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What’s This About
An alterations tailor can take cloth away and move seams within the cloth that exists, so shortening sleeves and hems and taking in waists and side seams are usually straightforward, while the shoulders, sleeve pitch, the trouser rise and the jacket length depend on how the garment was made and cost more.
This guide answers the questions men ask when a ready-to-wear suit does not fit, such as
• Can a suit jacket be taken in, and by how much?
• Can trousers be let out, or made bigger?
• Can sleeves be shortened when the jacket has working cuffs?
• Can the shoulders be altered?
• How much do suit alterations cost in the UK, from a Manchester alterations shop to a Mayfair tailor?
and many more!
The price table is built from four published UK price lists, re-read on 12 October 2026, so you can judge a quote before you hand the suit over.
Key Points
01Taking cloth away is the easy direction. Letting out is limited by the cloth the maker left inside the seams, and on ready-to-wear and less expensive suits there is usually little or none.
02Get the shoulders right when you buy, because The Rake, Meiko Tailor and Proper Cloth all treat shoulder work as complex and costly; most of what sits below the shoulders can be adjusted within the cloth available.
03On the four UK price lists re-read for this article on 12 October 2026, a plain trouser hem costs £14.95 to £40 and jacket sleeves from £25 to £80, and Fielding and Nicholson in Mayfair lists shoulder work at £160.
04Fine Tailors in London starts a full suit of alterations at £60 to £120. Whether a bigger quote is worth paying is your judgement, weighed against what the suit cost and what a better-fitting replacement would cost.
The short answer
A tailor works with the cloth that is already in the garment.
Shortening sleeves and hems, taking in the jacket waist, narrowing trouser legs and taking in the trouser waist and seat all remove cloth or move a seam inwards, and those are usually straightforward jobs.
Anything that needs more cloth depends on what the maker left inside the seams, and Meiko Tailor says ready-to-wear and less expensive garments usually have little or no extra material to let out.
Work on the shoulder, the sleeve pitch, the rise or the jacket length depends on how the garment was made; where the fundamental proportions of a suit are wrong, Fine Tailors warns, the alteration cost can approach the replacement cost of the suit.
On the four price lists in this article, prices start at £14.95 for a plain trouser hem at The Suit Doctor in Manchester, while Fielding and Nicholson in Mayfair lists shoulder work and sleeve pitch at £160 each.
The key rule is to buy the suit that fits at the shoulders and closes at the chest. Then ask a tailor what the rest will take.
What an alterations tailor can change on a jacket
Sleeve length is a common request, in the words of The Rake, and shortening is the simpler direction.
On a cuff with non-working buttons, the tailor can shorten from the cuff and move the buttons to suit; Gentleman’s Gazette calls a change of about half an inch a fairly routine procedure, and warns that much more leaves the buttons out of proportion with the sleeve end.
Working buttonholes, sometimes called surgeon’s cuffs, are different, because the holes are cut through the cloth and cannot simply be moved. Gentleman’s Gazette explains that the old holes cannot be sewn up cleanly and could only be closed by a reweaver, so it advises against buying such a jacket if the sleeves need much change; the alternative it describes, taking the sleeve off and shortening it at the shoulder, costs more.
Whether either route works on a given jacket depends on its construction and on how much has to come off, so ask before you buy on that assumption. Fine Tailors in London takes a more relaxed view, pricing sleeve shortening with working buttonholes from £40 and saying the holes are redone at an extra £10 to £20; Fielding and Nicholson’s sleeve prices are in the table below.
Lengthening depends on the cloth available inside the cuff, and The Rake adds that it “is limited by design elements like cuff buttonholes”.
The waist and side seams can be taken in to give the jacket shape, and letting out is limited by the seam allowance; The Rake says jackets “typically allow for some adjustments to be let out or taken in, though this is bound by the construction and fabric availability”.
Jacket length can be shortened within limits. The Rake puts the usual limit at one to two inches, and Gentleman’s Gazette warns that taking off too much brings the pockets and the bottom button too close to the hem.
Lengthening depends on the cloth turned up inside the hem. Gentleman’s Gazette calls it impossible for want of fabric, while A Hand Tailored Suit and Fielding and Nicholson both list jacket length as shorten or lengthen, so ask about your own jacket.
Sleeves can be narrowed, which Gentleman’s Gazette calls an easy alteration. A collar that stands away from the shirt collar can be re-cut, though the same source warns that this can be costly and that the gap may come from posture or uneven shoulders instead. The chest can be taken in, and let out only as far as the cloth inside allows.
The shoulders are the exception to everything above.
The Rake describes making shoulders larger or smaller as extensive work that includes taking apart the sleeves and the lining, and advises prioritising a good shoulder fit when you buy; Proper Cloth does not generally recommend the alteration and suggests a different size instead.
Meiko Tailor, a bespoke tailor in Singapore, describes the construction from shoulder to armhole as so complex that reshaping it “necessitates major alteration”, and adds that the number of buttons cannot be reduced, because the spare buttonhole cannot be closed after the jacket is made.
