The Perfect Fit In Men's Tailoring: Adjust your patterns easily

Contents

Preface

Taking measurements

Taken measurements in a pattern

Body shape and posture

Perfect fit and how to do a fitting

The pants

Pelvis tilted forward

Pelvis tilted backward

Raising the waistline at the side seam

Lowering the waistline at the side seam

Pelvis tilted sideways

Hip is stronger on one side

Knock-knees

Bowlegs

Extending the waistband

Reducing the waistband

Strong hip curve

Flat hip curve

Flat seat

Strong seat

Extending the crotch

Reducing the crotch

Room at the back of the pants

Lowering the rise

Lifting the rise

Considering the package

Pleat opens up

Too tight at the calf

Extending the thigh girth

Reducing the thigh girth

Extending the hem girth

Reducing the hem girth

Tailoring the pants

Pressing pants properly

The vest

Stooped posture

Rounded back

S-shape posture

Erect posture

The vest

Vest is too tight

Vest is too loose

Lower front edge sticks out (pronounced belly)

Front edges overlap too much at the top

Front edges overlap too much at the bottom

Front is too short

Strong chest

Front opening sticks out

Armhole sticks out

Neckline is too close to the neck

Neckline is too far from the neck

Front pushes into the armhole

Armhole is cut out too far

Square shoulders

Sloping shoulders

Shoulders are too wide

Shoulders are too narrow

Armhole is too high

Armhole is too low

Back is too long

Back is too short

Tailoring the vest

Pressing a vest properly

The jacket

Sleeve before tailoring

Position of the shoulder pads

Stooped posture

Rounded back

S-shape posture

Erect posture

Jacket is too tight

Jacket is too loose

Seat is too tight

Seat is too loose

Rounded shoulders

Square shoulders

Sloping shoulders

One-sided sloping shoulder

The jacket

Shoulders are too narrow

Shoulders are too wide

Back is too long

Fold at the neck

Strong shoulder blades

Back fold does not roll up

Back width is too narrow

Back width is too wide

Make the jacket slimmer at the waist

Flat chest

Strong chest

Front part pushes toward the armhole

Armhole is cut too wide toward the front

Wrong width of scye

The jacket sleeve

Wrong sleeve pitch

Sleeve is too long at the back

Sleeve head is too flat

Sleeve head is too high

Imperfectly fitting sleeve

Tension at the back

Width at the undersleeve

Sleeve hem is too tight

Sleeve hem is too wide

Armhole is too high

Armhole is too low

Strong upper arm

Neckline and collar of a jacket

Neckline is too narrow

Neckline is too wide

Collar is too low

Collar is too short

Tailoring the jacket

Pressing a jacket properly

Tips for tailoring

Appendix

Index

Abbreviations

Pattern alteration template

Measurement sheet and style details

Other books from the author

Biography

What is meant by the perfect fit?

The fit refers to the optimal way clothes suits the body. This may sound obvious, but it presents many challenges. Because in addition to different body dimensions, each person has their posture and individual body proportions.

Therefore, a ready-to-wear size sometimes has very little to do with an ideal fit. Classic ready-to-wear sizes are guidelines for the garments' length and width – they serve as a guide. After all, just because a garment is neither too tight nor too wide does not mean that it fits well.

Finding the cause of poor fit

This book examines the causes of poor fit and offers optimal solutions to the most common problems concerning the fit. Personal stylistic preferences are irrelevant in this context. Whether one tends towards the modern slim-fit shape or the classic wider cut, the garment should always fit with as few wrinkles as possible.

Identifying problems right from the start

Another challenge is the multitude of possibilities to achieve a perfect fit. It is rarely achieved with a single adjustment. Often the solution to a problem consists of a combination of several steps of modification. For the sake of convenience, the most common fitting errors are described individually on the following pages. Do not be afraid to combine specific improvements separately to achieve an even better result.

In most cases, it is advisable to work in the client's posture and proportions as early as the pattern-making stage. That spares tailors or sewists and customers from long and tedious fittings.

Achieving success with patience and perseverance

The more time you spend on the fit, the more you sharpen your eye for emerging problems. And the more causes you have discovered and eliminated, the easier it will be the next time. Have courage; practice makes perfect!

Good luck on your way to an ideal fit.

Taking measurements

Taking measurements

Measurement sheet

You will find a sheet in the appendix on page →.

Neck (NE)

When measuring the neck, care must be taken that the tape measure is not set too high. The circumference is measured at the base of the neck (on the skin), directly above the collarbone. It helps to keep two fingers between the tape measure and neck not to measure too narrow.

Chest (CHE)

When measuring the chest, the tape measure will be placed around the strongest chest point, then passed under the arms and slightly higher at the back.

Waistline (WAI)

The waistline is measured exactly around the waist, at the narrowest point just above the hipbone. Here a waist measuring tape is fixed.

Waistband (WB)

The waistband is measured at the height of the desired position.

HIP

The hip width, or seat, is measured horizontally around the strongest point of the buttocks.

Shoulder width (SH)

The shoulder width is measured from the neckline to the shoulder bone.

Chest width (CW)

The chest width is measured across the strongest breast point from the left to the right arm.

Upper arm (UPA)

For muscular biceps, this measure is necessary. It is measured around the strongest point of the upper arm.

Sleeve length (SL)

Measure the sleeve length from the shoulder bone over a slightly bent elbow to about 2 cm above the first thumb joint.

Nape to breast (NTB)

The nape to breast/chest is measured from the 7th cervical vertebra over the shoulder toward the