Mannikin's Tailoring Reviews

Catherine is amazing! Brought her a vintage, 1960s Pendleton coat to fix (lining) and she fixed everything with wonderful precision. She is incredibly talented!

I had Catherine fix a couple buttons and clean up some fraying buttonholes on my vintage pea coat. Usually I would fix bottons myself, but these were attached inside the coat lining, and so required a bit more work. Catherine did a great job, the coat was ready on the day she told me to come pick it up, and I thought that the price ($15) was really reasonable for the amount of work involved. Thanks!

I had a very complicated wedding dress that I brought to Catherine because I knew she was the only person I could trust with such an important and delicate task. The end result was that she was able to make fit my body like a glove.
We had multiple fittings and she wasn't satisfied unless she had gotten the fit just right. This is nothing against her ability she just had to work with a difficult wedding dress.

She had me come back quickly after one appointment because she knew I lived 30 minutes away and she wanted to see it on me one more time to be precise with the adjustments.

My friends, this is the time you want a perfectionist! Catherine got all the details right and it shows in my pictures. Thank you Catherine, so much, for making this dress unbelievably beautiful!!!

I needed two shirts to be tailored. Both came out better than I expected. Both fit perfectly! I would definitely recommend this tailor.

Catherine was great, couldn't ask for better service or quality of work! Would definitely go back

I 'd trust any of my garments to these guys. Their work is top notch and their customer service is exemplary. I recommend them to all of my friends.

Before going to this tailor I checked with a couple of the stores downtown to see who did their tailoring..Banana Republic and Coverings. Both of them use this place so I decided that was a good recommendation. I had several pants hemmed and was totally pleased with the result. They were perfect, done in just a couple of days and the price was much more reasonable than other places in town. I highly recommend them and will return again.

Hi, so I came to Mannikins to get a formal dress altered that I planned to wear on my honeymoon. Let me say Catherine s work is fantastic, my dress had ornate beading and details that she was able to do all the alterations on with no problems or snags and without breaking any of her needles!!! The dress now fits my body perfectly as if it was made to my exact measurements, which is exactly what you want in tailoring!!! If you don t come here for all of your alteration needs then you ll probably regret it! Also, she is a super sweet woman and I loved chatting with her so strike up a conversation with her if she s got the time cuz she works her butt off for all her customers!!!

I took my cheerleading uniform here to get my skirt and top taken in and I'm SO happy with the results! I've been to 4 different tailors with it and was still left with an ill-fitting uniform. She even let me bring it back when I found another issue and fixed it free of charge! She said, "Bring it back. It has to be perfect." Very knowledgable, understanding, professional, and reliable. Highly recommend!

Catherine is the best tailor around, she doesn t get enough credit. So talented and reliable. Thank you for your quality work!

I have taken many articles of clothing to Mannikins and have been pleased with how each one turned out. I have had basic store-bought shirts tailored to look like they were custom made. Catherine is great at knowing present style. With attention to detail and fast turnaround, I strongly recommend Mannikins.

I had the absolute worst experience here! I needed my wedding dress to be altered and upon doing some review research, I found Mannikins to be supposedly one of the best in the area - so I called, set up an appointment and went in to meet her. I was running 5 minutes behind because of construction so I called and let her know to which she replied "uhh...okay." It was a little off-putting but whatever I thought, I'm the one running late.

I get in there and apologize for running behind. She doesn't move from behind her counter, just points at the tiny little dressy stall and says try it on. This was actually the first time I had attempted trying it on by myself, I managed of course, but needed to ask for her help with zipping and buttoning. She was reluctant and didn't even zip it all the way up. Then, she asks, "well, what do you want done with it?" I said, "Well you're the professional here, but in my opinion, it's clear it needs to be hemmed, brought in on the sides/straps, and I'd like to add some additional applique lace pieces to the train."

