For those new to the tailored suit world, knowing what to ask for when your suit needs alterations can be a terrifying experience. But knowing how to understand what the tailor is recommending can make the process much easier. Here are some common issues men have with their suits and the alteration terms to know for how to request a fix.

Jacket Jargon

When talking about the jacket, there are a few different problems are common to men.

Sleeves Too Long

When buying a suit off of the rack, it’s typically not finished at the end of the sleeves to allow for later alterations. When you go to get this done, you will want to ask the tailor to “bring up” the sleeves to your size.

Waist Not Properly Fitting

Most men’s dress clothing come un-tapered, so they have a very boxy, unappealing look (compared to a properly fitted shirt). When you want to have alterations done to accentuate your male form, you’ll want the tailor to know the terms suppress, take in, darts, and vent. Suppressing is when you taper at the waste, but taking in is when you subtract from the sides of the fabric. Darts are fabric pieces folded over and sewn in to add dimension to a garment. Finally, flaps are slits at the tail of the jacket that make it easier to move.

Trouser Talk

When there are problems with your pants, the entire suit just looks off-putting. Here are some ways to ask your tailor to help trim the trousers.

Pants Too Long

If your pants are dragging on the ground, you’re going to want the tailor to hem them. You’ll also want to know about the break, which is how much of the bottom of your pants touches your shoe. Cuffs are the folds at the bottom of your pants and shirt. They’re more traditional, but not always required depending on the fit of the suit.

Pants Too Big

There are three alteration terms to know if your pants are too big. The first one, called a seat, is the measurement of your hip at the widest point. Bottom is the next term, which is the circumference of the hem around your leg. The last is taper, which is the narrowing by taking in of fabric.

Holes and Tears

The three terms to know for how to repair holes are darning, overweaving, and reweaving. Darning is when the tailor uses a needle and thread to repair a hole that isn’t along a seam. Overweaving is when you fix a hole with fabric from other places on the suit. Reweaving is when you weave original threads back together to repair the original cloth.

If you are looking to step up to the best bespoke tailor in Boston, stop by our store on Huntington Avenue today.