The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

[Hfriend25]

Are you German by any chance? I saw both of your collaro jackets and this one is even better than the first.

Would you mind providing a little more information about the jackets (canvassed? Lining? Which material did you use? Did you opt for the trial jacket?) ?

I think this sport coat above looks good, but due to the dark color it is difficult to assess. You might want to take pictures outside to make it easier for us.

I am thinking about ordering from collaro since my nearest tailor is not near and all and collaro seems to offer good value. ~800 euros for a jacket with the "trial jacket" option seem fair.

Jacket is full canvas, fully lined navy, fabric is Abrahm Moon lambs wool in navy (special request).

I am actually in London.

Before getting my first jacket I sent them measurements for some suitsupply jackets and shirts I had, along with pictures, to give them a starting point. I then initially ordered a shirt with the trial shirt option. This provided them more information to adjust my potential jacket measurements.

I then ordered a trial jacket, which wasn't a terrible fit but tweaks were made. My first jacket I wasn't 100% happy with but it was linen, which is quite unforgiving as there is no stretch, and I have been told I'm tricky to fit forade to measure.

From there adjustments were made and now my second jacket I'm much happier with.

I would say 100% go with the trial jacket option and don't be afraid to fire any questions over to Travis and the team at Collaro. I have been so impressed with the level of customer service and I have an email chain with 60+ emails now going back and forth with questions, fit pictures, pictures of jackets I want to emulate, fabric swatches etc. I can't recommend them enough

I hope that helps.

 

[nevaeh]

Hi, everyone. I brought home my first bespoke double-breasted suit today. It looked great at the tailor's, but when I brought it home and tried the jacket on for my wife, we noticed something -- a slight pulling or puckering around the button that is closing the jacket. I've uploaded a not-great photo my wife took with my phone. We aren't sure if this slight puckering is just what we should expect with a double-breasted jacket -- I've never had one before -- or if some slight adjustment is needed. What's confusing me is that the jacket doesn't feel tight or too fitted at all. There seems to be plenty of room, and so I wouldn't want to make it any bigger around the waist. Is it just the weight of the fabric pulling on the button slightly? (We tripled checked that the internal button was fastened properly. It was.) Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Is this just how it's supposed to look?
View attachment 1709715

Are you able to discuss this with your tailor? Or is it too late for that? For my untrained eye, it looks fairly minor, and probably is not even that noticeable when you’re moving around.

The suit looks quite sharp!

 

[BB_Adept]

Jacket is full canvas, fully lined navy, fabric is Abrahm Moon lambs wool in navy (special request).

I am actually in London.

Before getting my first jacket I sent them measurements for some suitsupply jackets and shirts I had, along with pictures, to give them a starting point. I then initially ordered a shirt with the trial shirt option. This provided them more information to adjust my potential jacket measurements.

I then ordered a trial jacket, which wasn't a terrible fit but tweaks were made. My first jacket I wasn't 100% happy with but it was linen, which is quite unforgiving as there is no stretch, and I have been told I'm tricky to fit forade to measure.

From there adjustments were made and now my second jacket I'm much happier with.

I would say 100% go with the trial jacket option and don't be afraid to fire any questions over to Travis and the team at Collaro. I have been so impressed with the level of customer service and I have an email chain with 60+ emails now going back and forth with questions, fit pictures, pictures of jackets I want to emulate, fabric swatches etc. I can't recommend them enough

I hope that helps.

Sorry for mistaking you for a German! Thank you for the advice. I ordered from collaro.co before (no jackets though) and their response quality was amazing. If I lived in London i would go to a local tailor though.

Collaro did a very good job with my shirts, their trousers were not 100% what I was looking for, but my feedback and requests could have been more precise so it was difficult for them I guess.

There is an American brand, smithbespoke, that also seems to offer a good online "bespoke" service but they are way more expensive than collaro.co.

Might give collaro a go and would always opt for the trial jacket.
Thanks for your experience.

 

[Hfriend25]

Sorry for mistaking you for a German! Thank you for the advice. I ordered from collaro.co before (no jackets though) and their response quality was amazing. If I lived in London i would go to a local tailor though.

Collaro did a very good job with my shirts, their trousers were not 100% what I was looking for, but my feedback and requests could have been more precise so it was difficult for them I guess.

There is an American brand, smithbespoke, that also seems to offer a good online "bespoke" service but they are way more expensive than collaro.co.

Might give collaro a go and would always opt for the trial jacket.
Thanks for your experience.

It is tricky working with someone online but I've been impressed and decided to go with them because of their price point (everything I've seen in London is a lot more) and for their 'italian' aesthetic, which again, in London is harder to findm I would have waited for either Asian or Italian tailors to visit bit currently there isn't much of that happening.

 

[Thingamajig]

Hi, everyone. I brought home my first bespoke double-breasted suit today. It looked great at the tailor's, but when I brought it home and tried the jacket on for my wife, we noticed something -- a slight pulling or puckering around the button that is closing the jacket. I've uploaded a not-great photo my wife took with my phone. We aren't sure if this slight puckering is just what we should expect with a double-breasted jacket -- I've never had one before -- or if some slight adjustment is needed. What's confusing me is that the jacket doesn't feel tight or too fitted at all. There seems to be plenty of room, and so I wouldn't want to make it any bigger around the waist. Is it just the weight of the fabric pulling on the button slightly? (We tripled checked that the internal button was fastened properly. It was.) Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Is this just how it's supposed to look?
View attachment 1709715

It's probably just the weight pulling on it slightly. But there are cases where it is because the internal button is just a touch too low or has too long a stand (to allow people to button it more easily), causing the weight to fall on the outer button instead of the inner button. What you could do is perhaps temporarily put another button like a quarter of an inch above the original internal button with a shorter stand and see how that works out for you?