She stopped me in the middle of that thought and said "By the way, you know I charge for consultations right? I don't just do this for free unless you do the work here." I said, "No actually, you didn't mention that when I called to set my appointment." She got super snippy and essentially refused to provide any insight on what she would do to make my dress fit me perfectly. She went back behind her counter, just stood there looking at me with a blank stare. I asked her "well based on what you see, can you provide an estimate?" She smirked and said it would be between $300-500. What a range! I asked her that on the phone when I set my appointment and she said the same thing. I understand a range is necessary until you get into actually doing to the work. Bridal gowns are complex and have many layers, some of which may be more difficult to adjust than others based on the designers method. I get it! But, why did I waste my time to come in?

Ultimately, I said, "don't worry I'll call you if I ever want anything done," and I walked out. Honestly, this woman was insulting, unprofessional, and nearly made me cry because of her lack of friendliness. This is my WEDDING dress. I'm getting married. It's a super important time, and you would think someone like her would recognize that and at least provide basic customer service. Maybe she was having a bad day, but it looks like I'm not the only one that experienced her rough side.

I took my dress to The Fitting Image, and Bella did an absolutely outstanding job. She exceeded my expectations in every way. Cost was low, quality exceptional, and friendliness was genuine. Take your money there!

Catherine does a FANTASTIC job on alterations. She does quality work and has good taste and recommendations on how to make things fit right. This is THE place to go in SLO to have your clothes worked on.

Thank you Catherine! I brought in a high-end jacket that I thought needed a new zipper. Catherine looked at it, got out a few tools, tightened this, loosened that and now I don't need a new zipper. And she refused reimbursement! How's that for customer service!!!

Simply perfect. I have been using Mannikins for years. Catherine does an outstanding job and exceeds my expectations every time. I'm extremely particular so if she can make me happy then she can make anybody happy. Friendly, fast, & perfect. Why waste time somewhere else?

Great service! Stayed late for me and took care of my suit perfectly.

Catherine is a true professional. She knows her craft and has a young yet classic sense of style. Prompt and always entertaining. Most of my adjustments have been of the rush variety and she has always been very accommodating. Makes the drive from Templeton worth it. Catherine is tailor made for her profession.

Catherine went far beyond the call of duty to perform a favor for my grandmother. It was the busy season for a tailor, but she understood the nature of our needs and stayed up late to do a rush job which helped give a 91-year-old woman a much needed dose of dignity and self-confidence. It was truly a kind act, and I hope she gets much kindness coming her way in return.

Catherine was wonderful to work with! I went to her for alterations on my wedding dress. I needed the length taken up, the shoulder straps adjusted slightly, and a bustle. The fitting appointments were efficient and prompt, and the finished product was perfect. I will continue to recommend her work!

Catherine is the best tailor in SLO, and in fact I prefer her to any tailor I've used in Los Angeles. Every item I've brought to her has turned out better than expected. She's a gem.

Catherine absolutely knocked it out of the park! I'll definitely be back with my other pairs of pants

Called their store about 45min before closing to inquire about getting a suit fitted. The lady said she didn't understand what that meant. My reply was pants hemmed, possibly taken in, in the waist; jacket fitted posible sleeves and chest. Was given a super quick response of several number ranges and when i asked to make sure i had everything correct there seemed to be some attitude. I have 8, 3 piece suits i am ready to take in somewhere (by their prices 70-90 for a jacket, 35-50 for the pants totaling $100-140 each suit times 8, let that sink in lady). I will now take my suits elsewhere.

Update, this was a 1 star review.

It is now a 2 star review for the semi-attempt to help.

I had a returned call from Catherine who apologized for the rudeness and said they are sorry and there is no excuse and if there is anything else they can help with, I said no I won't be needing your services, she said ok and the call was ended... I am shocked that they would even call back to apologize and even more so she didn't offer anything in return to gain a customer or attempt to "fix" the issue. A lil 5-10% discount goes a long way.

