The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

[OnlinePseudonym]

I recently brought this jacket to a tailor a friend recommended asking about tightness in the shoulders and slimming the waist and he told me the jacket was a perfect fit and he wouldn't change a thing.

I've since tacken the tags off and worn it around a bit and returning is no longer an option. I now realize that the jacket is a sack blazer and designed to be a little less form fitting, I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to the style I'm looking for. Something more similar to the way this jacket fits.

I think the button stance is a bit high on the jacket and there is nothing I can do about that, but I like the fabric and soft shoulders a lot and would like to get it to work for me. I think the shoulders are a little small and again not sure there is much I can do about that but I really don't like the boxy silhouette or the way the front quarters are folded over in Y. I like a bit of an opening.

I'm wondering if adding darts is the best way to address this but I've read without the extra fabric to replace the pocket welts its not nearly as functional as a jacket with darts designed to be in it because you have to end it much shorter. Also there's a small collar roll I believe that extends to the shoulder sometimes creating a bump mid shoulder, is that because the shoulders are a little snug?

 

[Ttailor]



Hey guys, ordered a test shirt from Luxire, here are the results. I think I will add an inch to the chest and half an inch to the waist, both are pulling. The other points I'd love some advice on are: 1) should I take in some fabric in the forearm/lower sleeve? 2) is the additional fabric at the back of the shoulder something I should be worried about? (see the third picture)

My question is, what is the difference between your actual chest size, and what you ordered for the chest size of the shirt? You have ordered pleats in the back but the size is so small you can see they are pulling open, which they shouldn't. Don,t bother worrying about the forearm, because you need to get a much larger problem fixed first. If you want a closer fit in the back, don,t get the pleats and add darts to suppress the waist. .

 

[joedo]

Hi guys,

I just got my first pair a pants from Luxire MTM, a trial pant for fit. I am overall happy with the fit, but notice (and feel) a wedgie. Any ideas how to to fix this, and any other suggestions to improve the fit for my next pants? Luxire offers standard MTM options, front rise, back rise, inseam, outseam, waist, hip, upper thigh, knee, and ankle, and can match special requests like extra darts.

Thanks!
Joe

 

[flvinny521]

Here are some pics of a RTW contemporary fit shirt from Spier & Mackay. Any suggestions on adjustments for my first S&M MTM shirt? I plan on the MTM shirt being a formal shirt to be worn with a suit, not a casual one like in the photos (hiddden under the spoiler, click photo for full size).












My thoughts:
Slim the upper sleeves
Cuffs slightly narrower
Shoulder corrected for forward/sloping and dropped left
Add 0.5" to the back panel waist, then add darts?

This is probably the closest to a well-fitting shirt I've found RTW.

 

[nostalgiaultra]

Don't think so. You don,t want the cuff running up your arm when you bend.

Thanks, that's what I figured. I guess it's just my OCD acting up

 

[Ttailor]



Here are some pics of a RTW contemporary fit shirt from Spier & Mackay. Any suggestions on adjustments for my first S&M MTM shirt? I plan on the MTM shirt being a formal shirt to be worn with a suit, not a casual one like in the photos (hiddden under the spoiler, click photo for full size).

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

My thoughts: Slim the upper sleeves Cuffs slightly narrower Shoulder corrected for forward/sloping and dropped left Add 0.5" to the back panel waist, then add darts? This is probably the closest to a well-fitting shirt I've found RTW.

I'd shorten the sleeves very slightly but leave them otherwise alone. Slight sloping shoulder adjustment- just a bit, the bottom of the armhole should move down correspondingly- i am going to assume that is the norm! In a shirt pattern there is usually some shaping (fabric removed horizontally) in the yoke seam at the back, and increasing that dart slightly may help clean up the hang of the fabric at the back armhole area. (It is a dart that has become a seam). Not sure if that is something you can communicate to them. The shirt does not look over shaped at the side seams so adding to the waist so you can take fabric in by darting is counter productive.

 

[flvinny521]

I'd shorten the sleeves very slightly but leave them otherwise alone.
Slight sloping shoulder adjustment- just a bit, the bottom of the armhole should move down correspondingly- i am going to assume that is the norm!

In a shirt pattern there is usually some shaping (fabric removed horizontally) in the yoke seam at the back, and increasing that dart slightly may help clean up the hang of the fabric at the back armhole area. (It is a dart that has become a seam). Not sure if that is something you can communicate to them.

The shirt does not look over shaped at the side seams so adding to the waist so you can take fabric in by darting is counter productive.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Any thoughts on how to compensate for the bunching caused by my rear at the lumbar area?

