# Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

> Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 51-6052.00
- **Summary:** Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.

## Aliases

- Alterations Sewer
- Dressmaker
- Seamstress
- Tailor
- Alterations Expert
- Bridal Designer
- Clothing Pattern Designer
- Custom Dressmaker
- Custom Sewer
- Custom Tailor
- Alteration Tailor
- Alterations Associate

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.e |
| Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.e |
| Trim excess material, using scissors. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.e |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Measure clients to ensure proper product fit. | 4.A.1.b.3.e |
| Sew clothing or other articles. | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Operate sewing equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators. | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Repair textiles or apparel. | 4.A.3.a.2.e |
| Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information. | 4.A.1.b.1.a |
| Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements. | 4.A.1.a.1.b |
| Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Smooth garments with irons, presses, or steamers. | 4.A.3.a.3.f |
| Trim excess material from workpieces. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Design templates or patterns. | 4.A.2.b.2.k |
| Record operational or production data. | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Estimate costs of products, services, or materials. | 4.A.2.b.1.a |
| Confer with customers or designers to determine order specifications. | 4.A.4.a.2.j |
| Cut fabrics. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces. | 4.A.3.a.2.v |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 4.05 |
| Visualization | ability | 3.88 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3.88 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.75 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.62 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.56 |
| Control Precision | ability | 3.5 |
| Production and Processing | knowledge | 3.32 |
| Administration and Management | knowledge | 3.19 |
| Economics and Accounting | knowledge | 3.16 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 3 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3 |
| Originality | ability | 3 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 3 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3 |
| Design | knowledge | 2.96 |
| Mathematics | knowledge | 2.95 |
| Social Perceptiveness | transferable_skill | 2.88 |
| Written Comprehension | ability | 2.88 |
| Fluency of Ideas | ability | 2.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 2.88 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 2.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 2.88 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | ability | 2.88 |
| Sales and Marketing | knowledge | 2.76 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 2.75 |
| Written Expression | ability | 2.75 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | knowledge | 2.73 |
| Administrative | knowledge | 2.63 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 2.62 |
| Active Learning | essential_skill | 2.62 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 2.62 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Google Docs | Specialized Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Accounting Software | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google Docs | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| ArbelSoft TailorMax | Point of sale POS software | no | no |
| Bookkeeping software | Accounting software | no | no |
| Garment design software | Computer aided design CAD software | no | no |
| Inventory tracking software | Inventory management software | no | no |
| Tailor Master | Customer relationship management CRM software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.83 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 4.53 |
| Time Pressure | 4.53 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 4.4 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 4.37 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 4.14 |
| Telephone Conversations | 4.05 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 3.98 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.9 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.83 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 3.82 |
| Contact With Others | 3.8 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 3.74 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 3.71 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 3.67 |
| Physical Proximity | 3.58 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 3.58 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.53 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.24 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.17 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.16 |
| Consequence of Error | 3.01 |
| Level of Competition | 2.74 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 2.72 |
| E-Mail | 2.65 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 2.63 |
| Spend Time Standing | 2.6 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 2.42 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 2.32 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 2.15 |
| Degree of Automation | 2.13 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 2.09 |
| Conflict Situations | 2 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 1.98 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 1.84 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 1.82 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 1.67 |
| Public Speaking | 1.65 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 1.52 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 1.47 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 57.66 |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 16.87 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 16.01 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 9.46 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 5.88 |
| Applied Arts and Design | specific_interest_area | 4.53 |
| Artistic | career_interest_type | 3.96 |
| Personal Service | specific_interest_area | 3.68 |
| Visual Arts | specific_interest_area | 3.36 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.13 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 2.95 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 2.63 |
| Enterprising | career_interest_type | 2.44 |
| Dependability | work_style | 2.16 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 1.99 |
| Sales | specific_interest_area | 1.58 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 1.56 |
| Marketing/Advertising | specific_interest_area | 1.54 |
| Culinary Art | specific_interest_area | 1.47 |
| Accounting | specific_interest_area | 1.44 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 51-6051.00 | role-51-6051-00 | Sewers, Hand | Primary-Short |
| 51-6092.00 | role-51-6092-00 | Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | Primary-Short |
| 51-6031.00 | role-51-6031-00 | Sewing Machine Operators | Primary-Short |
| 51-6041.00 | role-51-6041-00 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | Primary-Short |
| 51-6021.00 | role-51-6021-00 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | Primary-Short |
| 51-6042.00 | role-51-6042-00 | Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | Primary-Long |
| 51-4062.00 | role-51-4062-00 | Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Long |
| 51-6093.00 | role-51-6093-00 | Upholsterers | Primary-Long |
| 27-1022.00 | role-27-1022-00 | Fashion Designers | Primary-Long |
| 51-6063.00 | role-51-6063-00 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Primary-Long |
| 51-6011.00 | role-51-6011-00 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | Supplemental |
| 51-9123.00 | role-51-9123-00 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Arts, Entertainment, & Design | arts-entertainment-design |