Sleeve pitch, the rotation of the sleeve in the armhole, belongs with the shoulder. Meiko Tailor says removing and rotating the sleeve to match your posture is doable, but the results are “not 100 percent guaranteed”, and Fielding and Nicholson lists the job at £160.
Lapel width is close to fixed. Gentleman’s Gazette rates changing the lapels as “mostly no”, and making a lapel narrower will likely mean cutting and reshaping the canvas underneath.
What can change on trousers
Trousers are simpler to alter than jackets; The Rake calls them “generally more forgiving”.
A hem can be shortened to the length you want; lengthening is possible only as far as the cloth turned up inside the hem allows, and Gentleman’s Gazette notes that a tailor will not leave more than a couple of inches there once the trousers are finished.
The waist and the seat can be taken in.
Letting out depends on the seam allowance at the centre back. The Rake gives the usual allowance as two inches and Gentleman’s Gazette as at least two to three inches, adding that more than that pulls the back pockets too close together.
Legs can be tapered from the knee down or through the thigh, and Gentleman’s Gazette calls tapering one of the easiest alterations; Fine Tailors makes the point that taking a trouser in by two centimetres is a different job from taking it in by five, because the larger change needs re-tapering through the thigh and the seat.
The rise, the distance from the crotch to the waistband, is another matter. Gentleman’s Gazette calls it the most difficult part to change because it means removing the waistband and replacing the zip, Meiko Tailor says it cannot be increased, and Proper Cloth says a tailor cannot adjust it on its trousers.
Fielding and Nicholson nonetheless lists shortening the front rise at £80, the rise all round at £100 and the rise with the pockets replaced at £160; whether it can be done depends on the trousers, so choose the rise in the shop.
Pleats can be removed and belt loops or side adjusters added; Fielding and Nicholson lists removing pleats at £120, making belt loops or side adjusters at £60 and reinforcing a waistband at £80.
What suit alterations cost in the UK
The table shows the prices four UK services published when their lists were re-read on 12 October 2026. The Suit Doctor is an alterations and repair shop in Manchester city centre, A Hand Tailored Suit is a tailoring firm with a published adjustment list, Fine Tailors is a collection-based alterations service in Central London, and Fielding and Nicholson is a tailor on Sackville Street in Mayfair.
They are list prices, not quotes. The Suit Doctor calls its prices a guide, Fine Tailors confirms a written quote after inspection, Fielding and Nicholson says prices may vary with the work required, and A Hand Tailored Suit says standard adjustments made during its own fitting process are covered by its measurement fee.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns →
| Alteration | The Suit Doctor, Manchester | A Hand Tailored Suit | Fine Tailors, London | Fielding and Nicholson, Mayfair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trouser hem, plain | £14.95 to £19.95 | £20 (shorten or lengthen) | from £18 | £40 (shorten or lengthen) |
| Trouser hem with turn-ups | £19.95 to £24.95 | from £22 | ||
| Trouser waist | £24.95 (take in) | £20 (take in or let out) | from £22 | £40 (take in or let out) |
| Trouser seat | £24.95, same price as the waist | from £28 | £40 (take in or let out) | |
| Taper trouser legs | £24.95 | £20 | from £22 | £60 (taper or let out thigh, depending on amount) |
| Jacket sleeves, plain | from £29.95 (all jacket alterations) | £30 (shorten or lengthen) | from £25 | £80 (shorten or lengthen) |
| Jacket sleeves, working buttonholes or from the shoulder | from £40 (working buttonholes) | £120 (lengthen with additional buttonholes) or £160 (shorten from the crown) | ||
| Jacket waist or side seams | £30 (chest or waist) | from £35 (side seams) | £100 (side seams and centre seam) | |
| Jacket chest | £30 (chest or waist) | from £35 (let out) | £100 (take in from the front panel) | |
| Jacket length | £40 (shorten or lengthen) | £120 (shorten or lengthen) | ||
| Shoulders | quoted on inspection | £160 (take in or let out) | ||
| Sleeve pitch | £160 | |||
| Jacket lining | £120 (re-line with pockets, fabric to be supplied) | £400 (change lining) | ||
| Whole suit, routine work | from £60 to £120 |
The table’s sources are The Suit Doctor (Manchester) price list; A Hand Tailored Suit, Adjustment Costs Price List 2026; Fine Tailors, How much do suit alterations cost in London (25 May 2026); Fielding and Nicholson, Full Alterations Price List. All re-read 12 October 2026. A blank cell means the service does not publish that price separately. Fine Tailors’ figures are starting prices and include collection and return in Central London.
Three patterns are worth noticing in the table.
Outside Mayfair, a trouser hem, waist or taper starts at £25 or less on all three lists.
Jacket prices spread further. Fine Tailors puts that down to lining that has to be opened and re-closed, working buttonholes, canvas construction and delicate cloth.
