Tailor shortened jacket- what to do?

I just brought a new navy blazer home from the tailor, and noticed that it is an entire inch shorter than it was before I brought it there- I had the sides taken in, the sleeves shortened, and a neck-roll removed. I inspected the lining, and found this stitching used to attach it to the wool:



Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is clearly not the type of stitching used for the bottom lining of a polo blue label jacket, yes?

Then I looked at the lining more closely, and found these pucker marks, which seem to indicate where the lining used to be sewn:



The jacket is a size 40s, originally measured 29.5", and now measures 28.5". I had measured it myself in the store and at home, and just called Polo now to confirm that the model is indeed 29.5".

I'm not really sure what to do- I called the place, but they are closed for the weekend- I stopped payment on the credit card for the alterations. I have used this person before a few times, as has my family, so I am not a new customer. I feel like I have some more leverage because the suit I brought in along with it (a size 40 s, length 29.5") was not shortened. At this point, I'm unsure if I was charged for the alteration, or if it was some freak accident; I have no idea why someone would undertake such major surgery without charging.

Does anyone have some advice for how to approach this? What would even be appropriate to ask for? I purchased it for around $600, and the original pricetag indicated $1095, so even in the unlikely event that she refunded my original purchase price, I could not afford to buy a new one at retail. And since it feels like there is at most 1 inch to let out at the bottom, I don't think it could be restored to the original length. Am I just out $600 plus alterations, and left with a brand new unwearable jacket? I don't think anyone with a 40 inch chest could possibly wear such a short coat, so I can't even flip the thing.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

No real advice, but my commiserations. Clearly there's been a screw-up somewhere down the line and work was done that should not have been.

Good luck getting a refund on the work and the actual cost to you of the jacket. That, to me, would be the fair outcome providing of course you were clear in that you didn't want the actual jacket length shortened. Whether the refund happens will be down to the goodwill of the tailor and whether they want to keep you as a customer for the long term or whether they make a big fight out of the cost of item. And how much of fight you want to have with them, if they don't want to refund you at first.

Also, in future, never leave a tailor without trying on what's been worked on, regardless of how much of a hurry you're in. This is a lesson I've learnt myself, by the way (though thankfully in my case it was just a matter of a little more work needing to be done).

Good luck, again.

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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Also, in future, never leave a tailor without trying on what's been worked on, regardless of how much of a hurry you're in. This is a lesson I've learnt myself, by the way (though thankfully in my case it was just a matter of a little more work needing to be done).



Sage advice. Good luck!

M

When you remove the neck roll the jacket length measurement becomes shorter. Lower collar = shorter length measurement.

The stitch on the lining looks like it is by machine and probably the factory original. I doubt very much that your tailor shortened the jacket.

Originally Posted by Despos

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When you remove the neck roll the jacket length measurement becomes shorter. Lower collar = shorter length measurement.

The stitch on the lining looks like it is by machine and probably the factory original. I doubt very much that your tailor shortened the jacket.

I'd be inclined to agree with this, but a full inch is a fair bit of difference. Were you charged for a shortened jacket?

Originally Posted by CharlestonBows

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I'd be inclined to agree with this, but a full inch is a fair bit of difference. Were you charged for a shortened jacket?
I'm not sure yet if I was charged for being shortened. I actually did try it on, but I didn't notice the length because I wasn't expecting it to be different. I assumed that the neck roll might have affected the length, but as Charleston says, a whole inch seems like a drastic difference. I'd also think that the stitching wasn't necessarily proof that something had been done, but what about those pucker marks and the reduced length of the vents? It really looks like the lining had been moved up; and could fixing the neck really affect the length so much?

1" is a lot but it depends why he lowered the collar. 1, you carry your head back and your posture is erect or 2, you have very square shoulders.

The vent length is related to taking in the sides.

If the jacket was shortened 1" you will see the original crease line on the inside of the hem, 1" up from the bottom. That old crease will not go away that easy. If there is any edge stitching, by machine or hand, it will be different at the bottom of the front curve. He would have to undo it and then redo it to shorten the jacket.

The pucker is more of a snag from the machine that fells the lining. The needle went too deep and snagged the lining. You can tell it is machined by how even the spacing is.

Shortening a jacket is 2 hours minimum. I doubt a tailor would spend this much time doing something you did not ask for or pay for. Call him and ask how much he lowered the collar and if he shortened the jacket. See what he says.

Originally Posted by Despos

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1" is a lot but it depends why he lowered the collar. 1, you carry your head back and your posture is erect or 2, you have very square shoulders.

The vent length is related to taking in the sides.

If the jacket was shortened 1" you will see the original crease line on the inside of the hem, 1" up from the bottom. That old crease will not go away that easy. If there is any edge stitching, by machine or hand, it will be different at the bottom of the front curve. He would have to undo it and then redo it to shorten the jacket.

The pucker is more of a snag from the machine that fells the lining. The needle went too deep and snagged the lining. You can tell it is machined by how even the spacing is.

Shortening a jacket is 2 hours minimum. I doubt a tailor would spend this much time doing something you did not ask for or pay for. Call him and ask how much he lowered the collar and if he shortened the jacket. See what he says.

very thorough analysis. you've got the eyes of a detective.

Originally Posted by untilted

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very thorough analysis.

you've got the eyes of a detective.

That's what I get paid to do.

Really only the last sentence in my post is necessary. The rest is fluff.

Originally Posted by Despos

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That's what I get paid to do.

Really only the last sentence in my post is necessary. The rest is fluff.

Thanks so much for your very helpful replies. I'll find out what happened and post an update.

Originally Posted by Despos

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...
Shortening a jacket is 2 hours minimum. I doubt a tailor would spend this much time doing something you did not ask for or pay for. ...

Heck, it's hard enough sometimes to get a tailor to alter the things you actually DO pay them for.

Originally Posted by CharlestonBows

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Heck, it's hard enough sometimes to get a tailor to alter the things you actually DO pay them for.
So true.

I've had collar roll eliminated with a similar outcome; however, the end result looked good.

So an update- I called the tailor. As you suspected, I was not charged for the length being shortened. She said that taking in the sides as she did might have shortened the length. However, I called ralph lauren, and found out that the vents are now exactly 1" shorter as well. In addition, the suit jacket she worked on, which had the sides taken in, is of the original length, as are its vents. Could fixing the neck roll (which was only slight) have really made this an entire inch shorter? Where do I go from here?

make the sleeves even shorter and call it a thom browne look?

Sell it to me?