# Is easy to alter a 3 button into a 2 button or a 3 roll 2 suit



## Othelo (Jan 7, 2012)

I have inherit 8 fine suits, they fit me well but all of them are 3 button, and I wonder if is posible to alter them into a 2 button suit or to a 3 roll 2 suits. Is it possible? How difficult it is?


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

Can't answer for the 2 button conversion, but a 3/2 roll is impossible as that is a function of the construction of the suit and how the canvas is made.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Othelo said:


> I have inherit 8 fine suits, they fit me well but all of them are 3 button, and I wonder if is posible to alter them into a 2 button suit or to a 3 roll 2 suits. Is it possible? How difficult it is?


It would be impossible to alter them into a two button suit because the buttonhole for the top button is already cut into the lapel. You could potentially wear it as a 3/2 and re-roll the lapel, but the finished side of the buttonhole (the side with the nicer stitching) will be on the wrong side. There's nothing wrong with a 3-button suit, though. If you prefer, you can wear it with the top button undone and it will develop it's own distinctive roll over time.

One thing I have done is alter 2-button sport coats into 3/2 rolls. I just have my local seamstress add a matching button and button hole with the finished side on the "wrong" side. Costs me $12 a pop and comes out looking pretty darn good.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

It may depend on the construction. The roll is set by the canvas. Replacing a canvas is basically recutting the whole jacket, and hardly ever worth it, as I understand it. However, suits with softer canvases sometimes tend to roll a little lower over time. If you wear the suit a lot with only the middle button done, you _may_ find the roll creeping downward. Suits with stiffer canvases resist this. My personal theory is that the 3-roll-2 was intended to replicate a broken-in 3 button with a soft canvas.

In short, I wouldn't bother trying to alter them. Just wear them with the middle button done, and see what happens.


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

hardline_42 said:


> One thing I have done is alter 2-button sport coats into 3/2 rolls. I just have my local seamstress add a matching button and button hole with the finished side on the "wrong" side. Costs me $12 a pop and comes out looking pretty darn good.


That's actually a pretty good idea, never thought of that. I have some suits that would take well to it.....an older Oxxford with a low buttoning point comes to mind. Thanks for the tip.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

TheGreatTwizz said:


> That's actually a pretty good idea, never thought of that. I have some suits that would take well to it.....an older Oxxford with a low buttoning point comes to mind. Thanks for the tip.


GT, keep in mind if you do this that most alterations tailors have no idea what a 3/2 roll is and your request will more than likely confuse them. Unless you have absolute confidence in your tailor, bring a sample 3/2 jacket for them to look at and try it out on a couple of thrifted sport coats first before letting them try it on something more expensive.

With regards to the Oxxford suit, remember that the button and button hole the tailor will add are completely superfluous. It will not alter the button stance and the jacket will still have a low buttoning point.


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