Altering an existing tuxedo: what can and cannot be done

With a tuxedo you already own, a tailor can alter the outer parts with reasonable confidence: sleeve length, trouser hems, jacket waist and trouser waistband. Shoulders, chest and jacket length are very hard and often cannot be changed, because they form the frame of the whole jacket. Knowing which side of the line your problem falls on helps you decide whether to keep the old suit or have a new one made.

Why some parts can be altered and others cannot

A jacket is built from the shoulder down. Shoulders, collar, armhole and chest are the frame that decides how the jacket sits on the body. The other parts, such as sleeves, lower body and waist, are sewn onto that frame, so a tailor can take in or let out within the cloth left in the seam allowances, which is typically only a few centimetres.

Alteration is therefore not magic. The tailor reclaims spare cloth; he cannot create new cloth, or move a major seam, without upsetting the shape of the jacket. That is why the same jacket may have one problem fixed quickly and another that the tailor will tell you plainly is not worth attempting.

What can be altered

Part	Possible change	Note
Sleeve length	Shortened, or lengthened if there is spare cloth	Should leave about one to one and a half centimetres of shirt cuff showing. Real working buttonholes at the cuff make it more complicated
Trouser hem	Shortened, or lengthened if there is turn-up allowance	The hem just touches the shoe. Trousers with satin braid can still be shortened because the braid runs to the end of the leg
Jacket waist	Taken in at the side seams or centre back	Too much suppression pulls the drape
Trouser waistband	Taken in or let out slightly at the centre back	Limited by the spare cloth in the seam
Trouser leg	Tapered for a slimmer line	Must stay balanced against the braid

Even for small jobs, try the suit on with the shoes and shirt you will wear so the tailor can measure accurately. How to try it and what to check is in tuxedo fittings: what each one checks.

What is hard or impossible to alter

• Shoulders. Changing them means taking off the sleeves, reshaping the sleeve head and sometimes the collar, then rebuilding. On a tuxedo, where satin lapels and crisp lines leave no room to hide, this is close to making the jacket again.
• Chest and armhole. If the chest is tight there is no cloth to let out; if it is loose, taking it in upsets the balance of lapel and pockets.
• Jacket length. Shortening is possible but affects pocket position, button position and overall proportion. Lengthening depends on the hem allowance left, which is usually very little.
• Collar. A collar that gaps away from the shirt usually comes from the shoulders or back, and must be fixed there rather than on its own.
• Lapels and pockets. These define a tuxedo, and their positions are fixed by the original cut.

If you find you need several of these changes together, the suit no longer suits your body.

Cost and limits

The cost of alteration depends on what is done, how much, the cloth, and the construction of the jacket itself. We do not publish a general price for alterations, because the tailor has to look at the garment. Bring the suit to a showroom and the tailor will tell you plainly how far it can go and what it will cost.

A few points to know:

1. Small jobs add up. Each is minor, but together they can be significant compared with the cost of a new suit.
2. Spare cloth is finite. If the seam has no allowance left, the tailor cannot let it out further.
3. Alteration does not change the style. It makes the suit fit better, but it will not turn a classic lapel into another or a loose cut into a truly slim one.
4. Fabric matters. Velvet, textured weaves and patterned cloth are harder to alter because old seam marks can remain.

When to have a new one made

Consider a new suit when:

• The shoulders or chest do not fit, meaning the frame is wrong.
• Your weight has changed beyond what the seam allowance can absorb. Adjusting a tuxedo when your weight changes explains where that boundary lies.
• You will wear it often, and a suit that fits exactly is worth more in the long run.
• The expected cost of alterations is approaching the cost of a new one.
• The colour or lapel of the old suit no longer fits the occasion you have.

On the other hand, if the old suit needs only sleeves, hems and waist adjusted, alteration is reasonable and economical. And if you are weighing a ready-made tuxedo plus alterations against bespoke, read when a ready-made tuxedo is enough. You can see how we build a suit from scratch on the bespoke tuxedo page and check the three price lines in the price guide.

Bring the suit for the tailor to see

A look and a fitting are enough for the tailor to tell you which parts can be altered cleanly and which should not be attempted. Book a showroom visit and bring the tuxedo along with the shoes and shirt you plan to wear, so your consultant can assess it properly and advise between alteration and a new suit.