A jacket can be adjusted in many places, but some are much easier to change than others. Check these points in front of a mirror, wearing the shirt you will wear with it.
The parts that are hard to change
- Shoulders: the shoulder seam should end where your shoulder ends, with no dent below it and no overhang. Shoulders are the hardest part of a jacket to alter, so choose a jacket that fits here first.
- Collar: the jacket collar should rest on your shirt collar without a gap at the back of the neck.
The parts a tailor can usually adjust
- Sleeve length: a little shirt cuff, about 1 to 1.5 cm, usually shows below the jacket sleeve when your arms hang down.
- Waist: buttoned, the jacket should close without pulling into an X shape around the button. Taking in the sides gives a closer fit.
- Length: a classic jacket usually covers most of the seat, but lengths vary with style, and shortening a jacket a lot can upset its proportions.
If the shoulders and collar fit, most of the rest can usually be tailored. Bring the jacket to a fitting and ask what is possible before you buy, especially for sale items that cannot be returned.