French Cuff Problem

[e2b1m]

So I recently purchased a new dress shirt with french cuffs. The shirt fit perfectly around the neck, the sleeve length was great and for once it wasn't too blousey in the back. Unfortunately, I stupidly neglected to try to shirt on with a suit jacket and so when I went to actually wear the shirt discovered that the cuffs were too big for my suit jacket sleeves.

Is there anything a tailor can do to fix the cuffs?

 

[starro]

Highly doubt it. The best an alteration tailor can do is replace the cuffs with smaller ones.

Have you tried the cuffs with the tightest links you can find, and are they still too big for the suit sleeves?

 

[GBR]

Of all the events you may go to, one demanding evening dress is the one where you must be properly dressed if you do not want to be seen as the maître d' or worse a waiter.

Starro is correct to suggest that but it is likely to be a lost cause so either get used to the idea you need another shirt or else look slovenly.

 

[e2b1m]

Thanks for the responses. I was curious then, are there any specific brands you recommend that have smaller cuffs or should I go the custom shirt route?

For reference this was a Charles Tyrwhitt extra slim shirt. I am height/weight proportional so its not like the size I ordered was crazy big and so I was shocked that the cuff would be an issue.

 

[starro]

Leaving bespoke aside for a minute (where, hopefully, you would have the opportunity to customize things like cuff size exactly), the RTW options will usually have french cuffs that are a few sizes larger. Although probably not grotesquely so (and I am making zero assumptions about your wrist size).

So let's review the jacket sleeves. First of all what do you mean exactly by "too big for suit sleeves"? Can you still get the whole cuff through, but the jacket sleeve end is sort of following the contours of the French cuff? 'cause this might be a problem that you live with, unless you get everything tailor made. Or could the problem be that your suit is too slim-fit, AKA trendy and IMO stupid looking.

 

[e2b1m]

Thanks again for the responses. When I say that the shirt cuffs are too big for my suit I mean that they are very tight and pushing against the jacket in a way that looks very unnatural.

My suits are definitely cut slimmer but I wouldn't characterize them as being slim-fit to the point of being trendy. Rather I am short, skinny guy who needs slimmer fitting sleeves so I don't look like I am drowning in my clothes.

Unless I am mistaken, it sounds like I need to go with some bespoke or MTM provider and send this shirt to Goodwill? Appreciate all the help.

 

[starro]

Before getting rid of 'em for good, why not show some pictures of the actual problem you are having? Maybe there are fixes

 

[theplayerking]

Thanks for the responses. I was curious then, are there any specific brands you recommend that have smaller cuffs or should I go the custom shirt route?

For reference this was a Charles Tyrwhitt extra slim shirt. I am height/weight proportional so its not like the size I ordered was crazy big and so I was shocked that the cuff would be an issue.

I, too, have had problems with CT french cuffs. They're just too bulky for my suits. Try another brand.

 

[e2b1m]

theplayerking, any RTW brands that you have had any luck with?