Do you have a quality suit sitting in your closet that no longer fits? When this situation arises, the difference between passing the suit onto someone else, or keeping it depends on whether your tailor can complete the required suit alterations to make them fit you well.

So, what can be altered in a suit?

Firstly, altering a suit to be smaller is doable, but you can’t necessarily always make something bigger, at least not by much. Exactly how much depends on what allowances of extra material are under the seams or hems of the garments.

However, tailored suit jackets and pants that were originally well made, in particular bespoke and made to measure, will likely contain more allowances, to future-proof for change of size, ensuring longevity.

When purchasing ready-to-wear items, they usually have little or no extra material to let out, as a means of keeping the prices down. Therefore, you will have a higher chance for a successful alteration if you purchase a suit that is a bit too big rather than too small for you.

With that said, there are also limitations in making garments smaller. Suit jackets are complex in construction and can’t simply be shrunken down multiple sizes. This is because the proportions will be altered, and the complete structure, including lining, padding and pockets, will have to be reconstructed to the point that it will be more most effective to purchase a new jacket. Suit jackets should only be altered down two sizes at most, however, a suit jacket only one size too large is the safer option.

Trousers are usually easier to alter. While legs can be made to be narrower, length can be taken up, and waistbands taken in, the rise of a pair of pants (the distance between the waistband and crotch), is harder to alter.

Each person is different and goes through various bodily changes throughout their lifetime. It is worth the extra investment with a made to measure or bespoke tailored suit to ensure longevity and guarantee that alterations can be made in the future.

For more information regarding the finest made to measure suits Sydney can provide, contact Pascalis Bespoke Tailoring on (02) 9231 1211 and one of our experts will be able to advise you.