# Tailoring a dress shirt



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

Anyone have any luck tailoring a dress shirt? My problem is that most fit me fine in neck and shoulders. The body is cut huge though. 

I don't mind RTW but the selection of really slim fit shirts is small. I guess this is another example of the tailor being my friend.


----------



## Fuzzypuppy (Mar 30, 2008)

tinytim said:


> Anyone have any luck tailoring a dress shirt? My problem is that most fit me fine in neck and shoulders. The body is cut huge though.
> 
> I don't mind RTW but the selection of really slim fit shirts is small. I guess this is another example of the tailor being my friend.


Darts will probably help solve the problem.

I have the same issue, and the darts solve everything but the armhole size problem.


----------



## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

If you're having the sides taken in, you could have the armhole reduced and sleeves slimmed while you're at it.


----------



## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

*Anyone have any luck tailoring a dress shirt?*

Of course. I have this done to almost all of my OTR dress shirts. It's also relatively inexpensive too, depending on what all you want done and where you live.


----------



## archon (Jul 28, 2008)

I have all my OTR dress shirts brought in at the chest. The alteration is a little tricky and takes a good tailor. Make sure he does it correctly and cuts off the extra material instead of just doing darts. My guy charges $15 a shirt.


----------



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

As far as armholes go, it's kind of hit or miss. LE shirts seem to be cut extra big.


----------



## sm332 (Aug 21, 2008)

what are the disadvantages of darts? If any?


----------



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

sm332 said:


> what are the disadvantages of darts? If any?


On a white shirt probably none. I would imagine on a patterned or striped shirt you have to be careful about matching up the pattern.


----------



## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

^
Darts are usually something that you see in Women's clothing. I don't see what the need would be in this case, however, as it is a common and easy operation to have the sides and arms of a shirt taken in. My tailor does a beautiful job of this and I find many shirts to fit like they were MTM after this procedure is complete. On a related note I urge the OP to investigate Nordstrom's "Trim" (not "Tailored" - that's a different line) line of dress shirts. This is a newer line and is the most slim that Nordstrom offers. I know this topic been discussed ad nauseum here, but these "Trim" shirts really are slim by any definition. I struggle to find OTR shirts slim enough for my liking and these are some of the only ones that work.


----------



## Pipps (Dec 20, 2005)

Please use this forum's excellent search function.

You really can't imagine how much useful information you are missing out on! :icon_smile:


----------



## Trenditional (Feb 15, 2006)

DocHolliday said:


> If you're having the sides taken in, you could have the armhole reduced and sleeves slimmed while you're at it.


I also recommend tapering the armhole/arms when you're tapering the body. It will give a better overall appearance. Any tailor should be able to take in the sides for about $20.


----------



## dlloyd (Jul 8, 2008)

I've gone through this myself. If it's really extreme, you do need to have both the sides and the arms taken in. The problem I've found is if the shirt has a pocket: if it does, taking it in will shift the pocket to the left. If the pocket is large, or if the amount the shirt is being taken in is extreme you'll end up with it somewhere in your armpit.

Another reason to go pocketless on your shirts ...


----------



## Diggy18 (Apr 11, 2008)

dlloyd said:


> I've gone through this myself. If it's really extreme, you do need to have both the sides and the arms taken in. The problem I've found is if the shirt has a pocket: if it does, taking it in will shift the pocket to the left. If the pocket is large, or if the amount the shirt is being taken in is extreme you'll end up with it somewhere in your armpit.
> 
> Another reason to go pocketless on your shirts ...


 Yeah I noticed the same shifting of the pocket when I had a couple shirts slimmed down.


----------



## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Mr. Pipps said:


> Please use this forum's excellent search function.
> 
> You really can't imagine how much useful information you are missing out on! :icon_smile:


Mr. Pibb, you amuse me.

I've had the armholes on a shirt taken in successfully. lt leaves less of a "curve" there of course, but it looks fine to me. Here is the shirt in question that was initially VERY baggy. It's not exactly a trendy slim fit or anything like that, just better fitted to my body now.


----------



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

The Louche said:


> ^
> Darts are usually something that you see in Women's clothing. I don't see what the need would be in this case, however, as it is a common and easy operation to have the sides and arms of a shirt taken in. My tailor does a beautiful job of this and I find many shirts to fit like they were MTM after this procedure is complete. On a related note I urge the OP to investigate Nordstrom's "Trim" (not "Tailored" - that's a different line) line of dress shirts. This is a newer line and is the most slim that Nordstrom offers. I know this topic been discussed ad nauseum here, but these "Trim" shirts really are slim by any definition. I struggle to find OTR shirts slim enough for my liking and these are some of the only ones that work.


Thanks for the heads up on Nordstroms. Is that their own brand? I have one about 30 minutes away.


----------



## omanae (Aug 19, 2008)

For men I tend to think darts should only be used if the gentleman has a bad posture where his lower back pulls in. In that case the darts take in fabric where it needs to be. Otherwise it just looks like a quick fix and is not very clean.


----------



## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

tinytim said:


> Thanks for the heads up on Nordstroms. Is that their own brand? I have one about 30 minutes away.


Yes - these are Nordstrom's own brand. They actually have two common "house bands" - Nordstrom (featuring a maroon label) and John W. Nordstrom (featuring a cream label or a black label). The standard shirts run from about $55 - $70 depending on fabric, the JWN shirts run from $80 - $150+ depending on fabric and/or selection of the MTO option (not MTM, but you can select cuff, collar, pockets, etc. and fit - including both "trim" and "tailored" among others).


----------



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

The Louche said:


> Yes - these are Nordstrom's own brand. They actually have two common "house bands" - Nordstrom (featuring a maroon label) and John W. Nordstrom (featuring a cream label or a black label). The standard shirts run from about $55 - $70 depending on fabric, the JWN shirts run from $80 - $150+ depending on fabric and/or selection of the MTO option (not MTM, but you can select cuff, collar, pockets, etc. and fit - including both "trim" and "tailored" among others).


At $150 my local tailor can get me custom shirts. Actually, his start at $125. He does all the measuring and has them made somewhere, Asia I presume. I've seen him wearing them and they do look nice.

Right now with house, car and tuition payments $150 for a shirt is more than the budget allows. But in 10 short years when the house is paid and kids are through school look out.


----------



## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

Oh I agree $150 is too much for OTR or even MTO; I was just listing the facts. You can get a nice shirt from them for 80 bucks in the trim fit. I get lots of shirts MTM, and the JWN shirt that I recently picked-up for this price compares favorably. I'd stay away from the real pricey ones too, simply on principle, but definitely look into the more reasonable ones - they aren't bad.


----------



## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

omanae said:


> For men I tend to think darts should only be used if the gentleman has a bad posture where his lower back pulls in. Otherwise it just looks like a quick fix and is not very clean.


What?
Darts are not a quick fix for anything. They are a staple of good tailoring.​


----------



## dlloyd (Jul 8, 2008)

Peak and Pine said:


> What?
> Darts are not a quick fix for anything. They are a staple of good tailoring.​


If you put in darts in the back, won't that throw off the balance of the side seam? I would think, especially if you're taking in a fair amount, that it would pull that seam towards the back giving an odd profile.


----------

