High Armhole Operation

[happyfilmluvguy]

I am curious to know whether or not it's possible to actually alternate a suit jacket's arm holes to make them smaller and higher. Is it?

 

[Feraud]

Doubt it.
You are going from a larger shoulder hole on the body to a smaller one. I do not see how you could add the material. The sleeve would probably have to be altered and made narrower.
Sounds like a job and a half if possible at all.

 

[Caledonia]

I would have said not. You don't have enough material. You might be able to take the sleeve to a smaller shoulder size, although that would reduce the length of the sleeve, but the body of the jacket just won't accommodate the reduction in armhole. You're looking at insets which will change the look. But I'm definitely no tailor or seamstress, so I could be totally wrong.

 

[dakotanorth]

Shrink the armhole?

You could _possibly_ do it, in theory.
If the suit is larger than what you need, you could pull the sides in, along the side seam, and overlap the front and back panels.
The other method would involve adding a gusset-type piece in the armpit of the body. Basically, "Fill In" the bottom of the hole.
Both of these, again, work IN THEORY, but this is reconstructive surgery and tons of work for one detail. [huh]

 

[Mike K.]

Not that I would try but...

A very interesting question.

What if you started with a tall/long size? Would there be enough material to turn it into a high-armhole regular size?

 

[Tomasso]

You could _possibly_ do it, in theory.
If the suit is larger than what you need, you could pull the sides in, along the side seam, and overlap the front and back panels.

Yes, the coat would probably need to be around two sizes to large and lord knows where the breast pocket will end up after surgery.:eusa_doh:

 

[dakotanorth]

Cause and effect....

Yes, the coat would probably need to be around two sizes to large and lord knows where the breast pocket will end up after surgery.:eusa_doh:

Exactly- it is _possible_ but not realistic. Damn near anything is possible, it's just a question of what you sacrifice in the process!
Personally I think the armhole gusset could work, you would have to add one to both the jacket AND the sleeve. The problem is, if this is an existing jacket (ie you can't buy more of the material) you'll have to salvage fabric from someplace else. Pocket flaps, breast pocket facing, what else?

 

[CharlestonBows]

Short answer - no.

There is very little you can do to change the architecture of a ready-made coat once finished.

And to be honest, with the amount of money it would cost you to have that kind of work done to a coat, you could just get a nice MTM done. [huh]

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

The other method would involve adding a gusset-type piece in the armpit of the body. Basically, "Fill In" the bottom of the hole.

Right, think so, too. Ergo, no good.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

if this is possible

and realitively easy to do, you must write a how-to...

 

[Tomasso]

if this is possible and relatively easy to do, you must write a how-to...

We were just kickin' it around, you don't really want get involved with this.

 

[CharlestonBows]

and realitively easy to do...

It isn't, lol

See Mr. Stall's blog for more.

 

[Mr. Rover]

I've had it done and it's a tough operation. Basically, it's completely re-making the jacket, but if it's that great of a fabric or is sentimental, or in my case, a suit from 1926 that I HAD to wear, it can be done. Basically, they take up the whole jacket from the shoulder seam, reset the sleeves in the shoulders, and a bunch of other alterations. It's a lot of work with hit or miss results.

 

[CharlestonBows]

I've had it done and it's a tough operation. Basically, it's completely re-making the jacket, but if it's that great of a fabric or is sentimental, or in my case, a suit from 1926 that I HAD to wear, it can be done. Basically, they take up the whole jacket from the shoulder seam, reset the sleeves in the shoulders, and a bunch of other alterations. It's a lot of work with hit or miss results.

Just out of curiosity, what was the tailor's bill for that work?

 

[Mr. Rover]

About $150 for the shoulder treatment. I had some other details that I wanted altered like having the body taken in, sleeves shortened, so the total came to about $250

 

[Tomasso]

About $150 for the shoulder treatment.

Wasn't that done in Asia?

 

[Mr. Rover]

No, I had this done in New York. I figured there'd be less room for losing something in translation.

 

[le.gentleman]

No, I had this done in New York. I figured there'd be less room for losing something in translation.

Do you have a picture of that 1926 suit?

 

[Mr. Rover]

Not wearing it. One of these days...

 

[Mr. Rover]

This is the suit