Tailor Capabilities

[heynow]

Is there anything a tailor can NOT do to a OTR suit that is to large? I guess my question is how many sizes down can a tailor alter?

 

[lee_44106]

As long as you are going from a LARGER jacket to a SMALLER jacket,

theoretically, anything CAN be done. Essentially the whole jacket can be recut to suit a smaller body.

That said, shortening a jacket can only be done so much, especially if the jacket has besom pockets and not patch pockets. Patch pockets can be resewn, but besom cannot; and this fact will limit how much the jacket can be shortened without looking ridiculous (i.e., the pocket placement being too low). Lapel width and gorge placement would be difficult to change but are not impossible.

shoulder width can be easily shortened, sleeves can be easily shortened.

During my weight fluctuations, I've had jackets slim down two whole sizes (did not change length of jacket or mess with the lapel though).

Most important thing is to find the tailors that can do it. They are a very very rare specie.

 

[uluvbs]

I'm having a new jacket altered significantly.

My question is, what should I look for when I go to buy my next suit? (Besides fabric color and quality.)

I mean, if the tailor can take in the shoulders, chest, waist, and sleeves with relative ease, I guess you don't really have to worry that much how the jacket fits inside the store?

Thank you.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

You're best bet is going to be finding a tailor who is very good, and asking them how much is too much.

it also may be very specific to who/if/what/when/how about it, because i'm sure bringing a 52-48 is alot different then bringing a 42-38.

being that these things work in proportions.

however i could be wrong.
brian

 

[lee_44106]

I mean, if the tailor can take in the shoulders, chest, waist, and sleeves with relative ease, I guess you don't really have to worry that much how the jacket fits inside the store?QUOTE]


just because it's doable does not mean it is easily done.

an unaltered jacket will always look better than one that has undergone major surgery, and to alter a shoulder is major surgery. Chances are after such an alteration your jacket will never look right. Only super competent tailors can do such things, and again not many of them around.

When buying an OTR jacket, make sure shoulder fits correctly, and that the length is the one you want. The waist can be tapered easily, and the sleeve length can also be taken short relatively easily.

 

[alliswell]

Originally Posted by uluvbs

I'm having a new jacket altered significantly.

My question is, what should I look for when I go to buy my next suit? (Besides fabric color and quality.)

I mean, if the tailor can take in the shoulders, chest, waist, and sleeves with relative ease, I guess you don't really have to worry that much how the jacket fits inside the store?

Thank you.

This is the equivalent of saying that you might as well marry a fifty-year old, because a plastic surgeon can make her look twenty. This may well be true, assuming that cost is no object, and you can find a genius surgeon who'll do the work. Better to find a jacket that fits in the shoulders and buttons reasonably close to where you want it to, and that covers your ass. There's no guarantee that anything that you take to a tailor wil work perfectly.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by lee_44106

I've had jackets slim down two whole sizes .
What happened with the breast pocket placement?

 

[lee_44106]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

What happened with the breast pocket placement?

Didn't seem to affect it. Shoulder shortened, waist suppressed, collar changed, sleeve shortened a bit.

 

[Ataturk]

And the lapel width, the length of the coat, the size of the armholes, the roll of the lapel, the height of the buttons, etc., etc. You're better off getting the right size suit to begin with.

 

[doughboyr6]

i did a lot of reading on GQ on how to buy a suit. This is taken from their article....

9. Know what a tailor can—and can’t—do for you

Here are the areas you should direct your tailor’s attention to:

• Shoulders: If your suit doesn’t fit in the shoulders, it’s not going to fit anywhere else. Salesmen will tell you they can reduce or reshape the shoulder pads—don’t listen to them.

• Pants: If the pants are an inch or so too tight or too large in the waist, a tailor can usually fix them. But if it’s more than an inch, you’re asking for trouble.

I bought a suit recently from a men's clothing store, they provide life time alterations. I got fitted and it is being altered right now. I had to get the roll behind the neck/shoulderblades taken out, sleeves shortened, pants hemmed and jacket shortened by about 3/4 to 1 inch. They said they can't take out anymore than that. I debated on getting the jacket taken in on the sides to make me look a little slimmer, but decided not to for now.

I have a very short torso, but a large/wide/thick chest. I wear a 48 comfortably, and a 46 snug...but either way, a regular is long on me....I can't seem to find 48 short suits.

 

[uluvbs]

My problem is, the jacket I am having taken in is size 36R, so if the shoulders at the store are a bit too big, I'm out of options (other than to go custom). I realize it's major surgery, but he's probably taking off a half-inch between the shoulders at the most -- I hope it'll look fine in the end.

I'm 5'10", 155lbs, btw, but I guess I have a small frame.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

that may be the case, but you need to consider the fact that different brands and cuts vary immensly in size.

I've seen 36's with 16.5" shoulders and 36's with 18" shoulders.....thats the difference between being too small, to being too large on me and still the same "size".

You should do a little research and see what size really fits you and work backwards from there.

I'm 5'10" and 155lbs also an i'm a 36-38 chest depending on the brand, i have a zegna thats a 36 and a canali thats a 38.

It also depends on the structure of the shoulders, with a natural shoulder i can go a little tighter and it looks good, while with a shoulder that has more padding i try to get it dead on.