth it. She took in the sides, bust and made snaps on the halter and her craftsmanship was beautiful! Very professional looking alteration. If I ever need anything else altered I will surely come again.

After doing extensive research on the best-​rated tailors in my area, it sounded like Shanghai Tailor would be the best bet. Sadly, I was sorely disappointed, from the strong language barrier to the woman’s pushy, insistent urgings in broken English of how to do alter my things.
Problem is, I’m a costume designer and novice sewer, so I understand what needs to be done to fix a garment but I brought some of my good pieces here since I lost weight recently and wanted an expert fit. Even explaining exactly what I wanted done was lost in translation due to the language barrier and what I felt was a lack of listening to what the client wanted.
When I picked up my dresses and jacket, more than ²⁄₃ of them were taken in so much that my chest (which is far from ample) was spilling over the top because the clothes were so tight! When I expressed this concern and asked if she saw why it was too tight, she insisted it looked perfect (even though every breath made me strain the seams!) Anyone could see that the arm straps restricted my arm movement by pulling and gathering in that area, and the fact it was so tight that breathing looked strained.
Through much frustrated and tedious explanation, I was able to get her to let some seams out while I waited awkwardly in the seating area, made to feel like I was putting her through a lot of unnecessary work even though she should have listened to what I asked for the first time.
At $ 40-​$ 50 per dress (priced due to the «difficult nature of the seams/​zippers/​linings,» etc. which most garments have…), I expected a different level of quality or at least a businessperson who puts her customers desires before her own.
For the fair quality of the finished products, I can wear some of the things I brought here now but will have to work on the remaining fixes myself or find another tailor who speaks better English and doesn’t bulldoze over their client’s requests. There has to be one out there in the Boston/​Quincy area who’s affordable AND reputable. Any advice or suggestions welcome.

I had my prom dress hemmed and the price was awesome. Lili was such a sweet and honest person. I’m going to my prom again this year, and truth be told, I’d only trust her when it came to alterations.

This is a bit delayed, but I have been meaning to write about Shanghai Tailor and how Lili saved my wedding dress! I took my dress to the recommended «high end» tailor in Boston as recommended by the dress shop I purchased my wedding dress. After 6 horrible fittings that eventually ended in me paying way to much and taking the dress with it fitting terribly, I was frantic to find someone to help me with only a week and a half until the big day. It was prom season, so no tailors would help me. I called Lili and she was very kind, and told me to bring it right in. Lili knew exactly what to do to alter the dress correctly to fit my shape. With only one fitting and then a final fitting two days later, the dress was perfect. Lili literally saved my wedding dress, and allowed me to relax for the week of my wedding. I would highly recommend her :)

Lili is detail oriented, honest, and very skilled. She will often mend my clothes in the same day and always quotes super reasonable prices. This is a great local business to support, especially if you’re looking for excellent alterations and tailoring.

Brought my wedding dress in (August 2014) 2 weeks before the big event (yes I know I am a terrible, awful procrastinator), and the owner was amazing. I went in during my lunch hour, and she had me pinned, measured, and out the door in 15 minutes. The dress had to be shortened and the bust had to be taken out, both tasks which seemed crazy to me, as the entire outer layer of the dress is intricate lace. She charged me $ 70 for the job (other estimates I’d gotten were $ 200+) and had it ready right when she said it would be — exactly 3 days before the ceremony. Hem is perfect. We spoke English and nothing was lost in translation. Nicest woman in the world. 5 stars.

She doesn’t speak English but simple instructions are good enough for her. Very experience and inexpensive. I go to her for all my alterations needs. I am petite so most pants and jeans are just too long for me. Very fast and reliable service.

I’ve just relocated the area and was in need of a new alteration shop. I dropped off 3 pairs of pants to be hemmed and was told by the sweetest of ladies that they would be ready within a few hours for only ten bucks a pop! Not only were they done quickly, but they were done well. I will definitely go back for my future alterations!

I have had a few items altered here. Most recently, it was a shear dress with a silk slip. She did an excellent job dealing with the difficult fabrics, she turned it around in under 2 days, and the price was very reasonable. Won’t go anywhere else!