Fielding and Nicholson’s trouser prices are between about 1.6 and 2.7 times The Suit Doctor’s for the same jobs, and it publishes prices for sleeve pitch, the rise and shoulder work, which the other three lists either leave out or quote on inspection.
Fine Tailors lists a full suit of alterations from £60 to £120. For comparison, a trouser hem, a trouser waist, the sleeves and the jacket waist add up to £100 on A Hand Tailored Suit’s list and £260 on Fielding and Nicholson’s.
When alterations are worth it, and when to buy a different suit
Alter it if the shoulders sit right and the chest closes
If the shoulder seam ends at the point of your shoulder and the jacket fastens without pulling into an X across the chest, the suit is a good candidate for alteration.
Sleeves, jacket waist, hems, trouser waist and taper are the jobs priced in the table above.
Walk away if the problem is in the shoulders, the chest or the length
If the shoulders are too wide, the chest is too small to let out, or the jacket is too long for your torso, Fine Tailors warns that the alteration cost can approach the replacement cost of the suit.
The better answer is a different size or a different cut, then the simpler alterations on that.
At the other end of the scale, Fine Tailors’ example is a £25 sleeve shortening on a £400 suit, which it says “is not a question”.
Ask the tailor what they would not do; a good one will tell you which change carries risk or poor value, and an answer that nothing is off limits is a reason to get a second opinion.
How to get a good result from a fitting
Bring the shoes you will wear with the suit, because the trouser length is set against them, and wear the shirt whose collar and cuff the jacket has to work with.
Wear the belt or braces you normally use, because they change where the trousers sit.
Stand naturally, breathe normally and do not pull yourself up; then sit down before the pins go in, because a jacket that looks right standing can pull badly when seated.
Say what you want in plain words, such as “a little shorter” or “less room across the back”, and let the tailor choose the method.
Agree the price, the collection date and whether pressing is included before you leave the suit, and keep the ticket; Fielding and Nicholson, for one, lists pressing separately.
At collection, put the suit on, sit, raise both arms, and check both sleeves and both hems against the same shoes; anything wrong is easier to put right before you leave than after.
For how a jacket and trousers should sit before you brief a tailor, see the men’s fitting guide for a tailored look and the guide to trouser styles by body shape; to take your own numbers first, see how to measure yourself for clothes, and for the difference between alterations and bespoke, see what tailoring means.
Common questions
Can a suit jacket be made bigger?
Only a little, and only if the maker left cloth in the seams.
Meiko Tailor says ready-to-wear and less expensive jackets usually have little or no extra material to let out, so a jacket that will not button is a reason to try the next size up rather than to count on letting out.
Can a 42 be altered to a 40?
A full size down is at the edge of what the sources here consider sensible. Meiko Tailor puts the limit at one size down, while Gentleman’s Gazette allows two at most but calls a jacket only one size too large the safer option.
Taking in the waist is straightforward, but the shoulders and chest of a 42 stay the shoulders and chest of a 42, and the jacket will look large at the top however neatly the waist is suppressed.
Can a tailor shorten sleeves with working cuffs?
Sometimes, and it depends on the jacket.
The cut buttonholes cannot simply be moved or sewn up cleanly, so the options are a small change at the cuff or shortening from the shoulder end, which costs more; at Fielding and Nicholson, shortening from the crown of the sleeve is £160 against £80 for ordinary shortening or lengthening. Ask before you buy a jacket on the assumption that it can be done.
How long do alterations take?
It depends on the shop and the season. A plain hem is a small job, while jacket work involves the lining and pressing and takes longer, and Fine Tailors quotes 5 to 7 days for its collection service. Ask for the collection date before you leave the suit, and allow extra time in wedding season.
Sources checked for this article (12 September 2026, re-checked 12 October 2026)
The Suit Doctor, Manchester, price list, https://thesuitdoctor.co.uk/prices-suit-repairs-alteration/
A Hand Tailored Suit, adjustment prices 2026, https://ahandtailoredsuit.com/pages/adjustment-prices
Fine Tailors, How much do suit alterations cost in London, 25 May 2026, https://www.finetailors.co.uk/blog/how-much-do-suit-alterations-cost-london
Fielding and Nicholson, alterations price list, https://fieldingandnicholson.com/alterations-price-list/
The Rake, How to fix it: the magic of tailors and alterationists, January 2024, https://therake.com/default/stories/how-to-fix-it-the-magic-of-tailors-and-alterationists
Meiko Tailor, Suit alteration: what your tailor can and cannot do, part 1, https://meikotailor.com/suit-alteration-what-your-tailor-can-and-cannot-do-part-1/
Gentleman’s Gazette, Suit alterations: what a tailor can (and can’t) do, Dr. Christopher Lee, https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/suit-alterations-what-a-tailor-can-do/
Proper Cloth, How much can your garment be altered by a tailor?, https://propercloth.com/reference/how-much-can-alter-a-jacket-how-much-can-a-tailor-do/
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