Slimming Blazer/Suit Sleeves?!? Cost?

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

Thrifted a blazer today which I've already bragged about in the Thrift Store thread, but now I'm wondering how to make it fit. I'm going to be taking it to a tailor soon, but I want to be somewhat educated beforehand because I know my mom is going to try to talk me out of any alteration for fear of me growing out of them (I'm 16) and because I don't really trust a small town Arkansas tailor to tell me how my clothes should fit. I trust you guys

Anyway, I've got two related questions:

1) Can a tailor slim the sleeves on a blazer? I haven't been able to find much about this on the forum, which worries me because I thought it would be a pretty standard alteration. Is it not?

2) Newbie question here, but if I get the sleeves slimmed along with some waist suppression, How much should I expect to pay? Is this possible for under $50?

Ok, thanks for reading (and hopefully answering). Help set a young wayward teenager on the right path toward sartorial excellence

 

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

If Manton had posted this he'd have at least 50 answers by now

Come on, don't tell me none of you have had sleeves slimmed before or can at least give me a basic estimate. Don't make me get angry here.

 

[grimslade]

Manton wouldn't have posted this.

Look, the problem is, you can't slim the whole sleeve because you can't slim the top, the head, of the sleeve. So the most you could do is make it more cone-shaped. Which is not a good idea and not what you want. The armhole can't really be made smaller without redoing both shoulder seams, which will create other problems and is, in any case, not really a practical way to slim the sleeves. The waist suppression is not hard, but in NYC at least, you can expect to pay 50-80 bucks just for this alteration.

 

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Manton wouldn't have posted this.

Look, the problem is, you can't slim the whole sleeve because you can't slim the top, the head, of the sleeve. So the most you could do is make it more cone-shaped. Which is not a good idea and not what you want. The armhole can't really be made smaller without redoing both shoulder seams, which will create other problems and is, in any case, not really a practical way to slim the sleeves. The waist suppression is not hard, but in NYC at least, you can expect to pay 50-80 bucks just for this alteration.

That's depressing. And no offense to Manton, but I figured I had to bring a heavyweight into the conversation if I wanted there to be a conversation. I guess I don't knowwhat I'll do with the sleeves then, but I know they're garbage now... What would be better? A slight cone, or well oversized?

 

[grimslade]

Did you post pics?

 

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

*sigh* I didn't want to post pics, but I guess I probably should if I want any real advice... I'll try to put some up tomorrow... I'm too lazy to do anything tonight.

 

[grimslade]

Without pics, it's much harder for us all to engage in your ritual humiliation.

 

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

Ok, I've got pictures... yay. The jacket is a $5 thrifted Brooks Brothers herringbone. Since that was my first ever attempt at thrifting, you can bet I'll be doing more in the future

Problem is, it doesn't fit me now, so I want help on waist suppresion and sleeve slimness.

On all of these pics the back of the jacket has already been pinned to create some more suppresion, but if I take it to a tailor, I'll probably have it taken in in the waist even more than that, since it still looks like a barrel.

Ok, so, as the thread title says, I'm wondering if the sleeves can be slimmed down, how much that would cost (in Arkansas, if it helps), and if the sleeves actually need to be slimmed down (looking at these pics, I'm not sure). Keep in mind that I'm 16 and wear everything very fitted/skinny and will be wearing this with very slim shirts and pants (i.e. if you don't think it's possible for me to get a good fit with this, tell me... the blazer will probably fit my slightly bigger brother or dad, but I don't want to give it to them because they don't appreciate clothes enough to have any nice ones given to them)

 

[JohnnyLaw]

Double post...

 

[JohnnyLaw]

You'll never turn a Brooks Brothers into a skinny fashion jacket.

It's probably a full size too big for you, as well as having a fuller cut, which is unfortunate because it's a very nice jacket. I would suggest finding a good home for it and keep hitting the thrifts until you find something that fits the way you want it to.

 

[tonup277]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

It's probably a full size too big for you, as well as having a fuller cut, which is unfortunate because it's a very nice jacket. I would suggest finding a good home for it and keep hitting the thrifts until you find something that fits the way you want it to.

+1
post the measurements. if it's a 36, i'll take it off your hands!

 

[Bird's One View]

It looks fine. For five dollars it looks ******* spectacular. I would leave it alone. Wear the **** out of it and keep your eyes open for a jacket that is the style and fit you prefer.

I've had waists slimmed on full cut jackets and the result has ususally been a disaster. Enjoy this one for what it is and move on.

By the way if you do take it to a tailor he will probably tell you the sleeves should be longer. Don't listen.

 

[wranglerwearingarkansan]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

You'll never turn a Brooks Brothers into a skinny fashion jacket.

It's probably a full size too big for you, as well as having a fuller cut, which is unfortunate because it's a very nice jacket. I would suggest finding a good home for it and keep hitting the thrifts until you find something that fits the way you want it to.

I guess I should clarify, I don't necessarily want a skinny fashion jacket, just a nicely fitted one, with any of Doc Holliday's jackets in WAYWT being the perfect example.

Originally Posted by tonup277

+1
post the measurements. if it's a 36, i'll take it off your hands!

Sorry, it's a 38. If it was a 36, I doubt this thread would exist.

Originally Posted by Bird's One View

It looks fine. For five dollars it looks ******* spectacular. I would leave it alone. Wear the **** out of it and keep your eyes open for a jacket that is the style and fit you prefer.

I've had waists slimmed on full cut jackets and the result has ususally been a disaster. Enjoy this one for what it is and move on.

By the way if you do take it to a tailor he will probably tell you the sleeves should be longer. Don't listen.

This is what my parents are telling me too: it looks fine. But I thik it's a bit out of proportion with everything else I wear, so maybe if you've had difficulties tailoring these things, I should consider that too and maybe just give it up...

...but I really don't want to. Anyone think it's workable?

 

[630]

This might be a stretch, but you did buy it for five dollars. Maybe wear it as outerwear with a sweater/hoodie underneath? If you layer under it it might add some bulk and make it look like it fits a little better?

 

[binge]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

You'll never turn a Brooks Brothers into a skinny fashion jacket.

Especially on a young, skinny guy.

Originally Posted by Bird's One View

By the way if you do take it to a tailor he will probably tell you the sleeves should be longer. Don't listen.

+1. I think the sleeve length is good, although the left (your left) sleeve looks a tad shorter than the right. This could be due to you having uneven shoulders, or the jacket having uneven sleeve lengths due to the previous owner. In any case, I'd leave it alone.

If you don't feel self-conscious about wearing it, even though it's big for you, you could save it for colder days with a thick sweater underneath to fill it out a bit. Also, at 16 you've probably still got some growing to do, if not in height perhaps in filling out the chest, shoulders and back. If you don't like wearing it now because its big, hang onto it and you might find that in a couple years that it fits better.