Nice lady. Tailored my pants very well and wasn’t messy. Very quick too if you need it in a hurry. I guess the price is reasonable, depending on your job/​career, for me it was a tiny bit expensive because i’m a broke college student. Overall, nice lady and workmanship :)

I have been going here forever for my alterations a lot of shirts I buy fit me up top but are to long they always do an amazing job. I recommend this place to all my family and friends even people from work who have to get uniforms repaired or altered. Usually wait time is about 4 – 5 business days the prices are very reasonable. The only down side to this place is its all cash.

I read the other review about LiLi missing in action and rode by the place myself a few times, but it seemed LiLi had closed up or disappeared. But today I drove by and the place was open so I dropped in. Good news, after some personal issues LiLi is back in full swing. Her husband is no longer there and she was alone today, but I do remember she had a helper in the past. She has a new phone number (781−267−2938) and her hours are posted in the window. We chatted for a while and told her she’ll certainly get all my work again.
I first found LiLi in 2010 – 2011 and stuck with her until she closed a while back. She is the best tailor I’ve ever used, her rates are great and the work is done quickly. Sometimes she even tells me to stay in the shop and does the work on the spot. Doesn’t get any better.
So glad she’s back, happy to see my old friend, and please everyone who’s been missing her go back and say hello!

I believe the original woman who had this business sold it. The last time I went in, a man who appeared to be of Russian decent said he would do the repairs and that his wife was in China for a month.
When I picked up the repaired items, they were a terrible job.
I stopped by yesterday with more small items, figuring I would give it another try and the same man was there, this time with a woman I assumed was his wife (not the same woman who used to own this business).
The man looked at me and said he is ill and he is not accepting any new work, so I left.
Does anyone know where Lilly went if she did sell the business?

I needed two shirts tapered and my blazer sleeves shortened. Also it had to be done in two days. Shanghai Tailor did a great job on my clothes and was quick. Inexpensive as well. Awesome place!

Like everyone else who’s left a review, I LOVE SHANGHI TAILOR! Lilly is very nice. Quality work is done quickly and very inexpensively!
Also, like others have said in their reviews, my mother, daughter and I all went through our closets after our first experience with Shanghai and brought everything that needed tailoring.
I love them and I hope they never leave the area!

Hands down, the best around! Definitely deserves the 5 star rating. This woman is amazing! I brought two pair of designer jeans here to be hemmed… and I’m not talking an inch. I had her take about 5 inches off of both pair and honestly, you can’t even tell that I had them altered! Her hem is PERFECT, just like when I bought them. $ 8/​pair, can’t go wrong.
I brought them in on a Saturday morning around 9:30am; she asked when I needed them by and I told her that it was absolutely no rush. She said, «Is Monday too late??» I laughed and told her Tuesday or Wednesday would be fine but she insisted on Monday (mind you it was a holiday). Again, incredible.
Cash only!

It’s so nice to give a 5 star! She is great, her work is unbelievable, I had a kids Puma jacket sleeves done and it was very
elaborate, I could not figure out how she did it. She reworked it all. I have her doing everything now. I may force her to make some curtains too!

I went here after doing a search for tailors near where I live, and saw that the few reviews on there were all 5 stars, so I thought– boy, I guess I’m going there!
Well, 5 stars is right! First of all, the woman there (I’m assuming Lilly by what everyone else was writing, but I wasn’t sure) was really friendly and nice. We spoke in chinese for a little bit, which was nice considering I have nobody to practice it with otherwise. Ha.
I needed two pairs of pants hemmed and she asked me if I wanted to wait, so I did– and voila! 10 minutes and $ 16 dollars later, my pants are done! Both pairs! What a good price and such a speedy process!
Now I have a tailor to go to! Yay! Highly recommend it.

All I can say is that Tyler G. has it exactly right. I’ve always tried to use local business for this kind of work. I had a favorite tailor in Porter Square (previously reviewed) and then moved to North Quincy. I openly admit i despaired a bit. Then i found Shanghai. The lady here is so friendly and as quick as you need her to be. and you can’t beat $ 10. I’m only 5’1″ and always have to have pants hemmed so having a good tailor is very important to me.
I tend to go in and try the clothes on and let the lady place the hem herself. If you do this, remember to take the shoes you’ll be wearing most with them so you can get the best looking hem.