The Tailors' Thread: Fit Feedback and Alteration Suggestions

[quackattack]

"My shoulders measure 18 inches".

Is this measuring from a current jacket you have? If you have one, that is a useful thing to go by. However, if you own no suit or jacket, you really just have to test the waters. And there are plenty of good suits in Europe... I wouldn't bother buying a suit from the US. It just sounds like an absolute pain. You're paying a chunk for import & tax, all the time, and you'll almost certainly need to have it altered anyway. Just find something in Europe that does returns.

People/retailers measure things differently as well, so it's not so easy, which is why you really need to just try something on or actually have it made for you.

Just my 2 pennies worth... good luck.

My actual shoulders measure 18 inches (+/- 0.25 inches).

I do realize there are plenty of good suits in Europe, but I'm not in a position where I can splash out $1000+ on a suit, thats why I search through the classifieds on this site for a good deal, and unfortunately for me most seem to ship from the US.

I've tried SuitSupply, and although York seemed to fit the best initially, when I tried it on at a later time without a spread collar shirt I noticed there was a collar gap so I had to return it.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Despos]

Best to buy jackets knowing your chest size than by the point to point shoulder width. The shoulder width can vary by shoulder slope or stylistic choices. Very square shoulders would measure less than sloping shoulders as the arc of the slope is longer than the straighter line of square shoulders. Chest size can vary according to how much ease/drape is in the pattern.

 

[Despos]

There are a few issues with this jacket as I've gained some body mass (pulling between the blades and shoulder divot), however, I was wondering if a tailor could enlighten me about what would happen if I was to take the padding out.

I am aware that the armhole is too tight and that I need to lose mass to get it fitting properly again. Because this jacket is extensively build up, probably around 1/2 inch of structure, I'm wondering whether taking out the former out will just affect the shoulders or consequently anything under the shoulders as well.

Removing the shoulder pad will add to the divot in the sleeve and won't improve the fit, unless you have very square shoulders. The jacket is tight and distorting the armhole and that puts stress on the sleeve cap creating the divot. Sleeve cap needs to be shorter and the sleeve made wider

 

[Despos]

Quote:
The back panels are cut too narrow from the waist down. The back part is falling on the prominent part of your seat and flares away. If you could add about 1 1/2" at the hem of the back panel on each side it would wrap around your seat and lay close to the body. At least that's the way I do it. Pretty sure you won't find enough outlet to adjust this jacket.
Also looks like short jacket fronts. The roll of the lapel is excellent. It's a good thing when the lapel rolls above the button. More graceful, elegant.

I would cut a bigger chest on your jacket. You are border line on having this line ^ rather than a V proportion to the jacket. It would help the jacket fit closer to your neck

 

[DavideMiguel85]

The back panels are cut too narrow from the waist down. The back part is falling on the prominent part of your seat and flares away. If you could add about 1 1/2" at the hem of the back panel on each side it would wrap around your seat and lay close to the body. At least that's the way I do it. Pretty sure you won't find enough outlet to adjust this jacket.
Also looks like short jacket fronts. The roll of the lapel is excellent. It's a good thing when the lapel rolls above the button. More graceful, elegant.

I would cut a bigger chest on your jacket. You are border line on having this line ^ rather than a V proportion to the jacket. It would help the jacket fit closer to your neck

Thank you for lending your excellent eye Despos!

There is easily enough to add 1 1/2" on each side of the back panel to wrap around the seat more. Only this would obviously also involve relining the whole of the inside back panels, which although isn't difficult does add to the work...

Do you think letting out the waist a little will help with the shape? I admit I do have a bit of an odd shape (child bearing hips?) which can make getting the shape right difficult at times. I already have a good amount of space in the chest area, so much more might feel/look odd, but I appreciate your insight.