Thanks

I have always had a horrible time finding jeans that fit me correctly. I have a small waist and short legs and it just never seems to work out. I recently ordered some jeans online that ended up being a pretty bad fit but I had heard such good things about Mannikins I decided to give it a shot with one pair that I hoped I could save. The first attempt at alterations were complete after a few days and when I went back in they weren't quite right. We needed to hem them a little more and basically reconstruct the whole seat (the first attempt was a much simpler fix hoping to save $). It seemed like a job every other tailor I have ever been to would have just said they couldn't (or wouldn't) do. When the owner looked me in the eyes and said "can you come back tomorrow to try them on again?" my jaw hit the floor. Sure enough, she did a fantastic job and I finally have jeans that fit me! I'm no longer afraid to buy jeans now that I have found a tailor I can trust.

Fair pricing and fast turn around. I'll be coming back.

Quick, masterful work at fair prices. A long-standing independent business that deserves the praise it gets.

Mannikins Tailoring is the best tailor in San Luis Obispo county. I sampled the quality, accurate fit, and speed of service of the main professional local tailors, over a three week period, in what I call The Great "Fit Off". I had several suits and an event deadline. I spread the suits among the main alteration operations in town; let the best Fit Win. Mannikins won.

Within two weeks of the great Fit Off I already had two perfectly fitted Jackets and a pair of slacks back from Mannikins, but only additional fittings at two other local tailors, with mediocre results at all other places.

It was within the first five minutes of standing on Catherine's box, I knew I was watching the first true professional in my Great Fit Off. She was my third stop in the secret competition, but was always and remains my clear first choice.

As an artist, I can tell she has the 'artist's eye for form' and attention to detail; just the way she adjusts the jacket on me, to make sure it is hanging optimally, before taking any measurement is a gift, and makes a difference in the final product. She doesn't just do what you tell her to do, she sees what the garment actually needs to hang right... on your body; which is the point of a Tailor. You can get a sack that doesn't fit, off the rack,

I have taken every other piece of tailoring to Mannikins since that educating first two weeks of the Fit Off. I have also taken a suit, rescued from a competitor tailoring outfit, (and taken back, and back) that was still lopsided with one arm longer than the other, along with their pants, to Catherine to "repair".

The lazy competitor, who left a poor Image of the Fitting experience in my mouth, 'refused to take in the legs on' the pants, (but charged me for) by telling me that clown pant width was more masculine... I didn't care; I wanted something reasonable and I knew this because Mannikins had just done this very thing for me -perfectly.

I just can't stand to even go in that 'other place again'. I got my suit from them and GTFO, and will never go back.

A True Professional, when I regaled to Catherine, my stories of my "Demon Suit" that the other tailor just kept making worse, she dutifully tried to get me to take it back to the original tailor to fix my concerns, since I had already paid an outrageous cash price, and had spent a month battling with them. I coincidentally had 3 pairs of slacks and 7 jackets tailored perfectly by Mannikins in that same month they 'worked on that one suit'... for perspective. If you really need it, go to Mannikins; don't mess around.

So when I took her that lopsided jacket, she stopped suggesting I go to back to that other Tailor; and I never will, again.

There is a clear difference between someone who does rote alterations and a Fabric Artist; Mannikins is the best, the fastest, and the most reasonably priced Tailor in San Luis County. You definitely get more than you pay for because you get a Perfect Fit.

This place was great! I took a vintrage dress in for alterations and was worried that it might be a difficult piece to work on, but Catherine was fabulous! What a professional job, and done ahead of schedule. I'll definitely be back!!!

Wow! I was so impressed with her professionalism. I thought some of the reviews here seemed over the top but Katherine lives up to the hype. She is an artist and you won't be disappointed. I went in not knowing anything and left feeling super informed. Thank you!

this is a sweet place. Very professional and proficient. The prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended

I took a pair of jeans here to be hemmed, and they did a great job. I also was able to pick them up less than 24 hours later. Very friendly service, quality work, and quick turnaround.Highly recommend!

