Ever found a great deal on pants that fit perfectly in the waist but drag on the floor? Or inherited a quality suit jacket with sleeves that hang past your knuckles? These common issues don’t have to be deal-breakers. The right alterations can transform almost-right clothes into perfect-fitting wardrobe staples – but some changes just aren’t worth the time or money.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through which clothing alterations actually deliver value and which ones you should avoid. You’ll learn how to decide what’s worth fixing, what alterations typically cost, and even which simple fixes you might be able to tackle yourself.
Suit and Jacket Alterations: High-Impact Changes
Nothing looks sharper than a well-fitted jacket or blazer. But unlike cheaper items in your closet, suits and sport coats deserve special consideration for alterations because of their higher initial cost and their ability to completely change how you look.
Worth It: Sleeve Length
Proper jacket sleeves should end right at your wrist bone, showing about a half-inch of shirt cuff. This simple alteration makes a huge visual difference and typically costs $20-35, making it one of the best investments in your appearance.
Just one important warning – check for working buttonholes on the sleeves (where the buttons actually go through holes rather than being just decorative). If the jacket has these “surgeon’s cuffs,” sleeve shortening becomes significantly more expensive ($75-120) as it requires removing the sleeves at the shoulder and reattaching them – not impossible, but much pricier.
Worth It: Taking in the Sides
A boxy, shapeless jacket makes even expensive suits look cheap. Having the sides taken in creates a cleaner silhouette that follows your body’s natural shape. Most tailors charge $30-50 for this alteration, and the transformation can be dramatic. This works best if you only need 1-2 inches of reduction on each side.
Rarely Worth It: Shoulder Adjustments
The shoulder fit is the foundation of any jacket. If the shoulders don’t fit right – they’re too wide, too narrow, or sit incorrectly – you’re better off finding a different jacket. Adjusting shoulders requires basically rebuilding the entire garment and costs $150+ in most cases. The result is rarely satisfactory for the price.
The golden rule: buy jackets that fit properly in the shoulders from the start.
Not Worth It: Major Length Changes
While jackets can be shortened slightly (usually up to 1 inch), anything more throws off the entire proportion of the garment. The pocket placement, button stance, and overall balance will look wrong. Similarly, lengthening a jacket is virtually impossible since there’s typically no extra fabric to work with.
Pants Alterations: The Basics Everyone Should Know
Pants are generally much more forgiving when it comes to alterations. They’re simpler in construction than jackets and usually have allowances for common adjustments.
Definitely Worth It: Hemming
This is the king of all alterations – inexpensive, quick, and dramatically improves how pants look. Proper pant length prevents puddles of fabric around your ankles and creates a cleaner visual line. Hemming typically costs $10-25 and can be done in a day at most tailors. Even better, many stores include free hemming when you purchase pants.
When getting pants hemmed, wear the shoes you’ll typically pair with them so the tailor can get the break (how the pants fold when they meet your shoes) just right.
Worth It: Waist Adjustments (Within Limits)
Most dress pants and jeans can be taken in or let out at the waist by 1-2 inches. This typically costs $15-35 and solves the common problem of pants that fit well in the legs but are too loose or tight at the waist.
However, adjustments beyond 2 inches start changing the overall proportions of the pants, particularly in the seat and hips. At that point, you’re better off finding pants that are closer to your actual size from the start.
Sometimes Worth It: Tapering Legs
If you have pants that are too wide through the leg, tapering (narrowing the leg from knee to ankle) can update their look significantly. This usually costs $25-45 and works well for giving older pants a more modern silhouette.
However, extreme tapering can make your proportions look off, especially if you’re a bigger guy. The pants should follow your natural body shape rather than fighting against it.
Not Worth It: Seat Area Reconstruction
Major adjustments to the seat and crotch area of pants tend to be expensive ($50+) and rarely look as good as pants that just fit properly from the start. If pants are consistently too tight or too loose through the seat, you likely need a different cut altogether rather than alterations.
