The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

[adamha21]



adamha21: Jacket looks too short, but hard to say since we can't see the overall proportions. It's important to get full-length pics...

Sorry, that's the best I could do today on the photos since I am taking them myself with a self timer. The pants need to be tailored first as well since they are unfinished with a 39" inseam.

 

[hoth]

I apologize for the poor camera and the slightly odd angled pictures.

I'm thinking that the pants need to be shortened and the jackets sleeves shortened 3/4" as it goes past the joint in my wrist. But I'm still learning, so I could use some advise.
Thanks!

 

[otc]

Alright guys, here is my entry to this thread.

I met Chris once at a dinner (at the bristol) and when we got up he commented that I must be hard to fit (which unfortunately, I have found to be true with my square shoulders and barrel chest)...so hopefully there is something we can do.

click for bigger:





I'm trying to revive this suit for a fairly casual wedding in a few weeks so I may not have the lead time to get the major surgery done (especially since I don't really have an established relationship with a tailor here in chicago) but I'd like to get to it eventually. At first glance, I can say for sure that the pants need to come way up and the sleeves need to be shortened. There shirt I am wearing has fairly tight cuffs so they don't fall as low as they could...but I can't see any cuff.

I feel like I look short in the photos (I'm more like 6'2, 190-200lbs). Shot as much light as I could at myself from the front (appologies for the nasty shadows in the back) so hopefully everything is pretty clear. And yes, my right shoulder is noticably higher than my left--I don't know if it is getting worse or if I have just started noticing it more).

Thanks in advance for all of the wonderful work that has gone into this thread.

edit: double posted the back shot

 

[clapeyron]

Alright guys, here is my entry to this thread.
I met Chris once at a dinner (at the bristol) and when we got up he commented that I must be hard to fit (which unfortunately, I have found to be true with my square shoulders and barrel chest)...so hopefully there is something we can do.
click for bigger:

get the trousers hemmed and maybe tapered but do not get the sleeves shortened. they have the right length. get a decent MTM shirt or something of the rack with longer sleeves.

 

[dammit]

That's not a mid break. That is excessive break, and those pants are quite slim so it looks even worse. Get them shortened...

damn, I just got them lengthened by 4cm, maybe it was the shoes I had on that made them gather so much in that photo, I'll try them with black shoes and see how they go. Before I had them altered they didn't look right either because they were too short.


Just wondering if anyone else had any feedback re: fit - the sleeves seem to not be fitting right in the photos, any thoughts?

 

[tdonohue]

Hi All,

I will be ordering the better part of a new business casual wardrobe online shortly, including a number of blazers, and need to know my size. I'm hoping that you could tell me if the 42R suit jacket below is the most appropriate size, and if not, what size might be appropriate. With that said, I'm not concerned with alterations that may need to be made - I recognize its not great. I apologize for the [crappy] quality of the iPhone pictures and thank you for your input ahead of time!

Jos A Bank 42R Jacket:




Much appreciated!

 

[otc]



get the trousers hemmed and maybe tapered but do not get the sleeves shortened. they have the right length. get a decent MTM shirt or something of the rack with longer sleeves.

Thanks, but I am not sure about the sleeves--I opened to the wider button which let the sleeves fall down more (to the point were I really don't think I would want more sleeve length) and still only barely saw cuff. I have the suit in the office with me, so I will try to throw it on later and get a cell phone pic of where the sleeve falls on today's shirt.

Not sure what needs to be done about the fold of fabric across the back of the neck--is this something where it would make sense to take out some of the shoulder padding which would flatten out the back of the neck or should the excess fabric at the back of the collar just be taken out?

 

[Gosroth]

Got a tobacco-colored cotton suit at a heavy discount (75% of retail), and trying to decide if it´s worth keeping and taking to the tailor.

As I don't have the setup to take proper pictures, I probably shouldn't even be posting in this thread, but my question is pretty straight forward and can hopefully be answered even with these poor photos (I'm using my laptops built-in camera if you're wondering why I'm holding a computer mouse – I need to click to take a picture). Please ignore the pants for now and let´s just look at the jacket:




Lenght seems pretty good (I show even more cuff with most of my shirts, wearing one with shortish sleeves) but...





...back of the sleeves look awful. I realize lightweight cotton won't drape like wool, but this looks pretty bad. Can a tailor do something with this on a say a 100$ budget or should I just return it to the store?

