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" I have a great black suit that fits me like a glove, but I sat down on an iron patio chair and somehow ripped a small hole in the slacks. I&amp;#039;d like to get a new pair of pants to match the jacket, but my tailor said there&amp;#039;s no way that I could match the jacket perfectly and that I&amp;#039;d be better off getting a contrasting pair of slacks. Is this true, and if so, what color slacks should I wear with the black jacket?  \u2014 Sean Olson, Greensboro, N. C. The tailor is right. Black is a surprisingly hard color to match, even in the same weave. The reason for this is that black dyes come in a surprising range of hues \u2014 some have a slight brown tinge, others green, some bluish. You can go back to wherever you initially purchased the suit to see if they still stock it, or if you&amp;#039;re thinking of going with another pant color altogether, try mid-gray or charcoal. But before getting rid of those ripped pants, is the rip so big that you can&amp;#039;t set an invisible mender to it? The rip may be noticeable now, but when properly mended, it might not be. I asked around and the mender at A Plus Alterations in Charlotte (704-594-9070) might be able to help. Keep me posted. Got a question for Nick Sullivan? E-mail him at esqstyle@hearst.com.  RELATED LINKS:  Why Your Belts and Shoes Don&amp;#039;t Have to Match How to Properly Sew a Button How to Temporarily Hem Your Pants The Resources: A Guide to Finding the Best Cobblers, Tailors, Dry Cleaners, and More in a City Near You  PLUS: More Style Advice from the Fashion Director in the Archive   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/advice/a6184/black-suit-repair-0909/>