This is one of the most common things that reaches our Petah Tikva workshop: a garment where everything is right — good fabric, a flattering colour, a nice cut — and it is simply too big. Before it stays hanging in the wardrobe or goes to donation, it is worth knowing that most garments can be brought to an exact fit, often with fairly simple work.
What Is Simple to Take In, and What Is Complex
Not all alterations are equal. Some parts of a garment were built in a way that allows easy change, while others hold the entire structure together and therefore call for far more delicate work.
- Side seams on a shirt, dress or skirt — the simplest and most common alteration
- Trouser waist — completely routine work, even taking in a good deal
- Sleeve and trouser length — simple and quick
- Sleeve width — possible, with a little more work involved
- Shoulders on a jacket or coat — the most complex part of the garment
The Shoulders — The Real Limit
If there is one rule to remember when buying a structured garment such as a jacket or coat, it is this: almost everything can be adjusted except the shoulders. The shoulder is the structural point of the garment, and changing it requires taking the sleeve and lining almost entirely apart. So buy for the shoulders, and have everything else adjusted afterwards.
How Much Can Come In Without Spoiling the Cut
A size or two is usually a completely safe change, and the garment will look as though it was made for you. Beyond that, distortions begin: pockets move closer together, the neckline changes shape, buttons no longer sit centred and the proportions shift. A garment that is three or four sizes too big can sometimes be altered, but honestly the result will almost never look like a garment in the right size. We will tell you that up front.
A tip from the workshop: come wearing the garment, along with the belt and shoes you intend to wear with it. Fitting on the body takes a minute and gives a far more accurate result than measuring a garment lying on a table.
And What About Letting Out?
Letting out always depends on one thing: how much spare fabric was left inside the seam. Quality garments and suits usually carry a generous allowance that allows comfortable letting out. Mass-market clothing often has minimal allowance, so the scope is limited. We will open the seam, see exactly what is there, and tell you what is possible before starting.
Have something waiting in the wardrobe because it does not fit? Bring it to 27 Haim Ozer Street in central Petah Tikva and we will measure together, or send a photo on WhatsApp to 052-332-6634 and we will tell you what can be done.