Shirt Alterations: Proceed with Caution
Given the relatively low cost of shirts compared to suits and the complexity of altering them properly, shirt alterations require careful consideration.
Sometimes Worth It: Sleeve Shortening
Shirt sleeves that are too long can make even expensive shirts look sloppy. Shortening sleeves typically costs $15-25 and can be worth it for higher-end dress shirts. However, for everyday shirts under $50, the alteration cost might not justify the expense.
Worth It for Quality Shirts: Darting
If you have a trim build but broad shoulders, many off-the-rack shirts will fit your shoulders but billow at the waist. Darting (adding two vertical folds in the back of the shirt) creates a more tailored fit through the midsection.
This alteration usually costs $15-30 and works best on dress shirts you’ll wear frequently. For casual shirts or inexpensive options, the cost might outweigh the benefit.
Rarely Worth It: Collar Adjustments
Altering shirt collars is complex work that often costs $30-50 – nearly the price of a new shirt. Unless it’s a particularly expensive or sentimental piece, you’re better off buying shirts that fit properly in the collar from the start.
Not Worth It: Shortening Shirt Length
Hemming a shirt to be worn untucked sounds simple but actually requires significant reconstruction of the curved shirt bottom. The cost (typically $30-50) and complexity make this rarely worth doing compared to just buying shirts with the right length.
DIY Alterations: What You Can Tackle at Home
Not every alteration requires a professional. With some basic sewing skills (or even no sewing at all), you can handle these adjustments yourself:
Button Replacement
This is the easiest alteration and requires only a needle, thread, and replacement buttons. Even with zero experience, you can follow a YouTube tutorial and replace buttons in minutes. This simple fix can revive a shirt that’s otherwise in good condition.
Hemming Pants by Hand
If you’re willing to learn, basic hand-hemming can be done at home with a needle, thread, pins, and iron. While not as polished as professional work, it’s perfectly acceptable for casual pants and can save you $15-25 per pair.
Taking in a Shirt (With a Sewing Machine)
If you have access to a sewing machine and basic skills, you can dart shirts yourself. While more advanced than button replacement, it’s still achievable for beginners and can make a huge difference in how your shirts fit.
Using Temporary Solutions
Products like iron-on hem tape, fashion tape, or shirt stays can create temporary fixes for common issues like pants that are too long or shirts that billow. While not permanent solutions, they work in a pinch and require zero sewing skills.
Finding a Good Tailor: The Key to Successful Alterations
Even the most worthwhile alterations can turn into disappointments if you choose the wrong tailor. Here’s how to find someone who’ll do the job right:
Ask for Recommendations
The best tailors often don’t need fancy websites or marketing – they rely on word of mouth. Ask well-dressed friends, coworkers, or local clothing store employees where they take their alterations.
Start with Something Simple
Before trusting a tailor with your expensive suit, test them with a basic alteration like hemming pants. This gives you a chance to evaluate their work, communication, and reliability without major risk.
Look for Specialization
Many dry cleaners offer basic alterations, but for more complex work, seek out dedicated tailoring shops or tailors who specialize in men’s clothing. They’ll have more experience with specific alterations you need.
Check Their Workload
A good tailor is usually busy – that’s a positive sign. However, make sure they’re not so overloaded that they rush through your alterations. Ask about typical turnaround times and plan accordingly.
Conclusion
Smart alterations can transform your wardrobe, making everything fit better and look sharper. The key is knowing which changes deliver value and which don’t justify the cost.
Remember these basic principles:
- Invest in alterations for higher-quality, more expensive pieces
- Focus on the changes that make the biggest visual impact (hemming pants, fixing sleeve length)
- Be realistic about what alterations can accomplish – some issues can’t be fixed
- When in doubt, get a professional opinion from a reputable tailor
With these guidelines, you’ll make smarter decisions about your clothing alterations, saving money while looking your best in clothes that actually fit.