 

[Specter54]

New MTM light grey suit from Jason at Thick as Thieves (got measured in person by Jason). The harsh middle of the day side lighting is not very flattering to the suit. Jacket seems a little big and the shoulders appear too wide? There is also a lot of room around the stomach (I have a 30" waist but it doesn't look that way with the jacket on). Some issues with the shoulders and back highlighted in the last two pictures, any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Specter54]

double post

 

[a tailor]



Got a tobacco-colored cotton suit at a heavy discount (75% of retail), and trying to decide if it´s worth keeping and taking to the tailor.

As I don't have the setup to take proper pictures, I probably shouldn't even be posting in this thread, but my question is pretty straight forward and can hopefully be answered even with these poor photos (I'm using my laptops built-in camera if you're wondering why I'm holding a computer mouse – I need to click to take a picture). Please ignore the pants for now and let´s just look at the jacket:




Lenght seems pretty good (I show even more cuff with most of my shirts, wearing one with shortish sleeves) but...





...back of the sleeves look awful. I realize lightweight cotton won't drape like wool, but this looks pretty bad. Can a tailor do something with this on a say a 100$ budget or should I just return it to the store?

very sorry gosroth but it looks like you are wearing your little brothers jacket. there is no way to make it longer. just dump it.

 

[a tailor]



Thanks, but I am not sure about the sleeves--I opened to the wider button which let the sleeves fall down more (to the point were I really don't think I would want more sleeve length) and still only barely saw cuff. I have the suit in the office with me, so I will try to throw it on later and get a cell phone pic of where the sleeve falls on today's shirt.
Not sure what needs to be done about the fold of fabric across the back of the neck--is this something where it would make sense to take out some of the shoulder padding which would flatten out the back of the neck or should the excess fabric at the back of the collar just be taken out?

QTC
all of your shirts should stop at the base of the thumb. thats the way to begin.
when the shirts are all the same the rest is easy.
go to the tutorials "the shirt sleeve showing problem" that will explain.

that roll of cloth across the back.is the result of your erect posture.
and the barrel chest.
the excess cloth must be removed from the top of the back.

there is no way the chest can be made wider to cover the barrel
chest. there is no cloth there.

 

[otc]



QTC
all of your shirts should stop at the base of the thumb. thats the way to begin.
when the shirts are all the same the rest is easy.
go to the tutorials "the shirt sleeve showing problem" that will explain.
that roll of cloth across the back.is the result of your erect posture.
and the barrel chest.
the excess cloth must be removed from the top of the back.
there is no way the chest can be made wider to cover the barrel
chest. there is no cloth there.

Thanks, I took it to a tailor down in the loop that a friend of mine has used and he is going to take out the fabric from the back and shorten the pants. There might be some more work to be done after that (he noticed that the vents hang funny around my butt) but with just those, I will definitely have it back in time for this wedding.

Luckily this jacket seems to do ok with my chest, I don't get a real "bend" in the lapels like with some jackets. Unfortunately, he only RTW suit I have ever pulled on and thought "wow, this fits my chest and shoulders really well" was an RLPL a few weeks ago...and that's much too far outside my budget.

 

[a tailor]



A pre-emptive thanks to the tailors. Here's a recent HF suit that I got that is going to the tailors soon. Pants are unfinished and I just roughly rolled up the right pant leg and left the left pant leg dangling. Aside from hemming the pants (I am thinking 2" cuff) I am considering tapering them a bit: They have roughly a 9.25 opening and I am thinking perhaps 8.5. From the pictures I think the pants also need to be let out in the seat a bit. Looking for feedback on what should be done with the jacket as well. I really appreciate any help.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

And the rest:
 

sanguis is right dont taper the ;legs. when you narrow the bottom,the length must be made shorter.
if you are at least 6 foot, 2 inch cuffs are ok. if you are shorter then dont go larger than 1.75 inches wide.
when having the trousers fitted, remember to cinch up your belt at your normal waist position.
if you need the seat let out, you may need the crotch let out also. check it out.

 

[a tailor]



Thanks, I took it to a tailor down in the loop that a friend of mine has used and he is going to take out the fabric from the back and shorten the pants. There might be some more work to be done after that (he noticed that the vents hang funny around my butt) but with just those, I will definitely have it back in time for this wedding.
Luckily this jacket seems to do ok with my chest, I don't get a real "bend" in the lapels like with some jackets. Unfortunately, he only RTW suit I have ever pulled on and thought "wow, this fits my chest and shoulders really well" was an RLPL a few weeks ago...and that's much too far outside my budget.

thats so true, fate seems to have lots of surprises for us. been through lots of them myself.
when you get into the rlpl range, you will be in the made to measure range. so take heart.