Catherine is the best!! After having to purchase a new wedding dress 1 1/2 weeks before my wedding due to disastrous alterations elsewhere, Catherine was able to fit me in and complete my alterations before I left for my destination wedding. She is extremely detail-oriented and skilled at what she does. She made sure that I was 100% happy with the way my dress looked and fit before I left her shop. She went above and beyond to get everything done in such a short amount of time! I was so happy with the alterations and my dress fit perfectly!

I recently had Catherine at Mannikins Tailoring do some work on 3 pieces of my clothing. Her work was meticulous and invisible! I would recommend her to anyone no matter the level of adjustment or reenforcement to clothing or any fabric items you might have. She was quick, very professional and personable and outstanding with her work.
Blessings to you Catherine,
Christine Troples
Shell Beach, CA

The tailoring Catherine did was beyond amazing. The suits feel like I m putting on a second skin and I am completely free to enjoy my day while wearing them. The lines she created are tailoring perfection.

While they were able to get the tailoring I needed done in the time frame I needed, the person there was rude and not so great in the customer service department

The Plus column:
Kathrine at Mannikins knows what she's doing.
She has been able to help me when I didn't quite know how to articulate what I wanted done or had a weak vision of the changes I wanted. So basically helpful when the customer is unhelpful.
Versatile. I've taken high-end suites to her as well as denim. Happy with the jeans, thrilled with the suites.
Fast. When I've been in, there's usually clients and works in progress yet she quotes a fast pick up time.
Fair price. With previous tailors I've used, it seems they charge a fee to set their hands on your garment regardless of the simplicity of the job. At Mannikins I generally smile and think, "that's an awesome price!" for all the things I asked.

The Negative:
She could use a bigger space. Someplace lounge-like with plush carpets and baroque furniture... maybe with a glass of wine.

Excellent, just awesome, Catherine did an great job on tailoring my suit to fit me just right! Fast too, I might add. I would recommend her to any one of my friends who need a tailor done to their wardrobe! Definitely will be coming back next time I need something done!

thanks Catherine!!
your awesome!

Great experience. The owner was very helpful and understood my urgency. Definitely would recommend to friends. Nice downtown location.

Always has done a great job, on-time and on-budget. Went out of her way to help me when I was in a time crunch, as well. Thanks!

I had Catherine do my wedding dress alterations and she did such an amazing job! She was great to work with, did a wonderful job at fitting the dress to my body, and made alteration appointments as painless as possible. I would definitely recommend her for any wedding dress alterations---you can trust her with your beautiful gown!

Extremely unprofessional and overpriced. Wish I had gone somewhere else, never going back.

This tailor receives good reviews, and indeed the final product will likely be very nice. But the process will be awful. Instead of listening to what you want, she ll do what SHE wants. She will act extremely rude and pretentious during every encounter. Perhaps your experience with this tailor will be different, but don t be surprised if it isn t.

I took my pants to The Fitting Image, only to find out it was more expensive and would take a week! The service I got at Mannikins was significantly better and it was done MUCH faster, not to mention it was more affordable! This is THE place to go in the San Luis area for Tailoring. I won't go anywhere else. Thanks again!

Catherine is awesome!! She is very skilled at her craft, and offers advice when needed. Her shop is convenient, she is sensitive to my needs in the area of timing. I would never consider anyone else in San Luis area. I recommend to anyone.

My husband & I have been using Mannikins for years, we even drive the half hour from Santa Maria because she is the best! Catherine has tailored many of our jeans, my husbands dress shirts, and a dress for me. Her work is outstanding and I know I can trust her to cut our jeans to the perfect length! I would absolutely suggest her to anyone looking for a good tailor!

Been using Mannikins for years. Go-to for hemming... good prices, quick turn-around, and very friendly service. Couldn't recommend more.

I love this place! No matter what I take there, the work is done perfectly. I first started using Mannikins 20 years ago when I brought a vintage wedding dress in to be re-sized. The owner did an extraordinary job making this elaborate 1940s designer dress look perfect on me and my wedding day was spectacular. Always professional, always on time, and I can always depend on the owner for the very latest in fashion advice and problem-solving. I highly recommend Mannikins.

