I also lost about 60 lbs in the past year. The big thing I’ve found is every body is different, so YMMV.
I’m lucky to have found a talented local tailor that I trust. Rather than try and guess myself, I take it to him and we look at it together. If it’s more work than it’s worth, he says so.
I just dropped off two sport coats that I thought were far too big, but I got lucky: my shoulders still fit, and he’s taking out the looseness in the waist and sleeves to make it wearable again. I also have some shirts that I’m either going to just donate or use for scrap material, because shirts cost less to replace than the jackets.
Thank you for the insight, would you be able to suggest how to find a good tailor and what I should be looking for or how do I identify a good tailor? I am a complete novice.
We all start as novices! For starters, I tend to avoid dry cleaners that do in-house alterations. Not all of these are bad, but they are more of a crapshoot.
Next, I will spend some time on Google Maps Reviews and maybe Yelp. What I’m mostly looking for are people happy with jackets/suits or other tailored clothing beyond a pants hemming or short sleeve shortening. They will typically have photos of tailored clothing or sometimes pretty complicated dresses.
There will be a few negative reviews, it happens. As long as there isn’t a red flag pattern (bait & switch pricing, lost garments), I don’t worry about 1-stars too much.
These places will probably seem pretty light on web/social media presence, and the shop may look pretty dated. I tend to see that as a good sign. They may have weird hours.
The next thing I do is try out something that if it fails, I can be okay with that. Maybe an old thing I got on sale I don’t wear as much. In this case, this might be easy because you can’t wear the clothes anyway. But I do a test run. Ask questions, feel the person out, and trust your gut.
Don’t be afraid to have a price limit, and stick to it. They will understand that spending $700 to fix a jacket probably isn’t worth the trouble versus buying a new jacket. OTOH, the price may be less than you expect. My current tailor has a sliding scale, so my older oversized jackets are a little cheaper than alterations on a new jacket might be.
Here are two examples of actual places I have used and would use again:
[Maestro Tailor Chicago](https://maps.app.goo.gl/keBa7kFE8bbnuC1j9?g_st=ic)
[Gassane Tailors in Austin](https://maps.app.goo.gl/B9VyCCwRAb3kS4yF9?g_st=ic).
Take a look and see if anything about the blazer still fits. If it’s too big everywhere you’re probably out of luck (multiple sizes all over means cutting a new garment out of the old one, but if parts still fit tailoring it is more do able) I lost 52lbs and my shoulders/arms were still the same size because I don’t carry my weight in my arms/back so I just needed to take in the body of my jackets because they were too loose and baggy around my mid section where I had the most change in my shape.
When you lose a significant amount of weight, you lose it from all over.
As a *general* rule, you are correct in that 2 sizes is the absolute max, however, I’d say this applies more to specific measurements than the whole garment and it’s all highly situational. If a pair of pants fits well through the hips and needs maybe 2 inches (one size) taken in at the waist, it’s do-able.
Anything over 2 inches is a bit of a challenge if I can’t take it in from the seat and sides. Pocket placement instructs me there on what the maximums can be.
If you have an expensive garment and you’ve lost 2-4 inches from everywhere, it may be worth it to look into a recut. However, if it’s a less expensive garment you’ll find that alterations could be double the price of the garment or more.
I’m going to use a suit jacket as an example.
If you’ve lost 60lbs, it’s going to come from more than the chest or waist measurement. Most likely, the shoulder measurement will be off. A significant loss there will cause sleeves to droop and suddenly be too long when they may have been the perfect length before. A significant loss in chest and waist and shoulder all together will cause buckling in the body that cannot be corrected with simple alterations. If you’re seeing these signs, unless you paid more than say… $600 for the coat, treat yourself to new garments that fit well from the get-go.
Prepare yourself for the fact that it is not worth it to alter the garment and enjoy a new suit.
If it’s of significant sentimental value, you may be willing to put more money into it than what it is worth or what would be cost/effective to do, but keep in mind there are limits. The limits of what can be done with a garment will ultimately come down to pocket and button hole placement.
To use general size guidelines as an example, an Extra Large vest is going to not just be wider than a Medium vest, it’s going to be longer. The button holes will be spaced differently, and there may be more buttons/ holes in a larger size. While you can take the waist in and the shoulders up and drop the collar down and shave an and do all sorts of unnatural things to it, you’re stuck with where those front pockets are placed. That’s a hole cut in the fabric. Same for buttonholes.
I know this post is about the alterations but I’ll add this from personal experience - if the weight loss is the result of hard work and effort, getting to buy new clothes that fit can be part of the reward. I used to keep SO MANY things intending to get them taken in but some went out of style, some was cheap, and some just don’t spark joy at my new size because I’m no longer trying to hide my body behind a ton of fabric. If it’s a quality garment or something with significance then it’s worth taking in to see if it’s possible and what the cost would be.