## Education Level

- **Category:** No formal educational credential

## Study Programs


## Market

- **Median Wage:** 40860
- **Mean Wage:** 44050
- **Pct10Wage:** 27110
- **Pct25Wage:** 33480
- **Pct75Wage:** 49780
- **Pct90Wage:** 62490
- **Employment:** 16290
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 6070 | 44200 | 3.68 |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 5210 | 37410 | 11.14 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 2110 | 43170 | 1.56 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 1010 | 35600 | 1.58 |
| 72 | 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | Sector | 290 | 44290 | 0.19 |
| 53 | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | Sector | 280 | 40040 | 1.12 |
| 51 | 51 | Information | Sector | 260 | 103130 | 0.85 |
| 71 | 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | Sector | 230 | 44990 | 0.82 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 200 | 41590 | 0.18 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 130 | 41260 | 0.14 |
| 711110 | 711110 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | National industry | 120 | 45910 | 15.69 |
| 721120 | 721120 | Casino Hotels | National industry | 120 | 41840 | 3.37 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 711110 | 711110 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | National industry | 120 | 15.69 |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 5210 | 11.14 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 6070 | 3.68 |
| 721120 | 721120 | Casino Hotels | National industry | 120 | 3.37 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 1010 | 1.58 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 2110 | 1.56 |
| 53 | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | Sector | 280 | 1.12 |
| 51 | 51 | Information | Sector | 260 | 0.85 |
- **Count:** 16

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.84 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -0.4305268 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | 0.1317748 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -0.6065376 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 22
- **Percentile:** 20
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 37 | felten_aioe |
| 18 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 10 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -0.4305268 | 37 | Moderate | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.13636363636363635 | 18 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.04755970366120081 | 10 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.84
- **Percentile:** 69
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.045454545454545456
- **Beta:** 0.09090909090909091
- **Gamma:** 0.13636363636363635

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric. | 0.08288518501780953 | 3.92 |
| Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired. | 0.007805791897588011 | 3.95 |
| Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling. | 0.0016433246100185286 | 4.09 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** -4.5
- **Growth Percentile:** 13
- **Direction:** Declining
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 5
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 49
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 38.8
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 37.1

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Ai Playbook

- **Trusted Task Count:** 1
- **Task Count:** 2
- **Total Sample:** 867
- **Autonomy Median:** 4
- **Dominant Collaboration:** task iteration
- **Automation Share:** 40.66
- **Augmentation Share:** 58.04
- **Work Use Percent:** 47.52

### Collaboration

| Label | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| task iteration | 47.87 |
| directive | 36.88 |
| learning | 5.91 |
| validation | 4.26 |
| feedback loop | 3.78 |

### Use Case

| Label | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| personal | 47.99 |
| work | 47.52 |
| coursework | 4.49 |

### Delegated Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Collaboration | Autonomy Median | Sample Count |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric. | 0.08461057632204026 | task iteration | 4 | 846 |

### Boundary Tasks

| Task | Human Needed Percent | Sample Count |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric. | 90.30732860520094 | 846 |

### Seed Prompts

| Prompt | Collaboration |
| --- | --- |
| Let's work through this together, step by step: develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric. I'll give feedback as we go. | task iteration |
- **Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 22
- **Skills:** 35
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 9
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** a82332c45d064ffc