I usually don't leave reviews but sometimes someone's work is so outstanding that it deserves to be recognized. This is Mannikins Tailoring.

I had had bad experiences with other tailors in the area and had stayed away from altering clothes. After losing some weight, I wanted to get some boxy shirts tapered into more of a slim cut and decided to try Mannikins based on the reviews I found here. I am glad I did.

Catherine's work is always amazing. Every seam and dart is reconstructed BUT the big difference is that it fits and feels so much better. The first shirt I had altered was just a plain black shirt (every guy needs one) that I had wore several times before and no one had commented on it. After tailoring at Mannikins, I received my first ever compliment on a shirt. Several actually and it was just a plain black shirt! I have taken several shirts since then, some with tricky decorative darts and seams. When I get the shirts back everything always lines up and is put back together like from the factory. It really looks and feels like a custom made shirt. It's not just shirts, I have had jeans and even a wool jacket altered by Mannikins.

I hope this review helps someone like the other reviews on this site have helped me. One more thing, if you don't know what a "dart" is, don't worry; you will after going to Mannikins. I have learned so much and you will too.

Excellent! Catherine is amazing and has done wonders for my worn jeans, baggy suits and everything in between. Mannikins is the only place that I would recommend for your tailoring/alteration needs.

I was very satisfied with the quality of work and the friendliness of the owner. I had several pair of denim jeans to be hemmed. I was given a couple options and based on the price was able to make a decision I was happy with. My jeans were ready at the time specified and I will go back again. I was given some hints to look for on my next jeans purchase and appreciate the extra advice.

I have been going to Catherine for over 10 years and she has Always done an excellent job! I started going to her in college when I mostly brought in jeans and she has beautifully tailored my clothes through 2 pregnancies and 8 years in a corporate job. I highly recommend Mannikins Tailoring for ALL of your tailoring needs!

I was recently surprised by Catherine's creativity in doing some difficult alterations for me. She displays a flawless sense of fashion, does meticulous tailoring, and has a raucous sense of humor. You will enjoy her friendly attitude during the fitting and you will look terrific when she is finished.

I got dress pants and nice dark denim pants tailored and they did fine, but they were rude and it was expensive. Maybe tailoring clothes is just expensive. I m surprised they have such great reviews.

Catherine is the best tailor...she is a real pro, with full attention to detail. She also has a great sense of style which helps immensely. I had been wary of finding someone in SLO after trying the 'other' well known places, and was thinking I'd have to wait till I was up in SF or LA, but I have consistently been impressed with all of her work....this includes everything from mens clothes to womans. A full five stars for Catherine and Mannikins tailoring.

She did a great job repairing a new pair of pants that had gotten ripped in the rear.. perfect

Catherine is awesome. She always has your best interest in mind.

Catherine did an incredible job tailoring my wedding dress! My dress already fit me very well but she perfected it. I highly recommend her for any alterations, especially wedding dresses! Thanks Catherine

We really love the fit and function of our new cloth face masks! No ear tugging or difficulty - also Catherine was great about showing how to fit it so it wouldn t fog up my glasses! Was really happy to know she would bring her excellent attention to detail and very essential help to the community during this time of staying in place.

I have been going to Mannikins for over 15 years. Catherine does a great job of fitting and providing me recommendations. The price of her services are a good value and I appreciate her suggestion on what would work best for the garments that I bring in to be tailored. I would highly recommend her for your tailoring and alterations.

Rick Levin - I have gone to all three of the tailors in San Luis Obispo. After getting quotes from two of them and fainting from sticker shock, a friend recommended Katherine at Mannikins. Her quote was very reasonable. She was so much less than the other two tailors, I was worried that the quality of her work might not be very good. Here is one situation where I feel I got more than I paid for. At Mannikins, quality craftsmanship and value go hand in hand.