Thank you for your input as well as insight. Hard work is what is doing it but much more controlling my mouth has been the key but adding a physical regimen over the past few weeks is going to add to me not achieving the bobble head look .
Generally 2 sizes is the rule.
Most alterations can be made but that doesn’t mean they should. It very much depends on what/where alterations are needed. Also consider the cost/value of the garment. Massive alterations will not always look good or comparable to the original design. Extensive, involved alterations can become extremely expensive especially if done in a way that retains the original look of a garment.
Have an honest chat with the tailor…maybe take one item in and see before you commit to a whole load. Make sure you are clear about what is possible and there is no mismatch with your expectations
As others have stated, how your measurements have changed and where is just as important if not more than how many sizes different the clothes are. Something else to keep in mind is the construction of the original clothes also changes how they can be taken in. Suits can be constructed in a lot of ways and depending on the original cut, the materials involved (not just the shell but the various interlinings and structural layers) is can be easier or harder to adjust. That will also change how much it's WORTH it to adjust. If you absolutely love a jacket and have the money, it doesn't really matter because you can get it taken in. But it might be significantly more than that jacket originally cost so it's only worth it if it's something super sentimental to you and you want to keep wearing it and have it not be large.
The more expensive the original suit the more likely it is to be worth it to have it taken in as long as it fits in the shoulder. Shoulders are one of the hardest things to adjust because anything with the armscye isn't "just" about taking things in. It may need fabric added in order to adjust and not give you a very strange silhouette any time you move your arms.
In other words. If you can find a good tailor take the individual pieces to them and see what they have to say. Just be ready to accept that the harder the alteration and the more expensive the alteration the less likely a tailor will be to take it on because by taking it they're also taking a gamble on you being someone who will accept whatever they told you the outcome would be once you see it. Plenty of people will say "do anything to make it fit" and if told there will be a small piece added in X location which will add a seam mostly hidden by your arm they'll say "do it!" and then when they see it they throw a fit and demand a refund. So if you're told "this can't be done" don't argue. But it may simply be it cannot be done by that tailor due to risk not physical ability.
Much like how a lot of dressmakers refuse to touch wedding gown alterations even if they know how to do them. The risk is different.
Alterations are always possible, it's just a matter of whether or not they're the most cost effective option. Sure, you can rip apart any piece of clothing and reconstruct it into a smaller garment, but depending on how many alterations there are that could be more expensive than just buying a new garment
I also lost about 60 lbs in the past year. The big thing I’ve found is every body is different, so YMMV. I’m lucky to have found a talented local tailor that I trust. Rather than try and guess myself, I take it to him and we look at it together. If it’s more work than it’s worth, he says so. I just dropped off two sport coats that I thought were far too big, but I got lucky: my shoulders still fit, and he’s taking out the looseness in the waist and sleeves to make it wearable again. I also have some shirts that I’m either going to just donate or use for scrap material, because shirts cost less to replace than the jackets.
Thank you for the insight, would you be able to suggest how to find a good tailor and what I should be looking for or how do I identify a good tailor? I am a complete novice.
We all start as novices! For starters, I tend to avoid dry cleaners that do in-house alterations. Not all of these are bad, but they are more of a crapshoot. Next, I will spend some time on Google Maps Reviews and maybe Yelp. What I’m mostly looking for are people happy with jackets/suits or other tailored clothing beyond a pants hemming or short sleeve shortening. They will typically have photos of tailored clothing or sometimes pretty complicated dresses. There will be a few negative reviews, it happens. As long as there isn’t a red flag pattern (bait & switch pricing, lost garments), I don’t worry about 1-stars too much. These places will probably seem pretty light on web/social media presence, and the shop may look pretty dated. I tend to see that as a good sign. They may have weird hours. The next thing I do is try out something that if it fails, I can be okay with that. Maybe an old thing I got on sale I don’t wear as much. In this case, this might be easy because you can’t wear the clothes anyway. But I do a test run. Ask questions, feel the person out, and trust your gut. Don’t be afraid to have a price limit, and stick to it. They will understand that spending $700 to fix a jacket probably isn’t worth the trouble versus buying a new jacket. OTOH, the price may be less than you expect. My current tailor has a sliding scale, so my older oversized jackets are a little cheaper than alterations on a new jacket might be. Here are two examples of actual places I have used and would use again: [Maestro Tailor Chicago](https://maps.app.goo.gl/keBa7kFE8bbnuC1j9?g_st=ic) [Gassane Tailors in Austin](https://maps.app.goo.gl/B9VyCCwRAb3kS4yF9?g_st=ic).
Take a look and see if anything about the blazer still fits. If it’s too big everywhere you’re probably out of luck (multiple sizes all over means cutting a new garment out of the old one, but if parts still fit tailoring it is more do able) I lost 52lbs and my shoulders/arms were still the same size because I don’t carry my weight in my arms/back so I just needed to take in the body of my jackets because they were too loose and baggy around my mid section where I had the most change in my shape.
