Sewing down pleats

[qertw]

Hello all!

So I've got these old dress pants in my closet, which now fit me since I've taken up a healthier lifestyle, but unfortunately they've got pleats in the front (which I'm not a huge fan of).

I've been doing some reading, and I've basically found that there are two things I can do:

- pay a tailor to remove the pleats (expensive)
- sew down the pleats (seems kind of half assed)

Although its kind of half assed, I'm leaning towards the latter option.

Has anyone done this before? Any pics of how it turned out? Are you happy with the results?

Any opinion is welcome!

Thanks everyone

 

[ter1413]

pay a tailor to do it right.

 

[Gus]

I would leave them alone and have them taken in at the waist to look their best. If you don't like pleats then buy new FF pants. Sewing down pleats won't be the same as FF pants.

 

[ginlimetonic]

I'm a skinny bloke and I love my fuller double pleats on all my 10 pairs of trousers (fledging MTM wardrobe)...

Single pleat, double pleat, or FF are a personal choice, and if you're wearing FF all the time, pleats may be unfamiliar with the way cloth bunches up when you sit different. I advise you to just stick with it, its not really a fit issue, but a style issue.

Alterations can be expensive, and avoid doing so if possible: analogy, surgery on a person - avoid if possible.

 

[Matt S]

Single pleats can effectively be converted into darts, though the dart should be moved closer to the pocket. Double pleats need to be partially removed if you want to make a dart (2 darts on each side is too much).

 

[qertw]

Very helpful advice, thanks guys!

I believe they`re double pleats, so I`m not sure if darting will work. The surgery analogy really makes sense, so I guess I`ll either find a tailor that can do it right, or simply leave it.

 

[amplifiedheat]

As a principle, real men wear pleats.

 

[ljrcustom]

Originally Posted by ter1413

pay a tailor to do it right.

+1. Or just leave them as they are with the pleats.

-LR