They tailored my wedding suit and my wife's wedding dress. They both came out perfect. My suit was easy... but my wife's dress came in 3 sizes too large! My wife was very worried, but after meeting with them she felt immediately relaxed. It came back looking perfect! She was a pleasure to work with, prompt on her work, and her experience in the business is clear.

I love this place! It is clean, organized, in the heart of town and stylish. The woman there knows so much about style and fit. I trust her with my vintage clothing because she honestly gives me options or tells me if the end result won't turn out well. I always learn something new in the process and it looks beautiful in the end. She is also very good at the simplest of things like hemming pants or skirts. I have no complaints about this place and would highly recommend them to everyone.

If you need quality tailoring, I highly recommend Mannikins. Catherine is professional and trustworthy, which means you can trust her with your finest clothes. She'll also tell you if she thinks a garment is not worth the price of tailoring. One of the qualities I like best about Mannikins is that it is ALWAYS tidy and clean.

Catherine made me a new favorite pair of jeans after I came in for a hem. Not to mention she knew exactly how my shirts should fit on me and made them as such. Found a great tailor here at school and will definitely be back!

Catherine is great! She works miracles with everything ask, making everything fit beautifully for my smaller, petite frame. Her work is amazing and I would never think of going anywhere else for my alteration needs.

Catherine always accommodates my last minute emergencies (poor planning on my part). She is professional, accomplished and an "artist" at what she does, at a very reasonable cost. I took my sons baseball pants to her to be hemmed, and found that these pants needed a special hem and thread to ensure the thread will stretch with the pants; not breaking the thread. There is no one else in my "seamstress book" to take my clothes to other than Catherine.

Catherine has been my tailor for 20 years now. I use her "Jeanie Belt" which is fantastic!

Keep up the good work Catherine!

I'm from the northeast where fit and fashion are much more prevalent and expected in professionals, but out in California it's a different style even for the wealthy. Finding someone who knows how to properly tailor suits and shirts to a body has been hard but here I have found the holy grail. Every suit and every shirt I've taken here has been perfectly tailored and the fit is a 10/10.

Catherine has been taking care of our tailoring needs.... FOREVER!
I honestly don't know how much competition there is in her business but I do know that you need look no further than Mannikins. George and Charron O'Neill

My husband called this place because we wanted to bring in several pieces of clothing he needed for the military and a wedding. We were so shocked with how rude the owner was over the phone. We decided to take our business elsewhere where we can receive proper customer service.

Katherine is one of the best tailors I have ever encountered. She's pleasant and downright amazing. My entire experience at Mannikins has been extraordinary. I've brought in jeans to jackets to a baseball hat that she downsized to even a purse. I've never been turned away no matter how difficult the task.

So I moved to SLO from LA. I had been using a very well-known tailor in LA that I used to go to that was very reliable. When I moved to SLO, there were only 3 reputable tailors in the area, and I am glad that I chose Cathy to do my work.

First of all, I am extremely particular about the way my alterations are done and I am OCD about how my clothes fit. I've gone to other tailors before and have been disappointed before. So when I moved to SLO, I was very anxious because I didn't think that I could find a tailor that was as good as the one I had in LA.

When I gave my jacket to Cathy to alter, she got a really good read on me and she knew that I would be a very "particular" kind of customer. She made sure that we tried multiple fittings before she finished any alterations just to make sure that it would end up exactly the way I had wanted it. She also tapered a pair of jeans that I had. When I tried them on, I was very satisfied with the way they turned out, but Cathy, being as keen as she is, wanted to make another adjustment to the alteration she had done so that it would look even better. Needless to say, she was right and the jeans fit perfectly and better than I had expected.

I will eventually be moving out of SLO, but I will continue to visit the town from time to time. When I do, I will be bring all my alteration work to Cathy and no one else!

Catherine is such an interesting person to talk to and very talented. I brought in a pair of my friend's old jeans which were way too big on me and she was able to tailor the waist and upper leg area to my size. They fit super well; I can't even tell that they're men's jeans because they look so good.