Can I get 1/2 inch extra length from this sleeve and it look OK still?

[Mokwit]

I am looking to buy A Raffaele Caruso jacket that is fine but for the sleeves being half an inch too short at 24" when I need an absolute minimum of 24/1/2 inch. I have an existing RC that measures at 25 1/4 and fits fine/maybe even starting to enter too long zone.

The seller is not keen to spend a lot of time answering questions/didn't forward requested photos but says there is more than an inch left in the sleeve and that it is not fused at the edges (My RC has fused edges), and not obviously worn/discoloured at the sleeve edge. There are no sham button holes - just buttons sewn on without them "department store cheapie" style."

I could be lucky and it was shortened from factory 25 1/4” with the excess [unusually] left in. That means all is OK if it was, but am assuming it has about 1 3/8 as per my RC.

SO: Is there enough to get an extra 1/2 inch and it look OK i.e. fold OK at the corners?

What is the maximum I could realisitically increase sleeve length by?

Is sleeve lining length availability an issue? It is only lined in the sleeves and thus "easily" replaced?, BUT presumably to do that the tailor would have to take the sleeves off? An Italian sleeve head can't be replicated in Bangkok where I am. If it comes apart it goes back together as a Bangkok suit. Same would apply if I sent it to Savile Row alterations tailor.

I enclose photos of my own RC. Let me know if any additional photos/info would be helpful.

Having lurked here for years I have finally signed up and hope to contribute helpfully as so many do here - SF is my "go to" for answers.

 

[Mokwit]

More: a point rarely made about sleeve ends when lengthening is permanent crease/wear/discoloration/dirt – I asked but could not get specifics from seller other than the jacket looks like it has been worn in rotation and VGC. In fairness unless it is really frayed/worn/dirty you maybe could not tell until you let the sleeve out. Colour is BLACK, which I suspect might show up wear more than lighter colours.

Corner treatment is something I will have to look at – my RC seems simply folded and stitched (see photo) not a Kiton cuff end - it is not fused in that area - the fuseing with bonding tape on the inside can be felt starting about 3/4 inch away and continues to about 3/4 inch from the opposyte edge. The actual jacket has not been fused at the sleeve apparently so looking at mine won’t tell me much.

With regard to permanent creases that won’t iron out: One last thought is would a steamer (which I have) remove creasing in a way pressing might not? It is a Merino Loro Piana “Zelander” Very loose weave – which is good or bad? I would say maybe bad from the wear point of view but maybe good from the pressing point of view? There is a crease on the inside of my RC (100% silk not wool) that would show on the outside if lengthened if it can’t be steamed/pressed out – it is so distinct I had to check with a magnifying glass that it was not a seam.

First photo shows weave, as does third which also shows button distance from cuff. The second photo seems to show how high up the doubling over of the cloth in the Left sleeve end goes (where it goes from opaque to see through). Key point here is that by measuring MY buttons at ½ inch and estimating the number of buttons wide the opaque portion is I get about 1” or more realistically ONLY one inch. Last 3 photos are of my RC, which may or may not be like the RC I am querying about.

 

[Mokwit]

deleted duplicate

 

[Mokwit]

I took my RC jacket to my Tailor this morning as an example to tell if it would be possible to lengthen the one I want to buy and he basically stood there pulling faces.

His points were:

1) Very likely, more likely than not in fact, of permanent crease that won't come out.

2) Corners - if there is no cloth folded under at the corner and we can't tell, then maybe the best to be hoped for is a slanted sleeve end with half inch possible at the front but tapering to nothing at the back because of no surplus under the corners.

 

[breakaway01]

If the jacket is unaltered, made of wool, and does not have working buttonholes, then it should be able to be lengthened by an inch at least. I have yet to come across an RTW jacket where this was not the case. There should not be a permanent crease either. This can be an issue with cotton though.
I have heard of jacket sleeves that were shortened and then could not be properly lengthened afterwards because of how they were shortened.

 

[Mokwit]

'I have heard of jacket sleeves that were shortened and then could not be properly lengthier afterwards because of how they were shortened.'

I wonder if this is an issue with the Jacket I want - has it been shortened? Is my 25 1/4 factory length, and 24" is shortened.

I had assumed my RC was factory length at 25 1/4, BUT it has fusing internally tape at the edges and I have just never seen that in a sleeve end - not In Milan or Naples, not in Chester Barrie/Savile Row, not even in Chinese department store cheapie SO: I wonder if it is MY jacket that has had the sleeves LENGTHENED to 25 1/4 and the tailor who did it used that tape - my mother would use it for quick trouser turnup job despsite being a better tailor than any tailor. That said, 24" seems way too short for a factory length.

Have contacted RC directly as to whether their sleeves are designed to be lengthened by store tailor, but not overly hopeful.

 

[breakaway01]

If this were a new unaltered jacket I’d say no problem lengthening the sleeve. As this is a used jacket there is no good way to know without opening the sleeve hem up and looking inside.