Suit alterations
Jackets, trousers, waistcoats and coats — carefully altered for a better fit.
You are welcome to send a photo on WhatsApp for context. We will still need to see the garment in person to confirm what is possible and what it will cost.
A better fit, beautifully finished
Small adjustments can make a big difference to how a suit looks and feels. We alter jackets, trousers, waistcoats and coats to improve the fit, proportion and overall appearance.
Sleeves · trouser hems · waistcoats · jackets
What we can alter
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Jackets
- Taken in and refitted
- Sleeve shortening
- Shortening the jacket
- Shoulder alterations, where the jacket allows
Shoulder alterations depend on the construction of the jacket and can only be confirmed once we have seen it on you.
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Trousers
- Hems and length
- Tapering
- Waist adjustment
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Waistcoats
- Taken in and refitted
- Shortening
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Coats
- Taken in and refitted
- Sleeve shortening
- Shortening the coat
- Restyling and redesign alterations to existing coats
Buttons can also be changed to alter the look of a garment — for example, replacing plain buttons with gold-coloured ones.
Your fitting
Bring the formal shirt and the shoes you expect to wear with the suit. The shoes decide where the trousers should finish and how they break; wearing the shirt lets the jacket sleeve be judged properly, so a little shirt cuff still shows.
- A suit or jacket fitting normally takes around 30 minutes.
- There is usually one fitting.
- The suit is tried on and assessed in person, and pinned or marked while you are wearing it.
- You get a clear price once the work has been assessed, and an expected completion date before any work begins.
Grooms and groomsmen
Wedding suits are altered here rather than on the wedding dress page, and groups of groomsmen are welcome — we can fit a group as well as an individual. Everyone attending should bring the shirt and shoes they will wear on the day, for the same reasons as any other suit fitting.
Get in touch with the number in the group and your wedding date, and we will arrange the fittings around it.
Planning your alterations
- Typical turnaround: around 1 week
- Working towards a date? If your suit or jacket is needed for a particular event or date, we recommend booking at least one month in advance.
- Your completion date: confirmed at the consultation, once the suit has been seen and the work assessed.
Booking ahead is about having room to fit the suit and do the work before the day — it is not how long the alteration itself takes.
Final fitting and collection
When your garment is ready, you will normally be asked to try it on before taking it away. This allows the finished fit to be checked and gives us the opportunity to make any small tweaks if needed.
What a customer said
“My old classic suit no longer fitted and Debella at Havant Tailor did a fantastic job of saving my suit and getting it to fit me perfectly.”
Related alterations
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Clothing alterations
Trousers, jeans, shirts, dresses, skirts and coats, altered to fit properly.
View clothing alterations -
Occasionwear
Bridesmaid dresses, mother-of-the-bride outfits, prom and evening wear.
View occasionwear alterations
Book a fitting
Bring the garment to your fitting and we will talk through the changes, assess the fit and agree the work with you before anything begins.
- Fittings and consultations are free and without obligation.