• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Retailoring suits

intlnews

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
66
Reaction score
0
I have a few suits than no longer fit. I am about a 38 now, and they are 42 and 44. They've been altered before however. I've had the suits only a few years, and I took them in last year, but they are still too big. I lost about 40 pounds or so. I think they are nice suits, but tailoring is like 100.00 a suit. Plus, going down to such a smaller number, is that going to make the cut look bad?
 

Biggskip

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
4,277
Reaction score
1,641
You should probably post this in the Ask a Question Get an Answer thread that is pinned in this subforum.

The quick answer to your question, however, is no.

A few years ago I lost about 20 lbs. and spent more than my wife would care to remember on tailoring my 46L suits in to 44L suits. Ultimately, they came out with mixed results and none of them feel as good as those that I have bought that were 44L to begin with. Trying to move down to 38 from a 42 or 44 would require some massive work and the end result still probably won't be very satisfying.
 

bing

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
121
Reaction score
0
imho that is too much of a drop.

i did this with two suits recently and it wasnt even a size drop, just a major retailoring and there are limitations to how much you can do without screwing up the whole suit.

you're better off getting new suits that fit the new you
 

stubloom

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
348
Reaction score
60
When you drop that much weight, you need a custom tailor who is experienced in constructing a suit from scratch -- from measurement to final fitting. That's because a custom tailor who knows how to construct a suit from scratch has the skills necessary to deconstruct the suit, recut the fabric and reconstruct the suit to your new specifications. Now your'e talking big bucks. A "nip and a tuck" from an "alterations joint" will be a waste of time and money.

That being said, the best advise is to donate your suits to a worthy charity and spring for some new suits.
 

Newlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
142
Reaction score
2
I lost about 35 pounds and dropped from a 52L to 46L.

I had a suit altered twice in the process. I tried to go back and get it altered again, and the shop basically said they couldn't really alter it anymore without rebuilding the entire suit... at that point it just isn't worth it.

To be honest, even when I had alterations the 2nd time, the suit just didn't look too great.
 

Don Carlos

In Time Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
7,010
Reaction score
28
Just get some new suits. You're looking at a total recutting and reconstructing here, unless you want the suits horribly disfigured and contorted by Frankensteinish alterations. Such a degree of work can't be done well by anyone short of a bespoke tailor. And at that point, you're probably spending enough money on alterations to cover the cost of a few new suits.

If money is a concern, try to sell them on eBay or something. If they're very nice suits, try to sell them on B&S here.
 

intlnews

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
66
Reaction score
0
They are nice suits, but they've been altered. Not sure anyone would buy them. A couple not even worn yet. Not sure if anyone would buy them since they are no longer the original size.
 

Don Carlos

In Time Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
7,010
Reaction score
28
Originally Posted by intlnews
They are nice suits, but they've been altered. Not sure anyone would buy them. A couple not even worn yet. Not sure if anyone would buy them since they are no longer the original size.

Maybe take measurements of the critical areas (see B&S suit listings for guidance), then gauge interest with an IC post?
 

Macallan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
841
Reaction score
40
Originally Posted by intlnews
I have a few suits than no longer fit. I am about a 38 now, and they are 42 and 44.

If you only dropped from 44 to 42, then worth considering; however, from 42/44 down to 38 is too much of a difference.

You could alter the suits but the you will probably be left with strange looking suits.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.3%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 61 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 10.9%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 17.9%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,207
Messages
10,579,345
Members
223,892
Latest member
cprice
Top