Whether it’s your first time having clothes altered or you’re a seasoned suit shaper, there are some simple insider tips you can learn that will make a visit to the tailor smoother and your suit alterations more successful.
1. Know your tailor
Knowing your tailor comes through research and recommendations. Learn about their experience, reliability, and quality of service. You can understand this better by looking at their site and reading reviews.
At LookSmart Alterations, we take pride in giving you fast, courteous, inexpensive tailoring – with a level of quality that’s gained the respect of leading fashion retailers, the corporate world and close to a million satisfied customers. Through finely detailed custom tailoring and a trained understanding of fashion and styling, we focus on ensuring the perfect fit.
2. Give a courtesy call
Most tailors welcome you to drop in for a quick fitting. That said, it’s always appreciated to receive a courtesy call at least 30 minutes before your arrival.
Pinning and tucking different garments can vary in terms of how long it takes. For example, a 3 piece suit will take much longer than a pair of pants. Quality tailoring takes time, and to save yours, we recommend booking ahead.
3. Check for Suit Symmetry Post-Adjustments
A proper fit can make all the differences between various suits, which can change your look and confidence level to a great extent. All these special occasions-weddings, job interviews, or formal affairs-require tailored adjustments to ensure you portray the perfect appearance.
Off-the-rack suits are altered according to each body’s form and style. We have compiled ten tips to guide you through changing a suit, from choosing the right tailor to checking for symmetry after adjustments.
4. Consider Seasonal Weight Fluctuations
Weight can change due to many causes, such as a change of season or other lifestyle changes. So, when having your suit tailored, you should consider such changes and speak with your tailor.
Also, counsel them to ensure they have some excess fabric for parts such as the waist or pants. This will allow you to make alterations in the future as your body shapes up. The idea will save you much money and time after completing the suit.
Your suit will handle the changes that come with aging quite well, which means it will be quite comfortable.
5. Adjust the Collar for Proper Balance
The collar of your suit is a critical component of its overall look. It should lie flat against your neck without any gaps or bunching, as this creates an unflattering silhouette. When fitting the collar, ensure it complements the shape of your face and enhances your overall appearance.
If your collar doesn’t sit properly, it can affect the rest of the suit, giving it an unfinished appearance. Discuss your preferences with your tailor to achieve a balanced collar fit that elevates your style, ensuring you look polished and professional in any setting.
6. Bring Your Suit Shoes
When having your suit pants tailored, always bring the shoes you plan to wear. The height of your boots significantly influences the appropriate length for your pants. Tailoring the length of your trousers without your shoes can lead to awkward or mismatched lengths that detract from the overall appearance of your suit.
Having your tailor measure the pants while wearing your shoes ensures a perfect fit that maintains the sleek, sophisticated look you desire. This simple step enhances your comfort and elevates your style for a polished appearance.
7. Be prepared for suit alterations
Whatever it is that you’re having altered – be it a suit jacket, tux pants, or a dress shirt – bring all the basic items you’re planning to wear with it to the fitting. This is especially relevant when hemming garments, as length depends on the type of shoes you are going to wear with it.
For repairs, bring along the repair kit the manufacturer may have supplied when purchasing your garment. Men’s suits usually come with an extra swatch of material, a button, and some thread supplied in the back pocket of the pants or the interior pocket of the jacket. If not, most garments with buttons will at least have a spare sewn on the inside near the care label.
8. Know the language of suit alterations
It’s safe to say that the fashion industry employ a vernacular of their own – similar to how doctors have their own medical jargon. Knowing some of the terms will help you to accurately describe what it is you’re after from your alteration.
Here are 4 sewing terms to get you started.
Darts: A fold of fabric is sewn into the garment to create shape, commonly to fit the waist and bust.
Vents: Vents refer to the slit located near the tail of the jacket.
Inseam: The seam along the inside of the pant leg from the bottom crotch to the lower ankle.
Taper: Taper is the narrowing of pants towards the ankle rather than a straight or bell-shaped end.
9. Know what’s in style
Following the current trends of suiting will help to determine whether or not you’re asking for something appropriate.
4 current suit trends include:
- Allowing shirt cuffs between ¼” and ½” in length showing.
- Pant breaks should be kept to little or no break, so the pant flows seamlessly into the shoe with just a little extra fabric draping over.
- Jackets should be kept slim-fitting, with only the slightest hint of tugging at the front when buttoned.
- Pants should be slim and flattering, with a slight taper to your ankles.
- If you’re unsure, we work across a variety of corporate accounts at LookSmart Alterations and go out of our way to stay up-to-date with styles. With our knowledge and experience, we are confident we can give you the perfect look and fit.
10. Know your basic measurement
Non-custom suits are measured by the wearer’s chest and come in three separate dimensions: short, regular and long. Knowing where you sit in this basic form of measurement will allow you to start with a jacket that requires the least amount of tailoring. The closer fit you start with, the easier the finished product will be.
