Shoulder Alteration

[chapunso]

I have three older suits (cornelliani) that feel really tight under the arms and in the arm sides when i cross my arms. i think it is due to the excess padding that the alterations guy I had (not anymore) put in the shoulders to make them look good. Now I favor napolitan shoulder, but my new taylos says there is nothing to do, because if he removes tha padding, the shoulder will be big, and he does not want to touch a shoulder. i have read in an allan flusser's book, that if the shoulder has to be altered, you better get a new suit.
thanks

 

[lakewolf]

It is an expensive operation, a good tailor in Geneva charges $50 per hour and told me that redoing shoulders would be 4 hours work, so $200 per jacket.. Other alterations tailors here, have asked me $60 to do so, but they recognise they don't do that often, these kind of tailors do hems and waists everyday... shoulders ? maybe never.

In developing countries where labor is cheap you can get it done for a lot less money, when I was in Peru, I met a very experienced tailor, father in law of a good friend ( he is around 70 and retired ), and with 40 years experience he knows the art of vintage tailoring, he made a wonderful job on some of my jackets, reducing shoulders and the cost was $20 per jacket. In fact he had to re-tailor the jacket shoulders and sleeves. I imagine is the same job the Swiss tailor would take $200 for.

The results were even better than the original.. The only problem is.. it is far far away....

I think if a jacket or suit is worth high $$ the $200 for retailor it would be well paid money.

but taking it to the $60 guy maybe could ruin the jacket.

And, yes... if you remove the padding you'd have even bigger shoulders...

Originally Posted by chapunso

I have three older suits (cornelliani) that feel really tight under the arms and in the arm sides when i cross my arms. i think it is due to the excess padding that the alterations guy I had (not anymore) put in the shoulders to make them look good. Now I favor napolitan shoulder, but my new taylos says there is nothing to do, because if he removes tha padding, the shoulder will be big, and he does not want to touch a shoulder. i have read in an allan flusser's book, that if the shoulder has to be altered, you better get a new suit.
thanks

 

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by chapunso

I have three older suits (cornelliani) that feel really tight under the arms and in the arm sides when i cross my arms. i think it is due to the excess padding that the alterations guy I had (not anymore) put in the shoulders to make them look good. Now I favor napolitan shoulder, but my new taylos says there is nothing to do, because if he removes tha padding, the shoulder will be big, and he does not want to touch a shoulder. i have read in an allan flusser's book, that if the shoulder has to be altered, you better get a new suit.
thanks

extra padding is used to pick up the shoulders. that is used when your shoulders slope more than the suits shoulders. removing the padding will make the shoulder drop down at the armhole. the shoulder will not get bigger it will just fall down. after all he just added padding and its still the same shoulder. when the padding was added this raised the bottom of the armhole. this is what you feel.
yes the solution is costly. unless the suits are worth a great deal to you, and have plenty of wear left in them.
the sleeves must be removed, and the pading removed. the shoulder seam taken in at the armhole and tapered to the collar. the armhole is recut lower by the same amount the shoulder was taken in. the canvas may have to be trimed to match. finally the sleeves are replaced.
hint have a fitting before the sleeves are replaced to see if the shoulder angle is right. also then have him chalk mark the angle of your arms on the side of the coat. this will insure that the sleeves angle is right for you.