To alter or sell?

[OldManFung]

Hello!

I'm looking for a reality check on whether I can alter my leather jacket, or just forego doing that and just sell it.

I wish this jacket to be more fitted or "tailored". I believe the shoulder and chest size is good....but the waist is too large.

I found a professional who specializes in leathers. I want him to take in the waist. Can this be done or is this type of alteration not recommended?

Thanks in advance!

 

[TREEMAN]

Can you adjust the belt more snugly ?

 

[cbez]

How attached are you to it? Imo, pass it on to someone fatter and get one that fits right from the start.

 

[OldManFung]

Can you adjust the belt more snugly ?

No the belt has those 3 snap buttons and cannot be adjusted.

 

[MrProper]

Hello!

I'm looking for a reality check on whether I can alter my leather jacket, or just forego doing that and just sell it.

I wish this jacket to be more fitted or "tailored". I believe the shoulder and chest size is good....but the waist is too large.

I found a professional who specializes in leathers. I want him to take in the waist. Can this be done or is this type of alteration not recommended?

Thanks in advance!

View attachment 621731 View attachment 621732 View attachment 621733 View attachment 621734

I have done this with two jackets and would do it again. However, your jacket seems a bit long to me and so I would sell it. Because long and tight doesn't go well (I think)

 

[Marc mndt]

I think it's too long rather than too wide. I'd move it on if I were you.

 

[photo2u]

The jacket is very nice but it will be costly to do alterations. Personally, I would let another person enjoy that nice jacket.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I would send it along...

Nice jacket but not a great fit

 

[ton312]

Altering a jacket has a 10% chance of getting what you want out of it. Super rare it gets you where you want to be. I’ve done it a million times. Spent a load, and ultimately sold anyway.

Not worth it.

 

[Bennarion]

Sell the jacket and continue on your way. It will be interesting

 

[barnabus]

I believe the shoulder and chest size is good

I think you've got too much room there too, tbh. The whole jacket looks too big on you in my view - the body is long, and also too wide all the way down. There's excess leather bagging out in front of the shoulders and the sleeves look quite loose.

I'd try again for a better fit with a different jacket and move this on to someone who fits it.

 

[Al 916]

Move it on and enjoy the hunt

 

[Canuck Panda]

Sell.

I have done some alteration jobs on some jackets. My experience is that if it's just simple shortening then yes. But if it gets complicated like there are 3 or more spots that needs fixing, then 90% of the time it's more economical to look for another jacket. In theory everything is possible alteration wise, but if there isn't a lot of sentimental value then there is no gain to go through the alteration process.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Altering a jacket has a 10% chance of getting what you want out of it. Super rare it gets you where you want to be. I’ve done it a million times. Spent a load, and ultimately sold anyway.

Not worth it.

THIS x1000.

There was a funny thread once on AAAC with some tailor in NYC claiming he could re-cut a man's sports jacket to a smaller size. He was full of crap, of course, since every piece of the jacket had been cut carefully to fit as a size X and you can't completely pull it apart then make all the pieces slightly smaller, then re-assemble it as size Y. Not to mention that cloth that has been shaped/stretched using heat and steam can't be unshaped. Obviously, leather is a slightly different situation, but Ton312 and others are correct: sell it and move on.

As for the original post... I rather like the fit *, since it will take a heavy sweater underneath during cold months, and a bit of length is good since you can wear pants with different rises and not have a gap. If I was the original poster and had that jacket I'd get the leather person to shorten the belt halves (where they are sewn into the kidney pad) so that the snaps snug the waist more. That's all that's needed in my view.

* This will be a heretical view around here. I will refrain from speculating about the psycho-sexual implications of fit preferences among the snug-fit crowd, since that's beyond my ken, but in my view the only wearables that should be tight are socks and condoms.

 

[Monitor]

Sell it.

 

[TartuWolf]

I've sent a jacket for alteration exactly once.
A Vanson B that was incredible in every way except it was too wide in the waist, a bit too narrow in the chest and too narrow in the sleeves, especially elbows.
The tailor in Poland cut out parts of the waist and sew them into the sleeves to make the waist narrower and the sleeves wider.
Repaired some other stuff as well like lining in the cuffs and collar.
Old jacket that I got off JP auctions for ~150eu.
The alteration was ~100eu, definitely not too bad financially.
Now the jacket is perfect apart from being a bit too narrow in the chest (not pit to pit, but rather chest narrowest part from sleeve seam to sleeve seam ~1 inch above chest pocket).
Overall I'm very happy with the alteration, just a bit sad that nothing was done about the chest - I guess there was a bit of a miscommunication.
Still not sure whether to send it back to increase the chest width, but that's not possible to do without making it look quite a bit uglier. Might just live with it.
Absolutely fantastic while worn open or half closed. Tolerable when worn closed with a t-shirt only.
So my jacket alteration experience has been quite positive personally.
Just sharing a story.

 

[OldManFung]

Thanks for sharing all your opinions and experiences! I've learnt a lot!

I'm going to sell it as I'm not experienced enough to communicate to the leather specialist what alterations I want done.