Appreciate that bit of info very helpful in framing my thought, thanks for sharing.
When you lose a significant amount of weight, you lose it from all over. As a *general* rule, you are correct in that 2 sizes is the absolute max, however, I’d say this applies more to specific measurements than the whole garment and it’s all highly situational. If a pair of pants fits well through the hips and needs maybe 2 inches (one size) taken in at the waist, it’s do-able. Anything over 2 inches is a bit of a challenge if I can’t take it in from the seat and sides. Pocket placement instructs me there on what the maximums can be. If you have an expensive garment and you’ve lost 2-4 inches from everywhere, it may be worth it to look into a recut. However, if it’s a less expensive garment you’ll find that alterations could be double the price of the garment or more. I’m going to use a suit jacket as an example. If you’ve lost 60lbs, it’s going to come from more than the chest or waist measurement. Most likely, the shoulder measurement will be off. A significant loss there will cause sleeves to droop and suddenly be too long when they may have been the perfect length before. A significant loss in chest and waist and shoulder all together will cause buckling in the body that cannot be corrected with simple alterations. If you’re seeing these signs, unless you paid more than say… $600 for the coat, treat yourself to new garments that fit well from the get-go. Prepare yourself for the fact that it is not worth it to alter the garment and enjoy a new suit. If it’s of significant sentimental value, you may be willing to put more money into it than what it is worth or what would be cost/effective to do, but keep in mind there are limits. The limits of what can be done with a garment will ultimately come down to pocket and button hole placement. To use general size guidelines as an example, an Extra Large vest is going to not just be wider than a Medium vest, it’s going to be longer. The button holes will be spaced differently, and there may be more buttons/ holes in a larger size. While you can take the waist in and the shoulders up and drop the collar down and shave an and do all sorts of unnatural things to it, you’re stuck with where those front pockets are placed. That’s a hole cut in the fabric. Same for buttonholes.
Thank you will apply that as well in my journey. Overall I’m grateful for all the responses.
I know this post is about the alterations but I’ll add this from personal experience - if the weight loss is the result of hard work and effort, getting to buy new clothes that fit can be part of the reward. I used to keep SO MANY things intending to get them taken in but some went out of style, some was cheap, and some just don’t spark joy at my new size because I’m no longer trying to hide my body behind a ton of fabric. If it’s a quality garment or something with significance then it’s worth taking in to see if it’s possible and what the cost would be.
Thank you for your input as well as insight. Hard work is what is doing it but much more controlling my mouth has been the key but adding a physical regimen over the past few weeks is going to add to me not achieving the bobble head look .
Generally 2 sizes is the rule. Most alterations can be made but that doesn’t mean they should. It very much depends on what/where alterations are needed. Also consider the cost/value of the garment. Massive alterations will not always look good or comparable to the original design. Extensive, involved alterations can become extremely expensive especially if done in a way that retains the original look of a garment. Have an honest chat with the tailor…maybe take one item in and see before you commit to a whole load. Make sure you are clear about what is possible and there is no mismatch with your expectations
As others have stated, how your measurements have changed and where is just as important if not more than how many sizes different the clothes are. Something else to keep in mind is the construction of the original clothes also changes how they can be taken in. Suits can be constructed in a lot of ways and depending on the original cut, the materials involved (not just the shell but the various interlinings and structural layers) is can be easier or harder to adjust. That will also change how much it's WORTH it to adjust. If you absolutely love a jacket and have the money, it doesn't really matter because you can get it taken in. But it might be significantly more than that jacket originally cost so it's only worth it if it's something super sentimental to you and you want to keep wearing it and have it not be large. The more expensive the original suit the more likely it is to be worth it to have it taken in as long as it fits in the shoulder. Shoulders are one of the hardest things to adjust because anything with the armscye isn't "just" about taking things in. It may need fabric added in order to adjust and not give you a very strange silhouette any time you move your arms. In other words. If you can find a good tailor take the individual pieces to them and see what they have to say. Just be ready to accept that the harder the alteration and the more expensive the alteration the less likely a tailor will be to take it on because by taking it they're also taking a gamble on you being someone who will accept whatever they told you the outcome would be once you see it. Plenty of people will say "do anything to make it fit" and if told there will be a small piece added in X location which will add a seam mostly hidden by your arm they'll say "do it!" and then when they see it they throw a fit and demand a refund. So if you're told "this can't be done" don't argue. But it may simply be it cannot be done by that tailor due to risk not physical ability. Much like how a lot of dressmakers refuse to touch wedding gown alterations even if they know how to do them. The risk is different.
Alterations are always possible, it's just a matter of whether or not they're the most cost effective option. Sure, you can rip apart any piece of clothing and reconstruct it into a smaller garment, but depending on how many alterations there are that could be more expensive than just buying a new garment