 

[stocken]

Hi,
I would really appreciate some feed-back on fit of this corneliani suit. It is made in a thin fabric 150s, and will probably be used during the summer for parties/weddings etc.
Yours

 

[Ttailor]



Thank you for taking the time to respond. Any thoughts on how to compensate for the bunching caused by my rear at the lumbar area?

The shirt has to have enough circumference to just hang a bit more loosely , so you could ask for more room through the hips.
If that ends up giving you too much extra at the waist then back darts seem like the way to go.

 

[Blister]

First post here. Bought this suit off the rack a few days ago, employee at the store told me only the pants needed to be altered so I had that done. Suit is a dark navy and I tried my best with the lighting/camera. Do you think I should take it to a tailor for further improvements?

 

[ajc2162]

Hi Blister, thanks for posting. I presume that you're asking because you have that little nagging doubt about whether it really fits well.

It may make you feel better to know that you're not alone in that feeling - it's quite normal to review your fit hypercritically and magnify even the tiniest "flaw' to Everest proportions. The key is not to get too obessed with it and remind yourself that we are always moving and clothes have to move as well. People generally look at you and the overall effect, and my immediate reaction was positive. I think you've done OK for an OTR suit and you should feel happy wearing it.

But if you wanted to, although it's not that noticeable, you could consider lengthening your coat sleeves a little so that it ends right above the top of your wrist (or the hinge of your wrist). Your shirt seems quite a good fit with the sleeves finish at the base of your hand so this would allow 1/4 to 3/4 inch of cuff to show.

Your trousers have a fairly full break which is fine - but you could consider shortening it to what's called a "slight break". This means that the trousers sit on the top of the shoes, causing a very minimal amount of crease at the front. I like to ask for a slanted hemline (also called guardsman's break, I think) that is approximately 3/8″ longer in the back (this cannot be done with cuffs - but from what I can see on my monitor, you haven't got cuffs anyway). The type of break is very much a personal choice and yours is quite OK. But I suggest that you google "types of trouser breaks" and choose from all the pictures you see.

Don't sweat it though, overall it looks fine to me. Getting the perfect fit is that elusive Holy Grail and when you get your next suit (charcoal gray is worth looking at) you'll be much more knowledgeable about what you expect and how to convey that to the sales people.

 

[Axf4]

Should I size up on this SS havana blazer http://www.imgur.com/a/F72nk/. Mainly the shoulders. I have the larger size as well (no pics yet unfortunately) but that would need slimming from the waist and I'm not sure if the shoulders are better on it. I got good feedback here last time but have gotten different opinions as well. So what's your take on the shoulders?

 

[EssenceofTao]

My question is, what is the difference between your actual chest size, and what you ordered for the chest size of the shirt?
You have ordered pleats in the back but the size is so small you can see they are pulling open, which they shouldn't.
Don,t bother worrying about the forearm, because you need to get a much larger problem fixed first.
If you want a closer fit in the back, don,t get the pleats and add darts to suppress the waist.
.

I measured an existing shirt, I'm not sure what my actual chest size is. The shirt's chest measurement is smaller than what I submitted though, while the other measurements are spot on. Talking to Luxire about that.

Isn't the purpose of pleats to be provide better range of motion while still keeping the upper back fitted? Darts would only take in fabric but not allow freedom of movement the way pleats would, no? Darts are also meant for waist suppression vs. upper back? I'd think I would add darts to a pleated shirt for a closer fit in the waist. Thanks for the help!

 

[Ttailor]



I measured an existing shirt, I'm not sure what my actual chest size is.  The shirt's chest measurement is smaller than what I submitted though, while the other measurements are spot on.  Talking to Luxire about that.

Isn't the purpose of pleats to be provide better range of motion while still keeping the upper back fitted? Darts would only take in fabric but not allow freedom of movement the way pleats would, no?  Darts are also meant for waist suppression vs. upper back?  I'd think I would add darts to a pleated shirt for a closer fit in the waist.  Thanks for the help!

Pleats mean there is is added width in the back panel usually from yoke to hem, and the excess is pleated in to fit the yoke.
If you are trying to get the waist suppressed then darts are a choice you can make.
Back Pleats and back darts are not used together in a shirt.

Get a tape measure or get someone to measure you.

 

[Isolation]

Here are my trousers. I would like comments on length and opening. I am planing to keep length (change my other trousers to this length) and widen the opening by .75 or 1 inch. Opinions would be appreciated. Here are pictures with both chukkas (I wear boots 75%+ of the time) and a pair of shoes. Both seem okay to me here, and I am starting to doubt whether I need to widen them at all, but when standing straight, the trousers do not have a clean line which I think wider opening would allow.