The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

so there's something I've been wondering - like many others I came across this thread and read virtually the whole thing, and then I took a bunch of fit pictures of my own to compare. Not sure I'm going to post any, but one thing I noticed is that at least for me, if I take 20 sets of fit pics of the same suit, I'll get 20 different results. Like some of them look like the worst thing in this thread (well maybe not the absolute worst, that double-breaster back somewhere was a bit of a horror, but hey), some of them look damn good.

And another thing I notice is that going through the thread a lot of the critiques are 'you have a drop shoulder' and 'you have an erect posture'. Well, in some of my pictures I look like I have a gigantic drop shoulder, because I just wasn't _standing straight_. And sometimes I wind up posing - erect posture - even though I try not to.

So I'm wondering, master tailors: are you guys able to eyeball these pictures and spot when someone's standing 'artificially', and adjust your critique for that? Or is it possible that some of the stuff in this thread might be compromised because someone is standing in a really unnatural way?

If I stand up straight and hang my arms straight down my sides, my pictures come out terrible. Which worried me. And then I realized that naturally I have awful gorilla posture (no offence to any sartorially-inclined gorillas who have found their way here), I slouch forward and hang my arms in front of me, and if I stand like that, the pictures look way better. So I think my tailor perfectly correctly noticed I have awful posture and cut for it. Which is kinda what they're supposed to do, and whenever you go to the tailor they spend several minutes just getting happy with how you're standing. I just wondered whether that might be factor in some of the critiques here. Be v. interested to hear the answer. Anyhoo, back to lurking...

edit: OK, since someone went to the trouble to PM and ask, here's some pictures, which kinda illustrate what I mean.





So, notes: the shirt I'm wearing in these pictures has shrunk somewhat; the cuff length on all my other shirts is correct, they show below the jackets. No shoes in these as I was focusing on the cut of the jackets at this time (I deleted most of the other pictures). Over-exposed to show detail, though it's hard to over-expose a tux sufficiently.

So these jackets were cut by the same tailor to the precise same pattern - but the back pictures look pretty different, to me. The tux looks like it's wider - too wide - at the blades, but after measuring and eyeballing by someone else, it isn't: I think the difference in the pictures is the result of how I'm holding my arms. In both of the pictures I'm holding my arms straighter than I really do naturally, so the sleeves don't hang perfectly, and I think it also results in the slight bunches at the armpits; if I hold my arms further to the front, the sleeves hang better and those bunches go away. I think holding my arms straighter also forces my shoulders back so I don't hunch as much as I naturally do (I know I'm already pretty hunched in the pictures - believe me, my posture's appalling). It also looks (to me anyway) like my right shoulder is lower in the grey pic, and my _left_ shoulder is lower in the tux pic. Anyway, I thought it was kinda interesting. Has anyone else tried taking multiple pictures and noticed this?

.

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RDiaz said:

Alright, so I did a little Photoshop experiment. This is the current silhouette of my latest MTM jacket, which I already posted here: With Photoshop, I made the shoulders follow what would be my actual shoulder line, more sloped, and also widened the lapels so they are more balanced with the open quarters. I asked for such wide lapels, actually, but they made them standard size for some reason. Note I even sloped the right shoulder a bit more than the left, which is actually how I'm built: This modification, plus higher armholes, is pretty much the silhouette I want to achieve with my MTM jackets. Obviously, lapels can't be widened on a finished garment, but is it possible to slope shoulders via alterations? I will ask for this on future attempts, but I'm wondering if I can get this jacket closer to my ideal by sloping the shoulders. My current tailor is hesitant to do it, and if it's possible I might just take it elsewhere. And while I'm at it, anything that could be done to clean up the back on these trousers?: if you can measure the amount of slope you photoshop. let them know about the two sides and that should take care of future garments. yes the finished shoulders can be sloped there is no sure formula for doing so except experience. he is a bit hesitant to take a chance. on the trouser there is a problem with shape of the fork in the back. or the rise may be too deep. Thank you.

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Thirdrail said:

Hello! I just recently purchased my first "tailored" suit. It's actually from indochino. I'm very much a newbie when it comes to fit, so I was hoping you could give me some suggestions before I take it to a local tailor for any alterations it needs. Thanks!

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you have a left low shoulder and a high and heavier left hip. you might ask if they would cut a new jacket. that should also correct the collar gap on the left side. you can measure those two by reading the tutorials for instructions you might send these photos and point out the excess cloth at the shoulder blades near the armholes. there is a need for a photo of the trouser back.



