Darting a RLBL dress shirt?

I have a couple of RLBL dress shirts and would like to slim them down. One of them, I got darted, but it just doesn't look right with the two small pleats.

Should I just go ahead and get them taken in from the side?

Problem is my tailor charges $40 per shirt to take them in from the side through the armhole. I've heard lesser tailors charge $20-30, but this is from what SF (and I) consider Atlanta's best tailor.

Its a toss up for me, darts can work fine if the shirt fits pretty well and it just the swall of the back thats too baggey. If the whole shirt, arm holes, sleeves, etc. are too baggey then go for the whole thing being taken apart. $40 is actually a pretty standard price for this alteration. I know tailors that won't even do it because its such a pain **********. I would definitely want a competent tailor doing such a job.

BTW, I have had great success with this type of alteration. Some of the shirts have come back fitting much better then my bespoke shirts. Just don't go too tight in the chest area or you will regret it.

Good luck.

It is basically just the small of my back. However, I just don't like the look of darts on a more formal shirt (even those these would be solid colors), especially with the small pleats on the RLBL.

Originally Posted by ramuman

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It is basically just the small of my back. However, I just don't like the look of darts on a more formal shirt (even those these would be solid colors), especially with the small pleats on the RLBL.

Hmm, when i have had mine done they usually put the darts in right below the pleats so it makes a continuous line? I don't like darts either but sometimes if the shirt is slim enough it just doesn't make sense to rip it all apart, it can easily come back too slim and then your screwed.

darting RLBL? You must be skinny.

Originally Posted by embowafa

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darting RLBL? You must be skinny.

Quite so. I'm a 38 chest, 30 waist. This would be on a 14.5 RLBL too.

Originally Posted by embowafa

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darting RLBL? You must be skinny.
I have a 35" chest and 29" waist. I was thinking of picking up a RLBL shirt from B&S recently, and I compared the measurements provided with a TM Lewin slim fit shirt I already had. The RLBL was bigger, and even the TM Lewin has some extra room around the waist. At least it was within an acceptable margin, though; the RLPL shirt I really wanted would have had me swimming in it. The problem is that my neck is 15", and it seems that the typical 15"-necked man is a little more beefy than I. I need to start lifting weights or something.

Originally Posted by ramuman

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Quite so. I'm a 38 chest, 30 waist. This would be on a 14.5 RLBL too.

I think not darting your shirt is always optimal. It just looks cleaner.

Then again, I'm wearing a darted (via alterations) shirt right now. No one will see the back because I'm wearing a jacket. If you do get it darted, I wouldn't wear it w/out jacket or sweater, IMO.

Originally Posted by embowafa

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darting RLBL? You must be skinny.

There actually cut quite roomey, just like most rtw shirts. The only thing is that RLBL sleeves tend to be a bit slimmer then RLPL but other then that there still pretty big. Do you like your shirts on the fuller side?

Originally Posted by ramuman

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I have a couple of RLBL dress shirts and would like to slim them down. One of them, I got darted, but it just doesn't look right with the two small pleats.

Should I just go ahead and get them taken in from the side?

Originally Posted by jamesbond

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Hmm, when i have had mine done they usually put the darts in right below the pleats so it makes a continuous line? I don't like darts either but sometimes if the shirt is slim enough it just doesn't make sense to rip it all apart, it can easily come back too slim and then your screwed.

Imo, shoulder pleats + darts just looks weird.

Originally Posted by embowafa

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darting RLBL? You must be skinny.

Originally Posted by ramuman

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Quite so. I'm a 38 chest, 30 waist. This would be on a 14.5 RLBL too.

Strange, I'm a 36 chest/31 waist and find a 14.5 RLBL shirt to be quite as is. The only alteration I'd consider is shortening the sleeves.

Originally Posted by jamesbond

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There actually cut quite roomey, just like most rtw shirts. The only thing is that RLBL sleeves tend to be a bit slimmer then RLPL but other then that there still pretty big. Do you like your shirts on the fuller side?

Not at all, actually. I have quite a few RLBL (15-15.5) and they fit me just about perfectly. I'm 6'2" but definitely on the 'skinny' side.

It's the RLPL shirts that I have to get taken in. The neck always fits perfectly, but the sleeves and body are generally too baggy. Getting the sleeves and body (from the sides) taken in make them perfect.

Undarted, I swim even in the 14.5. I have a very V-shaped torso and fairly broad shoulders.

I wonder if the pleat crease itself could be extended down as the dart to be cleaner. The shirts I am considering getting altered would generally be worn with a jacket, but I still dislike the unclean look of darts+pleat.

I get pretty much all my dress shirts darted.

Matter of fact, just dropped off a RLPL shirt at my tailor's to get taken in and darted.

myke

Not sure if it will still fit after you do this to a RLBL, but for my RLPL shirts that are less formal (like a button down), my tailor will open up the back pleats and dart the shirt from there, eliminating the back pleats. Looks much better IMO than darts + pleats.

Darting is ugly/cheaper option in my opinion. I'd only dart if you can't afford to have it taken in from the side. Taking it in from the sides is a full scale operation for my shirts since I often have the sleeves slimmed and the length shortened to balance the shirt as well. However, in the end its well worth the expensive as the shirts come out looking fantastic as if they were bespoke. Hell my RLPL shirts fit/look better than some of my T&A shirts I had done.

I used to buy RLBL shirts just because they were slimmer but even then found that they weren't as fitting as I'd like. The only shirt that fits me perfectly OTR are Emporio Armani's. However, they don't make many FC shirts. Therefore, I now purchase RLPL FC shirts and have them taken in from the sides. Not only are they better fitting now than OTR RLBL's but the construction/materials used are better.

Since I often drop off 10+ shirts every few weeks, I get a discount from my tailor. He charges me $45 to take the shirts in from the sides, slim the sleeves, shorten the sleeves by an 1", and shorten the length of the shirt. Normally he charges about $60 for all of that work.

TL;DR. If RLBL doesn't fit you perfectly OTR, buy RLPL and get it taken in from the sides. You'll end up with a better shirt at the same cost. It's an expensive lesson I learned as I now have many RLBL shirts I don't wear.