tailor

be tailor-made

1. Of clothing, to have been made specifically for someone by a tailor (and thus fit very well). Wow, they did a great job with the alterations—that gown looks like it was tailor-made for you!
2. By extension, to be ideally suited for someone or something. I've never seen a happier couple than Tom and Anna—it's like they were tailor-made for each other! Don't worry, that math course is tailor-made for students majoring in the arts, so you're not expected to know advanced formulas or anything.

introduce the shoemaker to the tailor

To kick someone in the buttocks. Primarily heard in UK. If you don't leave me alone, I'll introduce the shoemaker to the tailor!
See also: introduce, tailor

nine tailors make a man

1. A phrase spoken after the custom of ringing church bells for a deceased male. The number of times the bells rang traditionally indicated the deceased person's sex, with a male receiving nine "tellers," or tolls, of the bell. A: "Did you hear the bells ringing?" B: "I did. Nine tailors make a man."
2. The phrase was also used to mock tailors as frail and ineffectual, in comparison to the average man. You will certainly best him in a duel. He's a tailor, after all, and nine tailors make a man!
See also: make, man, nine, tailor

tailor (something) to (someone or something)

To change, adapt, or customize something so as to be correct or ideal for a particular person, thing, group, or situation. Because the entire program is online, we are able to tailor it to students from every walk of life. Our service tailors marketing strategies to businesses at an individual level, helping them realize their maximum potential.
See also: tailor

tailor-made

1. Of clothing, to have been made specifically for someone by a tailor (and thus fit very well). Wow, they did a great job with the alterations—that gown looks like it was tailor-made for you!
2. By extension, to be ideally suited for someone or something. I've never seen a happier couple than Tom and Anna—it's like they were tailor-made for each other! Don't worry, that math course is tailor-made for students majoring in the arts, so you're not expected to know advanced formulas or anything.
3. slang A cigarette that is machine-made, rather than hand-rolled. Don't you have any tailor-made smokes?

tailor-made for (someone or something)

Ideally suited for someone or something. I've never seen a happier couple than Tom and Anna—it's like they were tailor-made for each other! Don't worry, that math course is tailor-made for students majoring in the arts, so you're not expected to know advanced formulas or anything.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

made to measure

[of clothing] made especially to fit the measurements of a particular person. Jack has his suits made to measure because he's rather large. Having clothes made to measure is rather expensive.
See also: made, measure

tailor someone or something to someone or something

to fit or revise someone or something to fit someone or something. The coach tailored his defensive team to the opposition. We can tailor service to your company very easily. I will tailor this suit to your specifications for no extra charge.
See also: tailor
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

made to measure

Also, tailor-made. Fashioned to fit a particular need or purpose, very suitable. For example, Jane finds her new position is made to measure for her, or This bridge club is tailor-made for Max. Originally referring to clothes made to fit a particular person very precisely, these terms have been used figuratively since the mid-1900s. Also see made to order.
See also: made, measure
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

tailor-made

n. a machine-made cigarette. (From an expression for something, such as an article of clothing, that is custom made.) They used to call these things tailor-made, meaning professionally made, as opposed to homemade.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • be tailor-made
  • tailor-made
  • have (something) made
  • have it made
  • have made
  • fit (someone) like a glove
  • fit like a glove
  • fit like a glove, to
  • introduce the shoemaker to the tailor
  • becoming on (someone)
References in periodicals archive
he tailor, instead of giving him something to eat, pushed a needle into its trunk.
Story: The Elephant And The Tailor
They find it easier and inexpensive to get dresses tailored here.
Tailors work round-the-clock to meet Eid deadlines
ISLAMABAD: With the recent surge in number of clothing brands and their retailers in every shopping mall and market, traditional business of local tailors was hitting a low in terms of grabbing customers especially female regulars.
Clothing brands' mushroom growth affecting local tailors' costumers
Ahsan Naqash, branch manager of local clothing brand in a Mall told reporter that tailors working for them sit in their factory outlets in main cities like Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
Clothing brands' mushroom growth costing customers of local tailors
The tailor has a son who owns a successful tailoring shop and a grandson who is the Army doing the job of protecting my country,
82-year-old tailor still at work in Uttarakhand
As master tailors for men and women, with over 250 years of combined experience, My Custom Tailor knows what goes into expertly tailoring men's and women's custom suits.
My Custom Tailor Announces a New Way to Take Your Size
LANDI KOTAL -- The local tailors have decried fixing of official rates for sewing clothes, saying they have to bear extra expenses by using generators owing to suspension of electricity to the bazaar for almost three years.
Landi Kotal admin criticised for fixing tailors' charges
and Wu, X., "Chapter 6: Advanced High-Strength Steel Tailor Welded Blanks," Tailor Welded Blanks for Advanced Manufacturing (Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2011).
A Study on Lightweight Design of Automotive Front Rails Using Tailored Blanks by Nonlinear Structural Optimization
Pictures have been circulating on social media which show the Karachi-based Sarfaraz from Ambassador Tailors taking Bush's measurements for his suit, as the post read: Meanwhile Mr.Sarfaraz from Ambassador Tailors Zamzama Karachi was flown to the USA in a private Jet for Mr.
Former US president Bush flies in Pakistani tailor for his wardrobe
'Wetake orders only for the YonphulaTsechu.'Another tailor, Pema, said:'Though I am new to this place, Ireceived a good number of customersthis month,' he said.
Tsechu keeps tailors busy in Kanglung
class="MsoNormalI sighed, looked at the tailor angrily, then bit my tongue because I knew I was about to say something I would regret.
GIRL ABOUT TOWN: The lies tailors tell
DAN BEAVAN serves up dining style on a platter Ary Lush Fox Tray Printer + Tailor, PS19.50, printerand tailor.com Ary Mystic Sea Tray Printer + Tailor, PS26.50, printerand tailor.com Picnic tray set, PS5, Tiger Stores uk.flyingtiger.com Gold round tray, PS15 Dunelm Wild Strawberry melamine food tray, PS4, cathkidston.com Pip Studio multicolour flowers serving tray, PS20, hurnandhurn.com *All prices correct at time of going to press.
Tray chic
Speaking to the ECHO, master tailor Mo Adousa said: "We are different to any other tailors, but we create a brand, it's not only tailoring.
Boxer a knockout at opening of city tailors
The acquisition workforce is highly encouraged to tailor the acquisition process to most efficiently deliver capabilities; however, despite such broad leadership support, acquisition personnel struggle to understand where and how to best conduct tailoring activities.
Proactively tailored acquisition models: the "Google Maps" for acquisition
Hanssen, Westerheim, and Bjornson (2005) use brainstorming to tailor a software process in an organization.
Tailoring a large organization's systems engineering process to meet project-specific needs