 

[quackattack]

Best to buy jackets knowing your chest size than by the point to point shoulder width. The shoulder width can vary by shoulder slope or stylistic choices. Very square shoulders would measure less than sloping shoulders as the arc of the slope is longer than the straighter line of square shoulders. Chest size can vary according to how much ease/drape is in the pattern.

Thanks! That's very useful information.

My chest measures 41 inches. I have a casual jacket that measures 44 inches around the chest and it fits me perfectly. On the other hand, the SuSu Napoli suit jacket I tried on measured 42 inches (although on their website it was listed as 44 inches), and it also fit me pretty good around the chest which was a big surprise to me.

On general, would you say 2 inches of "room" is enough for a suit jacket? (i.e. chest 41", jacket 43")

 

[Despos]

Quote: Correct me if I'm wrong but when you reference the space in the chest I believe you are looking at the point at the bottom of the armhole and across the front as the chest. I would add to the chest from the line of the breast pocket up to the gorge, where the collar meets the lapel.
The breakline coming from the gorge downwards to the button has this slight curve like this ( ) rather than making a straight V line from the collar to the button. This narrows the width of the upper chest area. If you went out along the breakline at the point just below the gorge 3/8" and tapered to the button it would widen the upper area across your chest and not make the lower chest any roomier. This would bring the jacket closer and make your upper chest look wider than your hips. That will offset your wide hips. Would also give you more upper body movement.

As a side, the tie knot is way too big for the shirt collar or the shirt collar is way too small for the knot. Not a balanced look

 

[Despos]

On general, would you say 2+ inches of "room" is enough for a suit jacket? (i.e. chest 41", jacket 43")

Have no idea. Don't measure jackets this way. In a trim cut you may wear a 42 and a 40 if the jacket has an easy cut.

When you don't wear a collared shirt under a jacket it almost always looks like the jacket collar has a gap but the realty is, it may not.

 

[DavideMiguel85]

I would add to the chest from the line of the breast pocket up to the gorge, where the collar meets the lapel.
The breakline coming from the gorge downwards to the button has this slight curve like this ( ) rather than making a straight V line from the collar to the button. This narrows the width of the upper chest area. If you went out along the breakline at the point just below the gorge 3/8" and tapered to the button it would widen the upper area across your chest and not make the lower chest any roomier. This would bring the jacket closer and make your upper chest look wider than your hips. That will offset your wide hips. Would also give you more upper body movement.

I think I understand what you describe (in terms of where/why to let this area out). I assume you are speaking hypothetically as to any future creation (to help with general shape) rather than anything that could be done to this jacket?

I've tried to inspect and it seems there is a disappointingly tiny amount of fabric left in the seams... I've seen more on a OTR jacket.

 

[Despos]

Yep, nobody leaves outlets there.

The chest line can be changed but requires a new collar and the lapels will be 1/2" more narrow if you did. Alteration not recommended

 

[DavideMiguel85]

Yep, nobody leaves outlets there.

Well thank you for the insight. I will note this and keep it handy for when I have something made in the future (I do have my eye on another Molloy & Sons fabric, which I think are quite special).

I am tempted to go with a single vent next time too, might help a touch.

Thanks again

 

[Despos]

Would be harder to fit a center vent for your build. The short front balance would make the center vent spread open. Center vents will show up whats off with the jacket balance more than side vents. Even harder if you have, as you have said, wide hips

 

[DavideMiguel85]

Would be harder to fit a center vent for your build. The short front balance would make the center vent spread open. Center vents will show up whats off with the jacket balance more than side vents. Even harder if you have, as you have said, wide hips

Oh okay, my mistake! I wrongly assumed it would be less distracting. I'll keep to twin vents and pass on your previous tips.

 

[TweedyProf]

Despos why would a tailor opt to cut a center vent then side vents or indeed no vents? What drives those choices?

 

[Despos]

Quote: Client preference first, congruent with preferred style of jacket. Body type.

Have only 2 or 3 clients that ask for center vent or no vent. Sometimes they ask for no vent on a tuxedo. Still it's the clients personal preference