What Can Be Altered on a Tailored Jacket or Blazer? - Part 1

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Hi, I’m Leah from Rampley & Co and I’m joined by fashion consultant Chris Moodoo. Today we’re going to answer the question, what can be altered on a jacket?

So Chris, could you give us an overview of altering a jacket. The sleeve can be adjusted, even a well tailored, well made jacket like this with a working cuff. You can lengthen or shorten two centimetres without having to adjust the top of the sleeve. The waist is a very popular adjustment. You can take in the side seams one and a half centimetres either side so you have a bit more suppression if you’re quite slim. On the other side, if its a bit snug there is an inlay in the jacket to take out. Again, about one and a half centimetres either side.

With a good tailor, if the jacket is too wide, you can what they call “chip in” the sides of the shoulder seams and make a slightly narrower silhouette.
What about the length of the jacket? Approach with caution. You can’t lengthen and I wouldn’t shorten more than one, max one and a half centimetres. The reason being, even though you could physically do it, is it makes the pocket look too low on the body and throws the balance out.

Are there any adjustments which should be avoided? There are some that definitely should be approached with caution, particularly on the back of the jacket. Avoid alterations to the centre back seam, it may seem quite an easy alteration just to pin in the back here and to take in the sides to make it more waisted, but if you take in this seam you can actually effect how the jacket will hang in the front and back. So I would always take in these seams and only do this seam if advised by a very qualified tailor.

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