Tailoring Pants - Taking in vs. Letting Out

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by Abstraktmind

Resurrecting again! I bought a suit off of B&SF and the suit jacket fits like a dream, but the pants are a 35 waist, and I'm a 32...could this be tailor down to fit me? bringing in the waist, tailoring the bagginess of the legs and the seat? I like the suit so much I'd even drop 100.

three inches is quite a bit. how much does the seat need to come in? it might be too much.
for more info go to ask andy search. ask for "trouser alterations" scroll down to that title.
its pretty far down there dated 7-4-06.

 

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by Newcomer

With all this said, is there any way to let out the thighs at all? It is not a huge deal, but I could use another half an inch or so for the sake of comfort.

better trousers often have a little to let out there. some as much one inch.
cheap wools and cotton pants have nothing.

 

[Newcomer]

Great--they are better trousers I believe--would you mind commenting on the difficulty of such an alteration?

 

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by Newcomer

Great--they are better trousers I believe--would you mind commenting on the difficulty of such an alteration?

not very difficult. if you what you are doing. that means about 20 or 25 bucks.

 

[phxguy]

Slightly different question, but same concept, I think.

I bought an Aboud three button suit a couple years that (a) was too big in the waist and (b) is cut baggy to boot. I had the waist taken in and have worn it a few times, but now I can't stand wearing it because the pants are just unfashionably baggy. So the question is, is it worth trying to save the suit by having the pants basically reconstructed, or is that likely to yield unsatisfactory results, particularly when the jacket, though it fits pretty well, is a generous cut too. And bear in mind, I live in Phoenix and have not found a decent tailor.

Thanks in advance.

 

[phxlawstudent]

Fakeri can essentially remake the suit and pants. Your not going to like the cost though... J. Abboud... No, I wouldn't bother with it.

 

[bbhues]

Just bought a suit, absolutely love the fabric and the fit of the jacket, but the pants are a solid inch too small. Problem is they have already been let out with the excess fabric. Is there anything else that can be done?

 

[boof52]

Learn how to sew and do your own tailoring. Practice on a cheap pair of trousers from the local op shop the first couple of times and purchase a good book on the subject eg Reader's Digest Book of Sewing. You'll enjoy tailoring your own trousers, jeans etc as it's not that difficult. I began six years ago because I needed to hem a pair of pants and it's led to me not only tailoring my clothes but producing bushwalking gear such as sleeping bags, tents, packs, rainwear, gaiters etc and learning how to repair sewing machines; none of which is difficult on the old 1959 Necchi sewing machine my mother purchased at a garage sale for $A8.00. Give it a go!

 

[VinnyMac]

If everything except for the waist feels fine, then it's better than buying a pair that's probably too big in the waist, seat and other areas that you haven't accounted for.

 

[superseiyan]

Related to this, for those with an athletic build (think baseball player, or running back) how do you handle your alterations?

I'm a weird fit as 39R jackets are perfect, but then I need 34" pants at the waist BUT 34-35 pants are often tight at the but and a little snug on the thighs. I can live with the thighs, but the tightness of the seat means I'm always ripping pants.

Can men's dress pants and suit pants be let out at the seat with minimal (1" or less) interference to the waist? When buying slim, should I go with true waist/tight thighs-butt or true thighs/butt but large waist? 36" waist will need at least a 1.5 taking in probably.

 

[ennaq40]

I am an advanced seamstress , but I need step by step instructions to rework trouser hips, butt and thighs to eliminate bagginess. I have taken in the waist and back seam and they are still baggy.Please help.

 

[a tailor]



I am an advanced seamstress , but I need step by step instructions  to rework trouser hips, butt and thighs to eliminate bagginess.  I have taken in the waist and back seam and they are still baggy.Please help.

how much was taken in at the waist and at the heaviest area of the seat? and does fit well there?
also have you taken in the crotch at the back fork?

 

[OzzyJones]

Can pleated trousers be satisfactorily altered at seat hips and crotch without messing up the pleats. I've already had the waist let out half inch and the legs tapered but the thigh to hip area is a bit MC Hammer.

Thanks for any help

 

[carlos20co]

Can pleated trousers be satisfactorily altered at seat hips and crotch without messing up the pleats. I've already had the waist let out half inch and the legs tapered but the thigh to hip area is a bit MC Hammer.

Thanks for any help

My tailor altered a pair of pants for me, he took in the waits, tapered the legs and shortened the rise. The result was very good, the pants look much better now and the pleats were not affected at all.

On another subject, I had a pair of Brooks Brothers Regent fit (flat front) pants taken in, from a 33" waist to 32", and I didn't like the result, now the seat is a little bit snug and the side pockets stand up. So I took them back to my tailor and he's now going to alter them in a way that they seat stays as it was originally. He told me he was going to make a pleat just above the back pockets. I hope they result is satisfactory. The seat fitted perfectly when I bought them, but the waist was 1 inch to big.

 

[a tailor]

carlos, you should have asked the tailor to take in the waist but not the seat.
it can be done.that way. in fact that is what he is having to do now.