 

[Thingamajig]

Is the area around the milanese buttonhole creasing like this acceptable? I have a few suits done by the same tailor before and it is the first time this is happening.

The tailor said it's because this fabric is stiff, and it is made by 30%mohair 70% super 100 wool. What are your thoughts on that

View attachment 1711772

It's a very small issue to be very honest and imo adds to the charm of a handmade buttonhole (within reason). But this is due to the person making the Milanese buttonhole either:

1. Applying the basting stiches with too much tension, causing the fabric to pucker.

2. Uneven tensile strength with each stitch combined with a coarser weave could cause this.

and the point about the fabric being too stiff is bollocks, the stiffer the fabric, the better it takes a milanese or a buttonhole.

 

[Thingamajig]

I wish my arms were big enough to fill out the sleeves!! They are actually quite roomy, to the point that it look me a little by surprise on my first jacket and I asked for them to be taken in for future commisions, before changing my mind and deciding I enjoying the extra space.

Lol, good take on that, small arms on a jacket makes the wearer generally look more portly from a proportional standpoint, and as you said, the extra space is actually pretty practical.

 

[Marshak]

Could also be a question of fit: It's now the fourth time that my trousers happen to rip at the seat. This pair is cut rather roomy, definitely not slim. The fabric is entry-level VBC flannell (same with the other three trousers that ripped). Each time the rip has been around the same area. What could be the reason? Hip / upper leg too narrow? Insufficient flexibility of the seat's seam? Weak fabric?
View attachment 1706770

Flannel isn't a resilient fabric. I had have the same experience (at the crotch) with this VBC flannel and it was not a problem of fit. This flannel is simply too fragile and light. The same happened with a lightweight Fox flannel. Would recommend to upscale to heavyweight flannels like the Hardy Minnis one which is thicker. Another solution is to make several flannel trousers to able to rotate regularly between trousers.

 

[paxonus]

I am thinking about a way of shortening a jacket sleeve with working buttonholes. Would it be feasible to create a gauntlet cuff from the extra length that would partially cover the buttons? The sleeve length could be shortened to just below the bottom buttonhole, which could also be stitched closed. The bottom button would then be moved to the top. The edge of the gauntlet would be angled so as not to completely cover the buttons.

 

[MattyS]

It's probably just the weight pulling on it slightly. But there are cases where it is because the internal button is just a touch too low or has too long a stand (to allow people to button it more easily), causing the weight to fall on the outer button instead of the inner button. What you could do is perhaps temporarily put another button like a quarter of an inch above the original internal button with a shorter stand and see how that works out for you?

Thank you. This is very informative. The internal button does have a longish stand, and even still I have trouble buttoning it. This is my first double-breasted jacket, and I'm still getting used to the mechanics of the backwards buttoning. I'm not too fussed about it now. If it starts to bother me more, I'll look into this. Thanks again!

 

[Despos]

Thank you. This is very informative. The internal button does have a longish stand, and even still I have trouble buttoning it. This is my first double-breasted jacket, and I'm still getting used to the mechanics of the backwards buttoning. I'm not too fussed about it now. If it starts to bother me more, I'll look into this. Thanks again!

@MattyS

Take a front view picture of the jacket unbuttoned. A picture showing how the fronts drapes when unbuttoned.

 

[MattyS]

@MattyS
Take a front view picture of the jacket unbuttoned. A picture showing how the fronts drapes when unbuttoned.

I'm traveling for a few days, but I'll do this when I'm back home. Thanks!

 

[danishdynamite]

Hi, would love some help with this jacket. Obviously to long and sleeves to wide. But the shoulder angle deals fairly well with my square shoulders. I will probably have the left shoulder raised a bit. I am however not sure how to go about my protruding shoulderblades. Should I raise or lower the collar? My inital thought would be to give it more length (raise) so there is more fabric to drape over the shoulderblades. I would guess that the back also needs more room horizontally? I will not alter this jacket but make a new one, so all alterations are possible. Any feedback from despos would also be greatly appreciated. Have a good day everbody!!

 

[Midwestern sasquatch]

Hey!

Longtime lurker here, just wanted to pop in to get you wonderful folks' opinions on fixing this suit jacket which sits at a precarious stage of ill-fitment. I've recently lost 20 pounds (6"0 175 lbs --> 6"0 155 lbs), and therefore, don't fit in almost anything I own. Note: The pictures were taken in a hurry, which is why the shirt collar is slightly messed up in some of these images

regards,
Midwestern Sasquatch

 

[Thingamajig]

View attachment 1713560

Hi, would love some help with this jacket. Obviously to long and sleeves to wide. But the shoulder angle deals fairly well with my square shoulders. I will probably have the left shoulder raised a bit. I am however not sure how to go about my protruding shoulderblades. Should I raise or lower the collar? My inital thought would be to give it more length (raise) so there is more fabric to drape over the shoulderblades. I would guess that the back also needs more room horizontally? I will not alter this jacket but make a new one, so all alterations are possible. Any feedback from despos would also be greatly appreciated. Have a good day everbody!!

I personally would lower the collar line, as judging from the directions of the lines of the cloth near your vents, and many other factors there is too much vertical length in the center.

As for the shoulder blades, I think that adding in more ease when closing the shoulders should do the trick. That and proper ironwork. Raising the collar would just give more fabric to the center, not to the sides where your shoulder blades are.

For the horizontal room.... for that, I personally will have to see your sleeves to decide, since there is so much tension in the upper back that I cant tell from the pictures for now.