My First Chan Suit

[Stu]

VG: I just got mine today, and have a couple of the same issues you do. My trousers break wierd as well, as if they are just a smidgeon too long. As well i have no waist suppression. I was wondering for the experts out there: Can you take a jacket to a tailor and have the waist taken in a bit? Aftermarket waist suppression if you will.

 

[johnnynorman3]

Stu -- of course you can. You can get the pants done as well.

 

[Stu]

Stu -- of course you can.  You can get the pants done as well.

Technically I know you can of course, what I meant was given that the jacket was not cut that way, the waist can be nipped without affecting the way it wears?

 

[Alias]

Probably for only about an inch. Any more and you're probably also going to have to alter the bottom of the armhole. Also, you won't have much success altering a fairly sack-suit jacket into a more hourglass-shaped one. I've tried it. High chance of failure. Fabric wrinkles in the wrong places, especially on the side back seams. The suit has to be cut that way from the start for the best effect.

 

[johnnynorman3]

I doubt that structurally the Chan suit differs from an off the rack. We all perceive nipping the waist on an OTR as a pretty standard and simple alteration -- it's never affected the way my OTR suits wear.

Taking the waist in an inch is actually does more than you might think if the suit is already "close" to what you desire.

 

[retronotmetro]

I've had some OTR coats taken in at the waist by about 2" without the need to do anything to the armholes. The maximum amount that can be taken in will vary according to the construction and design of the coat, but taking in the waist an inch or so is not a huge alteration.

If you need additional waist suppression (or any other alterations) on a suit ordered from WW Chan, I'd recommend going back to them on their next US trip to have them remeasure you and send the items back to HK for alteration. That way, they can alter your suit (they do not charge for minor alterations, other than shipping) and update your paper pattern to reflect the changes. That way any future orders are done according to your preference.

One goal with my first couple of WW Chan orders was to get to the point where the paper pattern was accurate enough to let me order suits from swatches, without the need for in-person visits unless I gained or lost enough weight to warrant a change to the pattern.

 

[Stu]

I doubt that structurally the Chan suit differs from an off the rack.  We all perceive nipping the waist on an OTR as a pretty standard and simple alteration -- it's never affected the way my OTR suits wear.  

Taking the waist in an inch is actually does more than you might think if the suit is already "close" to what you desire.

You mean an inch on each side or a half-inch on each side? I want to be very cautious before I f*** up a mtm suit. I emailed Chan to ask if this could be done, but of course they are out of pocket owing to the Chinese holiday.

 

[retronotmetro]

You mean an inch on each side or a half-inch on each side?  I want to be very cautious before I f*** up a mtm suit. I emailed Chan to ask if this could be done, but of course they are out of pocket owing to the Chinese holiday.

I'd be surprised if they couldn't take it in by an inch on each side. I recently had a couple of OTR coats taken in by about 3/4" on each side at the waist, and it was no problem--didn't even affect the way the side vents fall closed.

Unless you plan never to order from Chan again, I'd let them deal with the issue unless you need the suit too much to let it take a round trip to HK. If you have it altered locally and then wear it back to them for future visits and orders, they will have to guess at what was done when adjusting your pattern.