Unpopular opinion: pleats are totally underused in men's casual wear

I got tired of my button-ups looking like a wrinkled mess after an hour on a job site. So I took an old thrifted shirt and ran some knife pleats down the back panel myself with my sewing machine. Took about 45 minutes and now it breathes way better and actually looks put together. Has anyone else tried adding structure to basic shirts instead of buying them pre-tailored?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthonymurray1mo ago

Wait, you actually BOUGHT a sewing machine and taught yourself pleats? That's wild. Most people would just deal with the wrinkles or buy expensive shirts. The fact that you made knife pleats yourself not even having formal training is next level dedication man.

zara5721mo ago

Bought a cheap used machine off Craigslist for 40 bucks and watched like five YouTube videos before I even touched fabric. First attempt was a disaster, seams all crooked and the pleats looked drunk. But I just kept at it with cheap cotton from the thrift store, ripped stuff apart and tried again. After maybe ten tries I finally got a clean knife pleat that actually held its shape. It's not perfect but way better than anything I could buy for the same price. The key is just doing it over and over until your hands figure it out.

simon7171mo ago

Honestly I saw a YouTube video where this tailor said anyone can learn pleats in a weekend so I figured why not try.