# Believer in the shoulderpaddingectomy



## zignatius (Oct 8, 2004)

I got my 15-yr-old Douglas Southwick blazer back from the tailor on Saturday and feel like I have a brand new jacket. The shoulder padding is gone. (Maybe I should've posted on new acquisitions.)

Even though Southwick isn't known for having too much padding, it sounded good for a few reasons, including HistoryDoc's endorsement. Here's some other rationale:
1. I never wore the jacket much anyway; didn't feel like I had much at stake 
2. It was a little snug across the shoulders; my theory is that the padding restricts movement. 
3. I wanted to know what a jacket would feel like if it had less padding than my Brooks Brothers and J.Press sacks. 

My tailor didn't think twice about it. It's reasonable ($35) and did wonders on a coat that is a little too small (I'm a 42; the blazer is 41). Next up is a Hart Schaffner Marx glen plad sport coat. 

(One day I'll start posting pics. For now, my wife would think I'm nuts.)


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

I'd definitely like to see a picture. Sounds like you've had a tremendous weight lifted off your shoulders.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

Happy to help! 
Best,
HD


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## wereed (Aug 1, 2006)

Exactly what risks are involved in this process?

Walt


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

It will alter the fit of your jacket. You may have to have the shoulders and sleeves altered again. Also, if you don't have the shoulders to fill out a jacket, that could pose a problem.


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

I did the same thing myself to a J Press tweed sportcoat, a Canadian recent model. Opened the sleeve cap inside, turned it and clipped out all the padding. I should take it to a tailor to have it reshaped a tad at the armscye, but still it feels/looks much better.


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## bkdc (Mar 4, 2007)

Wow... I'm going to have to ask my tailor if he can do this with my Hickey Freemans. I'm a fan of the natural shoulder.


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## Kent Wang (Aug 2, 2005)

How about a partial -ectomy? This sounds much harder to accomplish.


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

I find that even on jackets with minimal padding, most OTR jackets are a bit wide at the shoulders for me. Did you have the shoulders taken in or just the padding removed? 
Perhaps taking in the shoulders would be a bit more work for the tailor.


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## xragman (Jan 27, 2007)

I just saw this. Did you have the entire padding removed as well as the soft shoulder head?


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## zignatius (Oct 8, 2004)

^ That's a good distinction. Never having thought too much about where all the padding is placed in a jacket, I was a little bit surprised to still feel something along the shoulders when the tailor handed it over. Basically, he gave me the "path of least resistance" ... that is, only the shoulder head, which I assume is the easiest to remove and the least likely to affect fit. No regrets. 

The effect was pretty subtle for my Southwick. (I suppose it will be more dramatic with a Hart Schaffner Marx sport coat that I still plan to take in.) 

In retrospect -- because it was an older jacket I rarely wore -- I kind of wish I experimented by removing all the padding.


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