narrowing lapels

[Mr Maltby]

i know this is a subject which would make many in here cringe. however. I have a suit that needs an inch taken off the lapels. can anyone recommend a tailor who is willing to do this? I'm in santa barbara, but LA is definately not too far to travel to have this taken care of. On the same note, even though this could go into a different thread under the hat section- can anyone recommend someone who can trim a brim? Thanks fellas. Youre the best.

 

[Wild Root]

If you've got an original 30's, 40's or early 50's suit... DON'T DO IT!!! You can find later 50's and early 60's suits just about every where! I saw a slew of them at AAARDVARK'S ODD ARK in Hollywood, try Canoga Park any of the other locatoins! If you live up north, try Yellowstone Vintage... they have more of the look you're looking for I believe.

But, bottom line, if you have an early original suit and you want to narrow the lapels, sell it, and buy what you really want! This stuff is getting harder to find and some one out there would enjoy it the way it is... but, if it's a modern suit or a suit from the 70's, there are plenty of tailor shops in LA, Hollywood and such that can do it for you.

=WR=

 

[Sefton]

Another reason those old 30s/40s suits with the wide lapels are harder to come by: In the late 50s when the fickle finger of fashion dictated thin lapels men had their old ones cut down. I've got some 1957 issues of Esquire that have ads for this "service". For a fee they would also gladly make your "unstylish" double breasted suit into a single breasted one!

 

[Wild Root]

Luckily I've only come across one suit from the 40's that was altered in the 10 year period I've collected. It was a double breasted and some schmuck cut the peaked parts of the lapels off! They made it a notched lapel job but, there still were two button holes aiming up!!! How ugly and senseless that was!!! And it was a killer medium brown chalk stripe!!!

All of the suits I've found in my size weren't ever altered in that way! I guess that most of the ones that were have been tossed or they don't make it to the racks of vintage shops because they just look ugly.

=WR=

 

[Tomasso]

Narrowing Lapels.

The location of the lapel buttonhole can be problematic in this procedure as it may require a reweave to close or move. That said, it requires an excellent tailor to pull off properly and that won't be cheap. I wouldn't bother.

 

[Mr Maltby]

sorry wildroot!

Root -

You made me feel bad, i should have specified before saying something like that. its a suit from 1970, made of the perfect sharkskin material, but the lapels are an inch and a half too wide. I like the early 1960's more than anything else in the world. Problem is that I wear 46-48 suit coat, and i just cant find my size anywhere. So this is what it comes to. I was just in yellowstone last night, and they, like everywhere else stop at about a size 42. oh bother.

 

[Wild Root]

Oh, don't feel bad, if it's a 70' suit, GO FOR IT!!! BIG GREEN LIGHT ON THAT ONE!!!

I've seen larger suits at Yellostone but, they don't really mark the sizes very well there. However, thrift shops are good places too look as well and I know there are some good ones up there and in Ventura!

=WR=

 

[Mr Maltby]

Oh believe me, Im a main street junkie, my friend. You know that we actually met in santa barbara? at radd thrift store on main street?offtopic: )

 

[Wild Root]

OH YEAH!!! HAHAHAHAHA CRAZY MAN!!! I REMEMBER THAT... Small world!!!lol

=WR=

 

[resortes805]

Alas, the RADD thrift store went belly up last year! too bad becuase I made some great finds there...

 

[Mr Maltby]

radds gone, alpha moved. also, the same people that own all the state street property in sb, own all the main street propery ventura, so they are raising the rent so high that the main street thrift and and antique shops cant afford it, and they are being elbowed out for more indian cuisine, natural food, bicyclist guy/yoga mom type places. nothing against that whole sect of life, at all, just sad to see my stuff being pushed out.