The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

[Tsujigiri]

Hmm I tried it on again and I think I may have had an odd posture in the first photos. Somehow it doesn't look as big now, although it may still be too big to save through alterations.

 

[Darkside]

General question: I got some trousers hemmed with a 2" cuff, but I feel that the tailor was too conservative with the hem and left it too long and there is more break than I'd like. Is it possible to hem the pants further, even though they have already been cuffed?

 

[macjedi]



General question: I got some trousers hemmed with a 2" cuff, but I feel that the tailor was too conservative with the hem and left it too long and there is more break than I'd like. Is it possible to hem the pants further, even though they have already been cuffed?

Yeah. Usually they are just re-measured and re-done. My tailor doesn't charge for adjustment, but some do.

 

[Tradvocate]

I went back to the tailor today. The bunching under my collar was caused by the narrowing of the waist. The fix (as shown in the picture below) called for shortening the collar. A process of actually vertically shortening or raising the area under the collar to remove the excess material that was casing the bunching.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Greetings all, I just had a PRL sports coat taken in at the waist. It had been pretty baggy. The front fit looks good. However, as you can see from the photo (sorry so dark) there is now bunching taking places under the collar. I plan to take this back Tuesday but any diagnosis of the problem or advice on what to tell the tailor is great appreciated.

 

[Despos]

Quote: Where did you find this tailor? The work isn't very good and I disagree with the diagnosis/fix of the back.

FYI, they lowered the collar, they didn't shorten the collar

 

[Tradvocate]



Where did you find this tailor? The work isn't very good and I disagree with the diagnosis/fix of the back.

FYI, they lowered the collar, they didn't shorten the collar

Sigh I was hoping to get feedback before today. He won't be getting more of my business.

 

[Despos]

The roll of cloth is from tension over your shoulder blades and can be corrected without touching the collar. You have larger, prominent blades and you need length over the blades so it's better to not lower the collar. Can't say for sure but It looks like they lowered the collar without touching the shoulder and now the collar pulls away a bit. Different photo needed to be sure.

They took in the jacket along the center back seam and threw the pattern matching off. The alignment on the right side of the jacket is pushed downward from the way they sewed the seam.
You have extra cloth along the side seams at the blade. jacket should have been taken in on the side seams and up into the armhole to clean up the back and not on the center back seam.

 

[TweedyProf]

Despos (or any of the tailors):

Structurally, why should one not suppress waist from the center seam as opposed to from the side seams?

The tailor at issue above should have let out at the center seam in between the blades or also still at the side seam to release blade tension?

 

[OTCtailor]

Despos (or any of the tailors):

Structurally, why should one not suppress waist from the center seam as opposed to from the side seams?

The tailor at issue above should have let out at the center seam in between the blades or also still at the side seam to release blade tension?

Been awhile since I've posted here, but the poster with the wrinkles at the upper back in his first photo made it obvious to me that the tailor took in the jacket at the CB seam. The wrinkles were a result of tightness and shortness being created over the blades from taking in the CB seam.
Having done a few more novice jobs myself in the past, I've learned that you just don't touch the CB seam to suppress the waist. The reason is because is because the CB seam is a balance point for the back part of the jacket. taking that seam in naturally curves the line. A curved line will always be shorter than a comparably straighter line. So, when you take in the CB seam, it shortens the back. If a person needs length over the back (prominent blades or head forward/stooping figure) yet has a jacket waist that isn't fitted enough, the suppression has to occur through the sides or possibly the front of the coat. Of course there are limits to how much can be taken out. Add in whether or not the jacket is canvassed, double vented, and the respective shoulder width and the limits of suppression and their associated costs can change even more.
I used to view suppressing a jacket waist as one of the easier jobs out there. It is comparably easier than any neck/shoulder work, but it is still quite involved if it's to be done right.

The only time the CB seam is adjusted is when the person has swayback. At least in MTM, the alteration is done at the pattern stage to reduce the CB seam near the bottom portion of the back parts. A corresponding addition to the fore part of the jacket is also there. Since I'm not a bespoke tailor, my knowledge is limited for other reasons to mess with the CB seam. I'm assuming for hips backward, or opposite of swayback, the CB seam is let out to provide fullness and length over the seat. Doing these alterations on a finished garment is difficult if not impossible due to insufficient seam outlet.

I've learned this the hard way by screwing up my own client's jackets and having to buy them new ones...but this is the best way to learn because losing money hurts.

 

[BD22]

I've learned this the hard way by screwing up my own client's jackets and having to buy them new ones...

What?! Is this common policy or are you just one of the good guys?

 

[OTCtailor]

What?! Is this common policy or are you just one of the good guys?

It's not at all common policy.

On the MTM side of things, there's always enough margin to cover for errors that may result in remake. Or there should be.
If I don't have to remake, it shows as income and is recorded as such. If I do have to remake, I simply write it off as an expense or file it away as paid marketing.

On the alterations side, I simply don't take on a job if I know it can't be done. I sell by informing and sometimes I sell potential clients right out of my office and back into the store where they bought their suit OR I sell them out of their purchased suit and into a custom garment.

Once a man knows the natural flaws of RTW clothing, he goes 1 of 2 directions; "I don't care so F*CK IT" or "OUCH, this hurts. How do I fix it?"

It has happened less than 3 times in my career up to this point but it's my own common policy. Knowing that it is my policy is likely what prevents it from happening.

 

[BD22]

Man, I'm looking for tailors now (unfortunately, not in PA) and pray for a saint like you.

 

[Despos]

Quote: It's the opposite. Curved lines are longer than a straight line. Shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

The more curve to the center back the longer the back.

 

[Tradvocate]



The roll of cloth is from tension over your shoulder blades and can be corrected without touching the collar. You have larger, prominent blades and you need length over the blades so it's better to not lower the collar. Can't say for sure but It looks like they lowered the collar without touching the shoulder and now the collar pulls away a bit. Different photo needed to be sure. 

They took in the jacket along the center back seam and threw the pattern matching off. The alignment on the right side of the jacket is pushed downward from the way they sewed the seam.
You have extra cloth along the side seams at the blade. jacket should have been taken in on the side seams and up into the armhole to clean up the back and not on the center back seam. 

I get this back next Tuesday and will post several images so it can be a lesson of what not to do. Not optimal for me of course but if it can be a useful learning tool for others that is at least something.

 

[forbritisheyes]

Our esteemed tailors, is there a way to explain how to alter a jacket to accommodate forward shoulders? My understanding is that forward shoulders is when the jacket doesn't sit properly on my body and can be at an angle when looking at someone from the side. It can also result in sleeve pitch issues. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I want to bring 2 OTR suit coats and future ones(if need be) to a tailor to work on them so they fit better on me. I did read the archived thread about it but found the text and diagram a bit confusing.

If you can help me articulate this, as well as identify if a tailor knows how to properly do it, I'd be much appreciated. I might have to bring these to bob stancovich or one of the two brothers in SF.

Bump, please :]