AdamWill said:

so there's something I've been wondering - like many others I came across this thread and read virtually the whole thing, and then I took a bunch of fit pictures of my own to compare. Not sure I'm going to post any, but one thing I noticed is that at least for me, if I take 20 sets of fit pics of the same suit, I'll get 20 different results. Like some of them look like the worst thing in this thread (well maybe not the absolute worst, that double-breaster back somewhere was a bit of a horror, but hey), some of them look damn good. And another thing I notice is that going through the thread a lot of the critiques are 'you have a drop shoulder' and 'you have an erect posture'. Well, in some of my pictures I look like I have a gigantic drop shoulder, because I just wasn't _standing straight_. And sometimes I wind up posing - erect posture - even though I try not to. So I'm wondering, master tailors: are you guys able to eyeball these pictures and spot when someone's standing 'artificially', and adjust your critique for that? Or is it possible that some of the stuff in this thread might be compromised because someone is standing in a really unnatural way? If I stand up straight and hang my arms straight down my sides, my pictures come out terrible. Which worried me. And then I realized that naturally I have awful gorilla posture (no offence to any sartorially-inclined gorillas who have found their way here), I slouch forward and hang my arms in front of me, and if I stand like that, the pictures look way better. So I think my tailor perfectly correctly noticed I have awful posture and cut for it. Which is kinda what they're supposed to do, and whenever you go to the tailor they spend several minutes just getting happy with how you're standing. I just wondered whether that might be factor in some of the critiques here. Be v. interested to hear the answer. Anyhoo, back to lurking... edit: OK, since someone went to the trouble to PM and ask, here's some pictures, which kinda illustrate what I mean. So, notes: the shirt I'm wearing in these pictures has shrunk somewhat; the cuff length on all my other shirts is correct, they show below the jackets. No shoes in these as I was focusing on the cut of the jackets at this time (I deleted most of the other pictures). Over-exposed to show detail, though it's hard to over-expose a tux sufficiently. So these jackets were cut by the same tailor to the precise same pattern - but the back pictures look pretty different, to me. The tux looks like it's wider - too wide - at the blades, but after measuring and eyeballing by someone else, it isn't: I think the difference in the pictures is the result of how I'm holding my arms. In both of the pictures I'm holding my arms straighter than I really do naturally, so the sleeves don't hang perfectly, and I think it also results in the slight bunches at the armpits; if I hold my arms further to the front, the sleeves hang better and those bunches go away. I think holding my arms straighter also forces my shoulders back so I don't hunch as much as I naturally do (I know I'm already pretty hunched in the pictures - believe me, my posture's appalling). It also looks (to me anyway) like my right shoulder is lower in the grey pic, and my _left_ shoulder is lower in the tux pic. Anyway, I thought it was kinda interesting. Has anyone else tried taking multiple pictures and noticed this?

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so now you know what fun we have trying to critique from pictures. if there are enough pictures we try average it out. if two pics show a right low shoulder and one shows a left. then..... you point out all that we have gotten use to. whats the worst? well...... how about the solid black splotch, so we cant see a darn thing. or the guy with arms tight at the sides so we cant see the jackets waist shape. or the one posing like a model in GQ. or the guy waving his arms trying to fly. best of all is the one doing the chicken dance.



mymil said:

This is me in a trial suit jacket from Kent Wang, before any adjustments (the photographer was tilted, my shoulders and arms are even; I selected the wrong size trousers, and I'm only getting an odd jacket made anyway):

Kent and I came to the following adjustments:
Buttoning point down 1 cm
Sleeves +.5 cm
Collar lowered 1 cm
Back chest (armpit to armpit) -1.5cm
Does that seem right based on these photos? Did Kent and I miss anything?

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please dont lower the collar.

^ Can I ask why not? This would just be in back, to remove that slight roll just under the collar. Thanks!



suits123 said:

I just bought an off the rack suit because it was a decent fit, my preferred style and the black friday deal was really a deal. I normally go all bespoke but I have 2 made to measure suits. The suit fits very well except the taper is lacking. Can I get the diaphragm/midsection area tapered without taking fabric out of the back, or without slimming the chest/stomach/waist areas hardly at all. Thank you.

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that can be done by using the seam that runs from the armhole down to the pocket.
its located underneath the sleeve.
it may or may not not be enough to do what you want.
but you do not want the front dart or the side seam to be used.

a tailor: thanks! interesting to know how you try to adjust for it. I thought of photoshopping up a 'flying' picture for you, just for fun



mymil said:

^ Can I ask why not? This would just be in back, to remove that slight roll just under the collar. Thanks!

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since the jacket has not been cut yet,why not do it correctly.
go to the tutorials and scroll down to "that pesky roll below the collar".
that alteration only takes the cutter less 30 seconds to do on the cutting table.
he is going to be doing changes that you are proposing anyway .

forcing the collar down in order to pull the back up is not tailoring.
and it may cause other distortions.

Done and done—thank you for continuing to be such a fantastic resource! I've seen many of the tutorial threads, but had somehow missed that one.

Hi, I recently bought this coat in a 36"; the sleeves are a bit short--they could be lengthened 1/2 an inch. What is the process, of lengthening sleeves? Can you miraculously lengthen them with no excess material? Or, is there usually excess in the seem of most jackets? The jacket fits perfectly everywhere else; I just have unusually long arms (35" shirt sleeve).

If a fit pit is needed, I'll post one on request. Thanks!



JapanAlex01 said:

Hi, I recently bought this coat in a 36"; the sleeves are a bit short--they could be lengthened 1/2 an inch. What is the process, of lengthening sleeves? Can you miraculously lengthen them with no excess material? Or, is there usually excess in the seem of most jackets? The jacket fits perfectly everywhere else; I just have unusually long arms (35" shirt sleeve).
[COLOR=FF00AA]If a fit pit is needed, I'll post one on request. [/COLOR]Thanks!

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LOL. I just think half an inch would serve greatly. (It's pulling a bit, but I'm wearing a jumper.)