11. Pay attention
Having a tailor tinker around you might seem like a good opportunity to catch up on your emails, but pay attention to what is happening. It’s easier to move a pin than it is to open a seam, so speaking up as your tailor works their magic is important. If you’d like something tighter or looser, longer or shorter, let them know.
12. Listen to your tailor
If you’re insecure about certain parts of your body, you’re not alone. Most men and women dislike something about themselves, be it their height, their broad shoulders, or any bulges. You might think you know the secrets to hiding these less-than-desired areas of your body, but chances are you are doing yourself a disservice by choosing something that doesn’t fit you right.
Some common mistakes include shorter people wearing longer jackets thinking it will make them look taller, when in actual fact, it does the opposite. A similar thing happens with heavier people who often want baggier suits, assuming it will make them look slimmer, but again, this is not the case.
Your tailor fits different body shapes every single day, so listen to their advice. They know what secrets really work, so trust them.
13. Keep an allowance for suit alterations
A big fear when getting a suit altered is that too snug a fit means you can’t fluctuate in weight at all. This is not true. When you keep an allowance of one inch on all seams, you’re actually allowing your suit to be let out one full size.
No one wants to spend hundreds or thousands on a suit only to grow out of it following a Christmas eating binge, so give yourself some room to grow.
14. Try it on, again
Always double check your alterations and repairs before leaving the store. Ask to try your suit on again and if it’s not what you envisioned, say so.
Most tailors will be able to tweak your garment then and there if need be and at no additional cost. This will save you time and the hassle of bringing your suit back.
Bonus tip… look for a guarantee on your suit alterations
Putting on a great suit is transformative – your shoulders are broadened, your lines longer and leaner, your waist trimmer… you look great and feel great. It pays to get your suit altered to the perfect fit, as nothing feels worse than a bad one.
Choosing a tailor that offers a satisfaction guarantee gives you peace of mind that your altered or repaired suit will be exactly as you envisioned. If you’re not happy with the results, a guarantee will ensure your garment is altered again for free.
At LookSmart Alterations, our guarantee means that if you’re still not satisfied, we will return 110% of your money back. We will even pay for your garment/s to be altered at a tailor of your choice! Contact us to learn more about tailoring or visit our website to look at the other services we provide at LookSmart Alterations.
Suit alterations with LookSmart
All 120 LookSmart Your Stylist Tailor and Dry Cleaner stores provide expert business, formal and wedding suit alterations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can a suit be altered?
A suit can easily be altered several times, depending on the fabric and the changes that must be made. Here are a few general guidelines:
- Minor Adjustments: Several minor adjustments can be made without issue, like taking a hem of trousers or reducing waist size. As many as two sizes can typically alter trousers and shirts.
- Major Alterations: This includes structural changes like adjusting the shoulder or sleeves. These can only be performed once or twice and could influence how the entire suit is constructed. The suit jacket, in particular, can generally only be altered by one size.
- Wear and Tear: Any modification process involves cutting and sewing, which leads to wear and tear over time. If too many alterations are made to the wardrobe. It loses its original form.
- Type of Fabric: The nature of the fabric may determine further how many alterations to a suit can be done. The heavier the nature, the sturdier it is than the lighter one.
Generally, you need to see some experienced tailor shops, like LookSmart Alterations, for advice on a specific type of suit and the likely further alterations.
Is it better to buy a suit that is larger or smaller for alterations?
You can opt for a suit that is well-fitting in the shoulders and chest, even if it leaves a little extra space in other areas. This allows you to make alterations without unduly upsetting the garment’s structure.
Of course, there is a better fit between the shoulders and the chest, providing a solid foundation for adjusting the waist and length. By design, an ill-fitting suit will only allow the tailor a little free play without compromising the suit’s shape.
Investing in a well-fitting suit upfront ensures a more polished and tailored look, enhancing your confidence and comfort in any professional setting.
What are the most common mistakes with suit alterations?
Most mistakes consist of misaligned sleeves, poorly set collars, and forgetting the height of the shoes that pants hemming involves. All these can make the rest of the suit look less than what is expected.
Always communicate clearly what you want to avoid this kind of problem; for instance, tell how you want the sleeves to fall and how the collar should sit on your neck. You may also take the shoes you intend to wear during the fitting so that your pants are just about perfect in length.
How long do suit alterations usually take?
The time taken to alter the suit may range from a few days to one week, depending on how busy the tailor is and the complexity of the alteration required. Two working days are enough for simple tailoring procedures, such as hemming trousers or raising sleeves.
More time-consuming changes, like a jacket fit or shoulder reconstruction, may require longer. Surely, it is always a good thing to visit your tailor to estimate how long it may take and let him have some preview of what’s about to happen so you’d need it. Then, he’ll be able to tell you the exact prioritisation so that he gets you prepared on time before that special occasion.
