Well, just went to check out alterations on my suit ... trainwreck

[AutoX]

I took my suit to a boutique designer in Dupont Circle (in D.C. area) .. she charged me 90 bucks to alter the pants and jacket (just length of jacket and pants .. and then an extra $20 for the button holes).

I go to pick it up today .. and here's what I'm given. I'm disgusted. This was a $1200 Hickey suit. How do I salvage this? Holes seem to be about 1/4" to high on the sleeve, and to top it off the jacket sleeve length is about 1/2" to short. Also seems the buttons aren't straight.

Am I going crazy here, or is this terrible? I sent her a picture of an actual surgeons cuff as reference and she said she believed she knew what I wanted.

I think the only option now is to extend it from the shoulder area and give the sleeves some extra length, then alter the sleeve length at the bottom. Is the bottom holes salvageable ?

 

[KObalto]

The buttonholes look a little high and I don't think you can fix that, particularly if the sleeves are too short and need to be lengthened. Most people will not notice this though.Fields' next time? Everybody seems to rave about them.

 

[chrisb0109]

The biggest problem I see is how she did the button holes themselves. They are clearly different from the reference pic you sent.

 

[Bird's One View]

Yeah, I wouldn't go back.

The buttons are also too high on your reference picture.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Did you actually pay $1,200 for the suit? I think she ruined it and owes you your money back on the alterations and to replace the suit. There's always small claims court if she disagrees, but she did a terrible job.

I think an easier solution, but perhaps not a popular one here, is to have the sleeves lengthened from the cuff and add a 5th button.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]

Those button-holes are horrendous, even I can sew a better looking button-hole than that...

 

[jungshoe]

those buttonholes were obviously cut and sewn by hand. there are actual machines designed to create working buttonholes. however, most tailors don't have one because they cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 and the business they get from people who want working buttonholes is too insignificant to justify the cost of the machine. i learned the hard way the first time i took a jacket in to get buttonholes made. the place i now use in west la charges $120 just for this service.

 

[AutoX]

they were definitely sewn by hand.

Also, I really paid $1200. It's not one of the crappy low line ones. The ones on the ref picture were for the holes and how they should be made.

 

[CYstyle]

"Am I going crazy here, or is this terrible? I sent her a picture of an actual surgeons cuff as reference and she said she believed she knew what I wanted."

I think I would avoid doing alterations if I had to explain with a picture what working button holes mean.
She didn't even do a keyhole buttonhole, and made just a straight one like for shirts.

 

[MBreinin]

I don't think you can fix that. Maybe a tailor will chime in.

I know you don't want to hear it...but just wear it. Nobody (but you, of course) will notice.

Sorry.

Mike

 

[sonlegoman]

Give us the name of the business or the name of the "tailor." I don't live in the area but I think it would be a service to know who to avoid.

 

[CYstyle]

I Suppose you could remove the stitching, see how damaged and weak the fabric is steam it a bit to get it back as normal as possible, take some extra fabric from where they shortened your pants, patch the buttonhole area, then sew new buttonholes and then cut them open, then you'll have new buttonholes and any signs of repair would be covered by the buttons.

 

[KObalto]

Originally Posted by AutoX

Also, I really paid $1200. It's not one of the crappy low line ones. The ones on the ref picture were for the holes and how they should be made.
Never admit paying full retail on SF!

 

[ginlimetonic]

I know this doesn help, but that's the risk of wanting something fancy on a OTR item.

 

[HEPennypacker]

Originally Posted by sonlegoman

Give us the name of the business or the name of the "tailor." I don't live in the area but I think it would be a service to know who to avoid.

+1, except I live in the area. I just had about $400 worth of work done on two jackets by Christopher Kim, also near Dupont. I'm pleased with the outcome, aside from the smoky smell referenced in another thread.