Listen to this episode of working with guest Cheryl Lofton:
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Cheryl Lofton describes herself not as a tailor, but a “tailoress.” As she explains in this episode of Working, that doesn’t mean she only toils over women’s clothes. On the contrary, it’s a way of distinguishing herself in a largely male-dominated profession.
Hers is a trade that runs deep in her family history: She learned it at home from her grandfather, who also worked in the business. Today, she oversees a shop in Washington, D.C, where we visited her to talk about her days as sewing machines clicked and whirred in the background.
Today, Lofton generally takes a more managerial role, which means she no longer goes home covered in thread. Nevertheless, she remains deeply involved in the work that her shop does, sitting in for almost every consultation with a customer who passes through—and working to help ensure that his or her clothes fit ideally.
Lofton and her staff handle a wide array of tasks, from modifying men’s suits to crafting bespoke ball gowns. She showed us an example of the latter—a gray wedding dress covered in elaborate floral appliques—and led us through the process of creating it. But she also discussed the more mundane elements of her days, from handling the business’ social media presence to cleaning up the workroom before they shut down in the evening.
And in a Slate Plus extra, Lofton and her assistant told us about their relationship while they prepared to hem a pair of my pants. If you’re a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus.
Email: working@slate.com
Twitter: @Jacob_Brogan
Podcast production by Mickey Capper.
